Recently, the leader of the Catholic church, spoke out on various subjects in a wide-ranging, widely published interview. The interview revealed that his view of Christianity is so foreign to that which we read about in scripture that there is little in common with New Testament Christianity. Because many people listen to him, it may prove profitable to comment briefly on a few things he has spoken.
First, he stated “In the history of salvation, God has saved a people. There is no full identity without belonging to a people. No one is saved alone, as an isolated individual…”
But the Bible clearly teaches we will be judged individually, “every man according to his deeds” (Rom. 2:5,6). While it is true when we obey the Lord in baptism we are added to the Lord’s church (Acts 2:47), every one of us will stand before the Lord in judgement to individually receive the things done in our bodies (II Cor. 5:10,11). We do not become saved because we “belong to a people” (or some religious institution), but we are added to the Lord’s church when we obey God’s will. John warned Israel against just this type of thinking when he said to the Jews “think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.” (Matthew 3:9). It was not just being a descendent of Abraham that saved them, but having the same obedient faith as Abraham. John said “Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance” (v. 8).
Did God save Noah because he “belonged to a people”? Did God save Abraham because he “belonged to a people”? Did God save David because he “belonged to a people”? Did God save Paul because he “belonged to a people”? No, God saved them because they individually obeyed His will. Which leads us to another error espoused by Francis, namely that doctrine is secondary to salvation.
According to Mr. Francis, any insistence on hard and fast laws from God should give way to what ever people may want or feel. He stated: “The church sometimes has locked itself up in small things, in small-minded rules.” He further says the “church” must “also be able to accompany the flock that has a flair for finding new paths.” So we must exchange the old teachings of God for the new impulses of man. He goes on to say that “those who long for an exaggerated doctrinal ‘security,’ those who stubbornly try to recover a past that no longer exists” are “restorationists,” and have a “static view” of things and must “have the courage to open up new areas to God.”
What are these “new areas” and what are the “small-minded rules”? The new areas obviously include the acceptance of homosexuality for he says that the “church” does not want to “socially wound” the individual by condemning them for practicing homosexuality. He says God “endorses the existence” of the homosexual and does not “condemn” this person.
But the Bible clearly teaches that those who “dishonor their bodies between themselves” and “leave the natural use of the woman and burn in their lust toward one another” are “worthy of death” as are those who have “pleasure in them that do them” (Romans 1:24, 27, 32). As for “new paths,” John said if any man comes to you and brings not this doctrine he does not have God (II John 9-11). If anything is taught that is not “after the tradition” which was received of the apostles, the one who taught is to be withdrawn from (II Thess. 3:6).
A third area where Francis departs from the New Testament pattern is the role of women in the church. Francis thinks that “the challenge today is this: to think about the specific place of women also in those places where the authority of the church is exercised for various areas of the church.” He further says: “We must therefore investigate further the role of women in the church. We have to work harder to develop a profound theology of the woman.”
The truth of the matter is we do not “develop theology.” All scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine, reproof, correction, and instruction in righteousness (II Tim. 3:16,17). The Bible already speaks about the role of women. Paul, by inspiration, said, “Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection. But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence” (I Tim. 2:11-12). What is there to develop? God has already spoken on the matter.
The leader of the Catholic church has the ear of many people in the Catholic church and in the religious world. Unfortunately, the areas enumerated above are not the only doctrinal areas wherein the Catholic church is in error. But Mr. Francis’ very liberal views added to the error already espoused by the Catholic church is an even more spiritually lethal combination.
Eric L. Padgett