New Pope Chosen
After just four votes, Pope Benedict XVI (aka, Joseph Ratzinger) has been chosen to lead the Vatican and the Roman Catholic Church as the 265th pontiff. Benedict XVI turned 78 this past Saturday and was Pope John Paul II's chief theological adviser for 20 years. Again, I am not catholic, but I do realize the power and responsibility that the Pope has to lead the Christian Church, and hope and pray that his reign is as successful as the pontiff before him.
Posted on Tue. April 19, 2005 by Ryan Guill
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Amen.
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papa ratz isn't head of <i>THE</i> Christian Church, but <i>A</> Christian Church, the Roman one. He is not the pope of the lutherans or the anglicans or the mormans...or the greek or russian orthodox for that matter.
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While that may be true, let me rephrase the quote then. I do realize the power and responsibility that the Pope has to lead the largest organization of Christians on the planet, and hope and pray that his reign is as successful as the pontiff before him.
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You will find that many do not "recognize" the Pope as valid. We understand that men have choosen that system to guide them to God. Yet, we are persuaded that men don't get to choose the road to God regardless of the quality of their motives. It is only God who decieds what is acceptable. His decisions are also made on the basis of truth, and not on whims or as we would think in terms of personal taste. In fact God doesn't change. It is well known that the Popes of history and the Vatican has been a shifting wind. I respect his responsibilities but differ with your statement that it has anything to do with Christians in God's eyes.
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John, while I realize that some may not recognize the pope as being valid, the largest organization of christians do. Again, I am not catholic, and dont agree with many of their beliefs, but regardless of what I think or believe (or anyone for that matter) the majority of people who call themselves christians are catholic and recognize him. The purpose of this post was mostly informational and to offer my prayers up for the pope. Thats all.
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I have heard more than one Catholic growing up who did not call themselves Christian. In fact they were emphatic that they were not Christian, they were Catholic. The argument shocked me because these were intelligent and devout members of the church. (Take that for what you will.) <thought concept="a programmer should have better logic than that"> So... are you suggesting because they "call themselves" christians and they are the largest organization that means we should pray for their leader? How about the largest religious organization that believes in God, or the perhaps the largest top 10 religions and their leaders. Your irrational explaination doesn't work. You can't "think it through" and come to a conclusion supporting that unless you believe the Pope teaches the right way to heaven. Now, I can see if God places it on your heart for him to repent of teaching a false Gospel then God is able. Yet, considering his theological history and how scriptures deal with false teachers it is unlikely those two roads will cross again. It would be better for us to get to know our neighbors and care for them. It would be better to get to know the needy in our own towns and minister to them. Do you realize that there is a certain euphoria by associating ourselves with something big that appears successful. That is the downfall of the people when they set up the world city in Babalon 'lest the people should be scattered abroad upon the face of the earth'. Suggestion: Find your security as a Christian in Christ. Associate with others who believe the true gospel because they are the children of your saviour rather than reverencing men and movements. </thought>
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alright, maybe I didnt make myself clear last time. Thats possible. So lets get a few things straight. First, here is a big (huge) difference in having a civil debate and insulting my intelligence and competance as a developer. I don't appreciate it, it has absolutely nothing to do with what we are talking about, and if you want a reply from me and your comments to stay there then I suggest you don't do it again. Second, if you were as strong in your christian beliefs as you obviously claim to be, you should know that we need to pray for _everyone_, the pope included... So yes, I am suggesting that because they "call themselves" christians and they are the largest organization that it means we should pray for them and their leader... Do you not pray for our president? The leader of the most powerful nation in the world? Yes, we should pray for all religions and their leaders. That is _the point_. I never said we should only pray for the pope. I never said that he was special. If there had been a new leader of the islamic or hindu church, a new leader of the jews, a new leader of any religion or denomination that I knew about I would offer up my prayers for them to. Let me ask you something. You want to come here, telling me to find my security in Christ as a Christian. Tell me, how secure are you that you need to come here to tell me how to do it? Where do you get that I am reverencing anyone? Either you are taking what I am saying completely out of context, or you just arent reading it at all. So for the last time, let me try to explain the purpose of this post. I wish the pope the best of luck. He is a leader, and I hope he listens to God and does His will. I pray that he does. And I wanted everyone to know that a new pope was chosen. Thats all.
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P.S. God says we shall give account for every idle word we speak. (I am not seeking to condemn you. My hope is that you don't neglect that there are no idle speaches that we will not answer to God for in the end.) God is on the throne, not men. It doesn't matter if all men on earth agree that a particular church is right. That happened in Babalon and popular opinion didn't effect God's outlook then. And the good book quotes him as "I am the Lord God and I change not". The Epistles state if any man preaches another gospel we are to let them be accursed. (Not to force them, but "let" them.) It seems to me if you don't share the Pope's gospel you don't need to be like terrorists and plan his demise. That isn't God's way. Yet, if someone is teaching against the Cross of Christ (which someone believing a different Gospel would understand that a wrong Gospel is trodding underfoot the cross of Christ) then we certainly would not pray for his success. Note: Again, I am not concerned with God blessing those prayers, but rather with those who blindly follow the way of popularity. God said, 'Come let us reason together...' Reasoning with God was the way to forgiveness before the Catholic church... and the God who doesn't change said does the thing that is made say unto the maker... KEY THOUGHT: Our perspective isn't Gods unless we agree with God.
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Didn't intend to insult you or your intelligence. Please don't take it that way. Blogs are open thought forums. You should be free to be open with your thoughts. Not asking for that to change. My point was that praying for someone that to me is trodding under foot the crosss of Christ, my saviour is not something scripture admonishes. We are admonished to pray for our leaders. The pope isn't one of my leaders. Second, I am not insulting your intelligence. I am giving you something to consider your post implies you had not considered before. None of us know everything. To give you another perspective to consider or more information isn't an insult to intelligence. It is a bit proud to assume because we are intelligent we know and do all we should. (Many will say unto me in that day, Lord, Lord, when did we see you a hungered and a thirsting and not... and he said unto them, depart from me you workers of iniquity, I never knew you.) If you and I are following the right Gospel... then we are serving God. My point is that when someone goes to a different gospel the book that "christians" read says to let go, not to support them or to attack them. So... please forgive this medium for being a poor transport of communication. You don't hear my voice, you don't see my eyes. We are reduced to communicating truth and perspective here. I am not seeking to judge you, just to admonish you that many christians are "offended" that someone who trods under foot the blood of christ should be upheld in prayer for anything other than that God would bring them to repentance that they also might have eternal life. My point about the neighbor is that God is no respector of persons. You and I can reach our neighbors faster than the pope. And if he converts to what I believe is the true gospel, someone else will take his place. The strength of the Gospel is no more the pope being converted than someone rising from the grave. (Like Abraham said... if they don't believe the writtings then earthly things are not going to convert them either.) I thought we should focus on loving our neighbors rather than associations.