Posted by Elana Janson on August 14, 2007 at 11:11:41:
In Reply to: The False Prophet, and The Roman Catholic Church posted by Jonathan Hunt on August 05, 2007 at 19:00:32:
Why the Pope is revered.
The primacy of the Church of Rome
The following is taken from Wikipedia: The history of the Papacy. “The origin of the Papacy is unclear. It is generally accepted amongst most Catholic and non-Catholic historians that the institution of the papacy as it exists today developed through the centuries. Church tradition holds that St. Peter the apostle arrived in Rome c. 50. During the first century of the Christian Church, the Roman capital became recognized as a Christian centre of exceptional note since the Church of Rome was reputed to be founded by the apostles St. Paul and St. Peter, the "prince of the apostles". Despite the special status of the church of Rome, there are only a few 1st century references to the recognition of the authoritative primacy of the Roman See outside of Rome.”
“In the second century (AD 189), the assertion of the primacy of the Church of Rome may be indicated in St. Irenaeus of Lyon's Against Heresies (3:3:2): "With [the Church of Rome], because of its superior origin, all the churches must agree... and it is in her that the faithful everywhere have maintained the apostolic tradition." Although this may be the first clear instance of the church in Rome asserting its primacy (depending on how one reads this passage), there is no historical evidence to show that such a claim was ever accepted by the eastern churches, particularly since the seat of government of the Roman Empire was moved to Constantinople soon after the First Council of Nicaea.”
“The First Council of Constantinople (AD 381) suggested strongly that Roman primacy was already asserted. However, it should be noted that, because of the controversy of this claim, the Pope did not personally attend this ecumenical council that was held in the capital of the eastern empire, rather than at Rome. It was not until 440 that Leo the Great more clearly articulated the extension of papal authority as doctrine, promulgating in edicts and in councils his right to exert "the full range of apostolic powers that Jesus had first bestowed on the apostle Peter". It was at the Ecumenical Council of Chalcedon in 451 that Leo I (through his emissaries) stated that he was "speaking with the voice of Peter". At this same Council, an attempt at compromise was made when the bishop of Constantinople was given a primacy of honour only second to that of the Bishop of Rome, because "Constantinople is the New Rome." Ironically, Roman papal authorities rejected this language since it did not clearly recognize Rome's claim to juridical authority over the other churches.”
“The power of the Bishop of Rome increased as the imperial power of the Emperor declined. Edicts of the Emperor Theodosius II and of Valentinian III proclaimed the Roman bishop "as Rector of the whole Church." The Emperor Justinian, who was living in the East in Constantinople, in the sixth century, published a similar decree. These proclamations did not create the office of the Pope but from the sixth century onward the Bishop of Rome's power and prestige increased so dramatically that the title of "Pope" began to fit the Bishop of Rome best.”
The Pope of the present day Roman Catholic Church is therefore revered because “In addition to his spiritual role as head of the Catholic Church, the Pope also has a temporal role as Head of State of the independent sovereign State of the Vatican City, a city-state and nation entirely enclaved by the city of Rome. The history of the Papacy, then, is the history of both the spiritual role and the temporal role over a time span of almost 2,000 years from the arrival of Peter in Rome to the present day.”
Pope John Paul 11
The legacy of Pope John Paul 11 is tremendous. Best leave judgement of a Pope to God alone. No person is perfect. See John 8:7.
Concerning your remarks on the worship of the Pope by some, images and the ‘worship’ of Mary, the mother of Christ.
Deuteronomy 5: 7-9 (The First Commandments) “you shall have no other gods before me.
8 You shall not make for yourself an idol, whether in the form of anything that is in heaven above, or that is on the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.
9 You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, punishing children for the iniquity of parents, to the third and fourth generation of those who reject me,” The Commandments are very clear on this issue.
Martin Luther also had a problem with many practices in the Catholic Church and some that he too believed were contrary to Scripture and for this reason there was the Reformation. Today the Christian Church does not have a hold on anyone and persons can choose a Church that has a doctrine true to Scripture. Choose a church that has a doctrine true to Scripture. People today are free to choose and the Bible is very clear on how man should live. Satan has no power over those who keep to the Commandments and follow Scripture.
The false prophet
According to my understanding of Revelation, the “false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ” in the letter to the Corinthians (2 Cor 11:13) are those that at the present time undermine the testimony of Jesus Christ by firstly accepting practices that are contrary to Scripture. Secondly by undermining the testimony of Jesus Christ in the practices of “freedom”. Freedom of the individual that no longer lives according to the Ten Commandments or feels the need to find forgiveness of sin through the practice of Holy Communion. Also freedom of thought that has made the accepted practice of all faiths equal before the law evolve into the unacceptable attitude of equalizing the faiths of the earth. Persons promoting the acceptance of these practices and undermining the true testimony of Jesus Christ are found in governments, great institutions of learning, and the media networks that have the power to influence and also within churches.
Revelation gives the big picture.
I have through my understanding of the book Revelation tried to show how Revelation gives the ‘big picture’ in the time 2007. This ‘big picture’ encompasses not only the Pope and the Roman Catholic Church but all the Christian Churches of the globe. It encompasses the ruling and governments of all the nations, the influences of the progress of the sciences on man, the repercussions of economic and media links of all the nations of the earth. – All that has been explained on this website. What Revelation is revealing at the present time is that the entire world is now caught up in a “world order” that has gradually developed through the enemies of faith and Christianity through past centuries. This “world order” is at the present time powerful, but is petrified that the signs of the end are upon us. It therefore ignores everything that has been said on this website and hopes that it will all go away. According to my understanding of Revelation we are in the time of the end and the signs of the undermining of the testimony of Jesus Christ and his Church, the signs of global warming that are already bringing hardship, as well as the ongoing conflicts in the Middle East are all confirming this fact.
Your post reflects great hostility towards the present day Roman Catholic Church. A distaste that has even led you to conjure up a Pope in your imagination that is in some future time both the “beast” and the “false prophet” of Revelation. After all that has been said on this website this is an incorrect and unfounded interpretation of the “beast” and “false prophet”. In all Churches there are good Christians and false Christians. You are in this world never going to find the perfect person or the perfect church. Try to see and focus on the good that people do. Remember that Revelation reveals that God is in control of all that has happened to his Church. Once again - let God be the judge.