The New Pope Leo XIV: He is Just a Man

Cardinal Robert Provost of Chicago, IL, USA, was selected by 135 Cardinals at the Vatican as the new leader of the whole Roman Catholic Church. The Roman Catholic Church claims total authority over Catholic parishioners and the world. Therefore, taking the word “catholic” to its meaning — “universal”. The “Councils” are infallible and have equal authority as the Bible. Unfortunately, to them, the Bible is “extra” — basically, non-essential. The Pope, known as the “Vicar of Christ”, claims supreme authority over the church and all Christians around the world. He also claims that everything he says is “infallible”. Guess what? That’s not in the Bible! Let’s dig in…

Is Pope Leo XIV Infallible?

What makes a fallible man infallible just by being promoted? Nothing. He’s still fallible. He’s still a sinner. All we humans are. Pope Leo XIV didn’t magically get superpowers in a few hours.

We ALL are Sinners!

As the Apostle Paul writes…

²¹But now God has shown us a way to be made right with him without keeping the requirements of the law, as was promised in the writings of Moses^[i] and the prophets long ago. ²²We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are.

²³For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. ²⁴Yet God, in his grace, freely makes us right in his sight. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins. ²⁵For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood. This sacrifice shows that God was being fair when he held back and did not punish those who sinned in times past, ²⁶for he was looking ahead and including them in what he would do in this present time. God did this to demonstrate his righteousness, for he himself is fair and just, and he makes sinners right in his sight when they believe in Jesus.
Romans 3:21-26 NLT

“Everyone” means EVERYONE — ALL HUMANS — you, me, and Robert Prevost. Just because he’s got a new title, of Pope Leo XIV, which, by the way, he gave to himself, doesn’t mean he got some divine power never to sin again. It doesn’t work that way!

If he is a born-again believer as explained by Jesus in the Gospel of John Chapter 3, then he has the Holy Spirit in his heart just like ALL born-again believers do. The Holy Spirit is our internal sanctifier. He convicts us when we — even after being born again — sin. We’re human. We’ll sin again and again. We don’t know if he’s born again. That’s between him and God.

Papal Authority

Does the Pope have all authority over the Bible and Christianity? Uh, NO. Jesus said as part of the Great Commission…

“I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth.”‭‭
Matthew‬ ‭28:18‬ ‭NLT‬‬ (emphasis mine)

Incidentally, ALL means all, and that’s all all means!

Speaking of Jesus, the Messiah, the Prophet Daniel wrote…

He was given authority, honor, and sovereignty over all the nations of the world, so that people of every race and nation and language would obey him. His rule is eternal—it will never end. His kingdom will never be destroyed.
Daniel 7:14 NLT

Peter — who, by the way, was NOT the first Pope — wrote…

²²Now Christ has gone to heaven. He is seated in the place of honor next to God, and all the angels and authorities and powers accept his authority.
1 Peter 3:22 NLT

To learn more about the history of how the Pope obtained his “authority” and “infallibility,” read this.

The Vicar of Christ?

What is a vicar? It’s an earthly representative or ambassador of Christ. Actually, ALL born-again believers are vicars of Christ. As Paul wrote…

¹⁸And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ. And God has given us this task of reconciling people to him. ¹⁹For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation. ²⁰So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, “Come back to God!” ²¹For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.
2 Corinthians 5:18-21 NLT

The 5 Solas

Sola Scriptura (“Scripture alone”): The Bible alone is our highest authority.
Sola Fide (“Faith alone”): We are saved through faith alone in Jesus Christ.
Sola Gratia (“Grace alone”): We are saved by the grace of God alone.
Solus Christus (“Christ alone”): Jesus Christ alone is our Savior, Redeemer, Lord, and King
Soli Deo Gloria (“to God alone be the Glory.”): It’s all about God, not us.

Where Else did the Roman Catholic Church Go Wrong?

Back in 2020, when I had some downtime from my business, I took a deep dive into the history of the Roman Catholic Church. I wanted to know who invented what and when. See, all the religious rituals, rules, and regulations are MAN-MADE. They are NOT Biblical. Here, see for yourself…

You are not saved if you are a Slave to Religion

Growing Up Catholic

A pastor-friend of mine asked me, “You had a bad experience in the Catholic Church, didn’t you?”

I responded, “Not bad, exactly. I wasn’t treated badly at all. I was just deprived of the Bible — the Word of God. I was deceived by false teachings. Most importantly, they never taught me that true Salvation is through Christ Alone.

Jesus said…

“I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.”
John 14:6 NLT (emphasis mine)

THROUGH CHRIST. Get it? NOT through a church, not through a pope, not through a wafer, not through a priest.

Not looking for a pope. My hope in Jesus Christ.

Heaven or Hell — It’s Your Choice!

I believe there are many Catholics, Orthodox, Progressives, and, yes, “woke” people in hell crying & asking “Why?” They did what society, false preachers, popes, and priests told them to do. They went to church. They called themselves Christians. More than that, they did good works, volunteered, and served. Yet, they missed the crucial step of repentance and acceptance that leads to salvation through Jesus Christ only.

That so separated them from God, that they will never get an answer.

It’s not too late, while you are still in this world, to #GetRightWithGod —>Before it’s too late!

Jesus knocking at the door of your heart. — Jesus is knocking at the door of your heart.
Isn’t it about time you let Him in?

If you’re not sure if you’re saved or not, if you truly want to be born again and have the assurance of salvation, receive the Holy Spirit, feel His Shalom — a peace that surpasses all understanding, and get a 1-way, non-stop ticket to Heaven after you die, or that you won’t be left behind at the Rapture, which can happen at any moment, this is what you have to do…

Believe. Repent. Be Baptized. Receive the Holy Spirit.

Believe — have Faith — that Jesus is the Christ and He died taking your sins away forever and that He rose from the dead 3 days later.
Repent of your sins — stop sinning! Do a complete 180-degree turn in your life and surrender your life to Him. When you ask Jesus to forgive you He will. ALL your sins will be wiped clean — past, present, and future! And All means ALL!
Be Baptized by water baptism — show the world and yourself that you have died to your old life and are born again in Christ.
Receive the gift of Holy Spirit in your heart.