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p.1 The point of view from above When was the first time the apostles appointed a Pope? The answer is never, because they were never told to organize a religion and have an earthly head base. They certainly were never told to vote on a successor of Peter. The Bishop of Rome is supposedly a direct succession from the Apostle Peter, who was Jewish, an apostle to the Jews in Israel. This gathering of this papal conclave to choose Pope is held in the Sistine Chapel, consisting of the college of Cardinals. They vote for a ‘new’ Pope for the ROMAN Catholic Church to lead the Church and the world religiously, and politically. But these cardinals don’t sing, they sit, and they vote up several times with secret ballots. One hundred and thirty-three Roman Catholic cardinals from 66 countries participated in voting. As they decide the smoke released is black until the decision is made, then it is white. Once selected, the pope-elect is asked if he accepts the position. The ballots are then burned after they are counted and recorded. What's in a name? Traditionally, the Popes take a new name, originally to change it from a pagan name. In 533, a new pope was selected, His name, Mercurius, a pagan name honoring the Roman god, Mercury. He took the name of the prior pope, John, becoming John II. Francis was the first pope from the America’s (Central), and the first Jesuit pope, who chose the name Francis (after St. Francis of Assisi). The last Pope to keep his birth name was Marcellus II, elected in 1555. Since then it is one of the first acts of the elected pope. ‘The vicar’ takes the place of Christ on earth from the former center of Political power in Rome, now religious. The Pope-elect takes a vow of office and dons the papal vestments. He then greets the people in the square from the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica. The American Pope, Leo XIV was elected as the 267th pontiff graduated from the Augustinian Villanova University, in suburban Philadelphia founded in 1842, built on Augustinian’s understanding. This Pope, Leo is of the Augustinian order who went to Peru as a missionary. Augustine is the father of A-millennialism, chief architect of Roman Catholicism, Post-millennial theology. You could say that without Augustine the church would not be what it is today. He rejected the plain reading of Scripture, replacing it with allegorical interpretation which set the basis for the Church as the New Israel, establishing the Kingdom of God on earth. Believing The Millennium began with the first coming of Christ. Though they say he is a centrist, being educated in any type of Augustinian teachings further establishes a great probability of animosity toward the Jews and Israel,. According to Rome, the church is the kingdom under the Pope who is regarded as the head representative of Christ on Earth, regarded as having the authority of Christ. Statements of embellishment such as "The Pope is not only the representative of Jesus Christ, he is Jesus Christ himself, hidden under the veil of flesh." (Catholic National July 1895. (other such anti-biblical claims are made) The claim goes back to 64/67 AD., the generally accepted date of Peter's death. Peter is believed to have been in Rome, martyred by the Roman emperor Nero. The claim that Peter held a special leadership position as chief place among the apostles (prince), as the first Pope, is not only NOT mentioned by Peter, but refuted by numerous passages in the New Testament. At that time the Catholic church claims the second "Pontiff," Linus, succeeded Peter as the first Pope in Rome. A year later the Roman armies invaded Jerusalem and in 70 AD, we see nothing said about this from the so called Pope in Rome. History tells us the Church was illegal in Roman empire, underground for over 250 years, until Emperor Constantine made it legal to be a Christian. There was no single ruler of the church in any district in Europe or Asia like a Pope. There were pastors, bishops, not Popes. In the years AD 440-461, for 400 years there was no Pope over the church from Rome. The old saying that asks is the Pope Catholic, has more significance than you think. The invention of a Pope comes after Constantine’s inversion of Christianity. How did Peter pass his authority? How did the believers survive? The Bible has the explanation. Peter explains and declares in the New Testament that Christ is the "chief cornerstone" upon which the church is built (I Peter 2:6-8), not Peter. Jesus is the rock the church is built upon, being God who came as man, he alone is qualified for that position. The apostles, including Peter said, church is "built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets" (Ephesians 2:20), that’s plural, not singular. They taught Christ is the foundation of the church, not any man. The rock Jesus taught that the "wise man built his house" upon, was not Peter but Christ and His teachings (Matt. 7:24-29). The word Pope" is Latin for “papa” where we get the word father. Jesus said to call NO MAN father. The title Holy Father is called the Vicar of Christ (Vicarious, "another Christ," in place of Christ"). Pontifex Maximus (literally means "Greatest Pontiff") was the most important position in the ancient Roman religion, Supreme Pontiff, The first actual pope to be called the "Vicar of Christ" was Pope Leo the Great (AD 440). On these two points from God’s infallible, inerrant Word it discounts this ongoing religious organization practice[s], but there are dozens of other reasons, far more wrong than what is right according to the Word. What does the bible that they claim to be their source say about Peter? " The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder" (1 Peter 5:1). He is not the elder of all elders. 2 Peter 1:1 He called himself, “Simon Peter, a bondservant and apostle of Jesus Christ.” The write in Heb. 13:25 states, “Greet all those who rule over you, and all the saints. Those from Italy greet you.” No Pope is mentioned, but saints. Supreme spiritual authority is applied to the Pope’s office. As Dave Hunt points out, the “list of popes contains numerous heretics who were denounced as such by councils and by other popes.” Mark 10:42-43 Jesus warned that “rulers over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you shall be your servant.” Luke 22:24-27 Jesus explains No one is to be considered the greatest. Repeating “But not so among you,” he then explains in v.28-29 “You are those who have continued with Me in My trials. And I bestow upon you a kingdom, just asMy Father bestowed one upon Me.Not one person such as Peter but all.” the statement "whosoever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them." (John 20:23) was made to all of the disciples, not just Peter. So how did a Pope and a roman center of Christendom come about? Persecution of both Jews and Christians were endless– known as the eras of the martyr’s. After Nero, the second Persecution era was Under Domitian, A.D. 81, Third Persecution, Under Trajan, A.D. 108, The Fourth Persecution, Under Marcus Aurelius Antoninus, A.D. 162, Fifth Persecution, under Severus, A.D. 192, The Sixth Persecution, Under Maximus, A.D. 235, The Seventh Persecution, Under Decius, A.D. 249, The Eighth Persecution, Under Valerian, A.D. 257, The Ninth Persecution Under Aurelian, A.D. 274, The Tenth Persecution, Under Diocletian, A.D. 303. Emperor Galerius was the last persecutor in 311. Constantine was born in Britain. In 312 AD. Constantine won the battle of the Milvian Bridge from his obeying a vision (noonday) he saw a cross of light “ in this sign thou shalt conquer.” In his sleep, Christ appeared to him with the sign of the same cross which he had seen before, bidding him to make the figuration thereof, and to carry it in his wars before him, and so should we have the victory (Foxes book of Martyrs) Putting the symbol on the soldiers shields for battle, he then carried a sign which was a different cross than Christ's. History says, this was crux ansata, which was the Egyptian symbol of eternal life. The symbol became the insignia of power of the new Roman Empire; of the church (about the cross; not as the cross today; which should not be used for conquest to fight. Remember Jesus said, “ My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight” (John 18:36). His conquest gave him control over the new empire of the Roman church. It was a clever ruse to believers that were fatigued from persecution. Constantine still officiated at pagan celebrations, and continued to build pagan temples even after he began building Christian churches. William Durant writes that throughout his "Christian" life Constantine used pagan as well as Christian rites and continued to rely upon "pagan magic formulas to protect crops and heal disease.” Constantine legalized Christianity as a religion, restoring them as Roman citizen gave the Christians rights to worship. Enforcing Christianity as a legal religion, he assumed the title of Pontifex Maximus, in line with Caesars for imperial authority. Until this took place there was no one called the Pope over the church, for Rome was not the center of power. Constantine, was not a believer in Christ and was baptized by Arius, a heretic who taught Christ was a creature. His son, Constantius took over and for the next 50 years. A document, known as The Donation of Constantine was produced, which justified the office of a Pope and the authority granted to them by imperial decree. declaring: “And we [the Roman Emperors] command and decree that he [the Bishop of Rome] should have primacy over the four principal Sees of Antioch, Alexandria, Constantinople and Jerusalem, as well as over all the Churches of God throughout the whole world ; and the Pontiff who occupies at any given moment the See of that same most holy Roman Church shall rank as the highest and chief among all the priests of the whole world and by his decision all things are to be arranged concerning the worship of God or the security of the faith of Christians.” The first actual pope to be called the "Vicar of Christ" was Pope Leo the Great (AD 440). The changes developed through the 4 th to 5 th centuries, made the visible church a completely different institution, as men called popes had the same ambition as Caesar’s before, to rule empires expanding the new ‘Holy Roman Empire.’ Biblically, The first church council (recorded in Acts 15:4-29), was held in Jerusalem, not Rome, around 45-50 A.D. It was not convened by Peter, but James, who took the leadership. Peter's only recorded statement was not doctrinal but a rundown of what he saw among the Gentiles. James drew his conclusions from the Scriptures. 'V.4 James’ declaration became the basis of the official letter sent back to Antioch in settlement of the dispute of the council. As the Pope[s] explain the bible and decide practices for "the Church, we can plainly see what kind of interpretations they have on Scripture; no, not even Mary can help. There is no Biblical mention of a Pope in the Bible, therefore there can be no evidence that Peter was the first 74Pope in the early church. And having the next Roman Pope 400 years later does not help their argument for a succession from Peter, it proves otherwise; there was no such teaching. Here is the main and plain reason that Catholics need to hear the gospel, not the one their church gives. According to former Roman Catholic, Mike Gendron the Roman church added six additional requirements to the gospel for all Roman Catholics to be saved - baptism, penance, indulgences… https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cg8iG0yNNKA The bible speaks of faith in the gospel, in the person of Jesus and what he did alone, who died for our sins and was raised from the dead (1 Cor.15:1-4). Just like new wafers are made as Christ being a resacrifice in the Eucharist, so we see them have a new Pope that is temporary until death. Heb.7:23 tells us Jesus is our high priest forever, he is also our Lord and king who instituted the new covenant for all (Heb. 9:15) Both Jew and Gentile to have direct access to God. The true Church is us, individuals who believe this, live it and act on this. Heb. 2:8-11 “For in that He put all in subjection under him,(That him being Jesus) He left nothing that is not put under him. But now we do not yet see all things put under him. But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that He, by the grace of God, might taste death for everyone. For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things and by whom are all things , in bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.” No man today can do this 1 John 1:7-9 …. the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” The actual blood that cleanses was shed once, nearly 2,000 years ago. We confess to him who shed his blood, who is the eternal high priest not another human substitute. The Catholic traditions have replaced Scripture, just as the Pharisees who opposed Christ did in Jesus ministry on earth. The Roman Catholic claims are invalid for any man to be the head of their organizations numerous religious practices. The workings of these men, cannot choose, elect the head of Christ’s Church on earth, for it is Christ Jesus, and it is not situated in Rome. Jesus IS the permanent spiritual head of the Church, and he is the soon and coming king.
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