(The so-called holy father)
It's amazing to me, how the Church can allow any man to be called "the holy father". Sure, they justify it in many ways, and even make light of it, but when you get right down to what people are saying about the pope, when they call him "holy father" is blasphemous.
When the Lord spoke to Peter, and told him to go see Cornelius, "Cornelius met him, and fell down at his feet, and worshipped him.
But Peter took him up, saying, 'Stand up; I myself also am a man' (Acts 10:25-26).
I'm not saying we are not to honor others in authority, we are to do that. But to bow and kiss another man's ring, while adressing him as "holy father" is simply, and clearly, wrong. We are to bow only to God the Father, and His Christ, the Lord Jesus.
I truly believe if any man knows Christ, and trusts Christ, and loves Him, then he would do as Peter did, when another man, or woman, comes to bow before him. He would say, "Don't do that, worship the Lord, for He alone is worthy."
Even powerful beings like angels dare not allow any bowing before them. How much more us humans, who are sinful, and toatlly dependant on God's mercy and grace need not bow before any man, nor allow one to bow before us.
5 comments:
Such a truth...Acts 10:25-26 should forever crush this whole business of genuflecting...
The "vicar" of Christ? Vicar means substitute...I do wonder if people are shown these seeemingly simple maters, like "forbidding to marry, abstaining from meats, etc....so many verses seem to destroy the RCC foundation, let alone all the other heresy...
I am so grateful to God for your conversion, Don, and I am proud to call you brother...
Thank you JD. The Lord was longsuffering and patient with me, as well as way too gracious.
I want to be careful not to sling mud at people, especially other Christians, but I admit that special titles have a way of really bothering me.
The opposite has a disturbing effect on me as well. You know, we may address a gentleman as "Sir," but then I hear people talk so casually to God, as if he was someone's little brother!
Last week, a (non-believing) friend said that he wanted God to hear how frustrated he was that God was letting him go through rough waters that he used foul language as he hollared at God. He actually dropped the "f-bomb" as he yelled at God! This is something he reported to me, supposedly to show a sign of progress in his relationship with God, because he wasn't even talking to Him before. (sigh)
That does hurt when we hear others speak to God in these types of ways.
A friend of mine was talking with a man once, and I was there as well, and this man kept using the Lord's name in vain. (He was saying Jesus Christ, not in any prayer form).
My friend actually wept, and asked this man to please stop using His Lord's name with such foul language. the man said, "I'm sorry, I didn't realize it".
The world loves to blaspheme the Lord. I once did the same.
I am so grateful Jesus' name to me now is wonderful. His name truly is wonderful.
Thanks Craver for dropping by. You always, always, have something fresh, and good to add.
Blessed are the pure in heart! and your writings remind me of that!
Thanks
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