Throughout history, countless religious traditions, doctrines, and dogmas have been built upon the words of fallible men rather than the unchanging truth of God’s Word. When human reasoning and traditions are elevated above Scripture, deception follows. The Bible warns against this repeatedly, emphasizing the sufficiency and purity of God’s Word.
Proverbs 30:5-6 declares: “Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him. Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar.”
This passage is a direct warning against adding to God’s Word, yet history is filled with instances where religious institutions and leaders have done exactly that. When fallible men introduce new doctrines, elevate traditions, or claim divine authority without biblical basis, they corrupt the truth, mislead people, and ultimately reject the sufficiency of Scripture.
The Authority of God’s Word or the Deceptions of Men?
The Word of God is complete, pure, and all-sufficient for doctrine, correction, and instruction in righteousness. As 2 Timothy 3:16-17 declares:
“All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.”
Nowhere in Scripture do we find permission for human traditions, church councils, or religious institutions to add to or modify what God has revealed. The Word of the Lord stands eternal, unchanging, and self-sufficient. Yet, despite this, many have placed their trust in the words of men rather than in the truth of God.
Religious leaders have introduced doctrines that do not appear in Scripture, redefining grace, assuming divine authority over salvation, and binding people to man-made decrees rather than to God's revelation. They claim the power to dispense righteousness through institutions rather than through Christ alone, turning faith into a system of control rather than a relationship with the Saviour.
The Danger of Man-Made Doctrines
Jesus Himself condemned the religious authorities of His time for elevating human traditions above God’s commandments:
“Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men.” (Mark 7:7-8)
The danger is clear—when man-made doctrines replace God’s truth, worship is corrupted, and people are led into error rather than into life. Throughout history, religious institutions have introduced teachings never found in Scripture—papal authority, purgatory, the Assumption of Mary, indulgences, and the belief that salvation is dispensed through sacraments rather than through faith in Christ alone.
Yet none of these doctrines were taught by Christ. None were preached by the apostles. None were given by the Holy Spirit. They are the inventions of men, upheld by power, tradition, and fear rather than by the authority of God’s Word. And still, millions follow them blindly, trusting in fallible human institutions rather than in the unshakable truth of Scripture.
Paul warned of this in Colossians 2:8:
“Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.”
Scripture makes it clear: only God's Word is true. Men, no matter how powerful or revered, are fallible. Romans 3:4 declares:
“God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar.”
No council, no decree, no tradition—however ancient or widely accepted—can override the truth of Scripture. Any teaching that contradicts the Word of God is a lie, no matter how many approve it.
To trust in men rather than God is to build on shifting sand. Jesus Himself warned of this in Matthew 7:26-27:
“And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.”
The traditions of men will crumble. The systems of human authority will fall. Only God’s Word remains.
The question, then, is clear: Do we build our faith on the Rock of Christ, or on the shifting sands of human tradition? Do we follow the voice of the Good Shepherd, or the decrees of those who claim power in His name but do not walk in His truth?
One is eternal.The other is fleeting.
One leads to life.The other to destruction.
Whom shall we trust?
Placing trust in fallible men rather than in the infallible God is not only illogical but an outright rejection of reason and truth. It is an act of self-deception, where men, limited in wisdom and bound by corruption, are elevated to positions of authority over the very Creator of the universe, who alone possesses absolute truth. How can anyone believe that mortal, sinful men, who cannot extend their own lives by a single breath, hold the power to dictate eternal matters over the sovereign and omniscient God?
It is utter folly to submit to the decrees of men who change, contradict themselves, and die, rather than to the eternal, unchanging Word of God. What has man ever created that has not crumbled? His kingdoms fall, his wisdom fades, and his philosophies are exposed as foolishness over time. The Word of God, however, stands forever. Isaiah 40:8 declares: “The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever.” If God’s Word is eternal, why then do men cling to the fleeting decrees of popes, councils, and theologians, treating their words as if they possess divine authority?
Those who choose to trust fallible men over God place their faith in an ever-changing foundation, building their house upon sinking sand. Matthew 7:26-27 warns: “And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.” The teachings of men—whether they be papal decrees, church traditions, or human philosophies—are sinking sand, unable to stand against the judgment of God. When tested by the storm of truth, they will collapse, taking down with them all who trusted in them.
The absurdity of this misplaced faith is further exposed in Psalm 118:8
"It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man." It is not merely unwise to trust in men—it is to embrace a lie over the truth. It is to exalt the words of liars over the divine utterances of the Almighty. The Roman Catholic Church, for example, asserts that tradition and papal authority stand alongside Scripture, yet these traditions contradict, add to, and undermine the very Word of God they claim to uphold. How can truth and error stand together? Proverbs 30:5-6 issues a severe warning: “Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him. Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar.” Every doctrine, every decree, every tradition that is not grounded in Scripture is a lie, and those who follow them will be reproved by God Himself.
It is a deliberate rebellion against God’s authority when men choose to follow religious leaders, councils, or institutions instead of Scripture. When Jesus Christ walked the earth, He openly rebuked those who elevated human traditions above the commandments of God. Mark 7:7-8 records His words: “Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men.” To hold to human tradition in place of God’s Word is not only error but vain worship—worship that is meaningless and rejected by God.
If Scripture alone is pure, true, and eternal, then all doctrines outside of it are corrupt, false, and temporary. Yet millions still blindly follow fallible religious institutions, trusting in priestly absolution, sacraments, and rituals to obtain salvation—practices that God never ordained. They bow to religious leaders who declare themselves spiritual mediators, yet Scripture states plainly that there is only one mediator between God and men: “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus” (1 Timothy 2:5 ). If Christ alone is the mediator, then what authority do men have to place themselves in this role? None—except what they have falsely taken for themselves.
This blind trust in men is not simply ignorance; it is spiritual rebellion. It is the willful rejection of God’s supremacy, replacing it with human authority, a sin as old as the Garden of Eden. Just as Eve placed her trust in the words of the serpent over the command of God, so too do people today trust in human voices rather than in divine truth. The consequences of this choice are eternal. Jeremiah 17:5 issues a stark warning: “Thus saith the Lord; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the Lord.” To trust in men rather than God is not only foolish—it brings a curse upon the soul.
No man, no church, no religious leader, no theological council has the authority to alter or dictate God’s truth. To believe otherwise is to embrace delusion. Isaiah 2:22 makes this clear: “Cease ye from man, whose breath is in his nostrils: for wherein is he to be accounted of?” What power do men hold over eternity? What authority do they possess over salvation? None. They are but dust and vapour, destined to return to the earth while God alone reigns eternal.
Placing faith in fallible men over the infallible God is the greatest act of self-destruction a person can commit. It is a decision that leads only to judgment, for God has already spoken, and His Word is final. The truth is not found in man-made religion or in the declarations of councils and popes—it is found only in the unchanging, eternal Word of God. Anything outside of it is deception. Anything that contradicts it is a lie. Anything that adds to it is worthy of condemnation.
The question then is simple: Will you trust in men who deceive and die, or in the living God whose Word endures forever?
No chair, throne, or seat of power can change the nature of a man. A man remains a man, no matter how ornate the chair he sits upon, no matter how many rituals, titles, or vestments are placed upon him. Fallibility does not disappear by elevation; mortality is not erased by ceremony. Yet history has been riddled with those who have exalted themselves, claiming divine authority simply because they occupy a certain position. Where is the evidence that a mere chair or office can transform a man into something more than what he is—a fallible, corruptible being?
The Bible makes it clear that all men are sinners, and none are above the judgment of God. Romans 3:23 states: "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." This includes every pope, priest, king, and ruler who has ever walked the earth. No seat of power has ever removed sin, no throne has ever granted infallibility, and no human institution has ever overruled God’s sovereignty. The truth remains: God alone is infallible, and every man is fallible.
The Pope, sitting upon the so-called throne of Peter, does not cease to be a man. The Bible never once states that a mere man can be transformed into an infallible authority simply by assuming a position. If this were possible, where is the biblical proof? There is none. In contrast, Scripture condemns such self-exaltation. Psalm 146:3 warns: "Put not your trust in princes, nor in the son of man, in whom there is no help." This applies to every religious leader, pope, priest, or so-called spiritual authority that claims to speak on behalf of God apart from His Word.
Jesus Himself condemned the religious leaders of His day who sought elevation and power, warning against those who loved the best seats in the synagogue and demanded honour from men. Matthew 23:6-7 states: "And love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues, And greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi." This is the same spirit that drives men today to claim infallibility, to sit in grand chairs, and to declare themselves spiritual authorities over others. But Christ rejected such man-made power structures, instead teaching that the greatest among you shall be your servant (Matthew 23:11).
The apostles themselves never claimed infallibility, nor did they sit on exalted thrones to dictate doctrine by decree. Even Peter, whom the Catholic Church falsely claims as its first pope, was rebuked for his errors. In Galatians 2:11, Paul writes: "But when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed." If Peter himself was fallible and subject to correction, how then can any successor claim infallibility by merely sitting in a chair?
Nowhere in Scripture does God transfer divine authority to men through seats, titles, or offices. If anything, the Bible warns against such self-exaltation. Isaiah 2:22 commands: "Cease ye from man, whose breath is in his nostrils: for wherein is he to be accounted of?" No man, regardless of the throne he occupies, holds any spiritual authority apart from God’s Word.
A chair does not make a man divine. A throne does not make a man infallible. A title does not make a man righteous. Every man remains dust and ashes, just as Adam was formed from the dust of the ground. The only true authority belongs to God alone, and any man who seeks to place himself in a position of divine authority is guilty of the very pride that led to Lucifer’s fall.
The evidence is clear—the Bible never grants power to men simply because they sit in a chair. Rather, it warns against trusting in fallible men who exalt themselves. The truth is unchanging: God alone is King, Christ alone is the Head of the Church, and His Word alone is the final authority.
Furthermore, believing that fallible men can ordain other fallible men to possess spiritual authority is utterly ludicrous. No man, no matter how much power he claims, has the ability to confer divine authority upon another. If all men are sinful, corruptible, and prone to error, then what sense does it make for one flawed man to appoint another flawed man and declare him God’s chosen representative?
The Bible makes it clear that only God calls, anoints, and ordains His true servants. Jeremiah 1:5 states: "Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations." It is God, not religious institutions, who ordains men for His purpose. Any appointment by human hands, apart from the calling of God, is meaningless.
If a priest, bishop, or pope is just as fallible as the one before him, then the entire system is built on corruption. The process is circular and self-perpetuating—fallible men lay hands on other fallible men, who then claim divine authority, while remaining just as sinful as those who came before them. How can any man transfer something he does not possess? A man without infallibility cannot give infallibility. A man without divine authority cannot impart divine authority to another. Yet Roman Catholicism, along with many other religious institutions, rests on this absurd premise—that sinful men can appoint other sinful men as “successors” to God’s work.
This is not how God works. The apostles did not claim the power to create successors by their own will, nor did they claim to have a special line of succession that would ensure infallibility for future generations. Paul makes this clear in Galatians 1:1 "Paul, an apostle, (not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead;)" His authority was from God, not from other men. If Paul, a true apostle, emphasized that his calling was not of men, neither by man, then what arrogance is it for modern religious leaders to claim that they have authority to appoint successors?
No chain of human ordination can ever override God’s sovereignty. When religious institutions claim that power and authority can be passed down by the laying on of hands, they are placing themselves above God, as if they control His will. This is the height of spiritual arrogance. The Bible warns against this very idea in Micah 7:5:
"Trust ye not in a friend, put ye not confidence in a guide: keep the doors of thy mouth from her that lieth in thy bosom." Men die, they are temporary, and they hold no eternal authority. How then can they claim to pass down divine power when they themselves are but dust and ashes?
The entire system of men ordaining men is built upon a foundation of deception. It assumes that human institutions, rather than God Himself, determine spiritual leadership. But Scripture teaches that God alone calls His servants, and no man, regardless of title or position, has the power to bestow divine authority upon another. Any system built upon this false premise is not of God, but of man’s pride and Satan’s deception.
The idea that a man-made institution has the right to dictate religious authority over true believers in Christ is not only entirely unbiblical, but it is also illogical. Nowhere in Scripture does God establish an earthly religious hierarchy that has dominion over His people. Instead, the Bible declares that all who have put their faith in Jesus Christ are part of a royal priesthood, with direct access to God through Christ alone—not through any church, pope, bishop, or priesthood.
1 Peter 2:9 states: “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light.” This verse makes it clear that every true believer is part of God’s royal priesthood, meaning that no human authority is needed to stand between a Christian and God. The Roman Catholic Church and other religious systems that claim to have exclusive religious authority contradict this fundamental biblical truth by insisting that believers must submit to their institutional hierarchy to receive spiritual guidance, sacraments, or salvation.
Yet, nowhere in the New Testament do we see Jesus or the apostles establishing a religious institution to rule over the body of Christ. Instead, Christ Himself rebuked the religious leaders of His day for placing themselves as intermediaries between God and men. Matthew 23:8-9 warns: “But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren. And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven.” This completely dismantles the Roman Catholic claim that priests, bishops, and popes hold special spiritual authority over believers.
Logically, the idea that a select group of fallible men should have the power to control access to God is absurd. If God’s salvation is a free gift through faith in Christ alone, then how can any religious institution claim to administer it? The very notion that a man-made system can dictate the terms of salvation and spiritual authority contradicts the Gospel itself. Ephesians 2:8-9 makes it clear: “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.” If salvation is by grace through faith, then no religious institution has the right to claim ownership over it.
Moreover, if every believer is a priest before God, then the idea of an earthly religious elite ruling over other Christians is nothing more than spiritual tyranny. The Bible teaches that Jesus Christ alone is the head of the Church (Colossians 1:18) and that all believers have direct access to God through Him. Hebrews 4:16 says: “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.” There is no mention of needing a church institution, a pope, or a priesthood to mediate between believers and God—because Christ alone is our mediator (1 Timothy 2:5)
Religious institutions that set themselves up as spiritual authorities over believers are not biblical—they are man-made systems of control. The true Church is not an institution ruled by men but is the body of Christ, made up of all true believers. The idea that a hierarchical system is required to govern the faith of others is a false doctrine, designed to keep people dependent on human authority rather than on Christ.
The truth is simple: we are all priests before God, and no human institution has the power to dictate spiritual authority over the true followers of Christ. Any system that seeks to control access to God is not from God, but from men—and ultimately, from the enemy who seeks to deceive and enslave those who should be free in Christ.
If the Chair of Peter supposedly holds supreme authority for the papacy, then why is Peter’s own words in Scripture not given the utmost authority over the very institution that claims him as its foundation?
1 Peter 2:9 declares: “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light.”
This directly contradicts the very premise upon which the Roman Catholic Church bases its hierarchical structure.
If Peter himself, writing under divine inspiration, states that all believers are part of a royal priesthood, how then can the Catholic Church claim that a select priestly class, governed by a single "Vicar of Christ," holds exclusive spiritual authority? If the Chair of Peter is to be considered the ultimate seat of truth, then Peter’s own words should dictate doctrine, not papal decrees or church councils. Yet, Rome conveniently ignores this passage, because it destroys the foundation of their claimed authority.
This is the great contradiction of Catholicism—it claims to be built upon Peter, yet it does not obey what Peter actually taught. If the papacy were truly the successor of Peter, then the logical conclusion should be that all believers, not just the Catholic hierarchy, hold spiritual authority under Christ as part of the priesthood of believers. The Roman Catholic Church, however, denies this, creating a hierarchical system where salvation and access to God are mediated through men, rather than through Christ alone.
The Bible never establishes a ruling priesthood that governs over the Church. The Levitical priesthood of the Old Testament was fulfilled in Christ, and through Him, every believer now holds the position of priesthood before God. The idea of an earthly priesthood that controls the administration of grace and salvation is entirely man-made. Hebrews 10:12 affirms this truth: “But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God.” Christ alone is our High Priest, and no man, no institution, no pope, and no hierarchy has the right to claim authority over what God has already established.
The logic is inescapable—if Peter’s chair carries binding authority, then Peter’s words must also carry binding authority. But his words do not establish a papal throne, nor do they elevate one man above the rest of the body of Christ. Instead, they declare that all believers—not just the religious elite—are priests before God, responsible for direct worship and service to Him without the need for human mediators.
So which is it? Does the Roman Catholic Church follow Peter’s supposed "chair," or does it follow his actual teachings? The reality is clear—it does neither. It cherry-picks Peter’s identity while rejecting his doctrine, elevating his supposed authority while ignoring his own inspired words. If Peter’s words do not support the Catholic system, then the Catholic system does not rest on Peter—it rests on a lie.
If Rome rejects what Peter taught, then the entire foundation of apostolic succession collapses, because it proves that their authority is not even based on their so-called first pope, the Apostle Peter. If the very institution that claims to be the sole representative of Christ on earth ignores, contradicts, or suppresses Peter’s own words in Scripture, then their claim to his authority is fraudulent.
Apostolic succession, as the Roman Catholic Church defines it, depends on the belief that Peter was given supreme authority by Christ and that this authority was passed down through an unbroken chain of popes, supposedly ensuring doctrinal purity and divine guidance. But this claim is meaningless if the Church that claims to sit in Peter’s "Chair" does not even adhere to what Peter actually taught in God’s Word. True apostolic succession would mean that the teachings of the apostles remain unaltered, upheld, and defended. Instead, we find that Rome has replaced apostolic teaching with its own man-made traditions, effectively severing itself from any true connection to the apostles.
Peter himself, in 1 Peter 2:9, wrote that all believers in Christ are a royal priesthood, which completely destroys the Catholic hierarchy of a ruling priestly class. If Peter, under divine inspiration, declared that every true Christian is part of this priesthood, then where is the biblical foundation for a supreme pontiff, cardinals, and bishops ruling over others? There is none. Rome rejects this clear biblical teaching, proving that their institution is not based on Peter’s words, but on their own self-created authority.
Furthermore, Peter never claimed to be the supreme leader of the Church. In Acts 15, when the early Church met to discuss doctrinal issues, it was James, not Peter, who delivered the final judgment. Galatians 2:11 shows Paul rebuking Peter to his face because he was wrong—something that would be impossible if Peter were infallible or the supreme head of the Church. If Peter could be corrected by another apostle, how can his so-called successors claim to be above correction, above Scripture, and above reproach?
The Catholic Church claims that the pope is the successor of Peter, yet the papacy does not resemble anything Peter established. If their claim were legitimate, the teachings of Peter would be the standard by which the Church operates. But instead, Rome has instituted doctrines Peter never taught, enforced practices Peter never commanded, and claimed power Peter never possessed. If the doctrines of Rome are not found in Peter’s teachings, then what exactly is being "passed down" through apostolic succession? It cannot be the faith of the apostles—because Rome has already departed from it.
This exposes a critical flaw—if the Catholic Church does not hold to Peter’s words, then its authority is not based on Peter. And if their authority is not based on Peter, then their entire doctrine of apostolic succession is a fabrication. A chain is only as strong as its weakest link, and Rome’s succession claim is not linked to Peter by doctrine, by example, or by truth. The reality is this: the Catholic Church is not built on Peter—it is built on a lie about Peter.
The apostles were faithful to Christ’s teachings, and their authority came not from an institution, but from God Himself. Any church that claims their authority while rejecting their teachings is not apostolic—it is apostate.
If the Roman Catholic Church has built its foundation on sand, by rejecting the very teachings of the apostles it claims to succeed, how can it possibly offer salvation to anyone? If an institution cannot even uphold the Word of God as spoken by the apostles, then what it offers is not salvation but deception. The Gospel is not theirs to change, modify, or control—it was delivered once for all through Christ and His apostles, not through popes, councils, or ecclesiastical traditions.
Jesus Himself warned about building on a faulty foundation. Matthew 7:26-27 states: “And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.” The Catholic Church has constructed an elaborate religious empire, but it is built upon the shifting sands of man-made doctrines, not upon the unshakable foundation of God’s Word. When tested by truth, it crumbles.
If they have abandoned the doctrine of Peter and the apostles, if they have twisted the Gospel into a system of works and sacraments, and if they have placed human authority over divine revelation, then what are they really offering? True salvation is not in a religious institution—it is found only in Christ. Acts 4:12 makes this clear: “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” No church, no pope, no priesthood can dispense salvation—it is granted by grace through faith in Christ alone.
Yet the Catholic Church claims the power to administer grace, to control the means of salvation through sacraments, and to stand between God and man as a necessary mediator. But if there is one mediator 1 Timothy 2:5, then the Roman system is fraudulent in its very structure. How can fallible men, who themselves are spiritually lost, claim to offer salvation when they cannot even submit to the Gospel they profess to uphold?
Salvation does not come from those who reject truth, twist Scripture, and elevate their own authority over God’s. It is spiritual blindness to trust in those who cannot even remain faithful to the very apostles they claim to succeed. The Catholic Church has built a system that is self-refuting—it demands submission to Peter’s authority, while denying Peter’s own words. It claims to carry the torch of the apostolic faith, while replacing apostolic doctrine with its own man-made traditions.
If their foundation is false, their authority is invalid. And if their authority is invalid, then their claim to administer salvation is also invalid. The only true Gospel is the one preached by Christ and His apostles, not the one fabricated by a religious institution that has forsaken the very truth it was called to uphold. Galatians 1:8 delivers the ultimate warning: “But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.”
If Rome has preached another gospel, if it has exalted itself over God’s Word, and if it has rejected the very teachings of Peter, then its system is under a curse, not under divine authority. It offers nothing but deception to those who put their faith in it. No one can offer true salvation if they have built their house upon the sand of human authority, rather than the rock of Christ and His Word.
A Question of Power
When did Christ ever say His kingdom was of this world? When did He rally His followers to grasp earthly power, to control governments, to dominate through force? When did He command His disciples to wield the sword to preserve their authority at any cost? Did He send them into the world to torture, to execute, to silence those who questioned them? Did He teach them to burn their enemies or, worse, burn those who sought to know Him in their own tongue?
When Jesus stood before Pilate, falsely accused and slandered, He did not summon legions. He did not scheme, nor bargain for political advantage. "My kingdom is not of this world," He declared (John 18:36). If ever there was a moment to grasp at earthly power, to assert control, that was it. But He did not. He did not call for a war, nor demand obedience through fear. He stood in truth, in silence, in suffering love.
When did Christ deny His saving word to anyone? Did He refuse the poor, the outcast, the sinner, the unworthy? Did He ever decree that His truth should be locked away, bound in chains of Latin and forbidden to the common soul? When the humble sought to hear, to read, to understand, did He condemn them? Did He demand that they be silenced with flames?
Yet history tells another story—a story of men who did what Christ never did. Men who claimed to be His representatives, yet built earthly kingdoms in His name. Men who crowned themselves with titles He never sought, who wielded swords He never lifted. They sat in golden halls while the poor starved. They blessed armies and called war holy. They silenced those who spoke differently, who questioned, who translated, who longed to understand the words of Christ for themselves. And when power was threatened, they shed blood—rivers of it—all to keep control.
When did Christ seek to build an empire? He rode no warhorse, bore no banners, issued no decrees of conquest. He had no palace, no soldiers, no throne. He had only a cross.
And yet, in His name, earthly empires rose—empires of steel and fire, of persecution and control. Christ, who washed feet, was invoked by those who sought crowns. Christ, who forgave His murderers, was used to justify inquisitions and executions. Christ, who welcomed the sinner, was twisted into a figure of fear, a weapon in the hands of rulers.
If Christ did none of these things, then who did? If He never called for war, for murder, for tyranny, then whose voice were they following? Whose kingdom were they truly serving?
For His kingdom is not of this world. And those who truly follow Him do not seek power, but love; not control, but truth; not empire, but sacrifice. The contrast could not be clearer. The question remains: whose kingdom are we truly seeking?
Can a Pope Truly Be the Vicar of Christ?
If Christ neither sought earthly power nor commanded His followers to rule as kings, how then can any pope claim to be His vicar while sitting on a throne? If Christ rejected violence and worldly dominion, how can those who claim to be His successors justify centuries of bloodshed in His name?
The word "vicar" means a representative, one who acts in place of another. But a true representative does not contradict the one they claim to serve. A true successor follows the footsteps of their Master. Yet history tells us that those who have taken the title of Vicar of Christ have ruled with a power Christ never sought, commanded armies Christ never formed, and upheld laws Christ never gave.
Where in Christ’s life do we see the foundation for the papal throne?Where do we see Him adorned in gold, seated in splendor, issuing decrees backed by the force of kings and swords?Did Peter, the so-called first pope, ever claim dominion over nations, ever command armies, ever anoint emperors? Did he wield a scepter or demand fealty?
Peter walked in poverty, not in palaces. He was crucified upside down, not enthroned. He spoke of servanthood, not dominion. He preached Christ, not himself.
Yet under the popes, the church became an empire. Under the popes, wars were waged in the name of Christ—against Muslims, against Jews, against fellow Christians. Under the popes, dissenters were silenced, burned, and drowned. Under the popes, power was hoarded, wealth was stockpiled, kings were crowned, and kingdoms were crushed.
If the popes were truly Christ’s vicars, why did they not walk as He walked? Why did they not love as He loved? Why did they not suffer as He suffered?
Instead, they sat on thrones, built armies, and ruled as kings. They wielded power, not service. They demanded obedience, not love. They killed, rather than died. They took, rather than gave.
The question must be asked: if they have not upheld His teachings, nor the teachings of the apostles they claim to succeed, how can they claim His name? How can they call themselves His representatives when they have so often acted in ways He never did, never would, and never commanded?
Christ’s kingdom is not of this world. But the papal kingdom has always been.
Who, then, do they truly serve?
Christ or a Man? A Choice of Allegiance
Do we follow the divine Son of God, who willingly laid down His life for us, or do we follow a man who claims His title without sacrifice? Do we give our allegiance to the One who bore the weight of the cross, or to one who wears robes of splendor but does not bear its burden?
Christ, the eternal Word, stepped down from glory, took on flesh, and walked among the lowly. He had no throne, no palace, no wealth, no army. He owned nothing, demanded nothing for Himself, and yet gave everything. He did not grasp at power but surrendered to the will of the Father. He was spat upon, mocked, beaten, and led like a lamb to the slaughter—silent before His accusers, even as they nailed Him to the cross.
And for whom did He die? For sinners. For the unworthy. For the broken, the rejected, the lost. For those who could offer Him nothing in return.
Yet today, men claim to stand in His place. They claim His title, His authority, His throne—yet they lift not a finger to bear His cross. They do not suffer, they do not empty themselves, they do not walk among the poor with nothing but faith. They sit in grandeur, ruling as kings, their hands unstained by labour, their feet untouched by dust. They decree laws not given by God, demand obedience He never required, and silence those who seek the truth He freely offered.
Did Christ command us to follow a man who lives in luxury while the world starves? Did He tell us to bow before one who exalts himself while Christ washed feet? Did He tell us to obey the one who changes His gospel, who adds to His words, who binds what He set free?
If Christ came back today, would He recognize His church? Would He see in its rulers His own reflection? Would He find shepherds laying down their lives for the sheep, or hirelings guarding their own power?
He never told us to follow a throne, a title, or a man who claims divine right without divine obedience. He told us to follow Him—Him who laid down His life, Him who bore the cross, Him who calls us to do the same.
The choice is before us: Do we follow Christ, or do we follow one who merely speaks His name but does not live His truth? Do we follow the suffering Saviour or a man who will not suffer for us? Do we follow the One who gave all, or the one who takes all?
The world honours titles. Christ honors sacrifice. The world follows power. Christ follows love.The world crowns kings. Christ wears a crown of thorns.
One died for us.The other demands we bow.
Which will we choose?
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