The Pope Resigns

 

It has been almost 600 years since a Pope has resigned from the papacy.  At 85 years old, Pope Benedict XVI said he no longer has the mental or physical strength to carry on his responsibilities.  He went on to say, “Strength of mind and body are necessary, strength which in the last few months has deteriorated in me to the extent that I have had to recognize my incapacity to adequately fulfill the ministry entrusted to me” (CNN).  The Pope is expected to step down on February 28^th.

According to the Roman Catholic religion, the Pope is the worldwide leader of the church and the successor of the apostle Peter.  The problem is, the Bible doesn’t support this.  For one, the word “Pope” is not found in the Bible.  The first Pope didn’t come until several hundred years after the time of Christ.  While some say Peter was the first Pope, the facts don’t support this.  First of all, Peter never claimed supremacy but instead claimed he was just “an apostle” and a “fellow elder” (1 Peter 1:1; 5:1-2).  Beyond all of this, Peter was married (Matthew 8:14), which is contrary to the Roman Catholic Church’s requirement of their clergymen.  Also, the Bible never says Peter was the Pope, or that he was more significant than any other apostle, or that he ever even went to Rome.  Scripture simply doesn’t support the Pope, or Peter, as the leader of the church.  So, if the Pope isn’t the head of the church then who is?

Scripture makes it clear that Christ is the only head of the church (Ephesians 1:22-23; 5:22-23; Colossians 1:15-20; Romans 12:5; 1 Corinthians 3:11; etc).  Christ is the true head and true leader of the church.  Notice what a contrast He is to the Pope.

• Christ will never grow old.
• Christ will never get tired.
• Christ’s physical strength is unlimited.
• Christ’s mental prowess is without limits and beyond comprehension.
• Christ is eternal.
• Christ is God.
• Christ will never resign, nor will He ever need to.

Let’s keep in mind who the true, and vastly superior, leader of the church is.  The head of the church is Jesus Christ.  There could not be a leader greater than He.  Let’s follow Him and no other. 

Little Is Much When God Is In It

Neal Pollard

The caption above is also the title of a song our family listened to on a vinyl record when I was a boy.  While I enjoyed the melody of that spiritual song, I suppose I may have not dwelled much on the message.  There are some parables in Matthew 13 that may have been the inspiration for the lyrics.

THERE IS THE LITTLE SEED (31-32).  The mustard seed produces a gigantic herb that is virtually tree-like.  That's the power of Christ's kingdom.

THERE IS THE LITTLE LEAVEN (33).  Just a little yeast and yet it thoroughly permeates.  That's like the kingdom of heaven.

THERE IS THE LITTLE PARCEL (44).  Compared to all that he had, one little field wherein the prospector's treasure was hidden was little.  That's how great the value of the kingdom is.

THERE IS THE LITTLE PEARL (45-46).  Hold even a huge pearl in your hand, and it fits there.  It's small.  Yet, the merchant Jesus mentions sells all he has to buy it.  That's the huge value of the kingdom.

God can do great things through the church, though we do not have the greatest numbers, voice, or power.  God owns His kingdom and it transcends all earth might throw against it.  Do not discount how big the little part you play can be! 

There Is A Way For Me

Neal Pollard

Born to a world of sin and woe,

With vile behavior raging,

How many know not how to go?

In iniquity in ignorance engaging.

Why did my path cross Jesus' way

When others may never know it?

Through grace He changed my night to day

I didn't deserve for Him to bestow it.

I am convinced of His love for me,

That led me to the Sonlight.

I'm precious to Him, I plainly see

He delivered me from sin's dark night.

Lord, help me see those many souls

That grope for eternal direction

To lead them toward that upward goal

And experience the joy of election!

Conditional Love

She still loves us anyway!

Neal Pollard

In every area of life I can think of, conditions are necessary.  Contracts almost always contain clauses, caveats, and quid pro quos.  Jesus even provided conditions for the marriage "contract," allowing one whose mate commits fornication to divorce and remarry an eligible person (Mat. 19:9) or one whose mate dies to marry an eligible person (Rom. 7:1-4).  Though making no allowance for remarriage, as some say, Paul does add that one does not have choose marital obligations to a mate over Christ (1 Cor. 7:15).  Further, one is not required to remain in a situation where abuse and physical danger is a viable threat either to that one or whatever children are involved, even if such reprehensible conduct does not allow the victim the right of remarriage (cf. Mat. 5:32; 19:9).  Love does not act unbecomingly (1 Cor. 13:5), and those who are lazy, lustful, selfish, demeaning, wrathful, and the like may bear the fruit of disdain and distance from a fed-up or heart-broken spouse.

That said, there is an alarming amount of "conditional love" that defies sympathy.  Through the years, I have known those before and after marriage who made the physical weight and appearance of their loved one a condition of their love.  For others, it was money or salary.  For others still, it was social status and social-climbing.  Perhaps, with some brainstorming, we could grow this list of "provisos" much longer.  This approach to "love" that says "I will love you if…," "I will love you when…," "I will love you unless…," or "I will love you until" runs contrary to the spirit of Christ.  He is the standard of love.  Husbands are to love their wives like Christ loved the church (Eph. 5:25).  Wives are to be taught to demonstrate selfless love to their husbands, too (Ti. 2:4). 

Consider Christ's love.  He loved us when we were helpless, sinful enemies (Rom. 5:6-10).  He loved us before we loved Him (1 Jn. 4:19).  He continues to love us, though we fall short (Rom. 3:23; 8:38-39).  That does not mean that He will unconditionally save us, but the Bible's clear indication is that He will continue to love us no matter what.  Certainly, that will revolutionize our thinking as a Christian, but we should allow it to revolutionize our earthly relationships.  As John says, "Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another" (1 Jn. 4:11).

In every area of life I can think of, conditions are necessary.  Contracts almost always contain clauses, caveats, and quid pro quos.  Jesus even provided conditions for the marriage "contract," allowing one whose mate commits fornication to divorce and remarry an eligible person (Mat. 19:9) or one whose mate dies to marry an eligible person (Rom. 7:1-4).  Though making no allowance for remarriage, as some say, Paul does add that one does not have choose marital obligations to a mate over Christ (1 Cor. 7:15).  Further, one is not required to remain in a situation where abuse and physical danger is a viable threat either to that one or whatever children are involved, even if such reprehensible conduct does not allow the victim the right of remarriage (cf. Mat. 5:32; 19:9).  Love does not act unbecomingly (1 Cor. 13:5), and those who are lazy, lustful, selfish, demeaning, wrathful, and the like may bear the fruit of disdain and distance from a fed-up or heart-broken spouse.

That said, there is an alarming amount of "conditional love" that defies sympathy.  Through the years, I have known those before and after marriage who made the physical weight and appearance of their loved one a condition of their love.  For others, it was money or salary.  For others still, it was social status and social-climbing.  Perhaps, with some brainstorming, we could grow this list of "provisos" much longer.  This approach to "love" that says "I will love you if…," "I will love you when…," "I will love you unless…," or "I will love you until" runs contrary to the spirit of Christ.  He is the standard of love.  Husbands are to love their wives like Christ loved the church (Eph. 5:25).  Wives are to be taught to demonstrate selfless love to their husbands, too (Ti. 2:4). 

Consider Christ's love.  He loved us when we were helpless, sinful enemies (Rom. 5:6-10).  He loved us before we loved Him (1 Jn. 4:19).  He continues to love us, though we fall short (Rom. 3:23; 8:38-39).  That does not mean that He will unconditionally save us, but the Bible's clear indication is that He will continue to love us no matter what.  Certainly, that will revolutionize our thinking as a Christian, but we should allow it to revolutionize our earthly relationships.  As John says, "Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another" (1 Jn. 4:11).

Our Pedagogue

Neal Pollard

The modern definition of "pedagogue," a strict teacher who gives meticulous, laborious assignments to the student, is a transliteration of the Greek word from which it comes.  The New Testament uses the word in multiple places.  In the first-century world, a pedagogue was a service whose job it was to take the children to school.  According to AMG's annotated Strong's Dictionary, it was "usually a slave or freedman to whose care the boys of a family were committed, who trained them up, instructed them at home, and accompanied them to the public schools" (2240).  He had general charge over a boy during the stage of life spanning about age 6 to 16 (Reinecker 510), a stage known in the Greek as "epheboi" (or, youth).  Once a Greek and Roman male reached adulthood, he no longer needed his pedagogue.  He was full-grown and mature.

Interestingly, Paul calls the Law of Moses our pedagogue.  In Galatians 3:23-24, he writes, "But before faith came, we were kept in custody under the law, being shut up to the faith which was later to be revealed. Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, that we may be justified by faith."  That word "tutor" (NAS; "schoolmaster" in the KJV) is from the aforementioned Greek word, literally meaning "child-conductor."  

•  The "pedagogue" served for a particular religious stage of life for mankind.  That stage is recorded for us in Old Testament history and spanned from the giving of the law at Sinai (Exo. 20) until it was taken out of the way at the cross (Col. 2).  It was in force throughout that time, though it was never God's permanent solution to lead and instruct mankind.
•  The "pedagogue's" work existed until a later date when it was replaced by something else.  When Jesus took this pedagogue out of the way, He put a new, better law into effect.  We are led by His will (Col. 3:17).
• The "pedagogue" could not justify us to God.  Paul says as much, stating that it led us to Christ who justifies us by faith.  The writer of Hebrews speaks of a new and better covenant (Heb. 8:7ff).  

Our pedagogue served its purpose.  The Old Testament pointed ahead to Christ.  The New Testament shows that Christ was known, foretold, and prophesied in the Old Testament.  All history centered around Christ, and that pedagogue sees to it that we learn that essential truth!