Why Jesus rejects the false gospel Pope Francis recently proclaimed
Pope Francis has never shied away from making provocative statements or launching out in new directions. But this time he seems to have gone all the way. You see, Pope Francis recently proclaimed "a different gospel" (Galatians 1:6).
During a three-day visit to Singapore, Pope Francis declared that "all religions are a path to God." He boldly proclaimed, "There's only one God, and each of us has a language to arrive at God. Some are Sheik, Muslim, Hindu, Christian, and they are different paths (to God)."
If Francis is correct, then Jesus was wrong when He stated, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father, except through me" (John 14:6). I hope you realize that Jesus was not wrong about anything He ever said.
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The false doctrine which Francis proclaimed has been around for centuries. But it cannot possibly be true. Jesus did not die on the cross to merely provide "one more way" of getting to God. He died for our sins because it was the only way we could be reconciled to our Father in Heaven.
"God was reconciling the world to Himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them" (2 Corinthians 5:19). It is only through Christ that anyone can be reconciled to the Father. There simply is no other way, period.
You see, "If righteousness could be gained through the Law, Christ died for nothing" (Galatians 2:21). In other words, if a person could get to God without Christ, the Father would never have sent His only Son to suffer the agony of crucifixion for our salvation.
Pope Francis proclaimed a counterfeit gospel in Singapore. It is "another gospel." (Galatians 1:8) And Jesus rejects it! Therefore, it must be rejected by Christians as well. The pope's teaching smacks of Universalism rather than Christianity. This false teaching completely contradicts the wisdom of the Gospel and the truth of Scripture.
If you attempt to lump Jesus in with other religious leaders and promote them as equals, you end up denying "the Lord of glory" (1 Corinthians 2:8). Jesus is the One true God, along with the Father and the Holy Spirit: Three Persons in One God. The Lord will share His glory with no one.
The pope, as a professing Christian, has a responsibility to uphold Christian doctrine. But what he said in Singapore was a rejection of the Gospel. He would certainly lose some popularity in the world if he were to faithfully proclaim the one way to Heaven. But that is the choice he must make if he hopes to be faithful to his calling.
Jesus never once said that there are many ways to the Father. In fact, He said just the opposite. Christ claimed to be the only way to the Father. What is it about Christ's clear message that the pope either fails to see or fails to accept?
The Holy Spirit dwells within those who are saved, redeemed, born again, forgiven and justified. Every Christian believes the Gospel, whether he is non-denominational, Catholic, Protestant, etc. In fact, followers of Christ are saved on the front end of their relationship with God by accepting the Gospel. "Faith comes from hearing the message" (Romans 10:17).
The Gospel that Jesus and the apostles taught is false if there are various paths to the Father. And since the Gospel is not false, there remains only one way to the Father. You receive the free gift of salvation when you believe in Christ, and in no other way.
Jesus said, "For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him will not perish but have everlasting life" (John 3:16).
Pope Francis sounded more like a politician than a prophet in Singapore. If you attempt to reduce Christianity to the level of every other religion, you strip it of its core tenets. There is only One God, and He is triune. And there is only one Gospel, and "it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes" (Romans 1:16).
The world wants Christians to embrace the false gospel that Pope Francis unashamedly presented as truth. The world is unable to comprehend the true Gospel. And without the working of the Holy Spirit, you and I could never understand and believe the Gospel.
Pray for Pope Francis to repent of his false teaching. This is no minor doctrine but is a foundational issue for every professing believer and every professing church body. It is extremely dangerous to teach that "all religions are a path to God."
Jesus would never have sent out His apostles to preach the Gospel if people already had salvation through their religion or their noble deeds. Jesus sent His followers out into a world of lost people who needed the Savior and needed to be forgiven of their sins.
The pope should have told unbelievers in Singapore the truth about salvation, rather than presenting a politically correct message rooted in a false gospel. If the pope had proclaimed the true Gospel, some unbelievers in Singapore could have been "saved and come to a knowledge of the truth" (1 Timothy 2:4). The pope's false gospel no doubt tickled some ears in Singapore, but it lacked the power to save a single Muslim or Hindu.
The words of Christ in the New Testament completely reject the pope's counterfeit gospel. The pope should confess the blatant sin he committed in Singapore, repent of his false teaching, and embrace the true Gospel.
After all, as Peter boldly proclaimed: "Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under Heaven given to men by which we must be saved" (Acts 4:12). The pope would be wise to heed those inspired words of St. Peter in Holy Scripture, as well as the words of Jesus, who loved us enough to reveal the truth that He is the only way to the Father (see John 14:6).
Dan Delzell is the pastor of Redeemer Lutheran Church in Papillion, Nebraska.
