From Christ to Pope

Since the Christian movement began it has always maintained the hope for the return of Christ. The advent message is one that has been proclaimed by many Christian groups throughout the Christian era. But while the advent of Christ has been eagerly anticipated it has not gone without controversy and misunderstanding. The early church awaited a personal return of Christ contingent on Christ’s work of redemption and remission of sins. The Scriptures are clear that just as Old Testament priests would minister on the behalf of the people for the remission of sins, Christ our perfect high priest is ministering on our behalf before God the Father for the perfect remission of sins (Hebrews 8:1). It was understood that when Christ’s redemptive work was complete he would return in glory for those who have been judged righteous.
But this knowledge and hope was severely tested and challenged when Christians suffered brutal persecution at the hands of pagan Rome. Cruel emperors under dark influences declared Christianity to be a threat to national security and Roman culture and ordered the execution of countless Christians. It has been estimated that three million Christians perished under pagan Rome during the first three centuries of the Christian era.
Just when it seemed as though Christianity might become extinct, a man by the name of Ignatius of Antioch, an Apostolic Father of the early church, wrote a series of works on Christian theology that gave the church a modified identity and creed. Ignatius proposed that the small community of believers be gathered under one centralized authority-the bishop. This structure was based on Roman city government. The Christian congregation became the city of Rome and the bishop became the Roman Administrator. The church then came to resemble a Roman municipality. Of the bishop and the new church Ignatius wrote, “Follow the bishop as Christ did the Father, follow the elders as apostles, and respect the deacons as you would God’s law…He who pays the bishop honor has been honored by God. He who acts without the bishop’s knowledge is in the devil’s service.”
Though pagan Rome eventually fell politically, its religion and theology was championed by its invaders and in time Christianity emerged in the form of the Papacy. Heavenly things were substituted for earthly and the work of the papacy overshadowed the work of Christ.
Under the papacy, Christians have suffered much tribulation and oppression. Far from doing the work of a perfect priest, the papacy has acted as a tyrant and a deceiver in order to aggrandize its own power. Yet many Christians believe that its religious belief system is representative of Christ. Christians have been erroneously led to look at a human institution for divine guidance and have been distracted from looking upward to a “more excellent ministry, by how much also he [Christ] is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established on better promises” (Hebrews 8:6). Christ’s ministry in heaven is without fault and blameless. When Christ is finished interceding on our behalf then He will come in all glory and power to save those who have believed on Him.

Looking Forward But Not Upward

The most mainstream form of Christianity is about looking forward but not upward. What I mean by this is that most of Christianity today is focused on moving forward to creating a better world but without the inspiration and guidance from above. Direction in the Christian church is dictated by the course of politics and world events instead of the Scriptures. I believe the reason for this wayward trend is that biblical prophecies are becoming obsolete in Christianity. The lack of prophetic knowledge has led many a Christian to investigate politics, alternative religions, and current events, among other mediums in order establish a sense of direction and purpose.
Prophecy is the very instrument that God uses to point us to His providence. If Christian churches neglect prophetic knowledge they are in danger of misunderstanding the providence of God. Instead of resting securely under the wings of divine authority they are wandering blindly into a dark territory where God does not reside.
It is imperative now more than ever that churches turn their attention to the prophecies recorded in Scripture by divine inspiration. When investigated and studied in the right manner they will undoubtedly reveal a heavenly plan for which there is no earthly substitute. One is made to recognize that the entire work of salvation and restoration is in full operation, not here on earth, but in the courts of heaven.
Even a review of prophecies already fulfilled, such as the restoration of Jerusalem in the days of Ezra and Nehemiah, the coming of the Messiah, his death, the ushering in of the Christian era, and the cleansing of the heavenly sanctuary, should serve to strengthen our faith in regards to biblical prophecy. This in turn should cause us to give our earnest attention to the Bible as the source of guidance. It is the Scripture, especially the prophetic word that points us upward.

Don't Blame Secularism

Many Christians are under the conviction that secularism is the greatest enemy of faith and society. Secularism is often blamed for the downfall of moral values in society as well as many other cultural ailments. As a result Christians spend a great deal of time and effort protesting and fighting against the secular culture.
But there is a far greater danger lurking within the Christian communities of this nation. It is not surprising that this problem has been overlooked and overshadowed by the great culture war. Yet if the problem continues to go unheeded then it will bring our nation under a stress that will make secularism look like a therapeutic back rub.
The truth of the matter is that many of today’s Christian churches are not Commandment keeping churches. They claim to hold Scripture as the sole authority in things pertaining to God but they neglect God’s holy law. How can they say Scripture is an authority then overlook the authority of God? Is not sin the transgression of God’s law? Are not many churches in violation of God’s commandments and therefore sinning in the eyes of God? What will be the consequences of such violation? If our nation is indeed a Christian nation and the majority of Christian churches are not commandment keeping churches what does this mean for the future of our nation? God will not bring judgment upon our nation for the actions of the secular culture but rather for the actions within the Christian culture which reject the statutes of God and do not keep His commandments. When the judgments of God come upon our nation they will come upon His professed people first. How many loyal commandment keeping Christian communities will He find?