Is there some truth to the new Popes warning that the church will become pitiful and non-governmental if it doesn't stay true to the message of Jesus Christ?
In the new Popes first sermon he warned that the church risked becoming a 'pitiful non-governmental organisation” unless it goes through spiritual renewal and focuses on the message of Jesus Christ. He went on to say 'If we do not confess to Christ what would we be?' Francis said. 'We would end up a pitiful NGO. What would happen would be similar to; children making a sand castle and then it all toppling down.'
I normally don’t pay attention to the Vatican neither-do I subscribe to Roman Catholicism but what Pope Francis said was profound. Which is something to be considered by all citizens of the Kingdom. Perhaps I have misunderstood or misinterpreted what he was saying, but he appears to be saying the church should see itself as a governmental body and can be described as pitiful if solely recognised as a charity.
Though Pope Francis was airing a warning for the future, 'pitiful and non governmental' seems to be the present state of the church, don’t you think? I recognise that I am speaking in broad terms, but broadly speaking isn’t the church already pitiful and non-governmental? Isn’t church viewed more as a do-gooder club than as a parliamentary order? Isn't it true that most church groups are legally structured as charities (and function accordingly)?Many Evangelicals tend to see themselves as liberated and progressive in relation to the Babylonian Roman Catholic order. Yes, the adoration of Mary and praying to dead saints is spooky, yes, salvation is by grace and not by works, no, I don’t need relics or a priest to intercede on my behalf, and no to pedophilia. Nevertheless Protestants may have thrown the baby out with the bath water when it comes to understanding the Ecclesia to be governmental body. Ye
Many Evangelicals tend to see themselves as liberated and progressive in relation to the Babylonian Roman Catholic order. Yes, the adoration of Mary and praying to dead saints is spooky, yes, salvation is by grace and not by works, no, I don’t need relics or a priest to intercede on my behalf, and no to pedophilia. Nevertheless Protestants may have thrown the baby out with the bath water when it comes to understanding the Ecclesia to be governmental body. Yes I said Ecclesia not church; one speaks of the gathering of citizens to govern, the other speaks of a religious place of worship. We have come to understand the church to be a service centred system as opposed to a theocratic governmental assembly and the typical church administration reflects this. Even the mention of the term government may offend the religious mind in some cases.
But Judging from the sound bite of Pope Francis quoted above, it seems at the highest point of the Roman Catholic order is the belief that the church is a government. This explains why;- the Vatican is a separate sovereign state, complete with the Pope as the monarch. And does not submit to any other state.
- the Vatican is a separate sovereign state, complete with the Pope as the monarch. And does not submit to any other state.
- The Pope has his own army
- The Vatican has its own laws and judicial system
- Presidents and prime ministers visit the Pope for blessings and never the other way around.
- The Vatican has it’s own CIA and MI5, the Jesuits. Okay lets not go there.
I could go on. Now am I saying we should follow in the Vatican’s footsteps? No. I believe it is a counterfeit and apostate system. It appears to be a carnal / earthly attempt to establish the divine mandate to govern. But this does not take away from the fact that at its core the Papacy sees itself as God’s government on earth.The Church of England for example seems to have a different understanding at its center in my opinion.It seems to simply be the nations charity arm, very much subjugated by who ever is the governing party of the country at the time. Well we can’t really expect more from a state owned church. Anyways, what’s my point in all this? We ought to return to the message of the King (Jesus), who preached of a Kingdom (not an airy fairy notion), who sent ambassadors (apostles) to build local parliaments (Ecclesia’s and not churches) who expect us to mature in stature and co-labour (as joint heirs) in governance. Failure to recognise that we are a governing people results in the formation of pitiful charities. And that is what we are left with today.
The Church of England for example seems to have a different understanding at its center in my opinion.It seems to simply be the nations charity arm, very much subjugated by who ever is the governing party of the country at the time. Well we can’t really expect more from a state owned church. Anyways, what’s my point in all this? We ought to return to the message of the King (Jesus), who preached of a Kingdom (not an airy fairy notion), who sent ambassadors (apostles) to build local parliaments (Ecclesia’s and not churches) who expect us to mature in stature and co-labour (as joint heirs) in governance. Failure to recognise that we are a governing people results in the formation of pitiful charities. And that is what we are left with today.
It seems to simply be the nations charity arm, very much subjugated by who ever is the governing party of the country at the time. Well we can’t really expect more from a state owned church. Anyways, what’s my point in all this? We ought to return to the message of the King (Jesus), who preached of a Kingdom (not an airy fairy notion), who sent ambassadors (apostles) to build local parliaments (Ecclesia’s and not churches) who expect us to mature in stature and co-labour (as joint heirs) in governance. Failure to recognise that we are a governing people results in the formation of pitiful charities. And that is what we are left with today.
