Pam Padgett ... teacher
Earlier this week I turned on the television and saw huge numbers of people cheering. At first I didn't know what was being shown, but then a news person said there was a new head for the Catholic church ... a new pope had been chosen.
Hearing this, I was immediately reminded that Jesus is the head of the New Testament Church, the body of Christ ...
Colossians 1:12 Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made
us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: 13
Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us
into the kingdom of his dear Son: 14 In whom we have redemption through
his blood, even the forgiveness of sins: 15 Who is the image of the
invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: 16 For by him were all
things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and
invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or
powers: all things were created by him, and for him: 17 And he is before
all things, and by him all things consist. 18 And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.
The way God chose for the New Testament Church is amazing and wonderful, very different than the ways
and wisdom of man, very different than what we see with the Catholic church having a pope. Jesus is the head and God has set each believer in the
church as it pleased Him, the whole body joined and functioning
together by the same Spirit ...
Ephesians 4:4 There is one body, and one Spirit, even as
ye are called in one hope of your calling; 5 One Lord, one faith, one
baptism, 6 One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all,
and in you all. 7 But unto every one of us
is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ. 8
Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity
captive, and gave gifts unto men. 9 (Now that he ascended, what is it
but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? 10
He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all
heavens, that he might fill all things.) 11 And he gave some, apostles;
and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and
teachers; 12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the
ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: 13 Till we all come in
the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a
perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:
14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and
carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and
cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; 15 But
speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is
the head, even Christ: 16 From whom the whole body fitly joined
together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to
the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of
the body unto the edifying of itself in love.
1 Corinthians 12:12 For as the body is one,
and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many,
are one body: so also is Christ. 13 For by one Spirit are we all
baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be
bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. 14 For
the body is not one member, but many. 15 If the foot shall say, Because I
am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?
16 And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the
body; is it therefore not of the body? 17 If the whole body were an eye,
where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the
smelling? 18 But now hath God set the members every one of them in the
body, as it hath pleased him.
(No where in the Bible are we told of a pope.)