Pope Francis has died, and the first thing we hear is the multitude of announcements, with microphones and headlines everywhere, saying that he has “returned to the Father’s House.” [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] No, the Pope has not “returned to the Father’s house.” He has died. And like every other human being who dies, Francis has entered into a state of unconsciousness known in the Bible as sleep (Ecclesiastes 9:5, John 11:11-14). Pope Francis, like everyone else, will face God’s judgment (Romans 14:10-12, 2 Corinthians 5:10). Every individual is accountable to God and will be judged and rewarded according to their actions (Revelation 22:12, Matthew 16:27). This judgment encompasses everyone, regardless of status or belief, highlighting the universal nature of divine accountability. The Bible teaches that this judgment will be executed by Jesus Christ, as commanded by his Father (John 5:22–23).
While alive, Pope Francis publicly taught that “all religions are paths to God,” made during a 2024 interfaith dialogue in Singapore. [6] The Pope even embraced the worship of Mother Earth. [7] This and other statements made by Pope Francis during his papacy conflict with core Christian doctrines, notably Jesus’ declaration in John 14:6, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” Furthermore, the Pope publicly declared, “Who am I to judge?” referring to the sexual orientation of priests [8], and redefined moral law and biblical evangelization with his new “climate sins” and emphasis on a new “ecological conversion” [9], thus undermining the Ten Commandments, the gospel of Christ, and the evangelizing mission of the Church. These grave theological errors should give us pause before assuming that the Pope is already in his Father’s house.
According to the Bible, when a person knowingly works against God’s will and purpose and dies without making any attempt at reconciling those aberrations, it is not appropriate to assume they are in heaven. Jesus Himself stated, “Unless you repent, you will all likewise perish” (Luke 13:3). Scripture clearly teaches that believers who are found worthy and who have died in the faith will be resurrected to eternal life at the Second Coming of Christ, not when they die (John 5:28-29, Revelation 20:6).
Repentance involves a genuine turning away from sin and disobedience—including heresy. Without this, individuals are running the risk of remaining separated from God. The Bible warns that those who die in a state of unrepentance face judgment and condemnation (Hebrews 9:27). Therefore, rather than presuming the eternal destiny of someone who publicly opposed God’s commands and did not make any effort to repent, it is more fitting to reflect on the seriousness of aligning our lives with God’s will and to encourage repentance and faith in Jesus Christ. This approach honors the biblical call to holiness and the transformative power of God’s grace.
In times when death is trivialized and sin is hidden, it is more urgent than ever to remember the truth: no one is automatically saved. Not even a Pope. And if we love people and believe their souls are precious, let us work for their salvation so that they may be reconciled with God before they die.
Sources
[1] https://www.santantonio.org/en/content/pope-francis-has-returned-fathers-house
[3] https://www.ccee.eu/pope-francis-has-returned-to-the-house-of-the-father-2/?lang=en
[4] https://www.nysun.com/article/pope-francis-returns-to-the-house-of-the-father
[5] https://www.suoredellacarita.org/en/pope-francis-has-returned-to-the-fathers-house/
[6] https://www.catholicculture.org/news/headlines/index.cfm?storyid=63373
[8] https://apnews.com/general-news-7b465b60945f40deb3a68b3de742f84a
[9] http://adventmessenger.org/thou-shalt-not-sin-against-our-ecology-says-catholic-cardinal/
0
0
0
Leave a Reply