Bergoglio’s election as pope in March 2013 caught many by surprise. He is the first non-European pope in more than 1,200 years, the first-ever pope from the Americas, and the antithesis of the ultra-traditionalist that many assumed would replace Benedict XVI. Inconspicuous and humble in appearance, Bergoglio struck many as lacking in reputation, in theological pedigree, in charisma and personality. People were perplexed. Could such an unremarkable man lead 1.2 billion Catholics? Could he run Vatican City, known for its cliques, egos and infighting? Could this quiet, unpretentious Argentine resurrect the Catholic Church—its reputation injured by years of crisis and scandal—as a force for stability and leadership for a tumultuous and hurting world? Students of Bible prophecy wondered further: Could Bergoglio, an outsider, a non-European, a man seemingly more interested in the poor than in politics, increase the Vatican’s power in Europe, unite the Continent, then lead the prophesied Holy Roman Empire? We questioned, does Pope Francis fulfill Bible prophecy? We’re not even a year into his pontificate, and we already have answers. Pope Francis is having profound success. It has been so dramatic it has its own name: the Francis Effect. Across the planet, public support of the Catholic Church is increasing, in many countries dramatically so. Church attendance is up. Conversions are up. The pope is widely adored and admired, even among non-Catholics. Francis has worked wonders among the church’s lukewarm and disillusioned laity. “What makes this pope so important is the speed with which he has captured the imaginations of millions who had given up on hoping for the church at all,” wrote Time (emphasis added throughout). Many accept that the Bible has a lot to say about the Catholic Church. A scarce few, however, actually accept what the Bible teaches about this institution. Most have never studied, and refuse to study, passages like Isaiah 47, Daniel 7, Matthew 24 or Acts 8, all of which specifically discuss the Catholic Church. Very few understand that while the Bible reveals that the church is a great and impressive religion, it is actually a false religion, a counterfeit of God’s true religion. Revelation 17:1 says this church “sitteth upon many waters.” She has a global presence. Verse 2 says she commits fornication with “the kings of the earth,” or world governments, as well as “the inhabitants of the earth,” the citizens of various countries. Verse 15 states: “The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.” This religion is popular in the four corners of the globe, among many peoples, nations and languages. Can you see the fulfillment of verse 15 in the Francis Effect and the remarkable restoration of the Catholic Church’s popularity by the current pope?
Posted on: Sat, 01 Feb 2014 22:40:20 +0000