Pastor Post
(5/14/2025)
Church family,
The Catholic Church recently elected a new pope. For them, the pope is the “vicar of Christ,” a term which means the pope dispenses the mercies of God through His blessings, the appointment of bishops, and ultimately bestows God’s grace in the giving of “sacraments” (the Lord’s Supper, baptism, etc.) Their catechism reads: “For the Roman Pontiff, by reason of his office as Vicar of Christ, and as pastor of the entire Church has full, supreme, and universal power over the whole Church, a power which he can always exercise unhindered.” Despite a few caveats made in the past century, the Catholic position still remains that there is no salvation outside the Church of Rome.
Contrast this teaching with passages from the New Testament: 1 John 5:11-13: And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12 Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. 13 I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life. Romans 10:9-13 If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved. 11 As Scripture says, “Anyone who believes in him will never be put to shame.” 12 For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile– the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, 13 for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” Acts 16:29-31 The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas. 30 He then brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” 31 They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved– you and your household.”
Friends, salvation is solely procured by Christ’s life/death/resurrection and therefore is solely offered through Jesus Christ for all who turn to Him in faith and repentance. This is the good news of salvation, a message preached and received by faith, not mediated through any human person, pontiff, or particular institution. Salvation is by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone as preached in the Scriptures alone to the glory of God alone.O, that we may we forever revel in the God of the gospel!
Now a few quick announcements:
#1: If you are newer to Cornerstone Church, please consider joining our membership class on June 8th, 12:15-4PM (lunch provided). We have our front door class called Next Steps 11-11:45AM this Sunday May 18. (BTW: Would long-time members pray that the LORD would make us hospitable to new faces and to be bold with the gospel in new places? Who’s your one? Who are you praying would trust Jesus this summer?)
#2: Please pray for the long-range planning team (meets May 19), the elder retreat (May 22-23), and the final details related to updating our facility. Pray we listen closely to God and take steps of faith together.
#3: Beginning in June, we will have two summer preaching series. First, we’ll dive into Malachi, and then mid-summer we’ll begin a walk-thru of Ecclesiastes. Pray that God’s Word would be faithfully preached and received every Sunday in our body.
Our future is as bright as the promises of God. Claim those promises in prayer. Call out to the throne room of grace. Come in Jesus’ name and because of His blood.
Because He lives,
-Pastor Matt
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