A False Claim Exposed

On April 26, 2025, I watched 5 minutes of Pope Francis’ funeral, expecting reverence for God. Instead, 250,000 mourners honoured a man called “Holy Father” with rituals far from Scripture.

As a born-again Christian rooted in the love for the Bible, I felt sickened. The Catholic Church claims that the Apostle Peter was the first pope, founding their system. But God’s Word proves this is unbiblical. At bornagainchristians.org, we stand on the truth: Jesus Christ alone is the head of the Church (Colossians 1:18). Let’s explore why Peter wasn’t the pope and why we trust Christ alone.

No Pope in Scripture

Catholics point to Matthew 16:18, where Jesus says, “You are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church.” They claim Peter was the first pope, with popes as his successors. But Scripture tells a different story. The “rock” is Peter’s confession that Jesus is “the Christ” (v. 16) or Jesus Himself, the true foundation (1 Corinthians 3:11). The “keys” Jesus gave Peter (v. 19) were gospel authority, shared by all apostles (Matthew 18:18), not a papal throne. Peter never claimed supremacy, calling himself a “fellow elder” (1 Peter 5:1). Jesus alone is the Church’s head (Ephesians 5:23).

Peter’s Humble Role

Peter was a bold apostle, preaching at Pentecost (Acts 2) and opening the gospel to Gentiles (Acts 10). But he wasn’t a pope. Paul corrected him when he erred (Galatians 2:11-14), showing Peter wasn’t infallible. The Bible never says he was Rome’s bishop; Paul, not Peter, ministered there (Romans 15:20).

Peter pointed to Christ as the “chief Shepherd” (1 Peter 5:4), not himself. The funeral’s pomp, exalting a man, echoes the Catholic error of lifting Peter, and popes, above Jesus.

Scripture rejects such titles (Matthew 23:9), calling us to honor Christ alone.

A False System

The Catholic Church’s papal claim fuels unbiblical practices, like sacraments and Mary as co-Mediatrix, which many of the funeral attendees trusted. But salvation isn’t through rituals or popes, it’s by faith in Christ alone (Romans 10:9).

Jesus warned against traditions that nullify God’s Word (Mark 7:8-9). The papacy, with its “Holy Father” and mediators, adds to the gospel, unlike Peter’s simple faith in Jesus (Acts 4:12). We must test all teachings against Scripture (1 Thessalonians 5:21), rejecting what exalts man over God.

Trust Christ Alone

The funeral was a wake-up call: millions are misled by a system claiming Peter’s authority. At bornagainchristians.org, we proclaim the true gospel: “There is one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus” (1 Timothy 2:5). Peter wasn’t the pope, he was a servant pointing to Jesus.

Let’s pray for Catholics to find salvation by faith (Ephesians 2:8-9) and share this truth with love (Ephesians 4:15). Join us in trusting Christ alone, the only Savior (Acts 4:12).