On May 7, 2025, the Roman Catholic Church elected its first American pope, Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, now called Pope Leo XIV. While hailed as a historic and progressive figure by many, his election has rightly ignited deep concern among conservative evangelicals who see his views as a bold continuation of Rome’s false gospel –– a gospel that contradicts the sufficiency of Christ and the authority of Scripture. From his doctrinal compromises to his embrace of ecumenical unity without truth, Pope Leo XIV’s reign represents not a renewal but a tragic deepening of spiritual deception. Below are seven critical points to keep in mind regarding the newly elected pope.
1. Endorsing Communion for Unrepentant Homosexuals
Pope Leo XIV has openly supported giving communion to practicing homosexuals, a stance celebrated by progressive Catholics but sharply condemned by Scripture. 1 Corinthians 6:9–10 clearly states: “Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals… will inherit the kingdom of God.” Jesus, full of grace and truth, said to the woman caught in adultery, “Go, and from now on sin no more” (John 8:11). By affirming communion for those who persist in sin without repentance, Leo XIV undermines the holiness of what is supposed to be the Lord’s Table and departs from the gospel of salvation by grace through repentant faith.
2. Prioritizing a Secular Social Justice Agenda
Pope Leo XIV has championed a vision of the Church focused heavily on immigration, climate change, and economic equity, topics aligned more with the U.N. than with the New Testament. While caring for the poor is biblical, the pope’s focus appears far more political than redemptive. Romans 12:2 warns, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” The true Church’s mission is not merely to fix earthly systems but to preach Christ crucified (1 Corinthians 1:23). When liberal justice replaces justification by faith, the “Church” becomes a social institution, not the Body of Christ.
3. Upholding Rome’s False Gospel of Purgatory and Merit
At the heart of evangelical rejection of Catholicism is Rome’s denial of justification by faith alone. Pope Leo XIV upholds the false doctrine of purgatory and the so-called “Treasury of Merit,” wherein the pope allegedly dispenses the “good works” of dead “saints” to shorten one’s time in purgatory. Pope Francis, Leo’s predecessor, reiterated this in 2024 from the Catechism of the Catholic Church, stating: “Every sin…entails an unhealthy attachment to creatures, which must be purified either here on earth, or after death, in the state called Purgatory.” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, Chapter Two: The Sacraments of Healing, Article 4: The Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation, X. Indulgences, The Punishments of Sin, 1472) (Source)
But God’s authoritative Word declares otherwise: “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin…If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). Hebrews 10:14 proclaims, “For by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified.” Ephesians 2:8–9 could not be clearer: “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.” The Catholic gospel is no gospel at all, it is a distortion condemned by Galatians 1:6–8: “If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to what you received, let him be accursed.”
4. Pushing Ecumenical Unity Over Biblical Purity
The new pope has made clear that his agenda includes pushing further into ecumenical partnerships with other religions, regardless of doctrinal divergence. His involvement in the Synod on Synodality, which prioritizes “walking together” over theological truth, proves this trajectory. Yet Scripture warns, “Do not be ]bound together with unbelievers; for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness? Or what harmony has Christ with Belial, or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever? Or what agreement has the temple of God with idols?” (2 Corinthians 6:14-15). True unity can only be forged in the truth (John 17:17). Jude 1:3 commands us to “contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all handed down to the saints.”
5. Foreshadowing the Rise of Global Apostasy
The Bible warns of a time when a great falling away and the rise of the Antichrist will precede the return of Christ (2 Thessalonians 2:3). The new pope’s ecumenism, doctrinal compromise, and moral relativism place him in alignment with the spirit of the age – a spirit of lawlessness that opens the door for the coming Antichrist. His global platform, religious influence, and theological ambiguity are paving stones on the road to the ultimate deception. Jesus warned that false prophets would stand before the narrow and wide gates. The narrow gate leads to life, but the broad gate leads to destruction and many are those who enter it (Matthew 7:13-14).
For Roman Catholics, the pope is not merely a leader, he is believed to be the Vicar of Christ, a title derived from the Latin Vicarius Christi, meaning “in place of Christ” or “instead of Christ.” But Scripture knows no such office. The early church recognized no earthly substitute for the risen Jesus, who Himself declared, “I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20). The claim that a man can speak ex cathedra – with the infallible authority of Christ – is not only unbiblical, it is blasphemous! The pope does not sit in Peter’s seat; he sits on a throne of deception. Just as the Antichrist will one day sit in the temple of God, exalting himself and proclaiming that he is God (2 Thessalonians 2:4), so too does every false Christ and counterfeit shepherd prepare the world for that final lawless one. The pope is not Christ’s representative, he is an imposter. And the faithful must flee from every man who claims a throne for which Christ alone occupies, for “there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus” (1 Timothy 2:5).
6. The Pope’s Silence: Complicity in a Sin That Cries Out to Heaven
One of the most grievous stains on the modern Roman Catholic Church – and one that the new pope inherits and continues – is the systemic coverup of child sexual abuse by thousands of priests spanning over decades. Rather than exposing these crimes and bringing perpetrators to justice, Vatican leadership, including previous popes and bishops under their charge, have repeatedly shielded abusers, shuttling them from parish to parish, and silencing victims. Reports from credible investigations, including those by the Pennsylvania Grand Jury and independent international commissions, have revealed horrifying patterns of abuse and institutional deceit. Rather than defending the defenseless, the hierarchy protected the institution.
This new pope, far from cleaning house, has reportedly continued the same spirit of concealment, sidelining whistleblowers and downplaying accountability. But Jesus does not turn a blind eye. He said with holy fire in His voice, “Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him to have a heavy millstone hung around his neck, and to be drowned in the depth of the sea” (Matthew 18:6). Christ loves children with a fierce, protective love and He warns of a judgment far worse than drowning for those who exploit or harm them. Any leader who shields predators under the guise of “the true church” is not acting on Christ’s behalf, they are storing up wrath for the day of judgment (Romans 2:5). The true church must not remain silent. We must expose these evil deeds of darkness (Ephesians 5:11) and grieve with those who have been wounded in body, soul, and spirit.
7. Final Call: Christ Alone, Not Rome
Conservative evangelicals must not be seduced by titles, robes, or pageantry. The new pope may be American, but the gospel he preaches is the same old Roman counterfeit. It is not enough to believe in Jesus, we must believe in the Jesus of Scripture, not a Christ corrupted by tradition. As Jesus warned, “Why do you call Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?” (Luke 6:46). And the apostle Paul warned that the way to the Father is not through Mary or dead “saints,” declaring, “There is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus” (1 Timothy 2:5).
We are saved not by popes, priests, or purgatory, but by the precious blood of Christ shed once for all. “It is finished,” He cried, not “to be continued” in sacraments or suffering.
Let every Bible-believing Christian cling to Christ alone, reject the counterfeit, contend for the faith, and proclaim His inerrant Word with boldness.
Pray for Roman Catholics who submit to the diabolical, false authority of the papal throne instead of the true Kingship of Christ.
The Pope may sit robed in splendor upon a throne in the Vatican, revered by kings and applauded by men, but Jesus Christ sits enthroned at the right hand of the Father, crowned with many diadems, reigning in righteousness and glory (Revelation 19:11-21).
The Pope’s words may echo in cathedrals built by human hands, but the voice of Christ shakes the heavens and will one day pierce every soul with holy truth. His is not a man-made authority rooted in tradition but eternal, unshakable, and divine; sealed in His precious blood and confirmed by His holy Word!
And He is coming soon!
He will not return as a humble carpenter but as the conquering King. Every false gospel will fall silent. Every deceiver will be exposed. Every knee will bow. Every tongue will confess. The Lamb who was slain will appear as the Lion of Judah as lightning shines from the east to the west, and the world will see Him in all His glory for who He truly is.
So do not be swayed by the vein promises of purgatory or the pageantry of Rome. Fix your eyes on the risen Christ. Trust in His finished work. And follow Him until the trumpet sounds and the sky is split with glory.
For only One sits forever on the true throne—and His name is Jesus.
