Pope Francis’ Legacy: A Sobering Warning of Apostasy

Jorge Mario Bergoglio, born in 1936 to Italian parents in Buenos Aires, Argentina, stepped into the global spotlight as Pope Francis in March 2013.

At the age of 76, he took the papacy and was nothing short of a game-changer, but, in all the wrong ways.

The first Jesuit pope, the first from Latin America, and the first non-European since the 8th-century Syrian Pope Gregory III—this man definitely broke molds. But, here’s the kicker: his legacy isn’t one of biblical truth, it’s a flashing neon sign of apostasy, and we need to wake up to it.

Francis chose his name to honor Saint Francis of Assisi, a man known for his heart for the poor. Sounds noble, right?

He quoted Saint Francis as bringing “an idea of poverty apart from luxury, pride, and vanity.” And yes, Francis lived this—removing himself from the fancy Apostolic Palace for a humble Vatican guesthouse, earning the nickname “No Frills Pope.”

But don’t be fooled by the optics.

The focus of Francis was on social justice, rooted in the radical Liberation Theology that swept Latin America in the ‘60s, placing the gospel on the back burner.

It’s as if Francis swapped the Great Commission for a woke social worker’s handbook, and that’s a problem when Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6), not “fix society and you’re good.”

Now, let’s get real about his words: Francis had a knack for dropping bombs that left the Vatican scrambling to clean up the mess.

In May 2014, he said he’d baptize Martians. Quirky, sure, but harmless? Not when you pair it with his July 2016 claim that it’s wrong to link Islam with violence. Then there’s the theological chaos.

In 2013, he said atheists could get to heaven by living “good and honorable lives.” Uh, what? Ephesians 2:8-9 says salvation is by grace through faith, not a merit badge for good behavior.

Doubling down, he released a video in 2016 which claimed all religions are paths to the same God. Sikh, Muslim, Hindu, Christian—doesn’t matter, we’re all “children of God,” he said. These aren’t just some quirky saying, this is heresy, spitting in the face of Acts 4:12, which says there’s no other name but Jesus for salvation.

And, it gets worse.

In 2015, he called capitalism “the dung of the devil” and pollution a sin. In 2020, he pushed for open borders and trashed the biblical concept of just war.

By 2023, he was authorizing blessings for same-sex couples and saying everyone—atheists included—is redeemed by Christ’s blood because we just need to “do good.”
In September 2024, he sealed the deal in Singapore, declaring all religions are “different paths” to God.

This isn’t just a pope misspeaking. This is a man preaching universalism, the idea that everyone gets a free pass to heaven, no matter what they believe. That’s not the gospel. That’s a lie straight from the pit of hell, and 1 Timothy 4:1 warned us about these “doctrines of demons.”

This isn’t anything new, though. The Catholic Church has been sliding into apostasy for decades.

It started picking up steam with Pope John XXIII in 1958, who kicked off Vatican II to “modernize” the church.

By 1965, they produced Lumen Gentium, a document claiming Muslims worship the same God as Christians and can be saved. FACT: Islam denies Jesus as the Son of God, yet they’re on the same team? That’s a hard no from Scripture (1 John 2:23).

The 1992 Catholic Catechism even extended salvation to anyone living a “good life,” religious or not.

Popes like John Paul II, who reigned from 1978 to 2005, cranked up the ecumenism, cozying up to Islam and hosting interfaith prayer fests in Assisi in 1986 and 2002.

Picture this: Catholics, Buddhists, Hindus, and even a Crow Indian chanting to a sky-god, all under the Pope’s blessing. That’s not unity. That’s blasphemy.

John Paul II once told a crowd in 2000 that anyone living a “just life” gets saved, even without faith in Jesus.

Pope Benedict XVI kept the party going in 2011, inviting agnostics to Assisi to “search for truth.” Francis just took it to the finish line, making it crystal clear: he believes all roads lead to God. This makes a mockery of Christ’s sacrifice.

If Buddha or a witch doctor can get you to heaven, why did Jesus die? Why did He say, “No one comes to the Father but through Me”? This universalist garbage nullifies the cross and renders missions pointless. It’s heartbreaking, and it’s dangerous.

Conclusion

Friends, this is prophecy playing out before our eyes.

Revelation 17 paints a picture of a false religion, a “harlot” leading the world astray.

The Catholic Church’s trajectory—embracing every religion, prioritizing works over faith—lines up with the apostasy Paul warned about in 2 Thessalonians 2:3.

But here’s the hope: Jesus is coming back, and He’s not sharing His glory with false gods or good deeds. Heaven isn’t for “good people”; it’s for those saved by faith in Christ alone (Romans 10:9). So, let’s pray for those trapped in this deception, share the true gospel, and keep our eyes on the King. Maranatha!

Thank you for your support.

If you appreciate the work we do to spread the good news of Jesus Christ, please consider giving a gift to help us continue this work. Maranatha!