If it is indeed not essential for someone to consider the pope as having authority over them, then the heart of Christianity must be located elsewhere—specifically, in the personal and communal call to become true disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ. This is the core: that every person, either individually or together in fellowship with others, respond to the call of Jesus to follow Him, learn from Him, and be transformed by Him.
Why is this important? Because Jesus came not merely to teach moral improvement, but to save his people, his disciples—save them from sin, from the power and pattern of behaviors that lead to condemnation. He saves every true disciple. He delivers them from the bondage of sin and makes them capable of living in alignment with God's will. Beyond this, He gives the eternal life necessary to be with himself and with the Father forever. Disciples of Jesus are those who he will raise from the dead in immortality or, if alive at His return, transform to never die—sharing in eternal fellowship with the Father, the Son, and all the true disciples.
But how does someone become a disciple, and how does Christianity help in this? If we believe in Jesus we will, with encouragement and grace, try to learn as his disciples—as disciples primarily of Jesus, and his apostles, and their teachings found in scripture. This means becoming his disciple by learning his teachings. So, faith in Jesus is the starting point. From there, grace and spiritual encouragement enable a person to begin the path into discipleship, which is rooted in learning Jesus’ teachings and following them, along with teachings of His apostles, as recorded in Scripture.
The Church, in its various forms, exists to facilitate this process. Large historical churches like the Catholic and Orthodox traditions have built extensive structures—sacraments, liturgies, clergy, catechesis—designed to wrap a person in lifelong support in becoming and remaining a disciple. Often this model grew from a context where entire societies, even kingdoms, were brought under the umbrella of Christianity, and the Church sought to offer pastoral care from birth to death for everyone within that society.
Protestant traditions often put greater focus on the individual’s conscious faith response. In evangelical and charismatic settings, there is frequent recognition that not all who hear will believe, and preaching is tailored to persuade the heart, call for repentance, and awaken personal faith. These churches, too, aim to gather believers into community and nurture them through teaching, prayer, and fellowship, encouraging ongoing faithfulness as disciples of Christ.
Yet throughout Christian history, the challenge has remained: to make true disciples and not simply cultural adherents. Churches may fall into a pattern of offering creeds to assent to, rituals to observe, and institutions to trust, but lose the living connection with the words and ways of Jesus. It is entirely possible for a church to function, even thrive institutionally, while failing to form true disciples. This is the warning embedded in Jesus’ question: “When the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?” (Luke 18:8). Faith here is not just belief in doctrines, but a lived trust and active following of Jesus—a life patterned after His teachings and filled with hope in His return.
Ultimately, Christianity is about Jesus Himself—knowing Him, following Him, and being transformed into His likeness through the Spirit. The structures of church, including papal authority for those under it, are meant to serve that end, not replace it. Where they aid in forming true disciples, they are fulfilling their role. Where they obstruct or obscure that purpose, they have lost the Father and the Son, and are cast off. For what matters in the end is not our institutional alignment, but whether we are known by Christ as His own.
