That’s a ridiculous question, right? We tend to think that the leader of 1.2 billion people in Christendom must surely be a true believer.
How does one become a believer? Ephesians 2:8-9 says, 8 “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God. 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”
Dozens of other passages confirm that a believer is one who has faith in Christ as savior. Does the pope have faith in Christ? Although no one knows anyone else’s heart, he probably does. So, this would satisfy verse 8 above.
However, verse 9 says that we are not saved by works. We’re not saved by the good things we do, including church service, the sacraments, infant baptism, the Rosary, praying to Mary, or anything having to do with saints or relics. It doesn’t even matter how good of a person we are. We’re saved by grace through faith. Period. Many other verses confirm this:
Romans 4:4-5 says, “Now to the one who works, wages are not credited as a gift but as an obligation. 5 However, to the one who does not work but trusts God who justifies the ungodly, their faith is credited as righteousness.”
Romans 11:6 says, “And if by grace, then it cannot be based on works; if it were, grace would no longer be grace.” Grace and works are mutually exclusive.
So is the Pope a Christian. I don’t know his heart, but if he’s depending on his faith in Christ PLUS anything else, then he’s not.