Is the Pope an
Antichrist?
The evangelical Church today do not want to expose the deceitfulness of Roman Catholicism, churches do not want to preach against the false doctrines of Romanism as they do not want to hurt the people and the church has become like a politician, wants to live in peace with everyone. The reformers are the first to expose the deceitfulness of Romanism, and today there are a few good reformed churches who are exposing the lies of Romanism, and on the other hand the majority of the Christian churches have abandoned her first roots of the Protestant Reformed faith.
The heart of the controversy between Rome and historic
Protestants is a dispute over the way of salvation. Rome has a different
salvation than the Protestants. But there is only one way of salvation. In
Joh 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life:
no man cometh unto the Father, but by me."
Man is a sinner but God
is infinitely holy and righteous, man has to be righteous to go to heaven. How can a man become righteous before
God? "If you, O LORD, kept a record of our sins, O
LORD who could stand?" (Psalm 130:3) In Short how can man go to
heaven? This truth is at the foundation of historic Protestant theology; we are
justified by faith alone. The sinner is declared righteous, based solely upon
the righteousness of another that is of Christ's righteousness, which is imputed
or credited to the sinners account. even Christ Jesus. The righteousness of
Christ is the ground of salvation. "This is why it is credited to him as
righteousness. The words it was credited to him were written not for him alone,
but also for us, to whom God will credit righteousness for us who believe in him
who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead." (Romans 4:22-25)
Rome absolutely denies the doctrine of justification by faith alone, pronouncing it is an anathema (Divine curse) upon those who hold to this principle. Rome said, in the 9th canon of the Council of Trent says: "If any one saith, that by faith alone the impious is justified, in such wise as to mean, that nothing else is required to cooperate in order to the obtaining the grace of Justification, and that it is not in any way necessary, that he be prepared and disposed by the movement of his own will: let him be anathema."
Rome killed the early Protestants; during the reign of Queen Mary 288 reformers were burned, why? Because these men held to the truth, and did not compromise with Rome but today Christians have forgotten the roots and joining hands with Rome and say, let us pray, love and embrace each other, let us pray for the Pope, and Roman Catholism, yes says many ignorant Christians, and they join with Roman Catholics together and say, "we all believe in the Trinity, the Deity of Christ, the virgin birth Christ's bodily resurrection and there fore Romanism is not a cult, she has errors, we need to pray for the Pope and instead of fighting with each other let us love them, embrace them."
Let us see some of the most popular Christian leaders who have joined hands with Roman Catholic church for the sake of unity and are compromising the truth of the gospel.
Dr. Bill Bright
(Campus Crusade for Christ)
Dr. Charles Colson (Prison
Fellowship Ministries)
Rev. Max Lucado (Oak Hills
Church of Christ, San Antonio, Tx)
Dr.
J. I. Packer (Regent College, B.C.)
Dr.
John Rodgers (Trinity Episcopal School for
Ministry)
There are others who
support Romanism. Billy Graham is
one of them. Billy Graham said,
"Many of the
people who reach a decision for Christ at our meetings have joined the Catholic
church."
1978: "I found that my
beliefs are essentially the same as those of orthodox Catholics." "
(McCall's, Jan. 1978).
What does Billy Graham
thinks about the Pope?
1963: "I admire
Pope John [XXIII] tremendously. I felt he brought a new era to the world"
Chicago Tribune, June 8, 1963).
In 1980 he wrote an
article, which appeared in the Saturday Evening Post (Jan.-Feb. 1980). He
said: "Pope John Paul II is one of the greatest moral and spiritual leaders of
this century. He is an evangelist."
Hank Henegraff the host of
the popular 'Bible Answer Man' program calls Roman Catholics, brothers and
sisters.
Then many other modern evangelicals stay neutral, will not speak up against the Roman Catholics. It is interesting to go back to history and see why the believers wanted to stay silent and not speaking against the Pope. The man who is qualified to answer this question is Martin Luther, this is what Luther said, " I have heard divers worthy doctors affirm, that the church has long since stood in need of reformation; but no man was so bold as to assail popedom; for the pope had on his banner, Noli me tangere; therefore every man was silent. Dr. Staupitz said once to me: "If you meddle with popedom you will have the whole world against you;" We believe there is no difference between the modern church and the church of Luther's day. But Luther stood up for the truth and he continued on the truth, Luther was not looking for popularity as he was ex-communicated from the Roman Catholic church as a heretic, but he was God's hero for standing for the truth.
Charles Spurgeon said on Roman Catholicism, "We must fight the Lord's battles against this giant error, whichever shape it takes; and so must we do with every error that pollutes the church. Slay it utterly; let none escape. "Fight the Lord's battles." Even though it is an error that is in the Evangelical Church, yet must we smite it. Also he said, "No peace with sin, no peace with falsehood. War, war, war without deliberation: war for ever with error and deceit!"
Pope is an Antichrist.
The Greek word [anti] in scripture most nearly denotes something that is "in place of" another thing. The root meaning is, "instead of" or "in place of". It is not the original but a substitution, not Christ but a substitute for Christ. Instead of Christ a false Christ an Antichrist.
For us to get a good picture let us read the following in
2 Thessalonians.
2Th 2:3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;
4 Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.
5 Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things?
6 And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time.
7 For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.
8 And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:
9 Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,
10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:
12 That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness. ]
The early Christian church was persecuted heavily for the truth. Christians were publicly crucified, given to the Lions to be eaten and were burned. The year 311 AD, the persecution ended, when Constantine became the Roman emperor, he embraced Christianity. This was the beginning of the falling away of the church. The churches that began in homes disappeared as churches were built for worship, bishops and preachers received good salaries from the State. Now it was an honor to become a Christian, pagans were turned into Christianity not because of true repentance but to gain honor and popularity. Before the church was called Catholic, meaning the true universal church. Now the church was ruled by Rome and became Roman Catholic, the apostate church.
Let us examine the above scriptures we read. Christ is substituted, as Pope
has taken the position of Christ Jesus. When Pope Pius IX was Archbishop of
Venice, he stated: 'the pope is not only the representative of Jesus
Christ, but he is Jesus Christ Himself, hidden under the veil of the
flesh. Does the pope speak? It is Jesus Christ who speaks. Does the
pope accord a favour or pronounce an anathema? It is Jesus Christ who accords
the favour or pronounces that anathema. So that when the pope speaks we
have no business to examine.'
Roman Catholicism believes it is the true church, as the scripture points out, the Antichrist, sitting in the temple of God and proclaiming to be God. Let us see how the Pope fits into this category.
Contrast of the true Christ and the
false Christ.
Christ wore a crown of thorns
The Pope wears a crown of
jewels.
Christ carried on His shoulders the
Cross
The Pope is carried on the shoulders of
his servants in splendor.
Christ declared the laws of His Kingdom
and urged His followers to do the same.
The Pope tramples them underfoot and
substitutes his own in their stead.
Christ sent the Holy Spirit to be His
Vicar on earth.
The Pope claims to be the Vicar of
Christ on earth.
Christ is the Head of the Church.
The Pope claims to be the
head.
Christ taught that sin should be
confessed to God
The Pope teaches that sin should be
confessed to the priests.
Christ taught that he alone is the
Saviour.
The Pope teaches that the Church is the
Saviour.
Christ taught that there was but one
Mediator between God and man.
The Pope teaches that there are many
mediators between God and man.
Christ taught that salvation was by
grace.
The Pope teaches that salvation is by
works.
Christ claimed infallibility for Himself
and the Word of God alone.
The Pope claims infallibility for
himself in matters of faith and morals.
Christ had no place to lay his
head.
The Pope lives in a magnificent palace
surrounded by wealth.
Christ gave his Gospel free to
all.
The Pope sells his masses and other
favours
Christ said "Call no man your father
upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven" (Matt.
23:9)
The Pope commands all to call him `Holy
Father', and his priests feel insulted if persons do not address them as
`Father'
Christ was poor and lowly.
The Pope's wealth is
immense.
Christ washed His disciples` feet thus
manifesting a spirit of humility worthy of emulation by his
followers.
The Pope presents his foot to be kissed
and requires genutlections and kneeling from those who have audiences with
him.
Christ taught his followers to pray to
God through Him.
The Pope teaches his followers to pray
to the Virgin Mary.
We praise the Lord for using
Martin Luther as an instrument who exposed the deceitfulness of
Romanism.
What did Luther say of
Pope?
Whence comes it that the popes pretend `tis they who form the church, when, all the while, they are bitter enemies of the church, and have no knowledge, certainly no comprehension, of the Holy Gospel? Pope, cardinals, bishops, not a soul of them has read the Bible; `tis a book unknown to them. They are a pack of guzzling, stuffing wretches, rich, wallowing in wealth and laziness, resting secure in their power, and never, for a moment, thinking of accomplishing God's will.
Seeing the pope is antichrist I believe him to be a devil
incarnate. Like as Christ is true and natural God and man, so is antichrist a
living devil. It is true, too, what they say of the pope, that he is a
terrestrial god, - for he is neither a real god nor a real man, but of the two
natures mingled together.
He names himself an earthly God, as though, the only true and Almighty God were not on earth! Truly, the pope's kingdom is a horrible outrage against the power of God and against mankind; an abomination of desolation, which stands in the holy place.
When I was in Rome a disputation was openly held, at which were present thirty learned doctors besides myself, against the pope's power; he boasting that with his right hand he commands the angels in heaven, and with his left draws souls out of purgatory, and that his person is mingled with the godhead.
." No human creature may criticize the pope; he only and
alone has power to judge and criticize the whole universal world. I am
persuaded, that in the pope's spiritual laws it is written above one thousand
times, that the pope's actions may not be criticized by any man
whatsoever.
The spiritual law of the pope is a filthy book, stinking of
money. Take out of it covetousness and ambition, there remains nothing of its
own proper substance, yet is has a great lustre, for all unhappiness must begin
in nomine Domini. Like as all righteousness and saving health is only "in
the name of the Lord, so, under the color and cover of God's name, all idolatry
and superstition come. Therefore the commandment fitly says: "Thou shalt not
take the name of the Lord thy God in
vain."
In popedom they make priests, not to preach and teach God's
Word, but only to celebrate mass, and to gad about with the sacrament. For, when
a bishop ordains a man, he says: Take unto thee power to celebrate mass, and to
offer for the living and the dead. But we ordain priests according to the
command of Christ and St Paul, namely to preach the pure gospel and God's Word.
The papists in their ordinations make no mention of preaching and teaching God's
Word, therefore their consecrating and ordaining is false and unright, for all
worshipping which is not ordained of God, or erected by God's Word and command,
is nothing worth, yea, mere idolatry.
The pope's crown is named gegnum mundi, the kingdom of the world. I have heard it credibly reported at Rome, that this crown is worth more than all the princedoms of Germany.
If the pope were the head of the Christian church, then the church were a
monster with two heads, seeing that St Paul says that Christ is her head. The
pope may well be, and is, the head of the false church. I say, the pope is an
arch heretic, for he is an adversary to my blessed Saviour Christ; and so am I
to the pope, because he makes new laws and ordinances according to his own will
and pleasure, and so directly denies the everlasting priesthood of Christ.
The question that I am going to ask you, is where do you stand? You may say, "I am a Christian and I do not believe in Roman Catholicism." If you, claim to be a Christian do you read and study the word of God? Martin Luther said, " If I do not study the word of God, Satan will have a lot of work for me to do." The early church fell away as the church departed from the word of God. When you depart from the word of God, the devil will take you to the gray area of compromise. Luther is right the devil has the whole day planned for you with a busy schedule, and the devil whisper to your ears, "Yes, you can read and study the word of God, you can pray, but later." Before soon you realize, that later is postponed to later.
Eph 5:16 Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.
Yes, we are working hard for the physical things of life, but neglect the spiritual, Jesus said, " in John 6:27 Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life.."