| Subject: The Antichrist Unveiled ( by «e¯«¤÷Richard Bennett) |
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puritan
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Date Posted: 08:43:15 01/26/04 Mon
In reply to:
puritan
's message, "¤j²]°üªº¥¿¸Ñ" on 08:10:24 10/26/03 Sun
§@ªÌRichard Bennett¦¦~´¿¸g¦h¦~¬O¤@¦ì¤Q¤À¼ö¤ßªº¤Ñ¥D±Ð¯«¤÷,¦ý¦]¯«ªº¼¦¼§,Richard Bennett»{ÃѸt¸g¤¤ªº°ß¿W¦]«HºÙ¸qºÖµ,¥L®¬§ï±o±Ï¤F.¥L¨£¤d¸U¤Ñ¥D±Ð®{¤£©ú¥Õ¯u¥¿ªººÖµ,¬G¦¨¥ßBerean Beacon Ministries¨Æ¤u,§V¤O¬°ºÖµ§@¨£µý.
¥H¤U¬O±qRichard Bennettªººô¯¸,
http://www.bereanbeacon.org/default.html
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The Antichrist Unveiled
by Richard Bennett
On October 8th, 2000, Pope John Paul II, under the assumed title of Vicar of Christ, consecrated the world and the new millennium to "Mary Most Holy." [1] This blasphemous "Act of Entrustment to Mary Most Holy" of that which belongs to God alone is a mockery of the First Commandment. The Pope¡¦s official and offensive act ought to warn Christians that while the Pope formally claims to be "the true vicar of Christ," [2] he in fact opposes Christ by false worship. What is equally serious is the title under which he performs. The True Vicar of Christ is the Holy Spirit. He alone is sent to take the Lord¡¦s place, testifying not to Himself but to Christ. (John 15:26) The gravity of teaching and purporting to act in this divine role is that it denigrates the divine Person of the Holy Spirit. The Antichrist is also anti Holy Spirit.
With self-assurance, on September 5th 2000, the Church of Rome claimed, "the very fullness of grace and truth [of the Lord Jesus Christ is alone] entrusted to the Catholic Church." [3] While aping His divine prerogatives, this was explicitly speaking against Christ, the only One who is full of grace and truth. The Scripture declares it necessary to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ alone, from Whom one receives "abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness." [4] Over and against Him is the present day decree of Rome, "The Church affirms that for believers the sacraments of the New Covenant are necessary for salvation. ¡¥Sacramental grace¡¦ is the grace of the Holy Spirit, given by Christ and proper to each sacrament." [5] What is not said here is that Rome¡¦s physical sacraments, tightly gripped in the Pontiff¡¦s hand and declared indispensable, are thereby substituted for the Lord of Glory and His Gospel. Unwaveringly, in the present day, too, Church of Rome has upheld Unum Sanctum, "We declare, say, define, and proclaim to every human creature that they by necessity for salvation are entirely subject to the Roman Pontiff." [6] Depending on these physical signs instead of direct faith on the Lord Christ Jesus is the deception of the papacy which subtly deflects faith from the person of Christ to signs that are claimed to be powers. [7] Moreover, there are many other events wherein the Pope has officially contradicted the Gospel, as on May 13th of this "Jubilee Year 2000." There are also historical events wherein is revealed horrendous sin, as the now documented involvement of Pope Pius XII in Hitler¡¦s reign of death. [8] These things ought to make Christians consider carefully if their eyes have seen in the Office of the Papacy the line of men that the Scripture calls the Man of Sin¾ for the Papacy gives the title of Vicar of Christ to its Pope.
One Lord, One Holy Father
The Church of Rome authoritatively teaches that her Sovereign Pontiff is rightly called "Most Holy," [9] and "the most holy Roman Pontiff." This, together with usual titles of "Holy Father" [10] and "Vicar of Christ" is the full sense of the definition of the Antichrist given by the Apostle John. "Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son." [11] The Pope, in assuming these titles to himself, is against the Lord Jesus Christ and the Holy Father in heaven by purporting to possess these very offices. Such haughtiness also blatantly breaks the New Covenant Law of the Christ, "call no man your father upon the earth: for One is your Father, which is in heaven." [12] Christ Jesus declared, "One is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren" [13] The Pope declares himself "Most Holy," "Holy Father," and "the true vicar of Christ." The Pope¡¦s claim is similar to that recorded in Isaiah 14: 14, "I will be like the Host High." The Scripture speaks of such a one denying the Father and the Son by assuming the titles of both. In the words of Scripture we proclaim, "Who shall not fear Thee, O Lord, and glorify Thy name? For Thou only art Holy: for all nations shall come and worship before Thee..." [14]
The historical origins of the Antichrist
Throughout history, circumstances concerning the coming and character of Christ have corresponded so brilliantly to prophecy that in the past the Lord¡¦s people praised His name for it. Likewise, the Lord¡¦s flock thanked Him for clearly depicting the Antichrist.
The Lord Himself confirmed the understanding that there would be a specific fulfillment in the Antichrist¡¦s role when He stated, "for the ruler of this world is coming." [15] Similarly Christ Jesus said, "I have come in my Father¡¦s name, and you do not receive me; if another comes in his own name, him you will receive." [16] John the Beloved, following in the Master¡¦s footsteps, states emphatically, "ye have heard that antichrist shall come¡K" [17] John confirms that while there were contemporary opponents of Christ (many antichrists), these forces of opposition would eventually center in one entity.
Contrary to flawed popular belief, the popes are not the successors to the Apostle Peter. They are, however, the successors to the Roman Emperor. History shows that the title of "Supreme High Priest" was officially bestowed on the bishop of the church at Rome by the Emperor Justinian in the sixth century. [18] Therefore, the office of "supreme high priest" of the Roman Catholic Church, perpetuated now for nearly 1,500 years, came from an apostate secular source, whereas the Bible proclaims one Supreme High Priest, the Lord Jesus Christ appointed by God. The pagan Emperor Justinian also bestowed on the bishop of the church at Rome the universal oversight of the entire Christian world. That was when the bishop of the church at Rome became known as the Pope, arising as Spiritual Head of the pagan Roman Empire. The authority of this historical fact alone ought to be seen as clearly designating the Antichrist.
The cloud of witnesses from Christian History
From the time of persecution of the Vaudois and the Waldenses, and throughout the long era of the Inquisition, the Lollards, the Bohemians, and the believers of the Reformation understood both the Office of Christ and also its counterfeit, the Antichrist. The zeal and courage of many of these martyrs were based on their conviction that they were withstanding the Antichrist. Today, however, it is "religiously correct" to declare one¡¦s ignorance of the identity of the Antichrist. As the ecumenical movement gains momentum, it is imperative to regain a Biblical understanding of Scriptural prophecy, which has been and still is being played out in time, rather than simply relegating it to some future cataclysmic period.
Bible believers of old recognized the Roman Catholic institution as the Antichrist. This identification was known and spoken of even through the Middle Ages by, among others, Dante Alghieri, John Wycliff, John Huss, and Savonarola; during the Reformation, by Martin Luther, William Tyndale, John Calvin, Thomas Cranmer, Hugh Latimer, Nicholas Ridley, John Bradford, and John Foxe; in the 17th and 18th centuries, by John Bunyan, the translators of the King James Bible, and by the men who published the Westminster and Baptist Confessions of Faith; Sir Isaac Newton, Jonathan Edwards, George Whitefield, John Wesley; and in more recent times, by Charles Spurgeon, Bishop J. C. Ryle and Dr Martyn Lloyd-Jones. All these men and many more knew the precision of Scripture regarding both Christ and the Antichrist. The Written Word has been fulfilled in history, in both Light and darkness. As a silk glove over the hand, so the events of history clothe the prophecy of the Scripture. Today, it is "religiously correct" to refrain from speaking about the Antichrist, except in some futuristic scenario that cannot be analyzed since has not yet occurred. This is an application of "the tolerance principal" of today that has all but blunted the edge of the accuracy and distinctness of the Biblical sword. Such tolerance holds that the warnings of Christ and the Apostles John and Paul are not to be seen historically, but rather applied to some future political leader at the end of the last times. While much modern Biblical teaching assumes a future political leader to be the coming Antichrist, the Biblical Antichrist is first apostate, and then political only from his apostate seat of power. This perfectly describes every Roman Catholic Pope in his Pontifical office.
This paper deals particularly with II Thessalonians 2:3-12, one of the many texts that unveils the Antichrist and serves as an introduction to the other texts.
The Man of Sin Appears
The Apostle clearly states, "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." (v. 3) The Man of Sin would appear as the outworking of the "falling away," or "apostasia" ("apostasy" in English). Clearly, there was to be a large-scale apostasy that would lead to the emergence of the Man of Sin. Apostasy can only take place in the professing church of God, since there must be something from which to fall away. The embryo of the iniquity that would lead to this apostasy and the revealing of the Man of Sin was already at work in the Apostle¡¦s day--thus he says, "For the mystery of iniquity doth already work." (v. 7) The Scriptures elsewhere speak of the "mystery of godliness", "great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh.¡K" (1 Timothy 3:16) By contrast, in verse 7 the exact opposite is spoken of, "the mystery of iniquity," that is, the disclosure of the Man of Sin, the Son of Perdition.
The "mystery of iniquity" was soon to show itself visibly in the form of the Man of Sin. The outcome of this apostasy would be "all deceivableness of unrighteousness." Such apostasy was to be marked, not by open hostility, but by hypocrisy and deceit, which to the world appears righteous and holy. Apostasy by definition is duplicity and falseness, a withdrawal and defection from the Gospel and true godliness.
The "who" and the "what" that held back the Man of Sin (vv. 3, 6, & 7)
There was something withholding or hindering the appearance of Man of Sin, a constraint, keeping back his emergence. Notice this constraint is a thing, "what," in verse 6 and a person, "he," in verse 7. The Apostle¡¦s unusual reserve to spell out the identity of this constraint is to be noticed, although he clearly realized that the Thessalonians would understand when he said, "now ye know what withholdeth." Of great importance is the historical background to the second letter to the Thessalonians which is outlined in Acts 17:1-10. There the events that took place when Paul was at Thessalonica previous to this letter are explained. At that time, the Jews brought a political charge against Paul and Silas, "these all do contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, one Jesus." This was not a religious charge, but one against "Caesar," that is, the Roman Empire. All of that had been clear to the Apostle and to the Thessalonians. Had the Apostle written that the constraint was the Roman Empire, it would have appeared that he was supporting political revolt. The "what" of verse 6 and the "he" of verse 7 made it abundantly clear to the Thessalonians that he was speaking of the Roman Empire and its Emperor, respectively. The Roman Empire and Emperor providentially impeded the appearance of the Man of Sin for a time.
To know the time, therefore, at which the Man of Sin will appear, the whole passage (from verse 1 through 12) must be taken in context. The Man of Sin is set forth, appears at the removal of him "who is now holding back" (v.7). In the previous verse, Paul reminds the believers "now you know what holds him back." What was it that the believers then knew? They knew that the Roman Empire kept all and everyone in check. In the Thessalonian mind, Rome, and only Rome, restrained. (That early believers like Tertullian and Jerome had such convictions is documented.) [19] The course of history precisely fulfilled what was stated in Scripture. First, the Emperor Constantine removed the seat of the empire to Constantinople. This removal gave all the opportunity that could be desired for the growth of the power-seeking Roman bishops. Internal corruption and external pressures destroyed the Empire. It was only after the break-up of the Roman Empire that the Papacy gained ascendancy over the civil powers, and the Man of Sin became more apparent. When the Roman Papacy acquired the dominion that the Empire had had for centuries, which was rule in both the civil and religious spheres, then the Antichrist was seen and recognised by the Vaudois and others. In all history it is hard to find a series of events corresponding more accurately with a prophetic statement than this.
The place where the Man of Sin appears
The Apostle states unmistakably the place where the Man of Sin would become visible "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, showing himself that he is God" (v. 4) He would appear in the "temple of God." The word "temple" is constantly used by the Apostle to describe the people of God themselves. For example, "If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are." [20] This testifies that the Man of Sin would emanate from among the people of God as a result of the falling away, i.e. the apostasy, outlined in the preceding verse.
Presenting himself as God
The authority and truth of the Lord¡¦s Written Word is of such importance that Scripture declares, "thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name." (Ps 138:2) The Lord Jesus Christ said, "the Scripture cannot be broken," speaking of the absolute character of God¡¦s Written Word that He has magnified above His name. While many are unaware of it, the substance of II Thess. 2:4 is both the official claim and practice of the Papacy. This is documented in primary Roman Catholic sources. Verse 4 in the Scripture teaches, "...he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God." Consistently in Roman Catholic teaching and practice, the Pope is called "His Holiness." Such a title applies solely to God. God is the only Being whose very nature is holy. [21] Concerning the Pope¡¦s assumed title, "His Holiness," the Roman Catholic Church claims the following divine attributes,
"The Supreme Pontiff, in virtue of his office, possesses infallible teaching authority when, as supreme pastor and teacher of all the faithful¡Khe proclaims with a definitiÿ
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