måndag 5 september 2011

THE MAN OF SIN REVEALED

  
                        THE MAN OF SIN REVEALED
                                    
By Pastor D Badger (reprinted by kind permission)
http://www.otteryreformed.freeola.net/man-sin.htm

MATTHEW HENRY, one of the most esteemed of Christian writers commenting on 2 Thessalonians 2 v4 writes: 'To whom can this better apply than to the Bishop of Rome'. On Revelation 17 he says, 'This Beast is the Papacy'.

WILLIAM BURKITT writes on 2 Thessalonians 2, 'By the Man of Sin understand not a particular and individual person, but a society and succession of men. Such as is found in and among the Papacy'. On Revelation 17 he writes: 'The present Papal Church of Rome deserves this name, the great Whore having been guilty of the greatest defection and apostasy from the true evangelical doctrine and worship that ever was in the world'.

JOHN TRAPP - Spurgeon said of him, 'He who shall excel Trapp had need rise very early in the morning'. Trapp applies the whole of 2 Thessalonians 2 to the Papacy and on Revelation 17 he comments thus: 'The Romish Whore condemned of God'.

ADAM CLARKE - Among Methodist scholars few could surpass him. On 2 Thessalonians Clarke spends six pages on the evidence of scholars and in his summary says, 'The most pointed part of the evidence here adduced tends to fix the whole on the Romish Whore and on no other'. On Revelation 17 he writes: 'This Woman is the Latin Church she affects the style and title of our Holy Mother Church; but she is, in truth, the Mother of Harlots and Abominations of the Earth'.

BISHOPS ELLICOTT - On Revelation 17 he writes : 'Is it then, the question must be asked, Papal Rome? The answer is: In so far as Papal Rome has wielded tyrant power, turned persecutor, stood between the spirits of men and Christ, depraved men's consciences, withheld the truth, connived at viciousness, sought aggrandisement, and been a political engine rather than a witness for the Righteous King, she has inherited the features of Babylon'. Even Dante the Poet and Writer applies this passage to Rome.

JOHN WESLEY - He applies these prophecies of Revelation to the Roman Church in considerable detail.

DEAN HENRY ALFORD - On Revelation 17 says, 'I do not hesitate therefore to maintain that interpretation which regards Papal Rome as pointed out by the Harlot of this vision'.

CHRISTOPHER WORDSWORTH, CANON OF WESTMINSTER, BISHOP OF LINCOLN, DOCTOR OF DIVINITY - 'Nearly eighteen centuries have passed since the Holy Spirit prophesised by the mouth of John, that this mystery would be revealed in that city which was then the Queen of the earth, the city on seven hills, the city of Rome. Age after age rolled away. Then the form of the mystery became more and more distinct. The seven hills and the Woman sitting upon them became visible. Her voice was heard, strange sounds of blasphemy were muttered by her. Then they became louder and louder. The golden chalice in her hand, her scarlet attire, her pearls and jewels, glittering in the sun. Kings and nations were seen prostrate at her feet, and drinking her cup. Saints were slain by her sword. Now the prophecy became clear, clear as noonday; and we tremble at the sight, whilst we read the inscription in large letters, 'MYSTERY BABYLON THE GREAT' written by the hand of JOHN guided by the Spirit of God, on the forehead of the Church of Rome'.

DR H GRATTAN GUINNESS - One of the greatest scholars of the historical school writes: 'Read this wonderful prophecy concerning Babylon the Great in the clear and all revealing light of history. I ask those of you who have read the history of the last eighteen centuries did not Rome Christian become a Harlot? Did it not glorify itself to be as a Queen, and call itself the mistress of the world? Did it not ride upon the body of the Beast, or fourth empire and govern its actions for centuries? Did not Papal Rome array itself in purple and scarlet, and deck itself with gold and precious stones and pearls? Is not this its attire still? We appeal to the facts. Go to the Churches and see. Look at the priests; look at the Cardinals; look at the Popes; look at the purple robes they wear; look at their scarlet; see the encrusted jewels; look at the luxurious palaces in which they live; look at the 11,000 halls and chambers in the Vatican; and the unbounded wealth and glory gathered there; look at the gorgeous spectacles in St Peters at Rome, casting even the magnificence of Royalty into the shade. Go and see these things or read the testimony of those who have seen them. Shamelessly Rome wears the very raiment, the very hues and colours, portrayed on the pages of inspired prophecy. You may know the Harlot by her attire,as certainly as by the name upon her brow'.

JOHN WYCLIF - He identified Romanism as the fulfilment of Daniel's 'Little Horn'. Wyclif then said, 'Why is it necessary in unbelief to look for another Antichrist'?

MARTIN LUTHER - Luther said that the papacy is, 'Nothing else than the kingdom of Babylon and of every Antichrist. For who is the man of sin and the son of perdition but he who by his teaching and his ordinances increases the sin and perdition of souls in the Church; whilst he yet sits in the Church as if he were God'?

PHILIP MELANCTHON wrote: 'It is most manifest and true without any doubt, that the Roman Pontiff, with his whole order and kingdom, is very Antichrist'.

JOHN CALVIN says: 'Rome indeed was once the Mother of all Churches, but since she began to be the seat of Antichrist she ceased to be what she was'. He further says, 'The Roman Pontiff has inpudently transferred to himself the most peculiar properties of God and Christ, there cannot be doubt that he is the leader and standard bearer of an impious and abominable kingdom'.

JOHN KNOX - He launched the Reformation in Scotland with an exposition of Daniel 7. Of Rome he said, 'For your Roman Church as it is now corrupted I no more doubt that it is the synagogue of Satan, and the head thereof called the Pope, to be the man of sin, of whom the Apostle speaketh, than I doubt that Jesus Christ suffered by the procurement of the visible Church of Jerusalem'.

HUGH LATIMER said, 'Yes, what fellowship hath Christ with Antichrist therefore it is now lawful to bear the yoke with Papists'.


NICHOLAS RIDLEY - 'The See of Rome is the Sea of Satan, and the Bishop of the same, that maintaineth the abominations thereof, is Antichrist himself indeed'.

THOMAS CRANMER - 'Antichrist of Rome hath extolled himself above his fellow bishops, as God's Vicar, yea, rather as God himself'. As regards the exposition of Daniel 7 and Revelation he said, 'Whereof it followeth Rome to be the seat of Antichrist, and the Pope to be very Antichrist himself. I could prove the same by many other Scriptures, old writers and strong reasons'. Now these men were not simpletons but front rank scholars and spiritual leaders in their day. In these days when faith is held so lightly and error embraced so easily you would do well to give attentive ear to their one voice.

THE WESTMINSTER CONFESSION OF FAITH, Chapter 25, Section 6 reads, 'There is no other head of the Church but the Lord Jesus Christ: nor can the Pope of Rome in any sense be head thereof; but is that Antichrist, the man of sin, and the son of perdition, that exalteth himself in the Church against Christ and all that is called God'. In the light of today's ecumenical/charismatic climate it is surely significant to read of propositions that this passage be removed from the confessions of faith.

DR WALTER CRISWELL, Pastor of the great first Baptist Church Dallas Texas expounded Revelation 17 in these words, 'The worship of Mother and Child throughout the whole world, from Babylon to Assyria, to Phoenicia, to Pergamos, and finally to Rome itself. There the Roman Emperor was elected Pontifex Maximus and when the Roman Emperor passed away, that title of the rites and mysteries of the cult Mother and Child, the Babylon Mystery of Idolatry was assumed by the Bishop of Rome'.

Why then all these quotes? To show you that the application of these prophetic passages to the Church of Rome is no new thing. It is the persistent interpretation of the Protestant Evangelical faith for nearly 1800 years.  

To maintain this stand is to be unpopular with ecumenicals, charismatics and so called evangelical Christians many of whom believe that Rome is a Christian Church; nothing could be further from the truth.

To speak of the Papacy in terms of uncompromising condemnation is not an easy thing. However, it would be dishonouring to God if we failed to expound the Scriptures. Silence is a shame on the believer. All that is needed for the triumph of evil is that good men remain silent.


My own note:
--the name upon her brow. also means forehead, temple, church, etc


Inlagt av Leif Berg

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Luther on ecumenism and papacy

History of the Papacy by J.A. Wylie: "...the Church (so-called) of Rome has no right to rank amongst Christian Churches. She is not a Church, neither is her religion the Christian religion. We are accustomed to speak of Popery as a corrupt form of Christianity. We concede too much. The Church of Rome bears the same relation to the Church of Christ which the hierarchy of Baal bore to the institute of Moses; and Popery stands related to Christianity only in the same way in which Paganism stood related to primeval Revelation. Popery is not a corruption simply, but a transformation. It may be difficult to fix the time when it passed from the one into the other; but the change is incontestible. Popery is the gospel transubstantiated into the flesh and blood of Paganism, under a few of the accidents of Christianity."

Martin Luther

Just as in the days of the Apostles, so at this day we are forced to hear from certain denominations that we (by our obstinacy to adhere to the truth) do offend against love and unity in the churches, because we reject their doctrine. It would be better (they say) that we should let it pass, especially since the doctrine in dispute is what they call non-essential, and, therefore (they say) to stir up so great a discord and contention in the church over one or two doctrines (and those not the most important ones) is unfruitful and unnecessary.

To this I reply: Cursed be that love and unity which cannot be preserved except at the peril of the word of God.

Just as in the days of the Apostles, so at this day we are forced to hear from certain denominations that we (by our obstinacy to adhere to the truth) do offend against love and unity in the churches, because we reject their doctrine. It would be better (they say) that we should let it pass, especially since the doctrine in dispute is what they call non-essential, and, therefore (they say) to stir up so great a discord and contention in the church over one or two doctrines (and those not the most important ones) is unfruitful and unnecessary.

To this I reply: Cursed be that love and unity which cannot be preserved except at the peril of the word of God.

The negotiation about doctrinal agreement displeases me altogether, for this is utterly impossible unless the pope has his papacy abolished. Therefore avoid and flee those who seek the middle of the road. Think of me after I am dead and such middle-of-the-road men arise, for nothing good will come of it. There can be no compromise. (What Luther Says, II: 1019)

Ah, my dear brother in Christ, bear with me if here or elsewhere I use such coarse language when speaking of the wretched, confronted, atrocious monster at Rome! He who knows my thoughts must say that I am much, much, much too lenient and have neither words nor thought adequately to describe the shameful, abominable blasphemy to which he subjects the Word and name of Christ, our dear Lord and Savior. There are some Christians, wicked Christians indeed, who now would gloss things over to make the pope appear against in a good light and who, after he does so and has been dragged out of the mud, would like to reinstate him on the altar. But they are wicked people, whoever they may be, who defend the pope and want me to be quiet about the means whereby he has done harm. Truly, I cannot do this. All true, pious Christians, who love Christ and His Word, should, as said, be sincerely hostile to the pope. They should persecute him and injure him…. All should do this in their several calling, to the best of their ability, with all faithfulness and diligence. (What Luther Says, II: 1072)

What kind of a church is the pope’s church? It is an uncertain, vacillating and tottering church. Indeed, it is a deceitful, lying church, doubting and unbelieving, without God’s Word. For the pope with his wrong keys teaches his church to doubt and to be uncertain. If it is a vacillating church, then it is not the church of faith, for the latter is founded upon a rock, and the gates of hell cannot prevail against it (Matt.16:18). If it is not the church of faith, then it is not the Christian church, but it must be an unchristian, anti-Christian, and faithless church which destroys and ruins the real, holy, Christian church. (Luther’s Works, vol. 40, Church and Ministry II, The Keys, p.348)

All this is to be noted carefully, so that we can treat with contempt the filthy, foolish twaddle that the popes present in their decrees about their Roman church, that is, about their devil’s synagogue (Rev.2:9), which separates itself from common Christendom and the spiritual edifice built up on this stone, and instead invents for itself a fleshly worldly, worthless, lying, blasphemous, idolatrous authority over all of Christendom. One of these two things must be true: if the Roman church is not built on this rock along with the other churches, then it is the devil’s church; but if it is built, along with all the other churches, on this rock, then it cannot be lord or head over the other churches. For Christ the cornerstone knows nothing of two unequal churches, but only of one church alone, just as the Children’s Faith, that is, the faith of all of Christendom, says, ”I believe in one holy, Christian church,” and does not say, ”I believe in one holy Roman church.” The Roman church is and should be one portion or member of the holy Christian church, not the head, which befits solely Christ the cornerstone. If not, it is not a Christian but an UN-Christian and anti-Christian church, that is, a papal school of scoundrels. (Luther’s Works, Volume 41, Church and Ministry III, Against The Roman Papacy, An Institution Of The Devil, p.311)



I believe the pope is the masked and incarnate devil because he is the Antichrist. As Christ is God incarnate, so the Antichrist is the devil incarnate. The words are really spoken of the pope when its said that hes a mixed god, an earthly god, that is , a god of the earth. Here god is understood as god of this world. Why does he call himself an earthly god, as if the one, almighty God werent also on the earth? The kingdom of the pope really signifies the terrible wrath of God, namely, the abomination of desolation standing in the holy place. (Luthers Works, vol.54, Table Talks, No.4487, p.346)


C. H. Spurgeon on Popery


"It is the bounden duty of every Christian to pray against Antichrist, and as to what Antichrist is no sane man ought to raise a question. If it be not the Popery in the Church of Rome there is nothing in the world that can be called by that name. It wounds Christ, robs Christ of His glory, puts sacramental efficacy in the place of His atonement, and lifts a piece of bread in the place of the Saviour....If we pray against it, because it is against Him, we shall love the persons though we hate their errors; we shall love their souls, though we loathe and detest their dogmas...."

-- C. H. Spurgeon


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Frälsningens väg!

Heb 11:25 Han ville hellre utstå lidande med Guds folk än för en kort tid leva i syndig njutning;
Heb 12:2 Och må vi därvid se på Jesus, trons hövding och fullkomnare, på honom, som i stället för att taga den glädje som låg framför honom, utstod korsets lidande och aktade smäleken för intet, och som nu sitter på högra sidan om Guds tron.
Heb 12:3 Ja, på honom, som har utstått så mycken gensägelse av syndare, på honom mån I tänka, så att I icke tröttnen och uppgivens i edra själar.
Heb 12:15 Och sen till, att ingen går miste om Guds nåd, och att ingen giftig rot skjuter skott och bliver till fördärv, så att menigheten därigenom bliver besmittad;
Heb 12:16 sen till, att ingen är en otuktig människa eller ohelig såsom Esau, han som för en enda maträtt sålde sin förstfödslorätt.
Heb 12:17 I veten ju att han ock sedermera blev avvisad, när han på grund av arvsrätt ville få välsignelsen; han kunde nämligen icke vinna någon ändring, fastän han med tårar sökte därefter.
Heb 10:36 I behöven nämligen ståndaktighet för att kunna göra Guds vilja och få vad utlovat är.
Heb 10:37 Ty "ännu en helt liten tid, så kommer den som skall komma, och han skall icke dröja;
Heb 10:38 och min rättfärdige skall leva av tro. Men om någon drager sig undan, så finner min själ icke behag i honom".
Heb 10:39 Dock, vi höra icke till dem som draga sig undan, sig själva till fördärv; vi höra till dem som tro och så vinna sina själar.

Ord 25:26 Såsom en grumlad källa och en fördärvad brunn, så är en rättfärdig som vacklar inför den ogudaktige.

Upp 3:16 Men nu, då du är ljum och varken varm eller kall, skall jag utspy dig ur min mun.

Se Ljum, sammanblandad, mixad, förväxlad, utbytt, utväxlad, ersatt, avlöst, efterträdd, liknöjd, likgiltig!

2Ti 4:7 Jag har kämpat den goda kampen, jag har fullbordat mitt lopp, jag har bevarat tron.
2Ti 4:8 Nu ligger rättfärdighetens segerkrans tillreds åt mig, och Herren, den rättfärdige domaren, skall giva den åt mig på "den dagen", och icke åt mig allenast, utan åt alla som hava älskat hans tillkommelse.

Jesus HATES the deeds of the Nicolaitiane, which I also hate.

Rev. 2:6 But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitianes, which I also hate. Nicolaitianes -To conquer the people or laity, these "deeds" had become in Pergamos a "doctrine" (Rev. 2:15)

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