Month: May 2021

FROM YOUR PASTOR’S DESK:

IS ‘ANTICHRIST’ YET TO COME OR IS HE ALREADY HERE? Part VII

Fellow students of the Bible whoever and wherever you are and whatever Christian church or denomination you belong to or identify with, remember this:

“The Reformation did not, as many suppose end with Luther” [as is being actively promoted by busy papal apologists embedded in the churches and publishing houses of the world printing textbooks for the academe from primary to doctoral level end with Luther].

“It is to continue to the close of this world’s history. Luther had a great work to do in reflecting to others the light which God had permitted to shine upon him [at that time at the last half century of the Dark Ages of the supreme reign of the papacy in the Old World, 538-1798 A.D.] yet he did not receive all the light which was to be given to the world.

From that time to this [post 1844, the year ending the 2300-day/year prophecy of Dan. 8:14], new light [in the three angels’ messages of Rev. 14] has been continually shining from the Scriptures, and new truths have been constantly unfolding.” (Great Controversy, 1911 ed., pp. 148,149).

It was and is only the ones “who, by intelligent faith “follow the the Lamb withersoever He goeth,” tracing His steps from His ascension at Calvary as the victorious “Lamb of God” to His change of role, office and authority as the penitent sinner’s merciful High Priest, Intercessor, Mediator, Advocate, and finally Judge of all the earth before He returns in all His glory as King of kings and Lord of lords bringing His eternal rewards of either eternal life or eternal death that was determined by the book of records in heaven during Christ’s pre-advent judgment announced by the first angel’s message of Rev. 14:6, who see and understand the advancing light of the truth, specifically the unfolding and fulfillment of the “time of the end” prophecies (from 1798 and onward).

All the rest remain where they begun and never advanced with the truth though their numbers multiplied rapidly. That helps to explain why these are so many denominations and churches all claiming to be Christian yet have different and even conflicting doctrines, creeds, dogmas. Prophecy also revealed this sad and fearful falling away of the once-Protestant churches to soon become the “image of the beast” as spiritual harlot “daughters” of “Mystery Babylon the Great the Mother of Harlots and the Abominations of the Earth.” See Revelation chapters 13 and 17.

For all who profess to be members of the remnant church of prophecy (Rev. 12:17; 14:12; 19:10) please also remember this:

“The Reformers whose Protest has given us the name PROTESTANT felt that God had called them to give the light of the gospel to the world [in their time, at that stage and condition of the church according to the prophecy of the seven churches of Rev. 2 and 3], and in the effort to do this, they were ready to SACRIFICE their possessions, their liberty, even life itself.” (Patriarchs & Prophets, p. 627).

“We are engaged in an important and essential work, and must carry on an aggressive [not passive, only when-convenient or “seasonal”] warfare. We are to stand on PROTESTANT PRINCIPLES; for the POLICY OF THE PAPACY will edge their way into every possible PLACE to PROSCRIBE LIBERTY OF CONSCIENCE.” (Vol. 5 Review & Herald, p. 540, Sept. 9, 1909).

Are we unconsciously functioning on Protestant principles or Papal policies? If we thoroughly “examine and prove ourselves whether we are in the faith” by “the law and testimony” (Isa. 8:20) we might be surprised to discover “dross” and “tinsel” mixed among the genuine articles that need to be discarded quickly lest they become permanent “fixtures” or worse,  stubborn “barnacles” so difficult to scrape away!

(To be continued). Bless all, NMF

FROM YOUR PASTOR’S DESK:

IS ‘ANTICHRIST’ YET TO COME OR IS HE ALREADY HERE? Part VI

The godly reformer Martin Luther said this regarding the Pope being the Antichrist, and the dedicated efforts of papal apologists to obscure and deflect the bright search lights of prophecy away from exposing the “man of sin” and antichrist of prophecy:

‘But Papists want to divert this passage from themselves, and they say that Christ and Paul speak about the TEMPLE IN JERUSALEM, and that Antichrist sit there and rule; that will not do…..It cannot be understood otherwise than of the new SPIRITUAL temple, which he [Paul] says WE are.[See 1 Cor.3:16,17; 2 Cor. 6:14-16].

There shall the Pope sit and be honored, not above God, but above all that is called God….So also we see it before our eyes, many princes and the world regard his law higher and more than the commandments of God….Cannot be this rightly be termed exalting and honoring Antichrist above God?’ – ‘Luther’s Postil,’ ‘Gospels,’ 35th Sunday after Trinity, par. 24,25, Part 3, pp. 734, 735. Stanager, Norway: 1862. Luther further believes:

‘Therefore, let whosoever will doubt, God’s word and the proper divine worship convinces me sufficiently that the Pope is the Antichrist, and the ecclesiastical orders are his DISCIPLES, which DECEIVE the whole world.’- Ibid, Part 1, p. 379.” – Facts of Faith, C. Edwardson, p. 200, Southern Publishing Asso, Nashville, TN: (Revised) 1943.

(To be continued). Bless all, NMF

FROM YOUR PASTOR’S DESK:

IS ‘ANTICHRIST’ YET TO COME OR IS HE ALREADY HERE? Part V

Jesus warned: “For FALSE CHRISTS and false prophets will arise and show great signs and wonders, so as to deceive, if possible, even the elect. See, I have told you beforehand [you have been duly warned].

Therefore if they say to you, Look, He is in the desert!’ Do not go out; or, ‘Look, He is in the inner rooms!’ Do not believe it.” Matt. 24:23,24, NKJV.

I just realized that when Jesus warned His first disciples regarding the coming of “many false Christs” after His ascension, He meant both false messiahs (“messhiachs”) that arose among the Jews and other eastern religions but also the “many antichrists” that would lord it over the Church in its “falling away” during the Pergamos and Thyatira (Dark Ages of over a thousand years).

Apostle Paul picked up from that and warned the early church of “falling away” and revealing of the “man of sin” and the “son of perdition” the “lawless one” that was already beginning to work in his time as “the mystery of iniquity!” 2 Thess. 2:1-11.

ALL AGREED ON ANTICHRIST. “Up to the close of the [Protestant] Reformation God’s people were generally agreed that the Papacy was the Antichrist foretold in prophecy. The WALDENSES taught it. (See our past messages).

About 1384 A.D. JOHN WYCLIFFE wrote a book against the papal system entitled: ‘Of Antechreest and His Meynee.’ In fact, the English Reformers.—TYNDALE, CRANMER, LATIMER, and RIDLEY, —-all agreed in pointing to the Papacy as Antichrist. JOHN HUSS of Bohemia, in his ‘De Anatomia Antichristi,’ did the same. Turning to Germany we turn to DR. MARTIN LUTHER strong in his convictions on this subject. He says:

‘The Pope is…the true Antichrist, of whom it is written, that he sitteth in the temple of God [the church], among the people where Christ is worshipped.’ —‘Luther’s Church Postil,’ ‘Gospels,’ 25th Sunday After Trinity.”

(To be continued tomorrow). Bless all, NMF

FROM YOUR PASTOR’S DESK:

IS ‘ANTICHRIST’ YET TO APPEAR OR IS HE ALREADY HERE? Part IV

“When the force of this similarity between the antichrist of prophecy and the Pope of Rome dawned upon the mind of Cardinal Newman, he declared:

‘The gibe , ‘If the Pope is not Antichrist, he had bad luck to be so like him,’ is really another argument in favor of the claims of the Pope; since Antichrist simulates Christ, and the Pope is an image of Christ, Antichrist must have some similarity to the Pope, if the latter is the true Vicar of Christ.’ -‘Catholic Encyclopedia, Vol. I, p. 561, art. ‘Antichrist.’ (Note: “Gibe” means “taunting, sarcastic, scoffing words].

“Thus it is claimed that the Pope is the vicar of Christ on earth. But Christ left an altogether different Vicar, or Representative in His place; namely, His Holy Spirit! (John 14:15-18; 16:7). Of this Representative Christ says: ‘He shall teach you all things.’ ‘He will guide you into all truth.’ John 14:26; 16:13 (compare 1 John 2:20, 27). The Holy Spirit being the [real] author of the Bible (2 Pet. 1:21), certainly should be the proper interpreter of it. To this the Roman Catholic Church answers:

‘Nor can it be said that being a divinely inspired book, its prime Author, the Holy Spirit, will guide the reader to the right meaning. The Church which MADE THE BIBLE [emphasis mine], likewise interprets the Bible.’ – ‘Things Catholics Are Asked About, Martin J. Scott, S.J., Litt.D., pp. 119,120. NY, Kenedy: 1927.

“Pope Leo XIII says: “But the supreme teacher in the Church is the Roman Pontiff. Union of minds, therefore, requires, with a perfect accord in the one faith, COMPLETE submission and obedience of the WILL to the Church and the Roman Pontiff, AS TO GOD HIMSELF.’ – ‘The Great Encyclical Letters of Pope Leo XIII, p. 193. NY: Benziger Bros., 1903. He further says: ‘We hold upon this earth the place of God Almighty.’ Id., p. 304.

“We have now seen from authentic Catholic sources, that the Pope arrogates to himself the ‘place of God Almighty,’ the office of Christ on earth, and the prerogative of the Holy Spirit, as sole teacher of the faithful and the interpreter of the Holy Scriptures. What more is needed to fulfill the prediction of 2 Thess. 2: 3,4, and the prophecies of the Antichrist?”—Facts of Faith, Christian Edwardson, p. 198, Southern Publishing Asso., Nashville, TN: 1943.
(To be continued). Bless all, NMF