Tag: christians

FROM YOUR PASTOR’S DESK:

IS ‘ANTICHRIST’ YET TO APPEAR ACCORDING TO EVANGELICAL CHRISTIANS? Part II

“These prophecies [of John, 1 John 2:18,22; 4:3; 2 John 2; 1 John 2:18 and Paul, Acts 20:29,30; 2 Thess. 2:3-7) point out clearly that the ‘elders’ (later called bishops) would ‘draw away’ people from the truth of the Bible, to follow men, and this ‘falling away’ [meaning of apostasy], which had ‘already’ begun in Paul’s day, would develop until a ‘man’ would exalt himself to take the place of Christ in the church.

“Every thoughtful student of prophecy can see that this points unmistakably to the Papacy, and it accords exactly with the significance of the name ‘antichrist.’

Dr. James Strong [author of Strong’s Concordance which is based solely on the KJV Bible] says that ‘antichrist’ comes from two Greek words, ANTEE and KHRISTOS, and gives the following definition of ANTEE: ‘Opposite, I.e., instead or because of…..for, in the room of. Often used in composition to denote….substitution.’- Exhaustive Concordance Greek Dictionary. Thomas Sheldon Greene says: ‘Anti, prep, over against; hence, in correspondence to; in place of.’ Greek-English Lexicon, p.14, Boston: 1896.

“The meaning, therefore, of ‘antichrist,’ as it is used in the New Testament, is a RIVAL TO CHRIST or one who attempts to take the place of Christ as His ‘VICAR.’

“This significance of the prefix ‘anti’ is also seen in the word ‘antipope.’ [Note: there was a 40-year period in the Roman Catholic Church euphemistically called the Western Schism where three different lines of the papacy were warring against each other, each claiming to be the legitimate pope and accusing the others as ‘antipope’]. (For further information in this point see ‘The Papacy is Antichrist,’ by J. A. Wylie, pp. 2-18. Edinburgh. George M’Gibbon).

We shall now see that this is exactly which Roman Catholics claim for their pope, that he holds the place of Christ on earth: Rev. T.L. Kinkead says: ‘Our Holy Father the Pope, the Bishop of Rome, is the vicar of Christ on earth and the visible head of the Church.’ – ‘Explanation of the Baltimore Catechism,’ p. 130. Benziger Bros. (Sanctioned by Cardinal Gibbons, five archbishops, nineteen bishops, and other dignitaries).

“Rev. William Humphrey, S.J. [Jesuit, says: ‘A vicar is put in the place of him whom he represents. He is invested with his power, he is furnished with his authority. He personages his principal….The master by appointment of his vicar, binds himself to ratify his vicar’s acts, and to recognize them as his own.’ – ‘The Vicar of Christ,’ p. 4 New York: Benziger Bros., 1892.

“Thomas Morell, D.D., and Prof. John Carey, L.L.D., say: ‘Vicarius a, um. adj. That is instead, in place of another; that supplies another’s room; a deputy….One who performs the office, or duty, of another; a deputy, a substitute.’ – ‘An Abridgement of Ainsworth’s Latin Dictionary, Designed for the Use of Schools, p. 604. London: 1826.” – Facts of Faith, ‘The Antichrist,’ p. 198.

(To be continued). Bless all, NMF

FROM YOUR PASTOR’S DESK:

IS ‘ANTICHRIST’ YET TO APPEAR ACCORDING TO EVANGELICAL CHRISTIANS? Part 1

I am sure you want to know the truth regarding who or what the ‘Antichrist’ is, when, where, and how “it” will appear. Here are the facts (in a series) and then decide for yourself.

“The name ‘Antichrist’ is found in only three chapters of the Bible, and in every instance it was emphatically stated that he was ALREADY in the world. We read:

‘Ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even NOW there are MANY antichrists. . . . Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son.’ 1 John 2:18, 22. ‘This is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even NOW ALREADY it is in the world.’ 1 John 4:3. ‘For MANY DECEIVERS are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come of the flesh. This is a DECEIVER and an ANTICHRIST.’ 2 John 7, KJV.

“How can anyone in the light of these plain texts, say that the antichrist here spoken of IS NOT YET COME, when the very texts declare that he is here already?

“These texts also reveal that the apostle (John the beloved) did not believe antichrist to be only ONE INDIVIDUAL, but rather an ANTICHRISTIAN TENDENCY IN THE CHURCH: AN ORGANIZATION DOMINATES BY ‘the spirit of antichrist,’ having a MAN as its HEAD, so that when he died another would take his place, and the ANTICHRISTIAN SYSTEM would continue.

“Thus there would be ‘many antichrists,’ as the apostle says, but only ONE SYSTEM; and this system HAD ALREADY MADE PROGRESS before the apostle died, that it was about to capture the church. It’s leader would not accept the Apostle John, ‘one leader forbiddeth them that would, and casteth them out of the church.’ 3 John 9,10. This accounts for the warnings in John’s epistles against these ‘many antichrists.’ 1 John 2:18.

“The Apostle Paul, during his last journey among the churches, ‘gathered the elders,’ or bishops, and warned them against the coming APOSTASY of the church, which was to be brought about by its leaders. He says:

‘For I know this, that after my departing shall GRIEVOUS WOLVES enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also OF YOUR OWN SELVES shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples AFTER THEM.’ Acts 20:29,30. Later the apostle reminded the believers, that the day of Christ’s return was not then at hand [as they supposed]:

‘For that day shall not come, except there come a FALLING AWAY first, and that MAN OF SIN be revealed, the SON OF PERDITION; 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 [the church, 1 Cor. 3:10,16], showing himself that he is God. Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things. . . For the mystery of iniquity doth ALREADY work.’ 2 Thess. 2:3-7, KJV.” Facts of Faith, Christian Edwardson, p. 196, Southern Publishing Asso., 1943.

(To be continued). It is only the truth as it is in Jesus that can set us free from the bondage to soul-destroying deception and error! Bless all, NMF