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Discussion Forum : Articles and Sermons : The Beginnings of Popery

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 The Beginnings of Popery

How many Christians today know their Church History? How many today even care to know it? I believe that if we acquaint ourselves with the History of the TRUE CHURCH, we will understand many things, not the least of which is how far off course we are today in that we resemble very little of the life and faith of the Early, Primitive Church. And if we don't resemble them, what do we resemble?

Let's start with Jesus.

Jesus Christ chose to make His entrance into this world among the LOWLY and the DESPISED. This is the nature of our God. He is near them that are humble and contrite and tremble at His Word.

There was a time when many of His followers, astonished and convinced by the omnipotence displayed in His wonderful miracles sought "to take Him by force to make him a king", but instead of encouraging their plans,
"He departed again, into a mountain Himself alone." (John 6:15).

In reply to the questions of the Roman governor, He spoke those memorable words, "MY KINGDOM IS NOT OF THIS WORLD," and His whole conduct from the manger to the cross, and from the cross to the mount of ascension, was in strict accordance of His answer to Pontius Pilate and it is the mark of TRUE CHRISTIANITY down through the centuries.

MY KINGDOM IS NOT OF THIS WORLD

When selecting those that He would sent forth as apostles of His faith, He did not go to the mansions of the great or to the palaces of kings, but to the humble walks of life, and chose from the poor of the world, those who, in carrying our their mission, were destined to be as their divine Master, despised and rejected of men.

In performing the work which their Lord gave them to do, the lowly, but zealous fisherman of Galilee and the courageous tent-maker of Tarsus, with their faithful fellow-laborers, despising all EARTHLY PRIZES and WORLDLY HONORS, were content to lay every laurel at the foot of Christ's cross, and to "count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus their Lord," for whom they had "suffered the loss of all things."
(Phil 3:8).

A few centuries afterward, we find the professed successor of Peter the fisherman, dwelling in a magnificent palace, attended by troops of soldiers READY TO AVENGE THE SLIGHTEST INSULT OFFERED TO HIS DIGNITY, surrounded by all the emblems of worldly greatness, with more regal splendor, proudly claiming to be the SOVEREIGN RULER of the UNIVERSAL CHURCH, the VICEREGENT of GOD upon earth, WHOSE DECISIONS are INFALLIBLE and WHOSE WILL IS LAW!

The contrast between these two pictures of Primitive Christianity in the first century and Papal Christianity in the seventh or eighth is so amazing that we are overwhelming led to ask, CAN THEY BE THE SAME?

If one is a FAITHFUL PICTURE OF CHRISTIANITY, can it be possible THE THE OTHER IS WORTHY OF THE SAME NAME?

This transformation did not take place all at once. The change from the lowliness of the one to the lordliness of the other, required ages to complete, and it was not till the lapse of more than five centuries from the death of the last of the apostles that the transformation was entire.

The Apostle Paul tells us that even in his day, "the mystery of iniquity" had begun to work and had it not been for the purifying influence of the fires of persecution kindled by the emperor of pagan Rome, the advance of ecclesiastical corruption and spiritual despotism would probably have been far more rapid than it was - and it would have been at an earlier period that "the man of sin" would have been "revealed," even that "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 showing himself that he is God."

For 3 centuries after Jesus Christ's glorious resurrection His disciples were subjected to continual cruel and bitter persecutions and sufferings, and with only very brief respite between them.

The wild beasts in the amphitheatre of Rome were fattened by the martyrs of Jesus while keeping the Roman populace amused. Under such a state of things, there was of course little motivation to the worldly minded and ambitious to seek admission to the Church of Jesus Christ. And if a time of relaxation came for a season, and some such persons had crept into the church it only required a mandate from another emperor to stoke the fires of persecution and separate the dross from the gold.

Christianity back then was like an "armed resistance", yet they carried no human weapons and did not obliterate men. The weapons of their warfare were not carnal and they sought not to avenge themselves. It was the very men that were spilling the blood of martyrs that the Church was seeking to win for Christ. They were a fierce force of resistance to the powers and potentates of the earth and it was the most effectual barrier against the speedier progress of corruption in the church. According to the prophetic message of the Apostle Paul, before "the man of sin" could be revealed it was necessary that this "let" or hindrance should be removed.

I believe without a doubt that Paul was referring to the continual persecution from pagan Rome, when he said, "and now ye know what withholdeth, that he might be revealed in his time, for the mystery of iniquity doth already work, only he who now letteth will let until he be taken out of the way; AND THEN SHALL THAT WICKED ONE BE REVEALED."

It is an important fact that Popery is plainly a subject of prophetic prediction in the Holy Scriptures and though the almost entire subversion of true Christianity, which occurred in the course of only a few centuries, might otherwise have a tendency to shake our faith, yet when it is remembered that the GREAT APOSTASY or "falling away" happened exactly according to the SCRIPTURES of TRUTH, this fact serves to strengthen rather than shake our faith in the REALITY of our FAITH.

Today, the Roman Catholic Church says that the Bible cannot be true without the Holy Mother of Rome. What they mean to say is that the Pope gives it all of its evidence and authority. The Word of God predicted the rise, power and calamities of the Popery and if these predictions had not been fully manifested in the actual existence and tremendous evils of Popery, the Bible would have been lacking in its prophecies and therefore would not have been true.

All the pontiffs and Romish sovereigns down through the centuries have become accurate confirmations of the truth.

We can start with 2 Thess 2:1 and 1 Tim 4:1.

2Th 2:1 Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him,
2Th 2:2 That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand.
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;
2Th 2:4 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.
2Th 2:5 Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things?
2Th 2:6 And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time.
2Th 2:7 For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.
2Th 2:8 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:
2Th 2:9 Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,
2Th 2:10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.

1Ti 4:1 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;
1Ti 4:2 Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;
1Ti 4:3 Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth.

How very accurate is this inspired picture of the Apostasy of Rome, although penned 5 or 6 centuries before its complete development! Apart from the descriptions of the same power in the prophecies of Daniel and Revelation, these two passages alone represent a complete prophetical picture of the Papal anti-Christ, in which every detail of the prophetic picture was drawn to "scale" and no surprise since it was sketched by the inspiration of our Omniscient God.

Since these scriptures were written long before the accomplishment of them, we should pay more attention. Do they have a two-fold meaning for us in these latter days? Is the Romish Church and Popery still in existence? Does the Pope still consider himself the Vicar of Christ on earth? YES! Are they still not employed by their very own admission in "bringing everyone home to ROME"?

Are we today, still that "Underground Resistance Force" that will not compromise with Rome? Would we rather lose all things in this world and even our lives, rather than imbibe and acquiesce to Roman Doctrine which has pervaded many Protestant denominations. Do we even know today where we are being deceived and if we have taken Rome's teachings into our bosom?

CHURCH, WHO IS SITTING IN THE TEMPLE OF GOD TODAY?

Sadly, many do not. A time is coming when the dross will be separated from the gold, once again.

The fruit of vain philosophy down through the ages has paved the way for events to come. Back in Constantine's day, the "hindrance" was not effectually removed until Constantine the emperor, on professing himself a Christian, set out to convert the kingdom of Christ into a kingdom of this world, by exalting the teachers of Christianity to the same state of affluence, grandeur and influence in the empire as had been enjoyed by pagan priests and secular officers in the state.

The professed ministers of Jesus have now a wide field opened to them for gratifying their lust of power, wealth, and dignity. The connection between the Christian faith and the cross was at an end.

WHAT FOLLOWED WAS THE KINGDOM OF THE CLERGY SUPPLANTING THE KINGDOM OF JESUS CHRIST.

Rome today, boasts of its DIVINE HONORS, DIVINE WORSHIP and DIVINE AUTHORITY and it is carried on by Satan's influence with all deceit, hypocrisy and tyranny. What is being carried on today, corresponds with the figurative representation given of the same power in the 13th chapter of Revelation.

Neither the corruption of Christianity nor the Reformation and its abuses were accomplished in a day. "But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived. 2Ti 3:13

We are now in the sequel and the bishops are once again exalted to wealth, power and authority, and this exaltation is the source of every corrupt fruit. Now, we have the "priests" of Protestantism joining them. Learning, eloquence, and influence are exalted to maintain their dominion and popularity. Contests for pre-eminence over each other has BECOME THE SUBSTITUTE FOR THE ANCIENT CONTENTION FOR THE FAITH and its influence over the world.

Yet, many are not only blind to this great deception that has taken place in the past, but they are blind to this GREAT DECEPTION THAT IS TAKING PLACE NOW.

The substitution of human authority for divine authority, is even now preparing the way for the assumption of spiritual tyranny the likes of which no one can imagine. Pomp and splendor of worship for the primitive simplicity and worldly power and dignity instead of the self-denied labors of love and bearing the cross.

How far we have fallen?

When Jesus said, "My Kingdom is not of this world", He was uttering perhaps one of the most important phrases given to the Church.

Every corruption in the church that has arisen by which the heavenly institution has been debased can be, in one way or another traced to a departure from the great and fundamental principle of the Christian kingdom.

Jer 5:31 The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests bear rule by their means; and my people love to have it so: and what will ye do in the end thereof?

WE ARE NO LONGER CONTENDING FOR THE FAITH, ONCE DELIVERED TO THE SAINTS. Jude 1:3

What are we contending for?

A777

 2011/4/19 0:31





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