Posted on 11/04/2025 11:30:17 AM PST by vespa300
Who Did the Reformers Say Is Antichrist?
Take a look at these quotes from the great Protestant reformers.
Nicolaus Von Amsdorf (1483 – 1565)
“He (the antichrist) will be revealed and come to naught before the last day, so that every man shall comprehend and recognize that the pope is the real, true antichrist and not the vicar of Christ … etc.
Martin Luther (1483 – 1546)
“nothing else than the kingdom of Babylon and of very 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; while he yet sits in the church as if he were God? All these conditions have now for many ages been fulfilled by the papal tyranny.” (Martin Luther, First Principles, pp. 196-197)
Flacius (1570)
By many writings of our church, by the Divinely inspired Word, by prophecies concerning the future and by the special characteristics of the Papacy, it has been profusely and thoroughly proved that the pope with his prelates and clergy is the real true great antichrist, that his kingdom is the real Babylon,
Georg Nigrinus (1530 – 1602)
“The Jesuits claim to be sorely offended and have taken my declarations as an insult and blasphemy in branding the Papacy as the antichrist of which Daniel, Paul, Peter, John and even Christ prophesied.
John Calvin (1509 – 1564)
Some persons think us too severe and censorious when we call the Roman Pontiff Antichrist. But those who are of this opinion do not consider that they bring the same charge of presumption against Paul himself
(Excerpt) Read more at semperreformanda.com ...
John Knox (1505 – 1572)
Yea, to speak it in plain words; lest that we submit ourselves to Satan, thinking that we submit ourselves to Jesus Christ, for, as for your Roman kirk, as it is now corrupted, and the authority thereof, whereon stands the hope of your victory, I no more doubt but that it is the synagogue of Satan, and the head thereof, called the pope, to be that man of sin, of whom the apostle speaks.” (John Knox, The History of the Reformation of Religion in Scotland, p.65)
Thomas Cranmer (1489 – 1556)
“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.” (Works by Cranmer, vol.1, pp.6-7)
Roger Williams (1603 – 1683)
Pastor Williams spoke of the Pope as “the pretended Vicar of Christ on earth, who sits as God over the Temple of God, exalting himself not only above all that is called God, but over the souls and consciences of all his vassals, yea over the Spirit of Christ, over the Holy Spirit, yea, and God himself…speaking against the God of heaven, thinking to change times and laws; but he is the son of perdition.” (The Prophetic Faith of Our Fathers by Froom, Vol. 3, pg. 52)
The Baptist Confession of Faith (1689) *Not technically a Reformed document
“The Lord Jesus Christ is the Head of the church, in whom, by the appointment of the Father, all power for the calling, institution, order or government of the church, is invested in a supreme and sovereign manner; neither can the Pope of Rome in any sense be head thereof, but is that antichrist, that man of sin, and son of perdition, that exalteth himself in the church against Christ.” (1689 Baptist Confession of Faith)
The Westminster Confession of Faith (1646)
“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, that man of sin and son of perdition, that exalts himself in the Church against Christ, and all that is called God.” (1646 Westminster Confession of Faith)
John Wesley (1703 – 1791)
“… In many respects, the Pope has an indisputable claim to those titles. He is, in an emphatical sense, the man of sin, as he increases all manner of sin above measure. And he is, too, properly styled, the son of perdition, as he has caused the death of numberless multitudes, both of his opposers and followers, destroyed innumerable souls, and will himself perish everlastingly. He it is that opposeth himself to the emperor, once his rightful sovereign; and that exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped – Commanding angels, and putting kings under his feet, both of whom are called gods in scripture; claiming the highest power, the highest honour; suffering himself, not once only, to be styled God or vice-God. Indeed no less is implied in his ordinary title, “Most Holy Lord,” or, “Most Holy Father.” So that he sitteth – Enthroned. In the temple of God – Mentioned Rev. xi, 1. Declaring himself that he is God – Claiming the prerogatives which belong to God alone.” (John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon The New Testament, p.216)
Charles Spurgeon (1834 – 1892) *Not technically a Reformer
“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. If there were to be issued a hue and cry for Antichrist, we should certainly take up this church on suspicion, and it would certainly not be let loose again, for it so exactly answers the description.”
“Popery is contrary to Christ’s Gospel, and is the Antichrist, and we ought to pray against it. It should be the daily prayer of every believer that Antichrist might be hurled like a millstone into the flood and for Christ, because it wounds Christ, because it robs Christ of His glory, because it puts sacramental efficacy in the place of His atonement, and lifts a piece of bread into the place of the Saviour, and a few drops of water into the place of the Holy Ghost, and puts a mere fallible man like ourselves up as the vicar of Christ on earth; 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 loath and detest their dogmas, and so the breath of our prayers will be sweetened, because we turn our faces towards Christ when we pray.” (Michael de Semlyen, All Roads Lead to Rome)
Rev. J.A.Wylie (1808 – 1890)
“The same line of proof which establishes that Christ is the promised Messiah, conversely applied, establishes that the Roman system is the predicted Apostacy. In the life of Christ we behold the converse of what the Antichrist must be; and in the prophecy of the Antichrist we are shown the converse of what Christ must be, and was. And when we place the Papacy between the two, and compare it with each, we find, on the one hand, that it is the perfect converse of Christ as seen in his life; and on the other, that it is the perfect image of the Antichrist, as shown in the prophecy of him. We conclude, therefore, that if Jesus of Nazareth be the Christ, the Roman Papacy is the Antichrist.” (J.A.Wylie, Preface to “The Papacy is the Antichrist, A Demonstration”).
Who tempted Christ? Who was in the Garden of Eden.. some people are just illiterate!
I posted this to make it clear....the idea that the vast false religious anti Christ power described in scripture as the one headquartered in Rome at the Vatican did not originate with the Adventist Church.
But we do believe as so many of these Protestant Reformers do. There is no other power that is. Look at who these men are. Founders of the Lutheran church, the Methodist church, I believe John Calvin and his unconditional election doctrine is held by the Presbyterian church....etc.
None were Seventh day Adventists. So stop with the nonsense that we originated this idea. We are protestants and in this regard....we believe as they did before. It’s about a system...not individuals.
It’s a pathetic religion that can’t justify it’s teachings--it's whole existence, in fact-- without attacking the religion of others especially through lies and distortion of the facts. Such tactics are only an appeal to the ignorant, the hateful, and the bigoted.
I was sure Bill Gates was the antichrist, but he seems to be coming ‘round. /sarc (maybe not LOL)
____Who tempted Christ? Who was in the Garden of Eden.. some people are just illiterate!___-
Yes, but Bible prophecy identifies an earthly spiritual power a false church who claims to be God on earth,, the Vicar of Christ. Who claims to be able to absolve sins and even change the law of God...ie the fourth commandment.
The Bible gives us dates, colors, characteristics, claims, describes her wound, the healing of her wound...she is called the Whore of Babylon and then her “daughters”.....those churches that will once again unite with her on common doctrine...she sits in the very temple of God calling herself God.....take away the restraints that hold her back today and she would resort to how she forced through violence and in fact those days are coming again...
Jesus sees church state union in places like Mark 13:9.....she is the first beast in Revelation 13..Rome is a soverign power! People don’t realize that...an independent state...where her leader has virtual absolute authority..executive, legislative, judicial...
And she hates the Sabbath because it rebukes her authority to change the law of God....it utterly exposes her......Her Catechism wants Sundays to be an enforced legislated legal holiday! I could go on and on...
Satan is the AntiChrist on high....but he works through his main agency on earth.....and the Bible describes exactly who she is...to a T.
1 John 2:18 talks of “many antichrists”, either way.
____You do realize, do you not, that just about everyone on FR (except the handful of your fellow SDA’s) regards you are as an annoying, fanatical, brainwashed quasi-cultist___
You do realize you are a fulfillment of prophecy seeking to unite all against those who uphold God’s law....The Sabbath.
____I was sure Bill Gates was the antichrist, but he seems to be coming ‘round. /sarc (maybe not LOL)____
Yeah, Bill Gates, a computer chip, Damien, you name it. LOL..thanks.
It’s as if people don’t read the Bible.....it is described in scripture to a T.
____You do realize, do you not, that just about everyone on FR (except the handful of your fellow SDA’s) regards you are as an annoying, fanatical, brainwashed quasi-cultist?___
So all those Protestant Reformers that identified your church were in a cult too?
Well? Answer it. yes or no genius.
>> It’s about a system...not individuals.
Some say that same thing against 7DA, you know.
Read John 17 if you’re curious about the heart and mind of Christ regarding destructive sectarianism.
True, Luther and his contemporaries did refer to the Pope as the AntiChrist. Given the corruption of the Church during the high Renaissance, with the likes of Borgias and Medicis and De la Roveres trading the Vatican back and forth, not to mention putting a price on Luther’s head, they had reason to believe the worst. So fine. Does that make you feel better now?
No the Bible does not identify any such thing…WHO was sentenced to death.. the only named entity in the whole of the Word.. Who has already been judged to death by name.. The ‘whore of Babylon’ is symbolic of mass confusion.. that is what Babel Babylon literally means.. Satan was is and will be the ‘king of Babylon. Ezekiel 28..
The first quote from Von Amsdorf 1483 to 1565 is especially interesting and important. He accurately states, Islam (Turk) cannot be the AntiChrist because it is outside of the church.
Exactly! The bible is clear.....Paul writes the great false church, power, “sits in the very temple of God .....showing himself that he is God....” 2 Thessalonians 2:4.
Paul and prophecy tells us this is a false Christian power and gives us everything from dates to colors to city...etc. These Protestant Reformers had her pegged long before we did.
Quote:
Nicolaus Von Amsdorf (1483 – 1565)
“He (the antichrist) will be revealed and come to naught before the last day, so that every man shall comprehend and recognize that the pope is the real, true antichrist and not the vicar of Christ … Therefore those who consider the pope and his bishops as Christian shepherds and bishops are deeply in error, but even more are those who believe the the Turk (ISLAM) is the antichrist. Because the Turk (ISLAM) rules outside of the church and does not sit in the holy place, nor does he seek to bear the name of Christ, but is an open antagonist of Christ and His church. This does not need to be revealed, but it is clear and evident because he persecutes Christians openly and not as the pope does, secretly under the form of Godliness.” (Nicolaus Von Amsdorf, Furnemliche und gewisse Zeichen, sig.A2r.,v.)
I don’t believe the beast of Revelation is a person.
____True, Luther and his contemporaries did refer to the Pope as the AntiChrist. Given the corruption of the Church during the high Renaissance, with the likes of Borgias and Medicis and De la Roveres trading the Vatican back and forth, not to mention putting a price on Luther’s head, they had reason to believe the worst. So fine. Does that make you feel better now?____
Spurgeon was a contemporary of Luther? Wesley? LOL...ok then.
George Soros (aka Simon Bar Sinister).
____I don’t believe the beast of Revelation is a person.___
It’s more of a vast monolithic spiritual power clearly described in scripture as Rome, the Papacy, just as these Protestant Reformers had identified.
As for individuals, I think we leave that to God. They know who they are. And God does too.
ANOTHER honey trap SDA propaganda thread!
Step 1- post an innocent looking thread on a false pretense to create dialog, which is in fact created to entice true believers into a snare
Step 2- tear down the participant’s beliefs using SDA “sect”(<—that’s an euphamism) talking points
Step 3- ...ongoing... lead true followers of Jesus astray by dividing the brethren...even using insults
Step 4- SDA poster then claims to be the “victim”
...do it all over again the next day.
God hates this and even calls it an abomination.
STRAIGHT OUT OF PROVERB 16...
16 There are six things that the LORD hates,
seven that are an abomination to him:
17 haughty eyes, a lying tongue,
and hands that shed innocent blood,
18 a heart that DEVISES WICKED PLANS (schemes),
feet that make haste to run to evil,
19 a false witness who breathes out LIES,
and one who SOWS DISCORD AMONG BELIEVERS.
This last part...an abomination
___I don’t believe the beast of Revelation is a person.___
By the way, there is a person, a man in the New Testament and this man seems to be a “type” of Antichrist. When we read how he behaves, he reflects individually what the false church has done corporately.
His name is only mentioned once. In the New Testament. And the author does not have a good thing to say about this man...and he is IN the church.
Do you know who this is?
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