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To: xzins; WileyPink; alpha-8-25-02; wmfights; HarleyD; Forest Keeper; irishtenor; blue-duncan; ...
I do not believe that the RCatholic Church is of Satan and that the Pope is the antichrist. I never have, and I consider it a poor reading of scripture to come to such a conclusion. Mystery Babylon will find power in Rome, but it will be a new, Occultic, Post-Christian pagan perversion of the Bride of Christ. The anti-Christ will be an individual and not an office.

There's more than one anti-Christ. According to John, the spirit of antichrist was already on earth and had taken multiple forms.

"And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world." -- 1 John 4:3


"For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist." -- 2 John 1:7

I think Calvin had a good take on those who would deceive and deny the power and authority of the Holy Spirit...

"The name Antichrist does not designate a single individual, but a single kingdom, which extends throughout many generations." -- John Calvin, II Thess. 403-404

From...

THE NECESSITY OF REFORMEING THE CHURCH
Part 4

"...The Roman pontiff is now opposing himself to the reviving doctrines of the gospel, just as if his head were at stake. Does he not, by this very fact, demonstrate that there will be no safety for his see unless he can put to flight the kingdom of Christ? Your imperial majesty is aware how wide a field of discussion here opens upon me. But to conclude this point in a few words: I deny that see to be apostolical, wherein nought is seen but a shocking apostasy; I deny him to be the vicar of Christ, who, in furiously persecuting the gospel, demonstrates by his conduct that he is Antichrist; I deny him to be the successor of Peter, who is doing his utmost to demolish every edifice that Peter built; and I deny him to be the head of the church, who by his tyranny lacerates and dismembers the church, after dissevering her from Christ, her true and only Head. Let these denials be answered by those who are so bent on chaining the hierarchy of the church to the Romish see, that they hesitate not to subordinate the sure and tried doctrines of the gospel to the authority of the pope..."

51 posted on 02/19/2008 4:05:52 PM PST by Dr. Eckleburg ("I don't think they want my respect; I think they want my submission." - Flemming Rose)
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To: Dr. Eckleburg; xzins

Can you cite any pope who would fit St. John’s description of the antichrist?

And while I recognize that John Calvin was a learned man (though I disagree with many of his beliefs), I also find it peculiar that an adherent to Sola Scriptura gives no scriptural evidence of the papacy meeting Biblical descriptions of the antichrist. Additionally, he seems to be speaking specifically about the pope in 1543 (Paul III), NOT the papacy as a whole and he clearly acknowledges the primacy of St. Peter.


54 posted on 02/19/2008 4:16:48 PM PST by wagglebee ("A political party cannot be all things to all people." -- Ronald Reagan, 3/1/75)
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To: Dr. Eckleburg
"For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist." -- 2 John 1:7

Every Pope confesses that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh.

In fact, every believing Catholic confesses that, every Sunday.

Contrast this to certain persons of the Protestant fundamentalist persuasion who have previously announced on this board that Mary was not really Jesus' mother. It is a tiny little step from there to a complete denial of the Incarnation.

That is the spirit of Antichrist that John describes.

As usual, Calvin plays fast and loose with both Scripture and the truth.

56 posted on 02/19/2008 4:23:26 PM PST by Campion
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