The enemy may call itself a church for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. (see 2 Cor 11:14)
Today with the ever popular theory of "Pre-Tribulation Rapture" the body of Christ is infected with the lies of (Anitchrist). Where our Protestant forefathers identified the seat of (Antichrist) for us, we seem to have forgotten, or is it we have been led astray (2 Cor 11:3), from the truth that was preached in days gone by.
Satan the leader of the rebellion, the father of lies (John 8:44), has been busy within the body (II Th 2:7), His legions have been teaching his slight of hand for hundreds of years.
Proper identification of the one who holds it back (II Th 2:7) is key to understanding the seat of Antichrist.
Now think about what I'm about to say, please take a moment to reflect upon my thoughts.
Let us assume for a moment that the Roman Catholic Church is Antichrist, and that the Protestant reformation was correct in its identification of the seat of the Papacy as Antichrist.
Please remember our enemy is one slick character, he masquerades as an angel of light.
(Anitchrist's) seat has been discovered, he has been exposed to the light. With that exposure the reformation explodes upon the world stage and the once unified "church" splinters into various denominations. There was ampel reason for the people to flock to Calvin, Luther, and others, as corruption and extravagance was ripe within Roman Church.
What must he (antichrist) do to regain the previous power he once held over a heriarchy which dictates its teaching to a following it calls the body of Christ?
The first thing he does is try to stamp out the reformation... May 1415 the Council of Constance reviewed Wycliffe's heresies and ordered his body disinterred and burned. This decree was carried out in 1428. His ashes were poured into the Avon and carried down river to mix with the worlds oceans. Along with his ashes the Gospel he preached has also reached around the world. October 6, 1536, Tyndale was strangled and burned at the stake. Calvin and Luther were labeled heretics and excommunicated. Allow me to point out that (Antichrist) will be with us until the end of the age... the reformers, the ones that exposed (Antichrist) for what he is, are long gone and (Antichrist) is still active...
Since crushing the truth under his heel did not work he must revert back to his old habits of deceit. He must get the body of Christ to look elsewhere so that he may replace the mask that he hides behind.
Whereas the reformers looked back into history to decern who was who, the church today looks forward to see what is coming. What the reformers saw in events past, as fulfilled prophecy, the body today looks to see these things fulfilled tomorrow. Remember our foe masquerades as an angel of light, he, the leader of the rebellion, quoted scripture to Christ (Luke 4:10)... and he is using scripture today.
Futurism is the weapon that (Antichrist) has used so successfully against us. We look to see things fulfilled as (Antichrist) wants them to be seen. To the best of his ability he will work politically to make things look like the twisted scripture that he teaches. He does not need to make things perfect, in fact from (Antichrist's) point of view, close is as good as a hit.
England, Ireland when they broke with the Roman Church they incorporated a provision in the Williamite Revolution Settlement that should any member of the royal family have dealings with the papacy they become bared from having the crown.
"And, whereas it has been found by experience that it is inconsistent with the safety and welfare of this Protestant kingdom to be governed by a Popish Prince or by any King or Queen marrying a Papist. The said Lords Spiritual and Temporal and Commons do further pray that it may be enacted that all and every person and persons, that is, are, or shall be reconciled to, or shall hold communion with, the See or Church of Rome, or shall profess the Popish religion or shall marry a Papist shall be excluded, and be forever incapable to inherit, possess or enjoy the Crown and Government of this realm and Ireland and the dominions thereunto belonging to any part of the same; to have, use or exercise any Regal power, authority or jurisdiction within the same; and in all and every case or cases the people of these realms shall be and are hereby absolved from their allegiance; and the said Crown and Government shall from time to time descend to and be enjoyed by such person or persons being Protestants as should have inherited and enjoyed the same, in case the said person or persons so reconciled, holding communion or professing or marrying as aforesaid, were naturally dead."
Today we see Prince Charles wanting to be, defender of faith, instead of, defender of "the" faith. He has even said recently that a Catholic should be allowed to sit as King... Go figure...
Here in America, when this country was founded knowledge of Papal tyranny caused the founding fathers to enact bans on Papist involvement in government.
Georgia; Article VI (1777) "The representatives shall be chosen out of the residents in each county,...and they shall be of the Protestant religion..."
New Hampshire; Part 1, Article 1, Section 5 (1784) "...the legislature ...authorize ...the several towns ...to make adequate provision at their own expense, for the support and maintenance of public protestant teachers of piety, religion and morality..."
Part 2: "[Provides that no person be elected governor, senator, representative or member of the Council] who is not of the protestant religion."
New Jersey; Article XIX (1776) "...no Protestant inhabitant of this Colony shall be denied the enjoyment of any civil right...; all persons, professing a belief in the faith of any Protestant sect...shall be capable of being elected into any office of profit or trust, or being a member of either branch of the Legislature."
North Carolina; Article XXXII (1776) "That no person, who shall deny the being of God or the truth of the Protestant religion, or the divine authority either of the Old or New Testaments,...shall be capable of holding any office or place of trust or profit in the civil department within this State.
South Carolina; Article XII (1778) "...no person shall be eligible to a seat in the said senate unless he be of the Protestant religion."
Vermont; Frame of Government, Section 9 (1777) "And each member [of the legislature],...shall make and subscribe the following declaration, viz.: 'I do believe in one god, the Creator and Governor of the universe, the rewarder of the good and punisher of the wicked. And I do acknowledge the scriptures of the old and new testament to be given by divine inspiration, and own and profess the protestant religion.'"
We are told the (Antichrist) is just ahead, while he is already present (Mattm13:28-30) . We have been tricked to look into the future, when we should be looking into the past... A soldier that can not see his enemy is in mortal danger...
Most believers no longer identify the Roman Church as a foretold apostasy but rather, a separated member of the Christian community who should be brought into fellowship . Rome is now elevated to a friendlier position and our Gospel of Salvation through faith moves into danger of decay. Remember, Rome still maintains that the Pope alone holds the keys to Salvation
As if that was not enough, did you know that Vatican City is a recognized national territory under international law. Created in 1929 to provide a territorial identity for the "Holy See" in Rome. This country headed by the Pope maintains formal diplomatic relations with 174 nations and 68 of these countries maintain permanent resident diplomatic missions accredited to the "Holy See" in Rome. The "Holy See" maintains 106 permanent diplomatic missions to nation-states around the world. And Finally, did you know, that Vatican City/Holy See has a seat at the United Nations albeit non voting currently they are an observer.
In 1867 the Congress instituted a ban on diplomatic relations with the Vatican. The U.S. overturned that ban in 1984 and has since restored formal relations with the Vatican. Now, today we see a Roman Catholic offering prayers in our Congress...
clichés become clichés because they have truth in them... hindsight is 20/20... Who can see the future but God Alone... It is in understanding where we have come from that we can see where we are headed... George Santayana I believe had it correct when he said "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it."
Beware of those who preach prophecy for profit...