Chp 8

“The Pope is not only the representative of Jesus Christ, but he is Jesus Christ, hidden under a veil of flesh.” The Catholic National, July, 1895.

The advancing centuries witnessed a constant increase of error in the doctrines put forth from Rome. Even before the establishment of the Papacy the teachings of heathen philosophers had received attention and exerted an influence in the church. Many who professed conversion still clung to the tenets of their pagan philosophy, and not only continued its study themselves, but urged it upon others as a means of extending their influence among the heathen. Serious errors were thus introduced into the Christian faith. Prominent among these was the belief in man’s natural immortality and his consciousness in death. This doctrine laid the foundation upon which Rome established the invocation of saints and the adoration of the Virgin Mary. From it sprang also the heresy of eternal torment for the finally impenitent, which was early incorporated into the papal faith.

Then the way was prepared for the introduction of still another invention of paganism, which Rome named purgatory, and employed to terrify the credulous and superstitious multitudes. By this heresy is affirmed the existence of a place of torment, in which the souls of such as have not merited eternal damnation are to suffer punishment for their sins, and from which, when freed from impurity, they are admitted to heaven.

Still another fabrication was needed to enable Rome to profit by the fears and the vices of her adherents. This was supplied by the doctrine of indulgences. Full remission of sins, past, present, and future, and release from all the pains and penalties incurred, were promised to all who would enlist in the pontiff’s wars to extend his temporal dominion, to punish his enemies, or to exterminate those who dared deny his spiritual supremacy. The people were also taught that by the payment of money to the church they might free themselves from sin, and also release the souls of their deceased friends who were confined in the tormenting flames. By such means did Rome fill her coffers and sustain the magnificence, luxury, and vice of the pretended representatives of Him who had not where to lay His head.

The scriptural ordinance of the Lord’s Supper had been supplanted by the idolatrous sacrifice of the Mass. Papal priests pretended, by their senseless mummery, to convert the simple bread and wine into the actual "body and blood of Christ."—Cardinal Wiseman, "The Real Presence of the Body and Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ in the Blessed Eucharist, Proved From Scripture," lecture 8, sec. 3, par. 26. With blasphemous presumption, they openly claimed the power of creating God, the Creator of all things. Christians were required, on pain of death, to avow their faith in this horrible, Heaven-insulting heresy. Multitudes who refused were given to the flames.

In the thirteenth century was established that most terrible of all the engines of the Papacy—the Inquisition. The prince of darkness wrought with the leaders of the papal hierarchy. In their secret councils Satan and his angels controlled the minds of evil men, while unseen in the midst stood an angel of God, taking the fearful record of their iniquitous decrees and writing the history of deeds too horrible to appear to human eyes. The mangled forms of millions of martyrs cried to God for vengeance upon that apostate power.

“Pope John Paul II asked forgiveness for Catholic–Protestant wars in Europe during the Counter-reformation.” U.S. News and World Report, July 3, 1995.
This and similar news reports are an indirect acknowledgement of responsibility for millions of martyrs during the Dark Ages. The Bible predicts that under stressful conditions just before us, the Papacy and its supporters will again resort to the use of civil power to control dissenters.

Popery had become the world’s despot. Kings and emperors bowed to the decrees of the Roman pontiff. The destinies of men, both for time and for eternity, seemed under his control. For hundreds of years the doctrines of Rome had been extensively and implicitly received, its rites reverently performed, its festivals generally observed. Its clergy were honored and liberally sustained. Never since has the Roman Church attained to greater dignity, magnificence, or power.

But "the noon of the Papacy was the midnight of the world."—J. A. Wylie, The History of Protestantism, b. 1, ch. 4. The Holy Scriptures were almost unknown, not only to the people, but to the priests. Like the Pharisees of old, the papal leaders hated the light which would reveal their sins. God’s law, the standard of righteousness, having been removed, they exercised power without limit, and practiced vice without restraint. Fraud, avarice, and profligacy prevailed. Men shrank from no crime by which they could gain wealth or position. The palaces of popes and prelates were scenes of the vilest debauchery. Some of the reigning pontiffs were guilty of crimes so revolting that secular rulers endeavored to depose these dignitaries of the church as monsters too vile to be tolerated. For centuries Europe had made no progress in learning, arts, or civilization. A moral and intellectual paralysis had fallen upon Christendom.

“For professing faith contrary to the Church of Rome, history records the martyrdom of more than one hundred million people.” Brief Bible Readings, page 16.
“On August 24, 1527, Roman Catholics in France, by prearranged plan, under Jesuit influence, murdered 70,000 Protestants within the space of two months. The pope rejoiced when he heard the news of the successful outcome.” Western Watchman, November 21, 1912, (Catholic).

The lack of the knowledge of the Word of God allowed the Papacy to rule the world during the Dark Ages. Toward the end of that age, as an understanding of God’s Word began to unfold, men began to protest the errors prevalent during that time. Those Protestant Reformers threw off the shackles of error and superstition, and began to let the light of God’s Word shine. These men received the title of Protestants, because, as they understood the truth of God’s Word they saw that they must protest and oppose the error of Catholicism if they would be true to God. Once again in the history of this planet the knowledge of God’s Word had been forgotten. Compare the Reformers’ understanding of the Papacy with the beliefs of this modern generation.

Martin Luther said, "I know that the pope is the Antichrist, and that his see is that of Satan himself. The Papacy is the general chase, by command of the Roman pontiff, for the purpose of running down and destroying souls."

Charles Spurgeon said, "We must warn with judicious boldness those who incline towards the errors of Rome; we must tell them of the black doings of Popery."

John Wesley said of the Papacy, "He is in an emphatical sense, the Man of Sin, as he increases all manner of sin above measure."

Today the descendants of those faithful martyrs have forgotten why they call themselves Protestants. Consider the following:

"It is time for Protestants to go to the shepherd (the pope) and say, ‘What do we have to do to come home?’ " Dr. Robert Schuller, Los Angeles Herald Examiner, Sept. 19, 1987.

"Heads of American Protestant and Eastern Orthodox churches who were meeting with Pope John Paul II on Friday hailed their first broadly representative discussion as a landmark on the road to greater unity. . . . The Rev. Donald Jones, a United Methodist and chairman of the University of South Carolina religious studies department, termed it, ‘the most important ecumenical meeting of the century.’ . . . The Rev. Paul A. Crow Jr., of Indianapolis, ecumenical officer of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), called it a ‘new day in ecumenism’ opening a future in which God ‘is drawing us together.’ " The Montgomery Advertiser, Sept. 12, 1987.

"If Catholicism is to become more Catholic in the future, which is what I expect under the present pope, then theological differences will become sharper, but our alliances with Catholics against the secular culture can become deeper. I, for one, am ready for the trade-off." David Wells, Eternity Magazine, Sept. 1987.

"Protestant and Catholic charismatic teaching on the Christian life is to all intents and purposes identical. Is this not significant for the Christian future?" J. I. Packer, Christianity Today, June 22, 1992.

Protestantism has forgotten her roots. She was ordained to resist and denounce the errors of Rome. Now she is willing to embrace them. Now as the entire world is on the verge of Rome’s final assault, the former enemies are forming alliances. The Protestant world has forgotten they are involved in an eternal battle, and because of their willing neglect of knowledge, they are destined to be destroyed.