The Real Christ and the Antichrist
Mark #3 in History - The Persecuting Church
In the long history of persecution, most of the persecuted church correctly identified the Pope and the Roman Catholic church as the Antichrist of their day.
The shameful history of the Catholic church in the Inquisition, and its fierce persecutions of such groups as the Arnoldists, the Paulicians, the Bogomils, the Huguenots, the Albigenses, the Waldenses and the Anabaptists, is well known. These suffering believers saw the Roman church as fulfilling the prophecy of Rev. 18:24, which describes a woman who is a persecutor of God's people, guilty of the death of martyred prophets and saints. Clearly, the Jesus portrayed in the many heretical teachings of the church, and in whose name these terrible deeds were done, was a false Christ. The Pope, who represented him on earth, was the chief Antichrist.
Persecution has been such an integral part of the mission of the Roman church, that it was built into the ordination oath of bishops who were required to swear to persecute and fight against heretics to the utmost of their power. In England this terrible oath continued until 1850, when public outcry finally forced its removal.
Even in the early part of the 20th century, prominent Catholic theologians were still justifying the church's slaughter of the martyrs as a just punishment for heretics who deserved the same treatment as the worst sort of criminals. It was not until the third session of Vatican 11, in 1965, that the church officially turned away from the position, held since the time of Constantine, that it had the right to impose its religion on men, by force.
There was an occasion when the people of one Samaritan village rejected Jesus, refusing him entry to their village (Luke 9:51-55). His disciples were ready to punish and destroy, seeking permission from Jesus to call down fire from Heaven, to consume them. Jesus rebuked the disciples, saying that they had completely failed to understand. If they had understood, they would have known that his mission was not to destroy, but to save. By their persecution of "heretics", the Roman church also revealed their own failure to understand.
The real Jesus is not a persecutor, nor is the true church which serves Him. Instead, he has warned HIS followers to expect to BE the victims of persecution (John 15:18-21.) The persecution would come from men who claim to serve God, but do not really know either the Father or the Son (John 16:2). No one who is a murderer has eternal life (1 John 3:15). No one who hates his brother in this way, can possibly know God or love God (1 John 4:8,20).
The Real Christ and the Antichrist Series:
Mark #2 - The Christ Who is not Really a Man
Mark #3 - The Persecuting Church
