The term “antichrist” is found 5 times the Bible, all written by John.

When most
people hear the term “antichrist” they think of a dark sinister dictator such as
Hitler. But that is not how the Bible portrays the antichrist. In fact, when John
wrote his letters, he said that “even now many antichrists have come.” (1John
2:18, 1John 4:3) And that was 2,000 years ago. We are also told that the
antichrist will still be here when Christ returns (2 Thessalonians 2:8). The Bible
warns us that the antichrist will deceive us (2John 1:7). Remember, Satan does
not come with a pitchfork and pointy horns. That’s not how he works best. He
comes as an “angel of light” deceiving, and teaching false doctrine and false
Christianity:

2 Corinthians 11:13-15
For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen,
masquerading as apostles of Christ.
And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of
light. It is not surprising,
then, if his servants masquerade as servants of
righteousness. Their end will be what
their actions deserve.

What are some false teachings? What is the biggest one out there? If you were
Satan, and you were going to lead astray large numbers of people, the most
effective way to do this would be to come as an imposter. What is the largest
body of people that are presented as “Christians”?

“VICARIVS FILII DEI” --the Latin words for the pope’s official title—can be found
inscribed upon the pope’s crown.
The ancient Latin alphabet had 23 letters--not 26, and does not contain the letter “U” but uses
the letter “V” instead

▲
Notice the use of “V” for “U” in this ancient Roman inscription which reads, “IMP(erati) CAESA RI AUGUSTO” (Meaning
Emperor Caesar Augustus) “AUGUSTO” is spelled “AVGVSTO” in Latin

Latin English numerical equivalents

VICARIVS vicar 5+1+100+1+5 = 112
FILII of the son 1+50+1+1 = 53
DEI of God 500+1 = 501
+_____
666
Roman numerals:
I=1
V=5
C=100
L=50
D=500
"antichrist" simply means "in the place of Christ"
The Word of God says JESUS is the head of the church (Colossians 1:18,
Ephesians 5:23).
“Vicar” is defined as one acting as a substitute for, or in the place of

The pope is the head of the Roman Catholic Church.

Thus, by very definition, the pope IS the antichrist. The antichrist is not a
single person; The antichrist is an office of authority.

Mark 13:5-6
Jesus said to them: "Watch out that no one deceives you.
Many will come in my name, claiming, 'I am he,' and will
deceive many.

In the Bible, the church of Christ is portrayed as a bride, and Christ as the
bridegroom:

Revelation 19:7
Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the
wedding of the Lamb has come,
and his bride has made herself ready.

The Bible commonly refers to the relationship between husband and wife as
equivalent to the relationship between Christ and the church. See Ephesians
5:28-32.
Jesus Christ is the Lamb of God. See John 1:29, Revelation 7:17, etc.

Revelation 21:2
I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of
heaven from God, prepared
as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.

Revelation 21:9
One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the
seven last plagues came
and said to me, "Come, I will show you the bride, the wife of
the Lamb.”

See also Matthew 25:1-13, Mark 2:19, Matthew 22:1-14 where Christ typifies
Himself as the bridegroom.

Now, if the church is the bride, or wife of Christ, then what would a whore—a
perverted bride be? Would not a whore be a perverted church? Would it not
be a “church” that is unfaithful to God’s Word?
Read Revelation 17 and notice the great whore is drunk with the blood of the
saints. Then read Fox’s Book of Martyrs and notice throughout the ages, how
much blood Rome, the pope and the Roman Catholic Church has shed
because people followed God’s Word instead of Roman teachings. Rome, in all
its various forms, has persecuted more Christians than any other institution on
the face of the earth. During the middle ages, the Roman Church put to death
untold millions of Christians! It only started with the Roman Empire (Nero is one
famous example), and, as the empire decayed, power was transferred from the
Roman Emperor to the Roman Pontiff—the pope. As the Roman Empire died
out, the office of the pope grew in place of the emperor and remains to this day.

The Bible even warns us where the antichrist will be found. He will be found in a
church.

2 Thessalonians 2:4
He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is
called God or is worshiped,
so that he sets himself up in God's temple, proclaiming
himself to be God.

“God’s temple” represents the church. We are warned that the antichrist will be
found in a church! The one that will stand “in the place of Christ” is not a
political leader, but the head of a false church!

The temple at Jerusalem that was destroyed in 70 A.D. is not what Paul is
referring to (although Rome did do that. History, as well as prophecy, has a way
of repeating itself). The word ‘temple’ in the above verse is carried over into the
New Testament teaching and indicates either the body of the individual believer,
(1Corinthians 3:16) or the whole body of professing Christians (Ephesians 2:20-
22). The New Testament uses two words to refer to a temple. “Hieron” is used
when describing the literal physical temple in Jerusalem. “Hieron” includes the
entire aggregate of buildings, balconies, porticos, and outer courts. “Naos” can
describe the literal temple, but only in describing the sacred sanctuaries—the
Holy place, and the “Holy of Holies.” “Naos” also has a second more
“metaphysical” meaning. It is also used to refer to the “temple” of the individual
body, and also to the body of Christ—the church. In John 2:19-21, Jesus used
“naos” to refer to His body. Elsewhere, the Bible teaches the body of Christ
is the church (1Corinthians 6:15,19, Colossians 1:24, Ephesians 1:22-23). The
word used in 2Thes 2:4 is “naos”, which is the word that would have to be used
if a false leader were going to enter and infiltrate the body of Christ. Since the
temple in Jerusalem was destroyed about 2000 years ago, and the antichrist
will still be in the temple when Christ returns to destroy him, the only temple that
the “man of sin” can occupy is the temple (naos) –the body of Christ—the
church.

When the Bible uses prophetic language, a beast represents a kingdom, and a
kingdom can also represent a church. Perhaps the beast here represents false
Christianity. Notice in Revelation chapter 13 that the beast (kingdom/church)
had been wounded by a sword (verses 3,12, and 14). And God uses the sword
to illustrate His Word—the Scriptures. See Ephesians 6:17 and Hebrews 4:12.
As with all apocalyptic language in the Bible, it is difficult to know with certainty,
but there is a very strong case to be made that this passage (Revelation
13:3,12,14) represents the great blow that was made to the Roman Catholic
Church during the Reformation when the Word of God (the Bible) became
widely known, and did great damage to Rome. Yet, it recovered and healed and
is still here today.

Matthew 23:9
And do not call anyone on earth 'father,' for you have one
Father, and he is in heaven.

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Outrageous Claims Made For The Pope!

Not only are outlandish claims, such as those above, made regarding the authority of the
pope, but he is addressed by various terms (Supreme Pontiff, Holy Father, etc.) which
belong only to God. No such terms were given to a mere man in the holy Scriptures.
The term "Holy Father" is used only once in God's word. It is used by Jesus in John
17:11 as He prayed to God the Father. For a mere man to assume the authority and titles
which belong only to God, is surely the height of arrogance and blasphemy. If not, why
not?

1. The New York Catholic Catechism, under: Pope, says, "The Pope takes the
place of Jesus Christ on earth...by divine right the pope has supreme and full
power in faith and morals over each and every pastor and his flock. He is the
true Vicar of Christ, the head of the entire church, the father and teacher of all
Christians He is the infallible ruler, the founder of dogmas, the author of and the
judge of councils; the universal ruler of truth, the arbiter of the world, the
supreme judge of heaven and earth, the judge of all, being judged by one, God
himself on earth."
2. In his encyclical, "The Reunion of Christendom" (1885), Pope Leo XIII stated
that the pope holds "upon this earth the place of God Almighty."
3. The Council of Trent declared: "Sitting in that chair in which Peter, the Prince of
the Apostles, sat to the close of life, the Catholic Church recognizes in his
person the most exalted degree of dignity, and the full jurisdiction not based on
constitutions, but emanating from no less authority than from God Himself. As
the Successor of St. Peter and the true and legitimate Vicar of Jesus Christ, he
therefore, presides over the Universal Church, the Father and Governor of all the
faithful, of Bishops, also and of all other prelates, be their station, rant, or power,
what they may be."
4. The Catholic book, "My Catholic Faith" which is based on the Baltimore
Catechism, on page 251, says, "The Pope can make and unmake laws for the
entire Church; his authority is supreme and unquestioned. Every bishop, every
priest, every member of the Church is subject to him."

By David J. Riggs
 -----------------------------------------------------------

In his encyclical, "The Reunion of Christendom" (1885), Pope Leo XIII said that the
pope holds "upon this earth the place of God Almighty."

-----------------------------------------------------------

More claims of the pope:

Pope Innocent III put in writing, ‘We may according to the fulness of our power,
dispose of the law and dispense above the law. Those whom the Pope of Rome doth
separate, it is not a man that separates them but God. For the Pope holdeth place on
earth, not simply of a man but of the true God.’ I Book of Gregory 9 Decret. C3.

The Lateran Council, addressing Pope Julius II in an address delivered by Marcellus

states, ‘Take care that we lose not that salvation, that life and breath which thou hast
given us, for thou art our shepherd, tou art physician, thou art governor, thou are
husbandman, thou finally ART ANOTHER GOD ON EARTH’ Council Edit. Colm.
Agrip. 1618.

Pope Nicholas claimed the title of God. His words are:—‘I am all in all and above all,
so that God Himself, and I, the Vicar of God, hath both one consistory, and I am able to
do almost all that God can do . . . Wherefore, if those things that I do be said not to be
done of man, but of God. WHAT CAN YOU MAKE ME BUT GOD? Again, if prelates of
the Church be called and counted of Constantine for gods, I then, being above all
prelates, seem by this reason to be ABOVE ALL GODS. Wherefore, no marvel if it be in
my power to dispense with all things, yea, with the precepts of Christ.’ See Decret. Par
Distinct 96 Ch. 7 Edit Lugd. 1661.

'I alone despite my unworthiness, am the successor of the Apostles, the Vicar of Jesus
Christ: I alone have the mission to guide and direct the barque of Peter; I AM THE
WAY, THE TRUTH AND THE LIFE.' - Pope Pius IX.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The leaders of the Catholic Church understand very clearly that the Word of
God—the Bible, opposes their man-made institution and their false teachings.
Yet, they persist in their evil and refuse to repent!

Following is an excerpt from an address given by the Cardinals to Pope Pius III,
and is preserved in the National Library of Paris, Folio No. 1068, Vol. 2, pp. 650
651:

"Of all the advice that we can offer your holiness we must open your eyes well and
use all possible force in the matter, namely to permit the reading of the gospel as
little as possible in all the countries under your jurisdiction. Let the very little part
of the gospel suffice which is usually read in mass, and let no one be permitted to
read more. So long as people will be content with the small amount, your interest
will prosper; but as soon as the people want to read more, your interest will fail.
The Bible is a book, which more than any other, has raised against us the tumults
and tempests by which we have almost perished. In fact, if one compares the
teaching of the Bible with what takes place in our churches, he will soon find
discord, and will realize that our teachings are often different from the Bible, and
oftener still, contrary to it."

If you are in the Roman Catholic Church, God says to you:

"Come out of her, my people,

so that you will not share in her sins,
so that you will not receive any of her plagues;
-Revelation 18:4

Get out now while you still can!

Revelation 19:19-21
Then I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their
armies gathered together to
make war against the rider on the horse and his army. But the
beast was captured, and
with him the false prophet who had performed the miraculous
signs on his behalf. With
these signs he had deluded those who had received the mark
of the beast and worshiped
his image. The two of them were thrown alive into the fiery
lake of burning sulfur. The
rest of them were killed with the sword that came out of the
mouth of the rider on the horse, and all the birds gorged
themselves on their flesh.

Revelation 20:10
And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake
of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had
been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever
and ever.

Are you saved? Many people think they are—and are not. Are you certain the
Bible agrees with what you have been taught regarding how to be saved? Find
out what the Word of God teaches about salvation. Click here and visit
www.bebaptized.org

The Kingdom of Heaven is Here

The pope’s coronation (below)
Art used by permission by Pat Marvenko Smith, copyright 1992.
Click here to visit "Revelation Illustrated" site.
 The woman was dressed in purple and scarlet, and was
glittering with gold, precious
stones and pearls. She held a golden cup in her hand, filled
with abominable things and
the filth of her adulteries. This title was written on her
forehead: MYSTERY BABYLON
THE GREAT THE MOTHER OF PROSTITUTES AND OF THE
ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.
I saw that the woman was drunk with the blood of the saints,
the blood of those who
bore testimony to Jesus.
--Revelation 17:4-6
Men worshiped the dragon because he had given authority to
the beast, and they also worshiped the beast and asked,
"Who is like the beast? Who can make war against him?"…
All inhabitants of the earth will worship the beast--all whose
names have not been written in the book of life belonging to
the Lamb that was slain from the creation of the world.
--Revelation 13:4,8
 With her the kings of the earth committed adultery and the
inhabitants of the earth were intoxicated with the wine of her
adulteries."
-Revelation 17:2

Pope addressing United Nations session of the General Assembly

“For all the nations have drunk

the maddening wine of her adulteries.
The kings of the earth committed adultery with her…”
 -Revelation 18:3

“Neither shall he regard the God of his fathers, nor the desire
of women, nor regard
any god: for he shall magnify himself above all.”

The sex problems in the Catholic Church stem from forbidding their leaders to
marry. See 1Timothy 2:1-5.
 'Woe! Woe, O great city, dressed in fine linen, purple and
scarlet, and glittering with gold, precious stones and pearls!
-Revelation 18:6

What is the “mark of the beast”?

The pope is the antichrist