Gods Sabbath

466

E NTERING INTO G OD ’ S S ABBATH R EST

to the Romans if he had been right all along. Therefore, to their way of thinking, his imprisonment was certain evidence that the displeasure of God was upon him. On the other hand, none of their group had been apprehend ed or removed from office which, they believed, would have been the case if they, and not Paul, had been in the wrong. These developments were accepted as a mandate to work with even greater determination to enforce their authority in the church, and this led to increased separation from God. As a result of such position thinking, the spirituality in the church declined, and the leaders’ power over the people extended un til the papacy came to full flower. Thus Satan succeeded in es tablishing the mystery of iniquity within the church, thereby condemning the world to the horror of the long reign of Baby lonian supremacy. The transition did not take place overnight. It so subtly insinuated itself that few recognized its presence and peril. One of those who did, was the aging apostle John. After Paul’s death he wrote, saying: “This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world.” 1John 4:3. In this Scripture, John is making direct reference to the teaching which denies that Jesus Christ came in the flesh. “...and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God.” 1John 4:3 (NKJV). Although it may not be immediately obvious, there is a very close relation ship between this falsehood and the issues which led to Paul’s imprisonment. Those who deny that Christ came in the flesh re move Him from His place as the Connector between God and hu manity, and thus from His rightful position as Head of the church. That done, the next inevitable step is to replace Him with human beings who are keen to have His position, and this is the spirit of antichrist. It is the same spirit that put the lead ers of the apostolic church in Christ’s place. And it is this spirit that built the papacy. The Spirit of the Antichrist