The Faith Of The Historic Christian Churches
This doctrine is written into the Historic Creeds and Confessions of all those Churches which held, in their earliest days, the Bible to be the Sole Rule of Faith and Practice.
Dr. Ian R.K. Paisley
EPISCOPALIAN
The Irish Articles adopted by the Archbishops, Bishops and Convocation of the Irish Episcopal Church and approved by the Viceroy in 1615 state:-
Article 79: The power which the Bishop of Rome now challengeth to be supreme head of the universal Church of Christ, and to be above all emperors, kings, and princes, is a usurped power, contrary to the Scriptures and Word of God, and contrary to the example of the Primitive Church; and therefore is for most just causes taken away and abolished within the King's Majesty's realms and dominions.
Article 80: The Bishop of Rome is so far from being the supreme head of the universal Church of Christ, that his works and doctrine do plainly discover him to be that 'man of sin' foretold in the holy Scriptures, 'whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of His mouth, and abolish with the brightness of His coming.'
PRESBYTERIAN
Westminster Confession of Faith Chapter 25 paragraph VI:-
VI. There is no other head of the Church but the Lord Jesus Christ: nor can the Pope of Rome, in any sense be head thereof; but is that Antichrist, that man of sin and son of perdition, that exalteth himself in the church against Christ, and all that is called God.
CONGREGATIONAL
Savoy Declaration, Chapter 26 paragraph IV:-
IV. There is no other head of the Church but the Lord Jesus Christ; nor can the Pope of Rome in any sense be head thereof; but it (he) is that Antichrist, that man of sin and son of perdition that exalteth himself in the Church against Christ, and all that is called God, whom the Lord shall destroy with the brightness of His coming.
BAPTIST
The Baptist Confession of 1688, Chapter 26 paragraph 4:-
4. The Lord Jesus Christ is the head of the Church, in whom, by the appointment of the Father, all power for the calling, institution, order or government of the Church is invested in a supreme and sovereign manner; neither can the Pope of Rome, in any sense, be head thereof, but is no other than Antichrist, that man of sin and son of perdition, that exalteth himself in the Church against Christ, and all that is called God: whom the Lord shall destroy with the brightness of His coming.
METHODIST
Notes of John Wesley on the New Testament II Thessalonians 2:3:-
"However, in many respects, the Pope has an indisputable claim to those titles. He is, in an emphatical sense, the man of sin, as he increases all manner of sin above measure. And he is, too, properly styled, the son of perdition, as he has caused the death of numberless multitudes, both of his opposers and followers, destroyed innumerable souls, and will himself perish everlastingly. He it is that opposeth himself to the emperor, once his rightful sovereign; and that exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped. Commanding angels and putting kings under his feet, both of whom are called gods in scripture; claiming the highest power, the highest honour; suffering himself, not once only, to be styled God or vice-God. Indeed no less is implied in his ordinary title, 'Most Holy Lord,' or 'Most Holy Father,' so that he sitteth enthroned in the temple of God, mentioned in Rev. 11:1. Declaring himself that he is God - claiming the prerogatives which belong to God alone."
The Translators who produced the Genevan Version of the Holy Scriptures and the Translators who produced the Authorised Version all believed that the Pope was the Antichrist.
This doctrine is written into the Historic Creeds and Confessions of all those Churches which held, in their earliest days, the Bible to be the Sole Rule of Faith and Practice.
Dr. Ian R.K. Paisley
EPISCOPALIAN
The Irish Articles adopted by the Archbishops, Bishops and Convocation of the Irish Episcopal Church and approved by the Viceroy in 1615 state:-
Article 79: The power which the Bishop of Rome now challengeth to be supreme head of the universal Church of Christ, and to be above all emperors, kings, and princes, is a usurped power, contrary to the Scriptures and Word of God, and contrary to the example of the Primitive Church; and therefore is for most just causes taken away and abolished within the King's Majesty's realms and dominions.
Article 80: The Bishop of Rome is so far from being the supreme head of the universal Church of Christ, that his works and doctrine do plainly discover him to be that 'man of sin' foretold in the holy Scriptures, 'whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of His mouth, and abolish with the brightness of His coming.'
PRESBYTERIAN
Westminster Confession of Faith Chapter 25 paragraph VI:-
VI. There is no other head of the Church but the Lord Jesus Christ: nor can the Pope of Rome, in any sense be head thereof; but is that Antichrist, that man of sin and son of perdition, that exalteth himself in the church against Christ, and all that is called God.
CONGREGATIONAL
Savoy Declaration, Chapter 26 paragraph IV:-
IV. There is no other head of the Church but the Lord Jesus Christ; nor can the Pope of Rome in any sense be head thereof; but it (he) is that Antichrist, that man of sin and son of perdition that exalteth himself in the Church against Christ, and all that is called God, whom the Lord shall destroy with the brightness of His coming.
BAPTIST
The Baptist Confession of 1688, Chapter 26 paragraph 4:-
4. The Lord Jesus Christ is the head of the Church, in whom, by the appointment of the Father, all power for the calling, institution, order or government of the Church is invested in a supreme and sovereign manner; neither can the Pope of Rome, in any sense, be head thereof, but is no other than Antichrist, that man of sin and son of perdition, that exalteth himself in the Church against Christ, and all that is called God: whom the Lord shall destroy with the brightness of His coming.
METHODIST
Notes of John Wesley on the New Testament II Thessalonians 2:3:-
"However, in many respects, the Pope has an indisputable claim to those titles. He is, in an emphatical sense, the man of sin, as he increases all manner of sin above measure. And he is, too, properly styled, the son of perdition, as he has caused the death of numberless multitudes, both of his opposers and followers, destroyed innumerable souls, and will himself perish everlastingly. He it is that opposeth himself to the emperor, once his rightful sovereign; and that exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped. Commanding angels and putting kings under his feet, both of whom are called gods in scripture; claiming the highest power, the highest honour; suffering himself, not once only, to be styled God or vice-God. Indeed no less is implied in his ordinary title, 'Most Holy Lord,' or 'Most Holy Father,' so that he sitteth enthroned in the temple of God, mentioned in Rev. 11:1. Declaring himself that he is God - claiming the prerogatives which belong to God alone."
The Translators who produced the Genevan Version of the Holy Scriptures and the Translators who produced the Authorised Version all believed that the Pope was the Antichrist.
