Page 505 - Way of Life Encyclopedia of the Bible Christianity. Based on the King James Bible

PROPHECY

or supreme Pontiff (General History of the Church, Because Rome everywhere has accustomed people to
Darras, II, p. 232). At the same time, there was a gross think of Him as the Son of Mary” (Ironside).
breakdown of separation from the world (the doctrine Sardis (Re. 3:1-6) -- A partial, insufficient
of Balaam), and unregenerate pagans were brought into reformation. This church had a name that it was alive,
church membership and their pagan practices, such as but it was actually dead (Rev 3:1). Its works were not
prayers to the dead and veneration of relics, were perfect before Christ (Re. 3:2). The church was told to
Christianized and adopted into the churches. remember the first works, referring to the New
“Constantine’s patronage did what Diocletian’s Testament pattern given by the apostles (Re. 3:3). All of
persecution could not do: it corrupted the church, and these things are characteristic of the denominations that
she forgot her calling as a chaste virgin espoused to an arose out of the Protestant Reformation in the 16th to
absent Lord. Then she gave her hand in marriage to the the 18th centuries. They left the Catholic Church and
world that had crucified Him, thus entering into an rejected some of Rome’s false beliefs and practices, but
unholy alliance of which she has never really they did not return to the pure apostolic model. They
repented” (Ironside). held to infant baptism, a special priesthood, sacraments,
Thyatira (Re. 2:18-29) -- The Jezebel spirit; idolatry, liturgy, and other errors. They established state churches
fornication, and involvement in satanic things. Jezebel and brought the unsaved into church membership by
brought fornication and idolatry into the churches and the rite of infant baptism. Thus, though they had a
was associated with “the depths of Satan” (Re. 2:20, 24). name that they lived, they were largely dead. “Nothing
These practices, which began in earlier periods, became could describe ‘Protestantism’ more accurately! As over
settled doctrine as the first millennium proceeded and against Romish night and ignorance, she has
the second began. Fornication became rampant in the enlightenment and outward activity: the great ‘state
Roman Catholic Church because of its unscriptural churches,’ or ‘denominations,’ with creeds and histories,
doctrine of celibacy and confession to a priest. The costly churches and cathedrals, universities and
fornication surrounding the papacy itself has been well seminaries, ‘boards,’ bureaus of publication and
documented. Idolatry became rife and Mary was exalted propaganda, executors of organized activities, including
as the chief idol. “Whoredom, witchcraft, religious home and foreign missions, even ‘lobby’ men to
fasts,--and murdering God’s prophets,--this was Jezebel. ‘influence legislation’ at court! You and I dare compare
Is not this also Rome? Jezebel also supported a horde of the Church with no other model than the Holy Spirit
idolatrous priests of her own--Babylonians all” (Newell). gave at Pentecost and in Paul’s day! And compared to
“During this period also there began that exaltation of that--it has a name, but is dead” (Newell). “Nothing can
Mary the mother of our Lord which has tended to exalt be much sadder than vast congregations of people who
her to the plane of a female deity through whom are baptized, banded together as Christians, ‘taking the
intercession to God should be made, and apart from sacrament’ of the Lord’s Supper, zealous for church and
whose favor there can be no salvation. The prominence Christianity, and yet largely devoid of personal, saving
of a woman prophetess in the church at Thyatira faith in Christ--trusting in forms, ceremonies, and what
anticipates the prominence of this unscriptural some people have called ‘birthright membership’ rather
exaltation of Mary” (Walvoord). “Jezebel was adept in than in new birth through the Word and the Spirit of
the art of mixing. She undertook to unite the religion of God” (Ironside).
Israel and the religion of Phoenicia. That is just what Philadelphia (Re. 3:7-13) -- The churches that keep
Romanism is--a mixture of heathenism, Christianity, and God’s Word (Re. 3:8) and escape the great tribulation
Judaism. It is not Christianity--yet there is in it quite a (Re. 3:10). This depicts the remnant of sound churches
bit that is Christian. From where did its superstition and that remain true to God until the Rapture. From the fact
image worship come? It was all taken from heathenism that Jesus’ promise to the church at Philadelphia
under the plea that it would help to convert the pagans. obviously looks beyond anything that was experienced
The church became very accommodating. In the fourth, in that church historically and can only apply directly to
fifth, and sixth centuries, we find the church churches existing at the time of the Rapture (“I also will
compromising with heathen rites and heathen keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come
ceremonies to such a degree that, by the seventh upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth,”
century, one could hardly tell heathen from Christian Re. 3:10), we see that there will be Philadelphia
temples. The amalgamation is such that it is almost churches existing in the darkest hours at the end of the
impossible to separate the one from the other. ... When church age. Many people today have abandoned the
He addresses Himself to the church of Thyatira, Christ church as an institution, but Jesus said, “I will build my
speaks solemnly as ‘the Son of God.’ Why does the Lord church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against
Jesus Christ emphasize the fact of His deity here? it” (Mt. 16:18), and He promised that He would be with

Way of Life Encyclopedia of the Bible & Christianity 505