Chapter 4
The Second Phase Completed
For centuries, Satan had attempted to destroy the Church by persecution. Now the tide of battle has shifted. "Christianity" and paganism are both accepted forms of worship. The resurgent power of the church was briefly halted with the crowning of Julian as Emperor. He was known as "the Apostate," because he tried to cause paganism to recapture the Roman Empire.
He was followed by the Emperor Theodosius, and it was during his reign that Satan's brilliant strategy was completed. Around the year 385 A.D., the institutional church was declared to be the State Religion of Imperial Rome.
At first glance it might seem that paganism has gone down to defeat; but it soon becomes apparent that the reverse is actually true. During the last century the pagan would have never dreamed of being a Christian for it would have meant persecution - but in this new society becoming a Christian is the formula for instant success. So the pagan submits to Baptism (a little water never hurt anyone) and joins the church. He brings with him some pagan concepts of religion - his prayer beads and a little holy water. A pagan priest brings in his vestments; another his forty day fast for the slain redeemer; another his candles, incense and bells. Another pagan had special devotion to the Queen of Heaven, and since excesses originated by Irenaeus and Ignatius had already placed Mary in an unscriptural position, this adapts very well with this pagan's love for Astarte.
Those in the institutionalized church, who did not have any reality of Christ's salvation or God's presence, were probably glad to have these visible material aids to worship, and their priests assured them that these pagan practices were "baptized" or "Christianized."
Christianity did not triumph over paganism. Pagan concepts so streamed into the Imperial Church of the 4th century that this Church of Rome was a core of paganism with a thin veneer of professing Christianity. It can be demonstrated that this Imperial Church was the beginning of what is now the Roman Catholic Church.
While Roman Catholic theologians declare that their church was founded in 33 A.D., Catholic historians will trace their Church back to this point when giving a political chronology of Romanism. I have never heard historian or theologian deny that the Roman Catholic Church became state religion of the Roman Empire in 385 A.D.
The doctrinal errors prevalent in Rome today are indicative of every error that has been found in Satan's Mystery of Iniquity. Instead of salvation by Grace, there is salvation by a curious mixture of grace and works. Instead of Justification by Faith, there is Justification by Observances; instead of the pure Word of God, there is a combination of Bible and Tradition, with a third authority, the Church Magisterium, to interpret them. The prophetic words of Paul (Acts 20:29,30) and Peter (II Peter 2:1) are seen in Rome. Perverse things are spoken - doctrines like Papal Infallibility, Marian Assumption, Purgatorial Fires. Damnable heresies (heresies that damn) are in abundance, for there is no possible way for the doctrinal structure of Rome to bring salvation. That is because they cannot present anything truly infinite (they call the Mass infinite but disprove its infinity by doing it again). Satan is limited because he is finite, and Roman Catholicism is a religion of the finite. Because they deny the infinity of the Lord Jesus Christ (one priest said He had done 90% of the work for our salvation) they are fulfilling II Peter 2:1.
Roman Catholic scholars, in tracing back the systems of sacramentals that aid in the salvation of her people, have made startling discoveries. Cardinal Newman in The Development of Christian Doctrine, page 359, states: "Temples, incense, lamps, candles, votive offerings, holy water, asylums, holy days and seasons, processions, blessings on the fields, sacerdotal vestments, the tonsure, the ring in marriage, turning to the East, images and the Kyrie Elieson are all of pagan origin." Msgr. Sullivan, in The Externals of the Catholic Church, states "From about the 4th century, Lent became a fast of 40 days" (p. 209); "The Agnus Dei was devised as a substitute for pagan relics" (p. 272); "Bells are said to have been used by the ancient Egyptians in the worship of their god Osiris. Moses, who had been educated in the priestly classes of Egypt,introduced them into the ceremonial of the Jewish religion (and thence to the Christian Church)" (p. 238). (Note: this last assertion is nonsense, as the use of bells in the Mosaic code was of Divine origin and Mosaic ceremonials were banned from the Christian Church in the Jerusalem Council (Acts 15). We see bells as a direct contribution of Osiris worshippers to the Church of Imperial Rome. They were introduced to churches around 400 A.D.) Msgr. Sullivan further admits that candles are of pagan origin, and, regarding Holy Water he says, "thus it is true that some Catholic rites are a reproduction of those pagan creeds." He supports the Rosary by mentioning Buddhist prayer beads, and says that repetition in prayer is a very ancient custom (see Matthew 6:7).
In all of this we can see Satan's completed phase two. First, he began a pagan religion through man's disobedience, and now through man's disobedience he was able to merge that paganism with a professing Christian church.
Roman Catholic scholars admit that their Church developed or evolved over the centuries. Karl Adam wrote in The Spirit of Catholicism, page 2, "We Catholics acknowledge readily without shame, nay with pride, that Catholicism cannot be identified simply and wholly with primitive Christianity, nor even with the Gospel of Christ." As we trace this development we say that it is, without exception, unscriptural and always militating directly against the Lordship of Christ.
Now the stage is set. Much will happen before the final curtain falls on Satan's Mystery of Iniquity. It is during this period of time that the true Church of Jesus Christ goes forth to continue The Battle of Eternity, in a continued quest for true Biblical evangelism.
In order to understand this and be effective as ambassadors for Christ, we will endeavor to give some guidance and help in recognizing the present need and being faithful witnesses for the Lord Jesus Christ in our age.