There were many antichrists at John's time, but there is that antichrist which was yet future to John. So the confession follows this doctrine and calls the Pope of Rome that antichrist which is different from those many antichrists.
The doctrine of the antichrist must be known previously to the Christians, otherwise, John would not call it the antichrist. And it is not a light doctrine as Paul also mentioned that such doctrine was known to them already. Nothing else can better fulfill this prophecy other than the Pope of Rome sitting in the temple of God and nothing else can fulfill the apostate other than the Islam Religion. The claim of the Pope of Rome also proves that he takes the place of Christ among the people and robs the glory from Christ.
The revelation chapter is clear as the number of the antichrist is 666, it was already known in the 2nd centry that antichrist will come out of the Latin Church. The title of the woman also corresponds with the mystery of iniquity.
The futurists' antichrist view is the invention of the antichrist himself to fight against the reformers.
Yigang Xu
Husband of Yele, Father of Anna (07/17/08)
Westminster Presbyterian Church, Free Church of Scotland (Continuing)
Bethesda, Maryland
"Thou crownest the year with thy goodness; and thy paths drop fatness. They drop upon the pastures of the wilderness: and the little hills rejoice on every side." Psalm 65:10,11
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