When studying our Bibles and history, we find that Satan has been very successful with his deceptions. He led one third of the angels to rebel against God. He tempted successfully Adam and Eve to turn against God. He led Cain to kill Abel. He caused Israel's first king to apostatize. He led the wisest man to build idols to worship and his father to murder a faithful servant. His greatest victory was to lead God's chosen people to put to death His dear Son, their Messiah.
Have we fully considered what he has done with Islam? We know that Islam is revealed in Daniel chapter 11 and in Revelation chapter 9. We know that the Prophet Mohammed taught that Jesus was a lessor prophet and the Koran supersedes the Bible. Muslims believe that Abraham's son Ishmael was the promised one, not Isaac.
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What we witness today is prophecy unfolding before our very eyes.
A counterfeit has been revealed.
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We also understand that God used Islam to block the spread of the papacy in the dark ages and allowed the Protestant Reformation to succeed and spread light around the world. Not all of the prophecy involving Islam has been fulfilled. What we witness today is prophecy unfolding before our very eyes. In the process we find that a counterfeit has been revealed.
Since the terrorist attack on America on 9/11, I have been sharing the truth about Islam's persecution of those who do not believe as they do, especially Muslims who leave Islam. I do so not so much to reveal what Islam is, but to reveal the truth about liberty of conscience and that there are other religions that are like Islam. They do not believe in religious freedom, nor do they believe in separation of church and state. We know that the test just before us will involve persecution of God's faithful by those
| The attention of the world is focused away from the beast power to the counterfeit. |
who will use the state to enforce a religious doctrine. As the world is horrified by what ISIS is doing, we have set before us the truth of what is to come upon all of the faithful, but not by way of Islam. The attention of the world is focused away from the beast power to the counterfeit. Meanwhile the "image to the beast" is being formed.
Yet, we have a wonderful opportunity to discuss the lie that is the underlying principle that Satan is using. We may point to the Protestant Reformation and the presentation of the truth that God does not want forced worship, but leaves man free to choose whom he will serve. Islam does not allow liberty of conscience, neither does the beast power. In their effort to convert Christians to Islam, ISIS attempts to force conversions through fear. But, their butchery is evoking a backlash from even Muslim nations. Some are infuriated over the horror of ISIS placing the Jordanian pilot in a cage and burning him alive. This is not the work of God, as some Muslims believe and is taught by Sharia law.
It is interesting to note that a Roman Catholic priest has something to say about liberty of conscience. Fr. Samir believes Muslims need to respect freedom of conscience and the rights of religious minorities. “The importance of liberty of conscience, few people feel that or understand it." “But the Pope is repeating it — and in my experience it is fundamental.” On the fifth anniversary of the 9/11 attack in America Pope Benedict spoke to the issue of Islam and their failure to allow religious freedom. On September 12, 2006, he addressed an audience of seminary students, professors, and theologians in the lecture hall of Regensburg in his native Bavaria. He stated
"No God can be the enemy of reason. No deity who desires but does not command the worship of free willed creatures could operate outside the realm of logic." - Pope Benedict
We must teach this principle and hold up these truths as presented by not only Roman priests, but by a pontiff himself. This brings us to what the current papal monarch has said publicly regarding freedom of religion. He condemned the violence done in the name of Allah when ISIS burned alive the Jordanian pilot, but he then went on to threaten you and me: If a friend "says a swear word against my mother, then a punch awaits him." "One cannot provoke, one cannot insult other people's faith, one cannot make fun of faith." It appears that the pope is saying you cannot kill one who insults your faith, but it is ok to exhibit violence against him. Seems inconsistent? We know the answer, but many do not. Here we see the greatest adversary of religious freedom is religion itself. Not all who profess to love and serve God do so in love. Some countries have strict laws enforcing freedom of religion. Others such as Islam have laws restricting religious liberty. The principles involved in this important subject will become more important as we near the end.In the time of the Reformers, some were afraid of the influence on the church of those in error, and hence special pain was taken to make iron rules that the common people should not read and interpret the Scriptures for themselves. Thus the church came to exercise tyranny over dissenters. . .
We should never let the impression prevail that only a privileged few have a knowledge of the Scriptures and that others must refer to these—one or another of their favorite ministers—as authority for their doctrines. People should be educated to search the Scriptures for themselves, to dare to think for themselves, taking the Bible as their guidebook, their standard of faith. Although heresy may lift its head boldly, and insult the truth by perverted ideas and false interpretations and misapplication of Scripture, there should be no suppression of religious freedom by reformers.
The church should ever bear in mind that they are never to ascribe to fallible mortals the unerring wisdom of the one living God. . . . We want all souls to have a pure gospel and to feel the necessity of searching the Scriptures for themselves, to know what saith the Lord, and bind themselves to the great heart of Infinite Love. Letter 12, 1890.We are nearing the end of time on this Earth as we know it. We have not done that which has been assigned to us. Soon our way is going to be much more difficult. Yesterday at the National Prayer Breakfast, the President of the United States gave us an opportunity to share truth in a most remarkable manner. He did what we could not do. He spoke a truth that all need to hear. He did not do it for God's glory, but he did it to lessen the image of evil being done by Muslims from Northern Africa, Europe, the Middle East, and all around the world. But, God wanted him to say what he said and will turn it to good. He said “humanity has been grappling with these questions throughout human history. And lest we get on our high horse and think this is unique to some other place, remember that during the Crusades and the Inquisition, people committed terrible deeds in the name of Christ.”
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They killed millions who would not give up their Bibles nor their faith. They too, burned alive those who would not recant.
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We are reminded of the work done by the Roman Catholic Church in the past. They killed millions who would not give up their Bibles nor their faith. They too, burned alive those who would not recant. Many do not know this history, others believe the Roman Church has changed. But, the pope's remarks about curtailing our freedom to speak about his church's failings reveal that she has not changed. And, despite what is uttered, we see other contradictory actions taken by the papacy. Under the rulership of Pope John Paul II we heard his call for the nations of the world to legislate a religious law, a Sunday law (Dies Domini, 5/31/98). The Roman Church has not changed, she seeks to force us to keep the Sunday holy.
Whenever the church has obtained secular power, she has employed it to punish dissent from her doctrines. Protestant churches that have followed in the steps of Rome by forming alliance with worldly powers, have manifested a similar desire to restrict liberty of conscience. An example of this is given in the long-continued persecution of dissenters by the Church of England. During the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, thousands of non-conformist ministers were forced to leave their churches, and many, both of pastors and people, were subjected to fine, imprisonment, torture, and martyrdom.
It was apostasy that led the early church to seek the aid of the civil government, and this prepared the way for the development of the papacy,—the beast. Said Paul, There shall “come a falling away, . . . and that man of sin be revealed.” [2 Thessalonians 2:3] So apostasy in the church will prepare the way for the image to the beast. And the Bible declares that before the coming of the Lord there will exist a state of religious declension similar to that in the first centuries. “In the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof.” [2 Timothy 3:1-5] “Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils.” [1 Timothy 4:1.] Satan will work “with all power and signs and lying wonders, and with all deceivableness of unrighteousness.” And all that “received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved,” will be left to accept “strong delusion, that they should believe a lie.” [2 Thessalonians 2:9-11.] When this state of ungodliness shall be reached, the same results will follow as in the first centuries. The Great Controversy, pgs. 443,444. Are we ready? Do we clearly see past the counterfeit to the real object of the usurper of the throne of God? The counterfeit, Islam, is only a marker of end time events, the real threat to the world is taking the stage and will soon manifest his power to deceive by working through apostate Protestantism and what used to be a "Protestant" government.
When Protestantism shall stretch her hand across the gulf to grasp the hand of the Roman power, when she shall reach over the abyss to clasp hands with Spiritualism, when, under the influence of this threefold union, our country shall repudiate every principle of its Constitution as a Protestant and Republican government, and shall make provision for the propagation of papal falsehoods and delusions, then we may know that the time has come for the marvelous working of Satan, and that the end is near. Testimonies, vol. 5, pg. 451.
The Roman Catholic pope has never been allowed to appear before the Congress of the United States, but that will soon change. Speaker of the House, John Boehner, has invited him and he will address Congress September 24. Boehner, a Republican and a Catholic, just announced “we’re humbled that the Holy Father has accepted our invitation and certainly look forward to receiving his message on behalf of the American people.” House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, a Democrat and also a Catholic, was equally delighted. “We are eager to welcome His Holiness to the U.S. Capitol and we look forward to hearing his call to live our values, to protect the poor and the needy, and to promote peace.”
That the law which was spoken by God's own voice is faulty, that some specification has been set aside, is the claim which Satan now puts forward. It is the last great deception that he will bring upon the world. He needs not to assail the whole law; if he can lead men to disregard one precept, his purpose is gained. For "whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all." James 2:10. By consenting to break one precept, men are brought under Satan's power. By substituting human law for God's law, Satan will seek to control the world. This work is foretold in prophecy. Of the great apostate power which is the representative of Satan, it is declared, "He shall speak great words against the Most High, and shall wear out the saints of the Most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand." Daniel 7:25.
Men will surely set up their laws to counterwork the laws of God. They will seek to compel the consciences of others, and in their zeal to enforce these laws they will oppress their fellow men.
The warfare against God's law, which was begun in heaven, will be continued until the end of time. Every man will be tested. Obedience or disobedience is the question to be decided by the whole world. All will be called to choose between the law of God and the laws of men. Here the dividing line will be drawn. There will be but two classes. Every character will be fully developed; and all will show whether they have chosen the side of loyalty or that of rebellion. Desire of Ages, pg. 763.
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