Many years ago we bought our first home. It was an older house and needed a lot of upgrading, so we hired one of our neighbors to do some electrical work for us. Little did we know that we would soon be hearing for the first time that the Roman Catholic Pope was Antichrist!
Our neighbor witnessed to us and gave us some literature. After reading it I remember hiding it in the bottom drawer of my nightstand. I remember thinking what would someone think if they found that kind of literature in our possession! As a Roman Catholic I considered it almost sacrilegious even though I wasn’t a devout Roman Catholic.
It’s interesting that in today’s church world our leaders would never consider saying any Pope was Antichrist. In contrast some (more than some) call the Popes our brethren! But those Godly men of days gone by knew better.
It is so important to share the truth with Roman Catholics. We never know whose heart will be touched by hearing the truth about Roman Catholicism. One plants, another waters and God gives the increase (1 Corinthians 3:6). In our day Roman Catholics are being robbed of a Gospel witness. Many pastors and leaders in today’s church are the cause for this. How tragic is that?
Years after this incident my husband and I were truly born again. We ran into our neighbor one day and told him we were saved. But he was no longer of the same opinion regarding Rome. He now appeared to be Rome friendly!
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2 Thessalonians 2:4 Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.
Albert Barnes Commentary:
Who opposeth – That is, he is distinguished as an opposer of the great system which God has revealed for human salvation, and of those who would serve God in purity in the gospel of his Son.
No Protestant will doubt that this has been the character of the papacy.
The opposition of the general system to the gospel; the persecution of Wycliffe, of John Huss, of Jerome of Prague, of the Waldenses and the Reformers; the Inquisition, the cruelties in the reign of Mary (Queen of Scots), and the massacre of Bartholomew in France, are obvious illustrations of this.
PEACEMAKERS 
it must have been so disheartening for you to run into that neighbour again Cathy, discovering what you did. But thank God, He brought you into the truth. You are not alone!
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Thank you, Elizabeth. We were quite surprised at our neighbor’s reaction, especially considering the material he had given us in the past. I don’t think we realized at the time how ecumenical the church had become. He apparently was affected by the call for unity. So very sad.
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It’s almost as if saying the Pope is Antichrist is archaic!!
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Yes, so true!!
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Thanks for sharing this. Today’s seeker sensitive mega-churches make zero mention of the Reformation (interferes with ecumenical unity) and most certainly would not allow references to the pope as a type of anti-Christ, which was standard belief among the early and later Reformers.
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So true.
Our neighbor became Rome friendly years later. He may have been influenced by Promise Keepers. These “movements” and compromising pastors have a tremendous influence on believers. When we come along with truth few will listen.
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