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Revolution, in the rise and spread of Masonry, in Soviet Russia, or in lesser phenomena" (The In-
terpretation of St. Paul's Epistles, p. 433).

Has this "falling away" already happened -- or is it still in the future? Those who have
studied church history know the answer. The original New Testament Church of Yehovah was
filled with truth and spiritual power. But as time passed by, even as the inspired apostles had
warned (Acts 20:29-30; 1 Timothy 4:1-3; 2 Peter 2:2-3), there began to be subtle departures from
the true faith. The mystery of iniquity was at work. Compromises were made with paganism. Fi-
nally, what the world recognized as the "Church" in the fourth and fifth centuries had actually be-
come the FALLEN church. Only if Christianity had remained doctrinally pure through all the
centuries until now, could the apostasy be yet future. This has obviously not been the case.

As the falling away gathered steam, the bishop of Rome rose to power claiming to be
"Bishop of bishops" and insisted that the whole Christian world should look to him as head -- and
to ROME as the headquarters for the church. Through the ensuing centuries this apostasy has con-
tinued with a "man," at Rome, exalting himself above all others, claiming Divine honors and wor-
ship -- a continual reminder for those with the eyes to see that this falling away took place
centuries ago.

Thomas Newton wrote: "If the apostasy be rightly charged upon the church of Rome, it fol-
lows that the man of sin is the pope, not meaning this or that pope in particular, but the pope in
general, as the chief head and supporter of this apostasy. The apostasy produces him and he pro-
motes the apostasy" (op. cit.). Albert Barnes expressed it this way: "That his [the pope's] rise was
preceded by a great apostasy, or departure from the purity of the simple gospel, as revealed in the
New Testament, cannot reasonably be doubted by anyone acquainted with the history of the church.
That he is the creation or result of that apostasy, is equally clear" (op. cit., p. 1112)

The Temple of Yehovah

As noted in Paul's prophecy, the man of sin was to "exalt himself above all...in the temple
of God" (2 Thessalonians 2:4). Futurists suppose that Paul was speaking of a future Jewish Tem-
ple in Jerusalem; but, unless this verse is the exception, Paul NEVER applied this term to the
physical Jewish Temple! Repeatedly he used this expression in reference to Yehovah's chosen
people, to the Church -- never to a literal building. Notice --

"Don't you know that you people are God's temple and that God's spirit lives in you? So
if anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy him. For God's temple is holy, and you
yourselves are that temple" (1 Corinthians 3:16-17).

"Or don't you know that your body is a temple for the Ruach HaKodesh who lives inside
you, whom you received from God?" (1 Corinthians 6:19).

"You yourselves, as living stones, are being built into a spiritual house [temple] to be
cohanim [priests] set apart for God to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to him through
Yeshua the Messiah" (1 Peter 2:5).

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