Knowing the Church Series
The Church of the Last Days and Doctrines of Demons
Like in all teachings, Jesus' Anthropology was second to none. "Seeing the people, He felt compassion for them, because they were distressed and dispirited like sheep without a shepherd." (John 9:36). An accurate condition of the people is what Jesus saw when He, the supreme shepherd, was present with them. The testimony of God's Word, which is of God Himself, is mankind will always believe the lie over the truth of God because, by nature, mankind believes what their father, the devil, speaks.
"You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies." (John 8:44).
History always repeats itself; God raises a generation that follows Him as the remnant under Joshua rose to enter the promised land. The next generation (Judges 2) does not know the works of God as they are born to Adam's race, and apart from an experience of rebirth, they only have the heart to follow their father, the devil. Repeatedly, the devil tells lies that sound true to the people concerning the Christian faith, but alas, they lead the people astray.
In time, much of the Protestant Church faced the same deadly fate that occurred in the Roman Catholic Church. The message from Christ to these Churches from Revelation 3:1-2 is this. "'...I know your deeds, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead. 'Wake up...". Much of this death occurred due to the church form changing but not the salvation of the people. Furthermore, in the 19th Century, higher criticism wreaked havoc with the scriptures in the eyes of Protestant leaders. This movement was of the devil and a direct assault upon the Bible. As a result, evolution was allowed to grab a footing and, in the 20th Century, destroyed all faith in the scriptures.
The Church of Reformed Doctrines You Need to Know
If you have an ear to hear, hear what God says to the churches of Pergamum. "...I have a few things against you because you have there some who hold the teaching of Balaam, who kept teaching Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols..." (Revelation 2:14). The TV series Touched by an Angel aired from 1994 to 2003. The idol of Free Will was held high, as it is in a great many churches.
The lost always follow along like lost sheep not having a shepherd. However, The Reformation cleared the air of this heresy that put men in a position of authority concerning the state of their souls. Nevertheless, it repeatedly rears its ugly head as Father Satan sounds his seductive voice. Unfortunately, some authentic believers can also be carried along by his lies.
The Church of Active Learners You Need to Know
There are two distinct ways of following Jesus:
1) The Way of the Passive Follower. This individual of conviction is passionate about what he believes. This person is not because he is an ardent reader of men from other ages, seeking with a whole heart to find the truth buried under an avalanche of lies. Rather, because he is a Sunday afternoon couch sleeping, tired from running with the world, and satisfied to believe the pastor who follows their denominational and University professors instead of seeking God with a whole heart. Alas, I am afraid that I cannot answer the question, are these individuals in the kingdom of God? There are teachings so tightly woven into the fabric of the Gospel that to separate too far from them may mean the soul was never saved, but only Jesus Christ knows the depths of a man's soul and such judgment I must leave up to Him. However, you can find many such followers in (John 6:60-66).
2) The Way of the Active Learner. The individual made humble by the grace of God, once lost in his sins and found by the love and forgiveness of Jesus Christ, is not a passive follower. Such an individual can lose his way but will always return to the Savior of his soul. Such was my experience more than once. An active learner can slide off the highway of holiness (Isaiah 35:8). Nevertheless, Jehovah Quadesh (The LORD that sanctifies), in His plan to sanctify those who belong to Him, will bring them back to the highway and as a better person.
The Last Word You Need to Know in this Lesson
As wonderfully portrayed in Pilgrims Progress, there are always many snares and temptations along the road for the follower of Christ in this wicked world. The followers of Jesus Christ should be passionate about the Church being filled with authentic followers and not allow those who merely think they are in the kingdom the tragedy of self-deception. Furthermore, in our passion for Christ's Church to be holy and pleasing to Him, we must not overstep our duty to judge superficially.
"...the one who examines me is the Lord. Therefore, do not go on passing judgment before the time, but wait until the Lord comes who will both bring to light the things hidden in the darkness and disclose the motives of men's hearts; and then each man's praise will come to him from God. (1 Corinthians 4:4-5). We are commanded to be people of discerning judgment, which we should carry out for God's glory. The line we should never cross is the motives of a person's heart. We inspect the fruit, never a person's heart. The Church you need to know is one of a discerning spirit and not lost in the devil's lies.
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