THE GOOD SIDE OF EVIL (REVISED) AND THE AFFECT OF THE CORONAVIRUS ON THE CHURCH!
Previous church data, before COVID-19, has shown that church attendance was on the decline: we’re speaking in terms of foot traffic in and out of the physical church building. Nona Jones, author of From Social Media to Social Ministry: A Guide to Digital Discipleship, stated, “With every technological innovation, church leaders have braced themselves for a mass exodus because technology makes access to information easier.”
Her point is well taken: Pastors are prayerfully concerned that, if too many members, stay home, to be churched via social media, they run the risk of falling into the trap that Jesus and the Apostle Paul, took heart, in warning the church, of false teachers and the need of that personal fellowship, as expressed in Hebrews 10:25, “And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of His return is drawing near.”
[With that in mind] The Christian researcher and pollster George Barna said 93 percent of Americans believe in God, unfortunately (says Barna) 53 percent also believe “That all people pray to the same God or spirit, no matter what name they use for that spiritual being.” [Saints, things are so out of control in the world today, that the world has opened the door for the advance for-runners of Anti-Christ.]
We in Christendom know beyond a shadow of doubt that people who say all religions led to the same God are spiritually deceived, but the word of God says in 2 Corinthians 4:3-4,” … If our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: In whom the God of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God should shine unto them.”
Throughout America many are praying or chanting to a ‘supreme being,’ a so-called ‘higher power,’ that isn’t the God of the Bible-the God of Abraham, Issac, Jacob, the Father of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Some in this group flock home in the evening to turn on their televisions to hear the medium James Van Praagh speak to the dead; some give more allegiance to the work of Angels in their lives than the AWESOME love and presence of the Holy Spirit; and others falling prey to false teachers who are telling viewers they’re on the cutting-edge of new emerging revelation, that’s soothing to the human consciousness. (Romans 16:17-18, “And now I make one more appeal, my dear brothers and sisters. Watch out for people who cause divisions and upset people’s faith by teaching things contrary to what you have been taught. Stay away from them. Such people are not serving Christ our Lord; they are serving their own personal interests. By smooth talk and glowing words they deceive innocent people.”)
Where is all this leading us – to the repackaging of the New Age … which is the real hidden agenda. We can see this transformation here in America. Why do I make such a BOLD statement? Because America has been transformed from a Christian nation, as George Barna has pointed out, to a spiritually diverse society.
When did ALL of this happen, you may be asking? [Shockingly], in the mid 1990’s George Barna reported that 62 percent of born-again Christians believe that “There is no such thing, as ‘absolute truth.’” In 1999, just as disturbingly, he reported that 45 percent of those that classify themselves as born-again, believe that just “being good” will earn a person a place in heaven.
How is this New Age Movement that’s picking up momentum being so successful? Simply by using clever languages and wording? For example, the Modernist say, “As far as our minds will take us, that’s how far we can go.” The Post-Modernist came along and said, “We can’t really know what God was saying, because words can have such a wide range of meaning.” Now reality based faith, comes along and says, “The way I see things, are the way they are, regardless of what anyone says.” This New Age teaching generates our $1 billion annually in book sales because a growing number of people said they feel the need for spiritual growth, and they’re attempting to fill that need by adopting beliefs and practices of the New Age Movement.
The Word of God warns us in I Timothy 4:1-2, “Now the Holy Spirit tells us clearly that in the last times some will turn away from the true faith; they will follow deceptive spirits and teachings that come from demons.These people are hypocrites and liars, and their consciences are dead.” In a nutshell, we’re being told that, in the last day some shall depart from the faith, giving need to seducing and doctrines of devils. They will look you square in the face, tell you the biggest lie and not give it a second thought.
Remember, we’re talking about a disguised New Age Movement under the umbrella of a Christian concept called, ‘The Emerging Church.’ Why do I call this movement the good side of evil? I’ll explain: A couple of years back, a leading Christian magazine, Christianity Today published a major cover story, introducing the Emerging Church to its readers. One of the movement’s notable leaders [Pastor Rob Bell] was called upon to explain this new concept.
First, let me tell you who Rob and his wife [Kristen] Bell are. They’re the husband and wife team who founded Mars Hill Bible Church in Grand Rapids, Michigan-one of the fastest growing and most influential emerging churches in America.
The articles goes on to say, “The Mars Hill Church took root during the period when the Bells found themselves increasingly uncomfortable with church. Kristine stated that life in the church had become so small. It had worked for me for a long time.” Then it stopped working. The Bells started questioning their assumptions about the Bible itself – discovering the Bible as a human interest piece of work rather than a collection of writings inspired by God, but written by Holy men who were moved by the Holy Ghost. The Bells went on the say, “The Bible is still the center for us, but it’s a different kind of center. We want to embrace its mysteries instead of trying to conquer it.” Mrs. Bell concludes the article by saying, “I grew up thinking that we figured out the Bible, that we knew what it means. Now, I have no idea what most of it means. And yet, I feel like life is big again … like life use to be Black and White and now it’s in color.”
Remember, we’re talking about the good side of evil, the Bells church [as I stated earlier], is one of America’s fastest growing congregation in what’s called the Emerging church. This style of church has an unhealthy preparation with mystery, doubtfulness, uncertainties about the Bible and its divine authority. Biblical “TRUTH” is portrayed as fuzzy and open to any and all interpretations.
Apostle Peter said, “Know this first, that no prophecy of scripture is of any interpretation, for prophecy never came by the will of man, but Holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.” [2 Peter 1:20-21]
Let’s break down these verses for a better understanding of what the apostle was saying:
“Knowing this first” – a call to recognize His truth as priority that scripture is not of human origin.
“That no prophecy of scripture” – all scripture refers primarily to Old Testament and then to New Testament. [Implied]
“Private Interpretation” – Greek word for ‘Interpretation’ carries the idea of untying Something: so it’s saying, no scripture is the result of any human untying the truth. [Peter’s point is not so much about how to interpret scripture, but rather how scripture originated, what was its source.]
The Emerging Church teaches that there is no ABSOLUE TRUTH theological or doctrinal; that ALL TRUTH is open for debate and discussion. This shouldn’t be a surprise to us, who are serious students of God’s Word, because the Word of God, itself declared that one of Satan’s tactics in the end time would be to wage an all-out assault on Biblical TRUTH in the church, with his ministers disguised as ‘Angels of Light.’
The Apostle Paul in 2 Corinthians 2:13-15 spoke well of who Satan would use in the last days to infiltrate the true church. He called them, “False apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.”
To simplify what the Apostle was saying: The false apostles are identified as deceitful workers (v.13), because they would transform themselves into the likeness of the apostles of Christ, and though they were the ministers of Satan, would seem to be the ministers of righteousness. They would be as vigorous in promoting error as the apostle were in preaching truth; they would endeavor as much to undermine the kingdom of Christ as the apostles did to establish it.
There were counterfeit prophets under the Old Testament, who wore the garb and learned the language of the prophets of the Lord. Remember Apostle John 2:19, “They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would [no doubt] have continued with us: but [they went out], that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.”
So there were counterfeit apostles under the New Testament, who seemed in many respects like the true apostles of Christ. And no marvel (says the apostle); especially when we consider the great influence Satan has upon the minds of many, who rules in the heats of the children of disobedience. As he can make himself look sometimes like an angel of light, in order to promote his kingdom of darkness, so he will teach his ministers to do the same. But it follows, their end is according to their works (v. 15); the end will discover them to be deceitful workers, and their work will end in ruin and destruction.
Saints, we know that if God didn’t spare those in the Bible that did what we might consider good things, because they didn’t follow His instructions, we know that those Satan has commissioned to do his work will be punished on that day.
Now concerning someone that seemed to have done a good thing but it cost him his life, let’s consider Uzzah in 2 Samuel 6. In this passage, we find a group of Israelites that are trying to carry God’s Ark (which represents His presence) but did not follow His commandments. Let me explain… These guys decided to put God on a cart and carry Him by the hands of the sanctified Levites, and they grabbed the handles that were attached to it, then someone had the bright idea to place the Ark on a cart and drive it by oxen. Well, when the cart hit a bump, the Ark is thrown off balance and Uzzah reached out to stabilize it. When he touched it, he was instantly struck with dead!
People are hurting in this world and they’re beginning to hear good things about the church and Christendom in general, although, they’re coming from a background of reincarnation, astrology, etc, they too have fallen for the good side of evil in what is called “Christian” Psychics. [Marcia Montenegro, an occultist turned Christian and author of the best seller book, Spell bound: The Paranormal Seduction of Today’s Kids put it [somewhat] this way:
The term “Christian psychics” is an oxymoron: of late, more and more Christians are going to psychics and mediums who claim their gift is from God. But God would not give a gift that He condemns – in Deuteronomy 18:9-14, “When thou art come into the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not learn to do after the abominations of those nations. There shall not be found among you [any one] that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, [or] that useth divination, [or] an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch, or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer. For all that do these things [are] an abomination into the LORD: and because of these abominations the LORD thy God doth drive them out from before thee. Thou shalt be perfect with the LORD thy God. For these nations, which thou shalt possess, hearkened unto observers of times, and into diviners: but as for thee, the LORD thy God hath not suffered thee so [to do].” James 1:17 tells us that “good and perfect gifts” are from God. At best psychic are about 75 percent accurate. (Biblical prophets are 100 percent accurate.)
God
The plan of the New World Religious Order is based on certain practices such as meditation, yoga, hypnosis, and positive thinking.
The Feminist movement, who is part of the New World Order is already demanding that Christians faith be replaced by “mother nature” instead of the God of Creation; and the truth of the matter – Everything that is happening in my life, “I’m making all of it happen (good and bad) and I have the choice of how I’ll relate to it and what I’ll do about it.” This sounds good in the sense of someone taking responsibility for their own actions; but in essence, God is the one ingredient removed from this equation.
What does the New World Religion think about God? For one thing, God is not a supreme being distinct from creation – HE IS CREATION! And everyone is part of that creation. This is known in theology as Pantheism. World scholars are now saying that the worldview here in the United States has switched from Atheism (which says, man is the measuring stick for all things) to Pantheism (which says man is God.)
The God of Holy Scripture is a personal Father, that’s why we pray “Our Father.” The New World Religion can’t get pass the first five words in the Bible: In the beginning God created”, because they see God as part of creation.
Jesus Christ
What does the New World Religion think about Jesus Christ (our savior)? They deny His deity by distinguishing between “Jesus” and “Christ” They say Jesus was simply an unusual man, who had great ideals within Him as we all do, so it’s the Christ ideal that matters; and whether or not Christ existed is not important.
To us that believe, we know the Bible teaches that Jesus Christ is God. And that He took upon Himself human form to redeem mankind from sin’s penalty. We know also that Biblical Christianity is concerned about preparing people for eternity.
Have Sex, Do Drugs, Speaker tells Students:
Men with men, women and women, whatever combination you would like.
A guest speaker at an assembly at Boulder High School in Colorado has told students as young as 14 to go have sex and use drugs. The instructions came from Joel Becher, an associate clinical professor of psychology at the University of California at Los Angeles.
Becker was part of a panel of experts sponsored by the University of Colorado’s Conference on World Affairs; which has been described as a forum for anything. The conference was begun in 1948 to discuss international affairs, but has expanded to become a conference, as it describes itself, on “Everything Conceivable.”
Becher went on to say, “Because you are going to do it anyway, as psychologist and health educator exclaimed, it is more important to educate you in a direction that you might actually stick to; but we want YOU to have healthy behaviors in all these areas.”
Congressional Vote
Let’s bring it closer to home here in Washington DC. A few weeks ago, the House Judiciary Committee, Lobbied heavily by radical homosexual groups, passed the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act. But this bill is not about hate. It’s not even about crime. It’s about outlawing peaceful speech … speech that asserts that homosexual behavior is morally wrong.
According to the FBI, crimes against homosexuals in the United States have dropped dramatically in recent years. In 2005, ONLY 177 cases were crimes of bias against homosexuals – far less than even 1 percent.
If this dangerous law passes all of Congress, pastors who preach sermons giving the biblical view of homosexuality could be prosecuted. Christian businessmen who refuse to print pro-gay literature could be prosecuted. Groups like Exodus International, which offer therapy to those with unwanted same-sex attraction, could be shut down.
Clearly, the intent of this law is not to prevent crime, but to shut down freedom of speech, freedom of religion, and freedom of thought.
VATICAN CITY, ROME
The Vatican said, “Christian denominations outside the Roman Catholic Church were not full churches of Jesus Christ.” A Page document, prepared by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, which Pope Benedict used to head, described Christian Orthodox churches as true churches, but suffering from a “wound” since they do not recognize the papacy of the Pope.
The document said the Council’s opening to other faiths recognized there were “many elements of sanctification and truth” in other Christian denominations, but stressed only Catholicism had all the elements to be Christ’s Church fully.