Harold Camping was wrong…again! The rapture did not occur last Friday and we are all still here. But as wrong and pathetic people like Harold Camping are when they ignore God’s Word and claim they know the exact date of Jesus’ return, Jesus did tell us we could know the season of his return by observing the signs of the times.
To me, there can be little doubt that we are in the final years before our King returns. But what are we doing with these precious few years that remain? Sadly, the church as a whole—the Body of Christ—is in defensive mode, trying to hold on to what we have instead of taking the battle to the enemy as we are commanded to. Jesus told us to go make DISCIPLES, but we seem content to attract people to a lukewarm faith that requires no personal commitment.
More and more churches are turning their backs on the Word of God as absolute truth. And even many of those who still believe the bible is true seek human ways to attract new members instead of preaching boldly from God’s Word. We have forsaken a message of sin, repentance and holiness for one of feel good “what can Christianity do for me”.
We watch false and misleading teachers like Brian McLaren, Jim Wallis and Tony Campolo teaching a false gospel, many times denying the nature of God that the bible teaches us. Hey, not only do we tolerate these false teachers, we invite them in to speak to our church and to our youth.
And now Pastor Joel Osteen states that he believes Mormonism is Christianity. Have we fallen so far that we are willing to embrace false Christianity so as not to offend anyone? Or out of fear that our bold stance on the bible will cost us church members and money?
Apparently we have. Collectively we have lost our conviction and courage as a church. We are selling out to political correctness and the belief that the gospel is too offensive. Well, here’s some breaking news—the gospel IS offensive! It tells every one of us that we are wretched, pathetic sinners capable of doing nothing good on our own. But don’t tell that to Jim Wallis. He believes his social justice liberation theology will bring out the best in man. Heck we can even rewrite the book of Revelation and usher in utopia on our own.
And certainly don’t tell Joel Osteen that the gospel is offensive. To him it’s all about the wonderful cotton candy life of abundance God wants us to have. Well, how did that abundant life of prosperity work for the Apostle Paul or the other apostles who were martyred for their belief in Jesus Christ? And now Osteen welcomes Mormons as Christians. Mormons who believe that Jesus was a god and an example of what we can become—rather than the only begotten Son of God who died for our sins.
These are crazy times indeed. The world has chosen its destiny—denying Jesus Christ and His gospel of salvation. But to see Christian churches and leaders preaching a false gospel is tragic.
“At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish and five were wise….” Is your lamp full of oil awaiting our bridegroom? Or is your lamp empty or filled with a fake oil—a false gospel– that will not light? We better check because the bridegroom could be headed back real soon. And remember what the bridegroom says to the foolish virgins in the end: “I never knew you!”
Related articles
- How Can Joel Osteen Say Mormons Are Christians? (charismanews.com)
- Civil War Within the Church (standupforthetruth.com)
- Jezebel in The Church (standupforthetruth.com)
- A missive against false teachers (standupforthetruth.com)
- Joel Osteen Embraces Romney’s Mormonism (antagoniz.wordpress.com)
Oh Church,
Truly wake up and repent, Christ says come out of her my people. Come out of the false ways. Come back to me! Turn you to the right way that is narrow and hard; the Lord will go with you. He Himself will carry you.
Jeremiah 23:10 For the land is full of adulterers; for because of swearing the land mourneth; the pleasant places of the wilderness are dried up, and their course is evil, and their force is not right. 11 For both prophet and priest are profane; yea, in my house have I found their wickedness, saith the LORD.
12 Wherefore their way shall be unto them as slippery ways in the darkness: they shall be driven on , and fall therein: for I will bring evil upon them, even the year of their visitation, saith the LORD.
This also I have seen in the Church
Jeremiah 23:14 I have seen also in the prophets of Jerusalem an horrible thing: they commit adultery , and walk in lies: they strengthen also the hands of evildoers, that none doth return from his wickedness: they are all of them unto me as Sodom, and the inhabitants thereof as Gomorrah.
15 Therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts concerning the prophets; Behold, I will feed them with wormwood, and make them drink the water of gall: for from the prophets of Jerusalem is profaneness gone forth into all the land.
16 Thus saith the LORD of hosts, Hearken not unto the words of the prophets that prophesy unto you: they make you vain: they speak a vision of their own heart, and not out of the mouth of the LORD.
17 They say still unto them that despise me, The LORD hath said, Ye shall have peace; and they say unto every one that walketh after the imagination of his own heart, No evil shall come upon you. 18 For who hath stood in the counsel of the LORD, and hath perceived and heard his word? who hath marked his word, and heard it?
19 Behold, a whirlwind of the LORD is gone forth in fury, even a grievous whirlwind: it shall fall grievously upon the head of the wicked. 20 The anger of the LORD shall not return , until he have executed , and till he have performed the thoughts of his heart: in the latter days ye shall consider it perfectly. 21 I have not sent these prophets, yet they ran : I have not spoken to them, yet they prophesied . 22 But if they had stood in my counsel, and had caused my people to hear my words, then they should have turned them from their evil way, and from the evil of their doings. 23 Am I a God at hand, saith the LORD, and not a God afar off? 24 Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him? saith the LORD. Do not I fill heaven and earth? saith the LORD. 25 I have heard what the prophets said , that prophesy lies in my name, saying , I have dreamed , I have dreamed . 26 How long shall this be in the heart of the prophets that prophesy lies? yea, they are prophets of the deceit of their own heart; 27 Which think to cause my people to forget my name by their dreams which they tell every man to his neighbour, as their fathers have forgotten my name for Baal. 28 The prophet that hath a dream, let him tell a dream; and he that hath my word, let him speak my word faithfully. What is the chaff to the wheat? saith the LORD. 29 Is not my word like as a fire? saith the LORD; and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces ? 30 Therefore, behold, I am against the prophets, saith the LORD, that steal my words every one from his neighbour. 31 Behold, I am against the prophets, saith the LORD, that use their tongues, and say , He saith . 32 Behold, I am against them that prophesy false dreams, saith the LORD, and do tell them, and cause my people to err by their lies, and by their lightness; yet I sent them not, nor commanded them: therefore they shall not profit this people at all , saith the LORD.
We are being tested by God so that we may see our hearts and know whether we love God. Dueteronomy 13
May God reveal your heart to you. May you be fooled no longer. May God grant you this. And may His Church His Body repent and be healed.
Dan
I agree but I hesitate to remind myself that in the late 90′s I was telling people I doubted it would be ten more years. I still feel that way but what does it mean?
One thought about the progression of the times though – there are many sitting in the pews right now who will not wake up, and understanding God’s sovereignty may not be able to.
I’ll leave that doctrinal issue hanging there. I am certainly not saying that we would know who they are, but God knows. ‘Jacob I have loved and Esau I have hated.’
All I can say is that I am so very thankful for the grace of God to believe. He has surrounded me with people who love me and are open to His Spirit and nothing on this earth can be more valuable than these things.
God bless.
Well stated Larry. Whether it is one year, ten years or fifty years, many will be left unprepared and out in the cold. Let’s continue to edifying and challenge one another to stay alert for His return.
I love this site and the discussions at hand. I have been doing alot of reading, praying and discussing. God is moving and I feel a quickening. I have thought for a while now…How common is it for Christians to constantly talk about the end of the world and Jesus coming back..Which is amazing in itself if you can even get your mind wrapped around it?! But my thought is this…I see people sitting back and saying the words but where is the love of Jesus? Stand Up For The Truth has helped me to put into action the teaching of the Bible. There needs to be more teachers of ABSOLUTE TRUTH according to the Bible and I will be praying constantly for these people to wake up. I am so thankful for such an amazing ministry…
In Christ,
Elizabeth
Thank you!!!