The world is on a collision course. The next stop is The Twilight Zone. However, this is not a dream, nor is it our imagination; it is a nightmare of reality. The preview episode we’re now living in is “Come into My Parlor Said the Spider to the Fly.” We hold the key to unlock the door that will lead us to the only way out. It is God’s Word, which provides us with knowledge of the beginning of time to what lies beyond in infinity, and how to move from the present darkness into the light.
Such madness abounds that one can easily see how the coming Antichrist will rise to world dominance by first deluding the world into a false sense of peace. The ecumenical false world religion of the Tribulation, which will be headed up by the False Prophet has been gaining steady momentum, but on one particular day in early June, it made a GIANT leap toward fruition.
I’ve let this article sit on the shelf unfinished since that day, listening to the wrong voice in my head saying, “You know what a lot of people say about judging others,” and “If you keep this up, it’s all going to catch up with you one day and make loved ones angry.” Then, something occurred to me that was like a slap in the face. I realized I hadn’t been listening to the voice of the Lamb of God, but the voice of that old serpent, the Dragon.
One of the most misunderstood verses in the Bible is, “Judge not, that you be not judged” (Matthew 7: 1). Many take this verse out of context. If they would continue reading, they would find that Jesus also said in the same chapter:
“Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing” (Matthew 7:15).
“Judge not…” in verse one refers to those who are being hypocritical: they judge others for not living right, yet they themselves are not living right. They “point out specks in others’ eyes when they have a beam in their own” (Matthew 7:2-5). We are all sinners.
“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).
God’s Word tells us to distinguish between true and false teachers. How then are we to do that? First, as Paul instructs the Ephesians, we are to “no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming” (Ephesians 4:14).
Rather, we are to “become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ” and we do this by “the knowledge of the Son of God” (v. 13). The knowledge of Christ can only be obtained through the Word of God, and it is by that Word that we distinguish between the true and the false, (GotQuestions.org: “Should Christians Judge the Teachings of Their Leaders?”)
We are called throughout the Bible to expose false teachings. Some may never know what those are if we don’t expose them and the teachers who preach them. Do you not try to protect your loved ones from harm? That’s what I intend to do here. I will use the Scriptures to distinguish between what is true and what is false.
“Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offenses contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them. For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple” (Romans 16:17-18).
Research Your Church
How many really know about their church? Are their teachings biblically based? Children of God, please search the Bible for yourself so that you will know false doctrine when you hear it. Don’t follow blindly like sheeple, assuming what you’re being taught is the truth.
“Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world” (1 John 4:1).
“These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so” (Acts 17:11).
“But the anointing that you received from Him abides in you, and you have no need that anyone should teach you. But as His anointing teaches you about everything, and is true, and is no lie—just as it has taught you, abide in Him” (1 John 2:27).
Satan mixes just enough truth with his lies to draw people away from the true gospel. He and his demons know exactly who God is, but that does not make them Christian. “You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder!” (James 2:19).
“And when He came to the other side, to the country of the Gadarenes, two demon-possessed men met Him, coming out of the tombs, so fierce that no one could pass that way. And behold, they cried out, ‘What have you to do with us, O Son of God? Have you come here to torment us before the time?’” (Matthew 8:28-29).
“For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God?” (1 Peter 4:17).
The Ecumenical Movement is an organized attempt to bring about cooperation and unity among Christians. It sounds nice, doesn’t it? But not all who claim to be Christian hold to the same essential beliefs regarding the inspiration and authority of the Bible (2 Timothy 3:16), Jesus as the only Savior of the entire world (John 14:6, 1 Timothy 2:5), and salvation as God’s free gift to those who believe apart from good works (Romans 3:24, 28; Galatians 2:16; Ephesians 2:8-9). —GotQuestions.org: “Is Ecumenism Biblical? Should a Christian be Involved in The Ecumenical Movement?”
Charles Spurgeon (1834-1892), the preacher of preachers, said: “Unity in error is unity in ruin; we need unity in the Truth of God through the Spirit of God.”
Dr. Harry Ironside (1876-1951), a godly fundamentalist author and teacher for many years, said: “Truth mixed with error is equivalent to all error, except that it is more innocent looking and, therefore, more dangerous. Exposing error is most unpopular work. But from every true standpoint it is worthwhile work. To our Savior, it means that He receives from us, His blood-bought ones, the loyalty that is His due.”
Welcome One and All
Pope Francis has taken the lead in this unity attempt. He has publicly stated the following: “Divisions among us, but also divisions among the communities: evangelical Christians, orthodox Christians, Catholic Christians, but why divided? We must try to bring about unity.”
What kind of unity will it be? Let’s revisit February of this year and lead up to recent events, which should be cause for great concern.
Francis sent a message to Kenneth Copeland earlier this year urging reconciliation between Catholics and Charismatics. In June, Copeland went to the Vatican at the pope’s invitation. The meeting was set-up by the recently deceased Tony Palmer, a bishop of the Anglican Episcopal Church in the UK and close friend of the pope, Palmer urged unity between the Protestant Church and Catholic Church (RCC) and said, “If you’re born again, you’re all Catholics.
During the Protestant Reformation many brave souls died tortuous deaths at the hands of the RCC, who tried to prevent them from both reading and getting bibles into the hands of the laypeople. Nevertheless, this movement was successful. When people began to read the Bible for themselves, they found that the doctrines they were being taught by the RCC bore little resemblance to what Jesus and His apostles taught.
I’ll explore that shortly, but let’s get back to Kenneth Copeland, who is also all for uniting with the RCC. He has been publicly exposed as a wolf in sheep’s clothing, but still his followers keep handing him money that goes to support his extravagant lifestyle. He and his wife preach the false prosperity gospel. See the video exposing Copeland and those like him who preach the Word of Faith Prosperity Gospel at YouTube.com: “Inside Edition Investigates TV Preachers Living Like Rock Stars.”
Matthew 6:19-21 says not to store up treasures on earth, but store up treasures in heaven instead, for your heart will be where your treasure is stored. Matthew 7: 15-16 says you will recognize false prophets by their fruits.
Also invited to the Vatican in June was Joel Osteen, pastor of the fastest-growing megachurch in America. As many should know by now, Osteen doesn’t concentrate on preaching the gospel; instead he preaches “name it and claim it” prosperity sermons. According to him, the pursuit of financial and material gain pleases God. But contrary to his book, Your Best Life Now, the Bible tells us our best life is in the world to come, not here on earth. God doesn’t promise that we will be free from troubles in this life.
Take a look at 1 Corinthians 12:9-10: “But He said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.’”
2 Timothy 4:1-5 warns us to avoid those who preach myths to the itching ears of those who only want to hear a doctrine according to their own desires.
Osteen told the Houston Chronicle, “I like the fact that this pope is trying to make the church larger, not smaller. He’s not pushing people out but making the church more inclusive.” He said, “That resonated with me.”
It resonated with me too, but not in a good way.
Francis also invited a Mormon leader to the Vatican last month. Mormon’s (Latter Day Saints) have their own strange, added doctrines. Unfortunately, the Jesus they preach is not the Jesus of the Bible. See Carm.org, “Mormon Beliefs, Are They Christian?”
“But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. For if he who comes preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or if you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted—you may well put up with it!” (2 Corinthians 11:3-4).
June 8, 2014: A Beastly Day
Sunday, June 8th, was the anniversary of Pentecost, the day the Holy Spirit descended upon the believers in Christ. However, on this same day at the Vatican, a different spirit was present as Islamic prayers and readings from the Qur’an were heard.
The Catechism of the Catholic church, CCC 841, states that Muslims worship the God of Abraham. But do they? Beside itself, it gives “first place to the Muslims” in the plan of salvation. “In the first place?” Hey, wait a minute! What about the Jews, God’s chosen people? The RCC teaches that it has replaced Israel in God’s plan.
This is from CatholicWord.com: “The Mystery of the Church – Catholic Word” (Four Marks of the Church, section 2): “The Catholic Church is the new Israel and hence is a magnet attracting Jew and Gentile, male and female, rich and poor, young and old.”
Contrary to this belief, God has not rejected Israel and replaced His chosen people with the Catholic church or the liberal left Protestant churches that believe in this replacement theology.
“I ask, then, has God rejected his people? By no means!” (Romans 11:1). “So I ask, did they stumble in order that they might fall? By no means! Rather through their trespass salvation has come to the Gentiles, so as to make Israel jealous” (Romans 11:11).
“For I do not want you, brethren, to be uninformed of this mystery, lest you be wise in your own estimation, that a partial hardening has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in; and thus all Israel will be saved; just as it is written, ‘The Deliverer will come from Zion, He will remove ungodliness from Jacob.’” (Romans 11:25-26).
The Gentile believers were grafted in, but the Jews will always be God’s chosen and covenant people.
And is Allah, the Muslim god, the God of Abraham? 4:171 Yusif Ali says that Jesus was no more than a messenger of Allah, there is no Trinity – only Allah, who had no son. 9:30 Yusif Ali – asks Allah to curse Christians who are deceived by saying Jesus is the son of Allah. Mohammed is their highly esteemed prophet. The Qur’an denies Jesus’ death on the cross, it says He will return and claim to be Muslim, will help kill anyone who will not convert to Islam, and then after 40 years back on earth will die. This does not describe God, who is the God of Abraham, or His Blessed Son Jesus, who is God in the flesh.
“Who is the liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the (spirit of) antichrist, he who denies the Father and the Son” (1 John 2:22).
“Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness? What accord has Christ with Belial? Or what portion does a believer share with an unbeliever?” (2 Corinthians 6:14-15).
Why does the RCC seek unity with Islam? I’ll explore that shortly.
We should all be as brave as the German woman who stood up and protested the call to prayer of an Islamic Imam in a Protestant church event to bring Christianity and Islam together. The Muslim call to prayer praises Allah and Mohammed. You can find the actual video on various sites by typing in a search for “brave German woman rebukes Islam.”
It just so happened that on June 8th a large asteroid named The Beast flew by earth. Both the Antichrist and the False Prophet are referred to as Beasts in the book of Revelation. The False Prophet (second beast) will be responsible for calling men to worship the Antichrist (first beast) during the Tribulation.
I want to briefly jump to a recent news report before I return to the events of June 8. In a place named Yamon in Siberia, a gigantic hole suddenly appeared caused by pressure from underground. Yamon means “end of the earth.” To see just how big the crater is, go to Daily Mail UK “Giant Hole Appears Siberia” and scroll down to the 17th photo where you’ll see several men near it for comparison. Could this “Beast” asteroid and “The End of the Earth” crater be signs from God letting us know that things are coming to a head very soon — the prophesied two beasts and the almost total destruction of the earth before Christ returns? Coincidence – or not?
“And I shall show wonders in heaven above and signs in the earth beneath…” (Acts 2:19).
As I said, June 8th was also the anniversary of Pentecost. Interestingly, Emperor Constantine died on Pentecost. He adopted Christianity as the official religion of Rome in 324 AD; however, he did not fully convert to Christianity, but held onto some of his pagan practices. Through Constantine’s influence the bishops of Rome rapidly ascended to both political and temporal power. What ended up happening was the blending of Christianity with Roman/Greek pagan worship whose roots go back to the pagan worship of ancient Babylon.
See GotQuestions.org: “What is the Origin of the Catholic Church?” I would encourage you to read this as well as “What is the Catechism of the Catholic Church” at the same site.
In his first speech after being elected last year, Francis said, “You know that it was the duty of the Conclave to give Rome a Bishop. It seems that my brother Cardinals have gone to the ends of the earth to get one… but here we are… I thank you for your welcome…”
He then set to work immediately in his lamb-like way to try and bring everyone, and not just Christians, under the dome of the RCC. Then, just a couple of weeks ago in his homily, he breathed out some fire that you must belong to “the Church,” learn the catechism and do their rituals to be saved.
The Second Vatican Council’s Decree on Ecumenism states: “For it is through Christ’s Catholic Church alone, which is the universal help toward salvation, that the fullness of the means of salvation can be obtained.”
Oh no, not so! Dear Catholic brothers and sisters, membership in a church, Catholic or otherwise and going through special rituals isn’t what saves your soul.
Christ accomplished our salvation through His death on the cross for all who believe in Him. Also, good works are not a requirement for salvation; they are a result of salvation.
“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them” (Ephesians 2:8-10).
Don’t you see? First we are saved, then God gives us the desire to do good works, not the other way around.
“Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, ‘Rulers of the people and elders, if we are being examined today concerning a good deed done to a crippled man, by what means this man has been healed, let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead—by him this man is standing before you well (the man they healed). This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone. And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:8-12).
Salvation is in Christ alone! The word “church” comes from the Greek word ekklesia which is defined as “an assembly” or “called-out ones.” The root meaning of “church” is not that of a building, but of people. It is ironic that when you ask people what church they attend, they usually identify a building. Romans 16:5 says “… greet the church that is in their house.” Paul refers to the church in their house—not a church building, but a body of believers.
The church is the Body of Christ, of which He is the head. Ephesians 1:22-23 says, “And God placed all things under His feet and appointed Him to be head over everything for the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills everything in every way.” The body of Christ is made up of all believers in Jesus Christ from the day of Pentecost (Acts chapter 2) until Christ’s return. Read more at GotQuestions.org: “What is the Church?”
CCC 82 states that “The Church, to whom the transmission and interpretation of Revelation is entrusted, does not derive her certainty about all revealed truths from the Holy Scriptures alone. Both Scripture and Tradition must be accepted and honored with equal sentiments of devotion and reverence.”
That is not what the Bible tells us. This is what His Word tells us: “His Word is absolutely sufficient in itself” (Psalm 119:160).
“Every word of God proves true; He is a shield to those who take refuge in Him” (Proverbs 30:5).
“The words of the Lord are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times. Thou shalt keep them, O Lord, thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever” (Psalm 12:6-7).
“Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth (John 17:17).
“All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16).
MAGNETIZED
Pope Francis has gained the fame of a rock star. Even from the very first, Cardinal Schönborn, Archbishop of Vienna, who spoke in a mesmerized tone, said that the surprise election of Pope Francis came about because of a series of supernatural “signs” in the conclave, including one which he said he could not speak about.
From EndTimeInfo.com: “Is Pope Francis Laying The Groundwork For A One World Religion?” After he was elected, the cover of Time Magazinedeclared Pope Francis to be the “New World Pope.” Not only has he worked hard to reach out to leaders from various Christian traditions, he has also made it a point to try to acknowledge the mutual bonds that he feels with all other religions.
This ‘all roads lead to the same God’ philosophy is a hallmark of the one world religion that the global elite have been slowly building toward for decades. The global elite know that even with a one world economy and a one world government, humanity will never be truly united until there is a single global religion. This one world religion that they are seeking to establish is diametrically opposed to the Christianity that we find in the Bible.
By throwing out biblical truth for the sake of “friendship between men and women of different religious traditions,” is Pope Francis fundamentally betraying the faith that he claims to represent? If there is going to be a one world religion, there will have to be a bond formed between Roman Catholicism and Islam. They are the two largest religious traditions on the planet, and so any truly “global religion” would definitely require the participation of both of them. That is one reason why what Pope Francis has already had to say about Islam is so noteworthy. The following comes from remarks that he made during his very first ecumenical meeting:
I then greet and cordially thank you all, dear friends belonging to other religious traditions; first of all the Muslims, who worship the one God, living and merciful, and call upon Him in prayer, and all of you. I really appreciate your presence: in it I see a tangible sign of the will to grow in mutual esteem and cooperation for the common good of humanity. The Catholic Church is aware of the importance of promoting friendship and respect between men and women of different religious traditions – I wish to repeat this: promoting friendship and respect between men and women of different religious traditions – it also attests the valuable work that the Pontifical Council for interreligious dialogue performs.” —EndTimeInfo.com
The Bible says, “Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ” (Colossians 2:8).
When Francis was named “Person of the Year” in 2013, the article in Time Magazine said, “What makes this Pope so important is the speed with which he has captured the imaginations of millions who had given up on hoping for the church at all. People weary of the endless parsing of sexual ethics, the buck-passing infighting over lines of authority when all the while (to borrow from Milton), ‘the hungry Sheep look up, and are not fed.’”
Elton John, the popular British musician, recently described Pope Francis as “wonderful” in an interview in which he (Elton) said Jesus would support gay marriage. He said that Pope Francis was a sign of hope. “He’s excited me so much by his humanity and taking everything down to the humility of faith…it’s all basically about love and taking everybody in inclusiveness,” John told Sky News.
Does the pope really believe that “common-law unions” between homosexuals are okay, that atheists can get to heaven by doing good works, or that Christian evangelizing (spreading the gospel) is a dangerous thing? One thing is for sure, after these statements made by the pope, Vatican spokesmen scrambled to try and explain what he must have meant.
The Great Apostasy
“Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron, forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. For every creature of God is good, and nothing is to be refused if it is received with thanksgiving; for it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer” (1 Timothy 4:1-5).
It’s not just the Catholic Church that is “giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons.” More and more we see Protestant churches and teachers being mesmerized and unitized with the RCC into the ecumenical false world religion of the Tribulation.
A warning to pastors: “Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which He obtained with his own blood. I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things, to draw away the disciples after them. Therefore be alert, remembering that for three years I did not cease night or day to admonish every one with tears” (Acts 20:28-31).
A warning to false teachers: “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness’” (Matthew 7:21-23).
Though we shouldn’t be hostile when witnessing to others, we are commanded by God to expose false doctrines. “Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them” (Ephesians 5:11). God commands us to “be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong” (1 Corinthians 16:13).
From Blogos.org: “Hate Speech or Truthful Talk”: Some will receive God’s corrections and some will not, with the reactions telling you much about the person with whom you are dealing: “Do not reprove a scoffer, or he will hate you, reprove a wise man and he will love you” (Proverbs 9:8).
No matter the response, our reaction should always be to continuously share the gospel message (Matthew 28:18), bless those who persecute (Romans 12:14), bear up well under any abuse (1 Peter 4:16), and respectfully ask those who oppose God’s teachings, “So have I become your enemy by telling you the truth?” (Galatians 4:16).
I’ll continue this discussion in “The Emerging Part II: Whoa, Woe!”
Cynthia Nuara