The Apostle Paul however uses a different term to describe this antichrist, his term is the man of sin, the son of perdition.And so in keeping with Paul’s description, I will henceforth refer to antichrist as the man of sin, the son of perdition.

But the title of this post is no less true. The man of sin, the son of perdition according to Paul’s words does not appear, what does in fact happen is, he is revealed.

I think it’s an important point to make for those who might wonder who this son of perdition is. Many are expecting the son of perdition to make an appearance on the world stage in a Jewish temple in the very near future.

So just to labour the point, the son of perdition does not come to the temple suddenly, or swiftly, or quickly, or without warning. The man of sin is revealed. This son of perdition does not announce himself to the world with fanfare. He is not anointed in the temple, he is not installed in his seat to publicly declare who he is. He is revealed.

The word revealed, apokalyptō means ; to make known, to manifest, what before was unknown.

To put it simply, he was always there, it’s just that he is now made manifest. This ought to narrow down the selection for Antichrist quite substantially.

If you understand the context of the complete prophetic passage of Paul’s, this man of sin, son of perdition is not revealed to all. He remains hidden from the sight of many and those many are alluded to at the end of the text.

2 Thessalonians 2:11 And for this cause God shall send them a strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: 12 That they all might be condemned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

The words of the prophet Daniel would concur : “Go now, Daniel, for what I have said is kept secret and sealed until the time of the end. Many will be purified, cleansed, and refined by these trials. But the wicked will continue in their wickedness, and none of them will understand. Only those who are wise will know what it means” Dan 12:9

The man of sin, the son of perdition popularly referred to as Antichrist was evident in Paul’s day. Paul new it, he was not hidden from him. In that context it would be wrong to presume that this man of sin, son of perdition were a new entity about to be thrust upon humanity in these last days. The significant change regarding this man of sin in these last days is simply this; he is being revealed for the righteous to see.

One might wonder what purpose it now serves in these last days, that the man of sin, the son of perdition be revealed……..so that you might “Come out of her, My people, that you may not become partakers in her sins, nor receive a share of her plagues”

The Man of Sin to Be Revealed

2 Thesalonians 1 Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him, 2That you be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, that the day of the Lord is at hand.3Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come the falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; 4 Who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God, or that is worshiped; so that he as God sits in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.5 Do you not remember, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things? 6And now you know what restrains that he might be revealed in his time.7 For the mystery of iniquity does already work: only he who now restrains will do so, until he be taken out of the way. 8 And then shall that Wicked One be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the breath of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: 9 Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, 10 And with all deception of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.11And for this cause God shall send them a strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: 12 That they all might be condemned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

Here are just a few that came to mind, not all false, but certainly substantial contradictions when compared with the beliefs of others;

• Prosperity preachers use the written word to confirm their belief that God desires us to be healthy, wealthy and prosperous in a material world.
• Word of Faith teachers and preachers use the written word to support their argument that one is able to speak their will into existence, by faith.
• Calvinists use the written word of God to support their belief concerning election, faith and salvation. Likewise and in stark contrast to Calvinism, Armenians base their belief on the written word of God and use scripture as the evidence that their doctrine concerning faith, salvation and free will are accurate.
• Catholicism uses the written word to confirm it’s foundation as the one true church.
• Jehovah’s Witnesses use the written word of scripture to prove their false doctrines concerning Christ and salvation – of which there are many
• Seventh Day Adventists use the written word of God skilfully to conclude that those who do not worship on the Sabbath day, being Saturday, are following the beast and will be cast into the lake of fire (hell)
• Hell preachers use the written word of God to teach that there will be eternal torment in a literal lake of fire FOREVER.
• Universalist’s use the written word to teach that God intends to save all of humanity in Christ, that God is Love.
• Annihilationist’s use the written word of God to show how God will destroy the wicked forever at the judgement ……And so on and so forth.

As I said, these were just a few of the many varied and different groups and doctrines that came to mind as I wrote this post. If I were to put my head down for half an hour, I’m sure I could come up with another 100 groups and or doctrines that may be contradictory or at odds with other beliefs within the Christian faith.

You need to note one thing – Every one of these groups uses the “innerant written word” to justify their position.

I’m not posting this article to argue with your given belief or doctrine which may or may not be listed above. I’m fairly sure that I still have a whole bunch to learn about His word. As far as I am concerned, you can work that one out yourself.

What I am about to say may horrify some people. I’m fairly sure that you won’t hear this preached or taught in most churches, for good reason. And there are some people who may not be ready to hear this BUT, I’ll say it anyway.

The word of God deceives people!

Perhaps I could rephrase that a little. God allows people to be deceived when reading the written word. You need only look at how the Lord used His word amongst the Jews, and still does, in order to both hide and reveal His will and purposes.

I know this kind of thinking and teaching won’t match up with the soft fluffy cuddly Jesus image that many cling to in the church today. The Jesus made in my image kind of God.

Having hung around churches and Christian teaching for some 13 years now, I have now arrived at the point that I see nothing if not doctrinal confusion amidst much of the body of Christ. Fairly sure I’ve done my bit to contribute to that.

• Does this all mean that His word is wrong – Not at all
• Does this all mean that we should not read His word – Not at all
• Does this mean that I cannot trust the Lord –Not at all.

What it does mean is that He is to be feared, and that He alone holds the truth in His hand.

John 9:39 Jesus said, “For judgment I have come into this world, so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind.”

I have something burning on my heart,  I have not posted for months and I need to say this, and it is very simple. “Your doctrine will not save you”

Your salvation is by FAITH in the shed blood of Christ, and your sanctification comes by the leading of the Spirit.

Yes, the truth may set you free. Doctrine and teaching may be good, and these things point to Christ. In a similar way Paul taught us that the Law became our schoolmaster, to point us to Christ. So too, His word, and the revealing of the truth of His word will lead us to Christ, that we might walk in freedom.

But many are forsaking their first love and establishing their salvation in their knowledge of His word – which sadly, as you can see from my brief list above, is often a mixed bag of confusing and false doctrines.

In the very same way that the Jews rested on the law, and did not allow it to direct them to the Lord in faith, some Christians are today resting on the word in self-righteousness and pride. Justifying themselves as some how better, of obtaining a more perfect salvation through a clear and concise knowledge of scripture.

If this is the righteousness that you think that God is looking for in your life – I must warn you that you have deceived yourself using the written and inerrant word of God.

 2 Thessalonians 10 They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness.

We need to be brutally honest in our appraisal of our faith and salvation. Head off down the pharisaic path of justification and there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Christ’s life was a demonstration of the life, which is pleasing to God. All who follow Him will likewise demonstrate the nature and character of God in their lives. It will be lived out each day, in faith, justice, mercy, and humility. Esteeming others, better than ourselves. Resisting judgmental criticism that does nothing to lift those held captive in this present world, from the error of their ways.

If the doctrine of your faith does not produce works in accordance with righteousness, perhaps there is something wrong with that doctrine. Perhaps we have been deceived and deluded in that same way in which Eve was, in continuing to eat from the tree of knowledge of good and evil, which exalts the flesh.

Take care my brethren, these are perilous times.

A tree is known by it’s fruit. What we really need to be asking ourselves is this “Is there fruit in my life, and is it in accordance with righteousness”

Or am I mistakenly playing the game that humanity has played since the fall.

In the following post I am seeking to explain how and why I believe much of what we would call the Christian church has departed from the truth, and fallen into apostasy. This won’t be too long a post and in fact the error which I’m alluding to can be summed up in few words. I do feel however that it is important for people to see this as they seek to live righteously in Christ.

Who would have believed such a thing, that God would reveal in these last days the profound mystery which encompasses a vast number of denominational churches. Like John of Revelation who was amazed as he beheld the vision of the harlot. I can scarcely believe it myself, but such is the promise to this generation according to Paul’s doctrine, the revealing of the man of sin, the son of perdition.

Most church goers are quite happy to point out the sins and harlotry of the Catholic church, and to be sure they are many. But my supposition is far more widespread and finds it’s foundation primarily through my own journey in the Charismatic Pentecostal movement, and that which I see and hear preached through the various forms of modern media.

The thought that I could propose such a widespread falling away, beyond the oft criticized Catholic churches, sounds like the height of arrogance on my part. Yet the simple and profound reality is that the rebellion must be fulfilled prior to the return of the Lord, according to that which was written for our admonition. There must be, it is written, an apostasy. Then following on from this event, Paul tells us that the “man of sin” must be revealed, then the Lord will come.

Men devoid of God, the heathen as we might call them have always been rebellious, they have a beastly nature and little understanding of the things of God. The apostasy passage does not speak of the world and the lost. The falling away is not for them, they never did obtain anything to which they can now fall away. The rebellion/falling away spoken of is the church at large. It is a falling away from a place of truth.

The fulfillment of the falling away or apostasy spoken of by the prophets and apostles manifests in the temple of God. Yes, in what I would loosely term, the church at large. And this is the AMAZING part. This rebellion is fulfilled in such a way that the Lord God Almighty is no longer the head, but the man of sin/lawlessness is firmly seated in the temple and rules according to self will, preaching another gospel. This man of sin/lawlessness and his objectives will take precedent over the will of God, the truth of His Word and the leading of the Holy Spirit. Hence, He proclaims himself to be as God by virtue of the fact that man’s will is exalted above all.

Ezekiel 22:25There is a conspiracy of her prophets in the midst thereof, like a roaring lion ravening the prey; they have devoured souls; they have taken the treasure and precious things; they have made her many widows in the midst thereof. 26 Her priests have violated my law, and have profaned mine holy things: they have put no difference between the holy and profane, neither have they shewed difference between the unclean and the clean, and have hid their eyes from my sabbaths, and I am profaned among them.

For those who are of the world and playing church, this scenario sounds like an unreal supposition. It does not compute that the devil can be in the detail, the temple, the Christian church. It seems too far removed from our reasoning, and this is because we do not hear or want to believe what Christ taught. Specifically that the tares and wheat would grow together until the end of the age. The mainstream churches by and large refuse to teach along these lines, and shudder at the thought that this all happens in our own backyard. This is all way too profoundly challenging for them and far too close to home. What, that we might be deceived! That there might be wolves amongst us! In fact I would venture to say that it is probably rare for a mainstream church to even venture in to these waters. Way too murky!

Yet we are assured that this falling away and revealing of the man of sin is in accordance with the nature of the day as prophesied.  It is in accordance with a strong delusion, sent by an indignant God who has grown weary of our religious games and harlotry. And is also confirmed by Christ’s words to a materially rich and spiritually needy Western church.

2 Thessalonians 2:11 For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie.

Revelation 3:16 Because you are neither hot nor cold I will spew you from My mouth.

This man of lawlessness/son of perdition referred to in Paul’s text is a corporate man, not an individual. Even as the term “man of god” represents many, so too, the “man of sin” represents many. In the same way that Judas was one of the twelve, a devil, and also referred to as the son of perdition.  The end time corporate son of perdition is of the devil. In like fashion, the disciples had no idea that Judas was the son of perdition, it remained hidden from their eyes until the final days of Christ’s earthly ministry. So too, the final son of perdition remains a mystery until the final days of the body of Christ upon the earth.

I ask myself how it can be that much of the church as we know it, the leadership of the visible denominational churches, mainstream Christianity can have arrived at a place where the man of lawlessness, the son of perdition, has been able to take his seat amidst the congregation of the Lord. To be sure he has. The son of perdition is firmly established in the temple and continues to sell out the Saviour for earthly gain. I shudder as I write this and realize how easily we err when our motivation is for the things of the world. When we are motivated to build church as compared to making disciples. How easy it is to neglect truth, sell the Saviour short as we seek something of this world and make a name for ourselves. Woe is me!

Furthermore it is a confounding thought for me, as one who has been raised through the modern charismatic church system. I look at all of this and am in wonder. Yet there can be little doubt that this is the day in which the mystery of iniquity is fulfilled, and the man of sin is seated and firmly established in the temple of God, according to the apostle Paul’s prophecy.

2 Thessalonians 2:3 Don’t let anyone deceive you in any way, for [that day will not come] until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness^a is revealed, the son of perdition. 4He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God’s temple, proclaiming himself to be God.

In seeking to understand what has happened here we will find a clear leading in Paul’s words. The key word in this verse, which motivates this revealing of the man of sin, can be found in one word “rebellion”  From the place of rebellion, satan is able to fulfill his ambition.

You said in your heart, “I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights of the sacred mountain. Isaiah 14:13

The foundation of apostasy.

It became fairly obvious earlier on in my walk that certain foundational commands of the Lord concerning righteousness and discipleship were overlooked in most sermons and services. And it is this refusal to yield to Christ’s headship that opens the door to the schemes of the wicked one and his ultimate goal. Here are some examples of the more critical commandments that we so often overlook or ignore.

• So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple. (Luke 14:33  KJV)
• If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. (Luke 14)
  
• And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me,  cannot be my disciple. (Luke 14:26-27 KJV)
• No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. (Matt 6:24 KJV)
• For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. (Matt 16:25 KJV)

What is the overall context concerning these verses. It is “YOU CANNOT BE MY DISCIPLE” unless…….

We, the leadership of the church have in stark contrast to the Saviour told men that all can follow Him regardless of circumstances. In this way we have built a harlot church. A church who can be in love with the things of the world and self directed. This is a deceitful gospel and is opposed to what Christ taught. In this way the man of sin and his version of the gospel opposes God.

Why do we water the word down, alter it, lighten it, make it of no effect, you might ask? We do it for earthly gain; recognition, income, popularity, making a name for ourselves, pride…….and the list goes on. The leadership/son of perdition sell the Saviour short, betray His will and purposes in exchange for earthly gain. Even as Judas betrayed the Saviour for earthly gain.

I realize that the commandments I listed above may not be immediately received by the hearer, and may come in the course of time. But to neglect from teaching these His commandments as a foundational requirement to following Him is to pervert the gospel. The faith of Christ when applied to the life of a believer represents death to self – the man of sin, who was crucified with Christ. The modern gospel is now given over to everything but.

Galatians 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.

In stark contrast to the gospel of our day, Christ told the rich young ruler that he could not be his disciple. Can you just stop and think upon that point for one moment. Christ allowed the young man to walk away. You cannot be my disciple young man, sorry! It is better that men hear the truth and be challenged by it, than to fool them with a lie.

Oh c’mon brother, you can keep it all and have Christ…REALLY? Jesus just wants you to blessed to be a blessing, C’mon your the kings kids, He wants the best for you bla, bla, bla. Actually He wanted to crucify you and now according to His loving kindness He has provided a substitute and given you understanding so that by faith you would crucify the old man, and all of the lusts that go with that.

And so too the foundations of a world wide apostasy from the truth of His word have rather humble beginnings. When ministers are accumulated into the church without observance to these foundational commands, there will come a generation who believe that they can follow Christ on their own terms. And with that comes a gospel that is man centred, worldly and devilish. The foundations for discipleship have been removed and the whole house is built on another foundation.

It is rebellion. It is man, supposing to be as God, declaring what is and what is not acceptable concerning salvation. It opposes the call to enter by the narrow gate. In this way the man of sin opposes and exalts himself against the knowledge of God.

These requirements of discipleship that the Saviour speaks of were not meant to be options which one can choose, or not. Though we may not immediately meet these requirements at the time of initial belief, and we should allow all men grace in coming to a knowledge of the truth.  It ought to be the natural course of the faith, that these things continue to be taught and preached, of continuing obedience to His word, or otherwise we should acknowledge that we cannot be His disciple.  He would not want us to be ignorant of these things brethren.

These commands were absolutes to which no man could follow Him, unless they obeyed. And this is to enter by the narrow gate.

This monumental end time apostasy all sound quite ridiculous until we remember that Christ made it plain that MANY would come in His name, who would lead MANY, astray. And that in the end, FEW would be chosen. And unless those days would be shortened, no flesh would be saved.

Quite simply, this rebellion, this revolt, this apostasy, is a rebellion against His word. A refusal to accept His word of truth, the known will of the Saviour. And what ought to have been ongoing steps of obedience to the will of the Almighty, has led us to a place in which the much of what we call mainstream Christianity is an object of horror. A denominational cesspool. And these are the days in to which Paul alluded men would be lovers of themselves, proud, boastful, lovers of money and so on. 2 Thessalonians.

The man of sin, the son of perdition is firmly established and seated in the temple.

The bottom line.

The final analysis according to my thinking, the reason why we did not earnestly seek the Lord, to keep and obey His commands is because we do not love Him. We love most everything else, and this to our shame. We love money, we love pleasure, we love the things of the world. The church has entered into a marriage of convenience. We have taken His name to ourselves, but refused, rejected and rebelled against His word. Now we are fallen far away…

Ultimately everything stands or falls according to the first commandment, that we should love the Lord our God with all of our heart, our mind, soul and strength, and our neighbour as ourself.

And it is according to these the greatest of commands that the end state of much of Christianity is revealed, in this tell all parable of Isaiah’s.

In that day seven women will take hold of one man and say, “We will eat our own food and provide our own clothes; only let us be called by your name. Take away our disgrace!” Isaiah 4:1

I believe that the seven women represent the fullness of the church system, even as Christ wrote to seven churches in Revelation. These seven women, the church have taken of Him that which seemed convenient, His name, His promise to cover our nakedness and shame. But resisted and refused to take upon ourselves His headship and His righteousness. We refused His word and hard heartedly rebelled, and continue to rebel against Him. This is the nature of the rebellion that gets us to this point.

In the end, according to the word, much of the church is known as a harlot. She wants to enter by the narrow gate, but lives and rides upon the back of the beast. And the reason she finds her strength in the beast/world is because the foundation to forsake the love of the world was ignored. She says she’s married to the Lord and want’s the righteousness that He can offer (let us be called by your name), but she does not want Him. She remains in rebellion to His headship (we will eat our own food, and provide our own clothes) which is exactly the place the visible church will arrive to before His coming. A lawless wife, in accordance with Isaiah’s prophecy.

When the lawless wife is revealed, the man of lawlessness is also revealed, the son of destruction.

BUT all is not lost, the promises are precious for those who escape and survive this apostasy. Read on from Isaiah’s prophecy as above and see what is said concerning that which remains, the branch of the Lord.

The Branch of the Lord

2In that day the Branch of the Lord will be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the land will be the pride and glory of the survivors in Israel. 3Those who are left in Zion, who remain in Jerusalem, will be called holy, all who are recorded among the living in Jerusalem. 4The Lord will wash away the filth of the women of Zion; he will cleanse the bloodstains from Jerusalem by a spirit^a of judgment and a spirit^b of fire. 5Then the Lord will create over all of Mount Zion and over those who assemble there a cloud of smoke by day and a glow of flaming fire by night; over all the glory will be a canopy. 6It will be a shelter and shade from the heat of the day, and a refuge and hiding place from the storm and rain.

As a final thought – In response to the question the disciples asked concerning the signs of His coming in Matthew 24, the Lords introductory response was this : Take heed that no man deceive you.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, strive to enter by the narrow gate. In doing this, you will flee the wrath that is to come.

But more than just this. Amidst the blogging community are many God fearing and Spirit led men and women who are hearing and seeing things that need to be shared amidst the body of Christ. And I have benefited greatly from their online fellowship.

When I commenced posting on this blog it was done in the context of a learning curve. I was initially hesitant to write as I knew that I would make mistakes. And I’d be fairly sure that I’ve made a few. I recall having the conversation in my head several times as to whether I should fear resisting what may have been a God leading, or fear the errors that I would make as I sought to do that which I felt the Lord was leading me to do. Either way I continue to believe that He would use me according to His good will and deal justly with me as I sought to understand His ways. This is my hope.

But I also trust that the Lord has had me on a journey. A journey which has unveiled a world that lies beyond the natural world. I had no idea when I set out on this journey, it would lead me to where I am today. Sometimes I think it would be so much easier to move through this life blind to the things of the Spirit. It is, I concur, a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

To be undone at every other turn and to find in one’s own life the hypocrisy that we are so quick to point out in others. The continual searching by the Spirit, revealing and unveiling the man of sin that dwells within, YUK!

But such is the work of the Lord and we should rejoice in this, that He deals with us as sons and daughters.

One might wonder after 4 years of this journey, to where I had arrived.

I wish I could like many, speak of revival and awakening and an outpouring of the Holy Ghost. I wish I could speak of a wave of God’s glory upon the visible church. I wish I could speak of a multitude of over comers who have obtained their destiny in Christ, or perhaps an army of anointed ministers going forth to possess the kingdom.

From my perspective, all I see at every turn, is delusion, apostasy, false teaching, false teachers, deception and the man of sin in the temple of God.

That’s it, the place I have arrived is the day of which Paul prophesied. A day which must come to pass before the Day of the Lord. That day is the revealing of the man of sin in the temple of God.

Perhaps that is where I am supposed to have arrived. Perhaps this is the logical conclusion to this blog, for having perceived this abomination, it is certainly time to “flee the wrath that is to come”

More than ever I sense the closeness of His coming.

To God be the glory, both now and forever, AMEN.

The more one studies the word and the prophets, the more one realizes how the Christian church has simply gone ahead and copied Israel’s errors.

I fear the church at large believes they have escaped repeating these errors. Supposing that the Jews alone were stubborn, hard hearted and rebellious. Furthermore a certain pharisee like attitude seems to be evident from the pulpit, that the church has earned a special place of assured salvation. Pretty sure that John the Baptist would have a few things to say about that.

When I was reading the scriptures the other day I noted that Paul was highlighting the fact that the last days of the church period would be likened to a time not unlike the times of rebellious Israel.

A time when the prophets would be sent to the people with a message similar to the following verse from Jeremiah.  Hear this, you foolish and senseless people, who have eyes but do not see, who have ears but do not hear. Jer 5:21. And from this point the prophet would declare the unrighteousness that the Lord was aware of, amidst His people.

Yet I was struck when I noted the similarity in apostle Paul’s warning in 2 Timothy 3:7. For Paul basically uses the same wording as the prophets concerning the last days state of the church.

Compare Isaiah’s words to Paul’s.

Isaiah 6:9 He said, “Go and tell this people: “‘Be ever hearing, but never understanding; be ever seeing, but never perceiving.’

2Timothy3:7 Always learning but never able to acknowledge the truth.

• Isaiah : Ever hearing, ever seeing – Paul : Always learning

• Isaiah : Never Understanding – Paul : Never able to acknowledge the truth.

Paul doesn’t present his text in a “thus sayeth the Lord” format. But his teaching is no less prophetic.

There is this thing, and THING is the only word I can think of to describe it at this time. This thing that I see amidst the congregation of the Lord which horrifies me. We aspire to truth, we embrace it, we look for it and speak wonderfully of it. But that truth goes no further than what I would call mental assent.

God’s people know what righteousness is, but scarcely do we live it. We see what the Saviour’s life looked like, but scarcely do we imitate Him. We read His commands and continue on our way.

This THING that I behold is the most awful of THINGS. We are forever learning, forever seeing, forever reading, forever hearing, forever seeking greater understanding, yet at the very same time, never TRULY understanding. And this is the very same thing that the prophets were alluding to.

The bottom line is that they were pointing to the condition of peoples hearts. It seems God’s people were doin the religious thing, and they were paying lip service to the Lord, but there was little evidence of inward change, evidenced by the prevailing unrighteousness. Their hearts remained in rebellion, calloused and hardened. And so in spite of all of their teaching and listening and reading and hearing they did not truly HEAR.

On a sidenote, interesting isn’t it that the following four words, all relevant to this subject, all contain the word ear.

EAR  >  HEAR  >  FEAR >  HEART.

With the ear we hear, and with the hearing of the word we ought to fear, and with this fear our heart is inclined to believe.

Listen to Jeremiahs words and look at the order of the wording (in bold).

5:21 Hear this, you foolish and senseless people, who have eyes but do not see, who have ears but do not hear: 22 Should you not fear me?” declares the Lord. “Should you not tremble in my presence? I made the sand a boundary for the sea, an everlasting barrier it cannot cross. The waves may roll, but they cannot prevail; they may roar, but they cannot cross it. 23But these people have stubborn and rebellious hearts;

When the heart believes, that is to say when we truly hear, the fruit thereof is righteousness. But what I and many others are seeing in the church today, the THING is not righteousness, but mental assent, agreement with the word, nodding heads, even embracing the truth, but no evidence that the heart is being renewed, and no evidence of fear amongst much of the household of God.

Paul knew that the people he refers to in his 2 Timothy3 scripture were living a lie. Though they had the godly facade, the praise and worship, the yes’s and amen’s, the churchy exterior, the fact could not be ignored, they were following the beast. And this was evidenced by the very denial of Christ in their lives.

Lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— having a form of godliness but denying its power.

These are the attributes of the devil; pride, self love, selfishness. Who could believe that our hearts could so deceive us, that we could be unaware of them to the degree that we actually worshiped the beast. Yet we see in scripture, time and time again that this is what can happen to people who think that they are of God, in Christ, whatever! And have ears, but do not hear.

In a day in which knowledge is increasing, and the word of the Lord being unveiled in so many ways. We ought to remember that the teachers of the law most likely believed that their understanding of His word would save them. Yet as we found out, they too followed the beast and were of their father the devil.

Unless your righteousness exceed the righteousness of the pharisees and the teaches of the law, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.

As for me, I realize that I am able to fool myself with my confession, and my knowledge. And I am coming to the conclusion very fast that I will not be assured of my righteousness until I see Christ in me. And then it will be His righteousness in me, and when I see this I will rejoice. Until then I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.

Three times in three months, Jan, Feb and now March 2011. Three different reporters whilst live on air have descended into an confused gibberish language. What does it mean? I’ve no idea but I can’t help thinking along the lines of confusion and Babel.

See for yourselves.

January 2011 – Sarah Carlson.

February 2011 – Serene Branson

March 2011 – Mark McAllister

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nx22pcM5by4&feature=youtu.be

I was sitting in a service this morning pondering the message of God’s great love for mankind, again.  So often in church services we hear about God’s great love for men in Christ, and yes it’s true. But we don’t seem to want to address the other half of this covenant relationship, ourselves and our love for God.

If I read the book of Revelation correctly, and if I understand the prophecies concerning the church in the last days correctly, then the great fight that defeats many concerns their love and faithfulness to God.

Though most of us find comfort in dissociating ourselves from the image below, I believe that this one image paints an incredibly profound picture concerning this issue of love and faithfulness to God.  The woman on the beast represents the church at large, finding her power and provision in the world, the Beast.

Many have in the past pointed to a particular church as being the harlot woman and many cannot see themselves as being anyway associated with this woman. I for one fear the instant that we look at the image in that context we blind ourselves to the possibility of our being found unfaithful.

So profoundly deceitful are the latter days that Jesus said “Mat 24:22 And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened”

He was talking about salvation – not the death of the body.

STOP TELLING ME YOU LOVE ME.

The above statement seemed to burn in my heart and mind the other morning, “Stop telling Me you love Me”. I was reminded that our words are often cheap and though confession is good, if confession is the only measure of our love for God, we deceive ourselves.

Consider the faithful wife who nurtures her household, who labours for the benefit of loved ones, who faithfully loves and serves her family. Now consider her husband, a good man according to the measure of this world, but at times he enters into a little extramarital unfaithfulness, a fling. Only to return home at night to the house of his wife and comfort her with the words “I love you”.

The wife, unaware of her husbands infidelity enjoys hearing his confession of love, and why shouldn’t she.  But now let us suppose that she became aware of her husbands infidelity. Do you not now think that she would look upon those words with the most profound hypocrisy, as a hollow and empty confession. Do you not think that she would feel sick, physically sick, to have to listen to the lie. Would that behaviour not be abhorrent.

Well in that light, perhaps we ought to remind ourselves, that God sees our works that He knows full well whether in fact we love Him or not. To you who confess your love for Him and faithfully do His commandments, you do well. But to those of us who confess our love for Him, yet by our deeds deny Him, we simply make Him sick and deceive ourselves.

Perhaps that sounds a bit harsh, but I truly believe that this is what Jesus is saying to the lukewarm church of Laodicea.

“I’ve seen your works, and what you are doing, that you are neither hot nor cold” and Christ then goes on to declare “I will spew you from My mouth”

The lukewarm, half hearted church of Laodicea probably tell Him quite often that they love Him, and yet He sees their harlotry (their works). Which are the true reflection of their love for Him, and in seeing these He wants to vomit.

I was reminded this morning of this same deceitful hypocrisy that we so often preach from our pulpits. A man of God with quite some following, a popular preacher and teacher who starts out the meeting with a confession, which is greeted by a roar of admiration “C’mon church, it’s all about Jesus” hands clapping “C’mon church it’s all about Him” roar of approval “C’mon church, tell Him you love Him” more thunderous applause. Then we enter into a 40 minute message which is a mix of gospel and humanism, in which men are lifted up as being the centre of all things, and the risen Christ is offered as a  means to an end, and the faith as something which you can utilize for your material or personal gain.

Please, Please, Please, enough of your empty words, of vain confession and shallow worship. Stop drawing close with your lips whilst your hearts are far from Me. Stop telling me you love Me. Show Me you love Me, keep my commandments, do My will. In this I will know that you love Me.

¹³And the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near Me with their mouth and honor Me with their lips but remove their hearts and minds far from Me, and their fear and reverence for Me are a commandment of men that is learned by repetition [without any thought as to the meaning], Isaiah 29:13

A few years ago I would have watched this man, his teaching and rejoiced. Like a hungry babe looking for my fill, this was the stuff to excite me.

But now as I watched – I mourned.

I love the grace of God, truly I do. And I know that we cannot obtain the kingdom apart from His grace. But this grace was cheap, and it promised the things of the world, under the guise of the faith.

The man was sharp, his understanding of words – brilliant. He spoke and explained everything so clearly and exalted the grace of our God. He was articulate, impeccably presented, and God he said, had given him this revelation and it was for the people to know.

Nursing babes and infants would have little chance of discerning any error, and it troubled me. So many will drink this in and make much of it.

But I was sorrowful because we have sold out the Saviour. We made him into something that looks and smells so much like the men of this present world. We think that we have to upsize Him, market Him, put a shiny worldly facade upon Him, to get men to buy the deal. Would you like some fries with this gospel sir?

These people don’t want God. Yes they want the righteousness that He offers, but they want something bigger, something better, something that will satisfy this craving for more. They want God, and the things of this world.

And here is where it all comes undone. You cannot love God and the things of the world. You get your choice to pick Him above all else, or you can have the world. You cannot serve God and mammon. If any man love the things of this world the love of the father is not in Him. 1John2

Yes the world is alluring, it satisfies the belly, it promises much, but this is the whole point is it not. That God would be adored more than all and above all and we would be like the man who found precious treasure in a field and gave it all up to obtain the treasure.

Please, please….if I am wrong about this tell me?

Is God not enough? Is His majesty, righteousness, grace, loving kindness, faithfulness and long suffering not sufficient…oh what end is there concerning His goodness that we must now add more to the deal.

It’s almost as if I, and there are many more like me, no longer have anywhere to look but to the Saviour and His word. The pulpit is filled with this up-sizing worldly mentality.

Then in a flash, a revelation – Ahh Lord how perfect are thy ways.

Perhaps this is all part of His plan to refine and purify. Perhaps this is exactly according to His work of bringing His people to perfection. No longer able to look to men, repulsed by what we hear and see in the public pulpit. Maybe this is according to His desire to present a bride without spot or blemish.

I haven’t arrived, but perhaps there is hope! Maybe then all things do work together for good for those who love Him and are called according to His purpose.

Maybe I don’t need to get bitter about all of this, simply look to Him and acknowledge His unending wisdom and gracious leading.

Exodus 15:11″Who is like you among the gods, O LORD? Who is like you? You are glorious because of your holiness and awe-inspiring because of your splendor. You perform miracles. 12You stretched out your right hand. The earth swallowed them. 13″Lovingly, you will lead the people you have saved. Powerfully, you will guide them to your holy dwelling. 14People will hear of it and tremble.

Praise be to our God!

Revelation 13:5 The beast was given a mouth to utter proud words and blasphemies and to exercise his authority for forty-two months. 6 He opened his mouth to blaspheme God, and to slander his name and his dwelling place and those who live in heaven. 7 He was given power to make war against the saints and to conquer them. And he was given authority over every tribe, people, language and nation. 8 All inhabitants of the earth will worship the beast.

There is something in this heart of mine which yearns for a simpler and less busy life. I seem to be continually attending to those things which I believe are important. But I wonder at times how important they really are in the overall scheme of life and faith. I often think about a verse in Revelation which I could apply to my life “And they have no rest day and night – those who worship the Beast and his image” Rev 14:11.  That may or may not be the appropriate interpretation of that verse but it sure feels like it could be at times.

In thinking about what’s important in life one can’t help but be moved by the recent plight of many Japanese people who were at one moment busy doing life, only to have it all swept away, themselves included. Life just stopped in an instant. Their labour, their work, their dreams all ended. And now will anyone notice that they won’t complete the work they had put their hands to. Will the busyness of their lives be missed and will the world be any different for it.

I really, really, really wonder IF,  so many of the things we do in life matter. Do they?

I look at my nation and the West at large, and see the futility of our endeavours. Vanity, vanity, it’s all vanity,  Solomon penned. So much of what we do in the context of life, faith and eternity is empty and meaningless. We in the West have erred concerning the faith. We have built the house on misplaced values. We are in my summation “Chasing the Beast” and that includes many church going believers.

The whole earth was amazed, and followed the Beast. Rev 13:3.

The apostate Christian nations of the west have foisted upon this present world a value system of material wealth and financial prosperity which is hard to resist. Through it’s money making interests, television, satellite network, internet and modern forms of technology, even the most remote parts of the world have the opportunity to aspire to the Beastly values of this world. I’ve seen it in the poorest parts of the Philippines, Africa, the Middle east….satellite dishes rooftop to rooftop, and the Big TV with the beckoning voice of an intangible value system – the image of the Beast. Come follow, aspire to this, be like this, you know you want it, this is what your life should look like…..and so on.

And noting this also, that it is the second lamb like beast of Revelation 13 that comes out of the earth, that looks like a lamb, and speaks like a dragon. Who compels the world to worship the dragon by giving life to an image that speaks. Yes the lamb looking Christian nations of the West, who deceive with their lamb like facade and profession of godliness and compel the world to imitate the dream, the life.

Can’t you see the vanity in all of this. The emptiness of it all. Given the suddenness with which a man’s life can be taken from him. Given the backdrop of so many recent tragedies in which men’s lives have been snatched from them.  This is the day in which men will be called fools by the living God, for placing their treasure in earthly stores. Your gold and silver will not save you in the day of the Lord’s anger. Zeph 1:18

It has been an ongoing and continual battle for me these last few years to avoid this beckoning to follow the Beast. I have fought it, wondered about it, given in to it, resisted it, hated it, despised it and probably made myself look a little stupid and hypocritical at times as I harp on about the deceitfulness of riches and the empty pursuit of the material. Mat 6:24

Yet I am reminded that it is men like John the Baptist, who refused to hold to the values of this world who are to be counted amongst those who follow the lamb.  And it is only those who follow the lamb who escape the clutches of the Beast. John the Baptist who owned nothing, dressed in camels hair and ate locusts and honey. Forsaking the things of this world to obtain the kingdom of God. And John was like Jesus in this, he owned nothing but the cloak he wore and sought little of this world. And then there was Paul who counted his loss in this world to be gain. Who gave it all up to pursue the prize. These men followed the lamb and their lives imitated Him.

And I sit here and suppose that I am following the lamb of God. I gotta wonder about that too “sell what you have, give alms to the poor, and follow Me”

Taking the mark – As men aspire to the beckoning voice of the Beast they take upon themselves his persona. To obtain the material wealth and prosperous lifestyle that the beast promises, one must covet, hoard, lie, act selfishly,  greedily, love money, aspire to the temporal and the list goes on. This is what it means to take the mark. We follow the Beast and we worship the dragon and we are marked with his likeness. A whole world of little beasts that imitate their father as they pursue his image and desire to behold this form of unrighteousness.

But we of the faith are called to pursue another image. And it’s not the image of the Beast or me, or your pastor, or your church, or the TV evangelist or anyone you are to imitate, But Christ the lamb of God. Christ the image of God is the one we imitate and doing this we will be marked by His likeness. Please don’t be fooled. Stop looking to those who profess to be of the faith, fix your eyes upon the Saviour and seek to imitate Him. For as He has told you, MANY will come in His name saying that He is the Messiah, and lead many astray. Do you not know that the devil appears as an angel of light and his ministers appear as ministers of righteousness.

Awaken bride from thy slumber, for the Lord of Glory beckons you to follow Him.

This yearning for a simpler, meaningful life with God is not to be ignored. Do you hear it? Can you hear that gentle call? My beloved spoke, and said to me, Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away. SOS 2:10

It is the beckoning voice of the coming King, hearken to it child and forsake the love of this world.

Stop chasing the Beast!

Welcome to the world of drug dealers and users and hangers on. But Jake was in another world as well, a world which he cannot come to terms with. The drugs and crime were the least of his worries.

Jake heard that they call me pastor and tend to preach a bit, and so when we met he began to quiz me and with some zeal tell me about his spiritual beliefs.

There on the wall was a picture of Buddha. In his hand he held a card with a saying of Francis of Assisi – a man I admire myself. Then came out the books and information given him by a friend, who was clearly in some new age religious movement that clung to an array of Christian beliefs intertwined with a bunch of new age beliefs. Then there were the sayings and teaching of a Hindu man of wisdom. On top of this some Catholic stuff which someone else had given him.

I let Jake speak, but on the inside I was screaming.  I could hear myself saying  “God, unless you lead this man he will never find his way out of this mess”

Jake could see his dilemma and honestly reflected that he did not know what to believe, and neither did he want to be deceived. It was also evident that he was hungry to know the truth.

Welcome to Babylon Jake, the land of spiritual confusion.

My heart went out to this man.  I earnestly wondered at that moment, given the information in his hands, if any reasoning mind could see their way through this flood of lies and confusion.

I kept my part of the conversation simple, repentance, faith and Christ the Saviour and shepherd.

But I was prompted in that moment to appreciate a little more those who call Christ Lord. I was encouraged that it is God’s work in us that brings us into the kingdom, and I was reminded of the precious faith of all the saints, who call Jesus Lord, who love Him, obey and keep His commandments in this day. A day in which a confused chorus of voices beckon many to destruction.

The work of the Saviour in the lives of His people is a wonder to behold. How precious, John Newton penned, how precious!

How precious the work of God in our lives and I for one know that I would not stand here today apart from the grace which abounds to me by way of the testimony that He has established in my heart.

Rev12:11 They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death. 12Therefore rejoice, you heavens and you who dwell in them! But woe to the earth and the sea, because the devil has gone down to you! He is filled with fury, because he knows that his time is short.”

I don’t always know what I want to say in these posts except perhaps to reaffirm the nature of the day and the reality of scripture being fulfilled in our midst.

Mystical Babylon – the land of confusion, a home for demons and a haunt for every evil spirit, a haunt for every unclean and detestable bird. Rev 18:2.

Mystical Babylon which is so far fallen that I fear even the Lord would say  “‘We would have healed Babylon, but she cannot be healed; let us leave her and each go to his own land, for her judgment reaches to the skies, it rises as high as the clouds.”Jer 51:9

A devil full of fury – and the flurry of confusion, foistered upon an unprepared people,  knowing that his time is short.

Whatever the case I cannot help but pray according to the grace I have found - The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. We have forsaken your ways, and we have denied your name. Do not forsake us as we have forsaken You, return to us oh Lord, that we might return to you. Forgive our foolish ways and do not allow us to perish in our iniquity. Unless you deliver your people from the oppressor we have no hope. We remember the work of your hands in ages past and we are reminded of Your strong right hand. Lord forgive, heal and help us Your people.

If Jake does actually manage to make some sense of all of this and escape the lie, it will no doubt be a most wondrous of works, and as such a work which only the redeemer is able to do in the lives of His people.