Being 'Eternally Secure'

I believe that part of the heresy that will be a downfall to many Christians in the impending end times is the fallacy of "eternal security," which states that "once saved-always saved." It is the notion that once we accept Christ as our Savior from our sins, that regardless of what we do from then on is not relevant in regard to our ultimate salvation. We are as sure for heaven as if we were there already.

There are many arguments that are used to prove this point, but are usually backed with scripture taken out of context, such as:

John 10:28: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.

However, the preceding verse clearly states:

John 10:27: My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me

Here we are shown that being one of Christ’s sheep contains a requirement of being a follower. James 4:8 says "Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded." Notice where it says for us to draw ourselves near to God, and God will then draw Himself near to us. Also, would not the opposite, then, be true? Should we forget about God, His will for us, and live our lives the way we feel is right, is He going to abide with us? If we live like the world, is God going to be close to us?

There is a condition here. Throughout the scriptures we are called to be active in our faith, and to be mindful of who we are in Christ. We are to "put off" our sinful, old nature, and to "put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness." (Ephesians 4:24) Being a believer means being near to God. It means to trust in Him, and having the fruit of the Spirit, which "is in all goodness and righteousness and truth" (Ephesians 5:9)

On the other hand, there are scripture which says clearly the opposite of what the "once saved-always saved" crowd say. Again, in Ephesians chapter 5, Paul tells believers:

1: Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children;
2: And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savour.
3: But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints;
4: Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks.
5: For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.

The apostle Paul is telling Christians that being a follower of God means that we are NOT going to be an adulterer, a whoremonger, a fornicator, a filthy-talker, and someone who is coveting. It also says that those Christians who do these things are idolaters, and will have NO inheritance in "the kingdom of Christ and of God." It couldn’t be more clear what is being said here.

Christ also emphasizes the need for believers to "endure:"

Matthew 10:22: And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.
Matthew 24:13: But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.
Mark 13:13: And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved

The time will come very soon when it will be required of us to "endure" for our faith; however, what will happen to those who do not? James 4:7 says: "Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you." But, if we are not submitting ourselves to God, and not resisting the devil, then we obviously are NOT enduring and finding victory over the devil.

And, what is the statement that follows where it calls for us to "endure?" In every case, Christ tells us that we who endure the trials and tests in our lives, we "shall be saved." What does that mean? For one thing, you have to conclude that the opposite is also true, in that those who do not endure to the end will NOT be saved. It couldn’t be more clear what the meaning is.

With the coming tribulation, there will be many Christians who will fall into deception. Already, an enormous number of believers in America have fallen for the idea that they will avoid tribulation entirely. When you couple this "pre-tribulation" fallacy with a similarly heretical notion of "eternal security," they create an enormous stumbling-block for believers. On one hand, many Christians who trusted God to save them from tribulation will be disenchanted and discouraged because of the perception of God’s "failure," and on the other, they’ll have assurance that it won’t matter what they do in order to avoid persecution, because their salvation is assured.

Christ calls us to follow Him and to endure until the end. Only then are we secure in our salvation. If God is secure with us, we are secure with Him. Do not be deceived by the false prophets and false christs of our time.

Is America Mentioned in Scripture?, Part 2

As I last mentioned, Daniel chapter 7 gives clear evidence that America has its place in scripture and in the end-times. Other evidence of an "eagle" in scripture are in John's visionary account in Revelation. The first is Revelation 8:13, IGENT:

13 And I saw, and I heard one eagle flying in mid-heaven saying with a great voice, woe, woe, woe to the ones dwelling on the earth from the remaining voices of the trumpet of the three angels being about to trumpet.

Charles Miller gives a very thorough account regarding this scripture, as to its inference of America's mission and valued existence, and it can be viewed here. Essentially, the interpretation of his scripture is that America will, with its communications capabilities, spead the word to the world as to the fulfillment of scripture as the end-times are occurring.

The other scripture is Revelation 12:14, KJV:

14 And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent.

The woman referred to here is Israel, and "she" is fleeing from "the great dragon" (Rev. 12:9), which in one context is Satan, but in another is that China will attack and overrun the nation of Israel, and the "two wings of a great eagle" that are given will deliver her from complete destruction. Again, the implication is that America will prove its value and God's purposes as Israel's long-time friend and ally. Charles Miller's in-depth explanation of Revelation 12 can be viewed here.

To reiterate, the majority of so-called "Christian" media teach that America is either not mentioned in scripture, and therefore will be rendered totally irrelivant during the end-times, or that it is "Mystery Babylon," and will suffer God's judgement and ultimate destruction. However, it can be shown that these views are in error, and indeed America will fulfill its ultimate purpose as a shelter of Israel and God's chosen people, the Jews. Recall what God spoke to Abraham:

Genesis 12: 3 And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.

Our nation has been in the forefront in standing by and blessing the nation of Israel, and I believe that this promise is significant in dispelling the false teaching regarding the damnation of America and its imminent destruction. Yes, there are many things wrong with our country, with many abominable sins and societal ills that curse us, but the one thing that singles America out of all others is our steadfast defense of the nation of Israel.

For quite a few years now, men like Pat Robertson, Jerry Falwell, Jack Van Impe have been counting down the days when America's end would come, because they believed that they would be spectators when God's wrath would be poured out upon this country. They believe and teach that America isn't part of God's plan in the end-times, and they proclaim God's wrath being poured out every time a hurricane or terrorist bombing hits us.

Rather than condemning America and setting up believers with a false notion that America doesn't matter, these religious media people should be calling believers to pray for our nation, and for our continued support and blessing of the state of Israel. The future of America is counting upon it.

(For further study in end-times prophesies as they relate to today's technology, visit Charles Miller's webstite here.)

Is America Mentioned in Scripture? Part 1

For most, if not all of the “Left Behind” crowd, the notion that “America is not mentioned in scripture” fits nicely into their pre-tribulation belief system. They believe that America’s prominence in the world will be destroyed, and all who are left after this devastation will march in lock-step with the Antichrist and his minions. Others suggest that America is even “Mystery Babylon,” and that its destruction will follow from the words in Revelation 18:

2: And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird.
3: For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies.

This, of course ignores the fact that in verse 10, it says:

10: Standing afar off for the fear of her torment, saying, Alas, alas, that great city Babylon, that mighty city! for in one hour is thy judgment come.

…and also Isaiah 13:

19: And Babylon, the glory of kingdoms, the beauty of the Chaldees' excellency, shall be as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah.
20: It shall never be inhabited, neither shall it be dwelt in from generation to generation: neither shall the Arabian pitch tent there; neither shall the shepherds make their fold there.

Clearly, the prophesy is about the “great city” “of the Chaldees’ excellency.” Babylon has been a habitable city dating back to Noah’s time, and it still is. Clearly, it will rise again to be a city of great importance, and it will be “Mystery Babylon” (not Rome and not America).

Then, if America is not “Mystery Babylon,” then where would it be mentioned? First of all, misinterpretations of Daniel’s visions need to be dispensed with. Michael, the archangel told Daniel:

Daniel 12:4 But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.

Daniel witnessed, listened to, and recorded the visions he saw, but he could not understand them. However, he was told that the words he wrote would be sealed, “even to the time of the end, [when] many shall run to and fro (technology will allow men to traverse the globe), and knowledge shall be increased (technology will allow men to know far more than they had known in any time previously).

So what does this mean? It clearly means that man would not know the meaning of Daniel’s prophesies and visions until “the time of the end.” Only within the past thirty or forty years have we had the ability to “run to and fro” and have had the ability with the use of computers for the increase in knowledge spoken of in Daniel 12, so that would mean that interpretations of Daniel’s visions prior to our time are incorrect.

Therefore, the interpretation of the “four beasts” as Babylon, Persia, Greece, and Rome are incorrect, since this interpretation was borne out of the Ante-Nicene Fathers in AD 325. Daniel’s vision in chapter 8 also tells of two beasts as being “a ram which had two horns,” and the other as a “goat [that] had a notable horn between his eyes.” These two beasts are clearly identified:

20: The ram which thou sawest having two horns are the kings of Media and Persia.
21: And the rough goat is the king of Grecia: and the great horn that is between his eyes is the first king.

The four beasts spoken of in Daniel 7 are traditionally identified as Babylon (“a lion, and had eagle's wings”), Persia (“like to a bear”), Greece (“like a leopard”), and Rome (“diverse from all the beasts that were before it; and it had ten horns”). However, how can it be that Persia and Greece, spoken of in Daniel 8 as a ram and goat are also like “a bear,” and “a leopard?” God is not the author of confusion (I Corinthians 14:33), therefore, the beasts spoken of in Daniel 7 must represent someone or something else.

Also, in the interpretation of this vision in verse 17, it says:

“These great beasts, which are four, are four kings, which shall arise out of the earth.”

The tense of this sentence is clearly in the future, and since Babylon was on the verge of being overthrown by the Persians, and the Persians were already on their doorstep, no part of this vision can be concerning them either.

So, I believe that it can be established that the traditional interpretation of Daniel 7 is incorrect. I can also establish, by using Daniel 8 that the beasts used in the vision of the four beasts are representative of nations and winds of social change in our time. Again, Daniel 8 identifies the Medes and Persians as “a ram with two horns,” and Greece as a “rough goat.” This identification is due to the fact that, at that time, both nations used these animals as emblems of their respective countries:

Persian monarchs wore a jeweled ram's head of gold instead of a crown.

Amyntas I of Macedon, upon being threatened with an invasion, became tributary to Persia about 547 B.C.

The history of this event is recorded in one of the pilasters of Persepolis, as a Persian holding a one-horned goat in his left hand.

Archelaus of Macedon minted a one-horned goat coin in 413 B.C.

As with this identification of nations with animal representatives in Daniel 8, the same goes with a proper identification of nations with animal representatives in Daniel 7. Let’s see what Daniel says about the first beast:

4: The first was like a lion, and had eagle's wings: I beheld till the wings thereof were plucked, and it was lifted up from the earth, and made stand upon the feet as a man, and a man's heart was given to it.

The lion has been a national emblem of England dating back to William the Conqueror (A.D. 1066), and the eagle has been America’s national emblem since its birth. Also, coupled with the description of it being “lifted up from the earth, and made stand upon the feet as a man, and a man's heart was given to it,” clearly this portion of the vision is speaking of constitutional representative democracy. No other form of societal government can be described as such. Also, the “wings thereof were plucked” clearly describes America’s split with England in 1776.

Therefore, if America can be established as being, in part, the first of the four beasts in Daniel 7, then America will NOT be destroyed as so many false prophets and false teachers claim will happen. We know this from Daniel 7:11-12:

11: I beheld then because of the voice of the great words which the horn [of the forth beast] spake: I beheld even till the beast was slain, and his body destroyed, and given to the burning flame.
12: As concerning the rest of the beasts, they had their dominion taken away: yet their lives were prolonged for a season and time.

Here, it clearly says that the first three beasts will outlive the forth, although America’s dominion and world prominence will be taken. I believe that America will survive the great tribulation, and that we will have a great role to play in world events as Israel’s friend and ally. I will speak more regarding this in part 2.

Falwell's Hands in Moon's Pockets?

Check this out regarding "Dr." Jerry Falwell's checking out THE REVEREND Sun Myung Moon's deep pockets. For those of you who don't know, Rev. Moon is a self-proclaimed Messiah of all mankind, who says that Jesus messed things up the first time, because he didn't get married and have kids.

Says Moon, he and his current wife are the "true parents of all humanity." (2/9/98 issue of Christianity Today)

Falwell's quote: “If the Unificationists, the American Atheist Society, or Bill Clinton himself ever send an unrestricted gift to any of my ministries, be assured I will operate on evangelist Billy Sunday’s philosophy of: ‘The Devil’s had it long enough’ ... and quickly cash the check!” says it all.

NBC's Desperate Episcopalians

Brent Bozell tell's it for those of us who wouldn't give the networks the time of day. Why does it not surprise me that the Episcopal Diocese of Washington is all behind "The Book of Daniel?" Hopefully, it'll get axed before February.

What Did Christ Say About It?, Part 3

Following verse 14, Jesus switches gears a bit, moving from events that effect the entire world to events effecting His people, Israel. He speaks specifically regarding them in verses 15 through 20:

15: When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:)
16: Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains:
17: Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house:
18: Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes.
19: And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days!
20: But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day:

Here Christ completes the picture, giving an overview of the time of troubles faced by His church, and a regional picture of the terror His chosen people will face at the same time. The abomination of desolation spoken in verse 15 refers to the prophet Daniel’s vision in his writings, chapter 11, verse 31, and chapter 12, verse 11. This is actually a multiple occurrence of an abomination taking place in the holy place of the Temple. The first case occurred in 168 BC by Antiochus Epiphanies, which led to the rebellion by Mattathias and Judas Maccabees.

At the time when Jews in Jerusalem see an occurrence mirroring the one committed by Antiochus Epiphanies, Jesus tells them to immediately run for safety. Regardless of the time, season, day of the week, and even if it is on the most holy day, they are to drop whatever they are doing, and run for their lives, because they are in mortal danger! As with the universal attempt to wipe out Christianity from the face of the earth, there will be a universal pogrom to destroy, once and for all, God’s chosen people, the Jews.

Then, beginning with verse 21, Jesus ties everything together with the following statement:

21: For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.

Here it is stated as plain as day what this time will is. Believers in Jesus Christ, as well as God’s chosen people, the Jews–the race which God blessed, from which arose the Hope of all mankind–will be made to come together in the face of this great period of tribulation. So great a time of peril it will be, that it will be like no other time before it.

Christ further describes the terrible seriousness of this time in verse 22:

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.

Here, the meaning is that the time of this period of extreme tribulation will not be so prolonged, so that Satan will be able to succeed in destroying God’s "elect." God’s mercy will provide a way for His servants to continue His work on earth, even during this terrible period of pain and death.

Following this, Christ reiterates what he spoke of earlier in verse 5, when he said that "many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many." Verses 23 through 28 state:

23: Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not.
24: For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.
25: Behold, I have told you before.
26: Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not.
27: For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
28: For wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together.

This portion prepares the disciples and us, the readers of Matthew’s account for what the true appearing of Jesus, the Messiah of the Jews and Savior of all who will receive Him will be like. We are to reject any and all notions that Christ is here among us, or that he is in a specified place where we may see him. Anyone claiming that Christ is here or there is an apostate, because as verse 27 says, "For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be."

His coming is not going to be something that is secret and/or silent. His coming will be seen by everyone. It will be bright and thunderous. I imagine it to be as though a 10,000 megaton nuclear device explodes in earth’s atmosphere, something that will be so bright and so loud that no one will be able to miss it.

Here is what Christ says regarding His coming:

29: Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:
30: And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
31: And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

There is nothing secretive or "wimpy" about Christ’s return to earth. Nobody will be able to miss it. If someone can’t see it, they’ll hear it. If they can’t see or hear it, they’ll feel it in the shaking of the earth and atmosphere around them: "and then shall all the tribes of the earth (as opposed to "the elect") mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory." And then, verse 31 tells of what will occur next–the same sounding of the trumpet spoken of by the apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 15: 51-52, where the elect shall be gathered by His Angels, "from the four winds" (the elect on earth), and "from one end of heaven to the other (the elect who have already joined Him from times past).

Compare Matthew 24: 31 with 1 Corinthians 15:52:

52: In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

It is obvious that these two events are identical. "The dead" who are raised are those who the angels will gather "from one end of heaven to the other," "and we (who are still alive, who) shall be changed" are those who the angels will gather from the four winds. Christ tells his disciples, and us that we will experience this "great tribulation" He speaks of, and only after this will we be raptured. He does not mince words or gives inference that he is only speaking of Israel and the Jews only, as I have read from some heretical commentaries. We WILL face this "great tribulation," so we will need to have the resolve to "endure" this time until the very end. (Matthew 24:13)

However, we are also called to serve Christ always, just as the apostles served Him, even to the end of their own lives. There will be much work to do, and few hands to do it. We must continue to proclaim Christ to the fallen and to reap the harvest (John 4:35), until Christ comes and we are called home.

What DId Christ Say About It? Part 2

The point where I left off beginning this series covering Matthew 24 was verse 13, which could be argued to be the main point of Christ’s entire message:

13: But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.

Prior to the end of this age and Christ’s return to rapture His church, there will be accelerated and universal persecution of believers and Christ-followers. Not only does Jesus tell His disciples this, but also that there will be “many” believers who will be deceived by false prophets and false christs, and “many” of these believers will betray their faith. However, those who endure this universal affliction, hatred, and death will “be saved.”

Now, take note of the following verse:

14: And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.

This might possibly be the most misinterpreted verse in all of the four main gospels. To many commentators, this scripture means that the whole world must be evangelized prior to the end of this age, and Christ’s expected return. While I would never intend to downplay the efforts of evangelists and missionaries who have risked all to spread the good news of fallen man’s hope of redemption by God’s grace through Christ’s sacrifice on our behalf (indeed, I am not in any way downplaying evangelism at all), I do not read that interpretation into this verse at all.

Everything that Christ is saying in this message is in context with the words preceding it. When Jesus says in verse 14 that “this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all of the world,” he is referring to the main point spoken of in verse 13. In other words, when it is realized that enduring, even unto the pain of death, is required of His followers when trials and tribulations are encountered, and the preaching of this crucial message has reached saturation-stage throughout the world, then this ending of the current age shall come.

Naturally, this raises the issue of “eternal security” of believers and Christ-followers, and whether a Christian can lose his salvation. It is not the intention of this post to go down that road at this time. I simply wish to point out what Christ says, as opposed to what men have said. I know of where it says in John 10:28:

“And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.”

I’d only point out that this does not discount a believer’s own will to do whatever he wishes to do. God does not turn us into robots once we receive His grace and forgiveness of our sins through Christ’s blood. We can turn ourselves away from God’s will for our lives, should that seem expedient to us. A number of examples in scripture show that the faithful can become enemies of the faith, and who received a measure of God’s wrath as a result of their disobedience. Let me just say that I believe that God has given all men a will to follow whatever path we wish to roam, and if someone who accepted Christ as his Savior later on blasphemes the Holy Spirit, as his own will prescribes, then that person is lost forever. That person has chosen his own destiny in spite of what Christ did for him.

We are told as was told to the twelve disciples that we are to “endure,” and thus we shall be saved. Christ has called us to be his servants and ambassadors for Him on this earth. He wills that we continue through this duty for him, regardless of the personal circumstances that we may face as a result of Christ’s commandments to us. We are not to vary from the path that is narrow, and we are not to tarry in any sin that we commit. Repentance is vital to this service, and we are called daily to bury our old nature, and to put on righteousness.

Being a true believer is an active, persistent matter, and we are not given latitude should it become a matter of life and death. When that time comes, we are told to lose our lives in order to find it for all eternity (Matthew 16:25). We are told to “endure unto the end.”

I will continue on with this message with “What did Christ say about it, Part 3.”

Left Behind's Anti-Christian values?

My initial disagreement regarding Tim LaHaye's Left Behind series has been its apparent premise, that Christ is going to return in an imminent time, and those who are left will either choose Christ and live for him, or they will reject Him, and choose the Antichrist. I disagree with the concept of imminece, and I believe that there are a number of events that MUST occur prior to Christ's return and our joining Him in eternity.

Now, it appears that my assumption in regard to Left Behind's premise has been incorrect. Here I've read a number of pieces that proclaim that Left Behind is essentially saying that these post-rapture Christians will be able to "have their cake and eat it too." A number of instances are cited that present these "Christians" as being able to accept the "mark of the Beast" and denounce Christ, all the while remaining "faithful." If true, then not only is this a promotion of an idea that is completely unbiblical, it is also a slight to every martyr who ever suffered agony and death for their resolve to remain completely faithful to their Lord and Savior.

I am going to look further into this, but if it is true that Tim LaHaye is actually promoting an anti-christian, occultic philosophy, then this will be yet another reason why Left Behind is terribly dangerous reading.

What DId Christ Say About It? Part 1

All of what the pre-tribulation “Left Behind” crowd says about the rapture come from the pen of the Apostle Paul (apart from I Corinthians 15:51-53, which harms their theory), and several other early church authors. Here are some examples:

1 Corinthians 1:7 - "awaiting eagerly the revelation of our Lord Jesus
Christ,"

Philippians 3:20 - "For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we
eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ;"

Philippians 4:5 - "The Lord is near."

Hebrews 9:28 - "so Christ . . . shall appear a second time for salvation
without reference to sin, to those who eagerly await Him."

The problem here is the hope that was written to those who believed that they were experiencing the end-times tribulation has been confused with a biblical theology. Christ taught about what would occur prior to His coming in Matthew chapter 24, and it was easy for the early church to believe that they were living through what He spoke about.

First of all, Jesus told His disciples regarding this second-coming:

Matthew 24:4- “Take heed that no man deceive you.”

This is important, because what HE says is the final authority. This simple message is what Christ’s sermon to His disciples rests upon. He speaks to those who identify themselves as His followers, and it is the context of what follows:

5: For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.
6: And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.
7: For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.
8: All these are the beginning of sorrows.
9: Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake.
10: And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.
11: And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.
12: And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.

Verse 5 affirms that “many” will be deceived, and since this is said in context with the words preceding it, it must mean that many “Christians” will be deceived (indeed, unbelievers are already deceived, so he's not speaking to them). While this is happening, Christ says there will be wars, rumors of national conflicts, people rising to slaughter other people, and natural disasters will occur at an accelerated rate. However, these things will only be the beginning of the trouble believers will face.

In verse 9, Christ says THEN believers will be delivered to affliction, death, and all nations will hate them. There is a progression of events occurring here. Take note of what happens next:

10: And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.
11: And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.
12: And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.

Again, Christ is talking to and about Christians. Those who are “offended,” who will betray each other, and will hate one another are all “Christians.” “Many” of US (Christ-followers) are going to fall away from our faith. “Many” will apologize for their shallow faith, and will become traitors to the church. They will cease to live as believers of and for Christ, and rather will live like the rest of the world.

However, what does Christ say about those who remain faithful? Verse 13 gives the answer:

13: But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.

It will take more than surface-faith to endure all that Christians will face, and indeed what Christians have faced and are facing today in many parts of the world. The point of what Christ is talking about is a universal, intense persecution of His church, and we will have to remain faithful servants to Him, no matter what.

At this present time, I do not see a universal, holocaust-like affliction upon all of the Body of Christ. Our country has Christian colleges and universities, Christian publishers, openly Christian politicians and lawyers, 10,000-member mega-churches, and the like. Only in an environment like this could the idea flourish that Christ is going to come again to take His church before a universal tribulation begins.

Frankly speaking, I do not see Tim LaHaye “enduring” anything, other than the construction of his own legacy. I do not see Jerry Falwell or Pat Robertson suffering for their faith either. What I do see are people like this pouring millions of dollars into propagating the heretical teaching of ‘pre-tribulation,’ which might do more to set-up believers for their inevitable fall than anything else. These men are also profiting greatly from the selling of their books, audio tapes and CD’s, videos, and course studies in “Bible Prophesy.”

Millions of Christ-followers expect that He will deliver them before they will have to face any real trouble, due to their faith. “Let no man deceive you.” It will be required of you, as a servant of Jesus Christ, to “endure unto the end” prior to His coming. Do not be deceived by the false prophets of ‘pre-tribulation.’

I will follow-up this message with “What did Christ say about it? Part 2”

Pat Robertson makes my head explode!

This nonsense from the venerable Pat Robertson should be enough to set the mainstream "Christian" media back a few decades, but it won't. Imagine, here we have a 77 year-old (going on 78 years in February) man, who wasn't in the best of health to begin with, and when he suffers a massive stroke, it's because he was "punished by God?"

The arrogance and presumptive nature of this man is infuriating. I suppose that every obese person in their late-seventies who suffers strokes are rotten sinners who have it coming to them. Should anything similar happen to Mr. Pat, then I wonder what we should conclude, except it seems to me that he'd lost his mind quite a while ago.

Nobody Left Behind!

The purpose of this blog is to counter the dim-wittery of the mainstream "Christian" media, and their insistance that "Christ can return at any time." I will talk of the "signs of the times," and do my darnedest to refute the misinterpretations of scripture and get folks thinking about what it means to prepare for Christ's second-coming.

As an initial argument against the "pre-tribulation rapture" hypothesis, I site the apostle Paul's first letter to the Corinthians, chapter 15, verses 51 and 52:

51: Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52: In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

What does the "Left Behind" crowd say about this occurrance? It's always that Christ will take the church at any time, and that his return is imminent. However, this crowd, to a person, ignore this scripture, essentially because it blows their heretical teaching out of the water.

Anyone who knows anything about scripture would have to know that this "last trump" spoken of by the apostle Paul is the Seventh (and final) Trumpet that will sound, which is spoken of in Revelation 11:15:

15: And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.

How is Christ's return and the rapture of his church imminent when this series of trumpet blasts has yet to occur? The answer is, it isn't. This is yet one of the many problems with the mainstream "Christian" media's interpretation with end-time prophesy.