We Must Root Out The Heresy Within The Church!

I sometimes struggle with explaining my opinions regarding the Modern American Church. I love seeing those within its walls who are truly seeking a deeper relationship [or even the possibility of a relationship with God]. And I can only speak from my own experience, but at the same time, I am observing more and more, that my history with the Church holds true for many others.

In fact, it was for the very reason of trying to understand the Word that led me to what would become my church for 20 years. I had sporadic introductions to a couple of churches during my childhood and maturing years, but my father's job advancements, and the interruption of college, didn't allow me to sink any kind of taproot in any of those first encounters. And it wasn't until I married, and Mark and I both felt in our spirits that it was time to get serious about being equally yoked in our covenant with God, that we began to earnestly seek Him.

At first, the Pastor at the Church we attended was our primary guide to the Word. He introduced us to a God who was real, not just some distant figure in the sky. I actually heard Him speak to me for the first time in that Church and knew Him as my loving Father in Heaven. Then we graduated from just sitting in the pews each Sunday, to a small group of older and committed Believers that grew us into a deeper connection with Jesus's teachings. They actually took us to a higher level of knowledge in the Bible; providing both historical and spiritual comprehension beyond the 20-minute sermon each Sunday morning. They made it comfortable for us to actually question our understanding without judgment, and challenged us to connect the dots between both Old and New Testament Scripture, so that we could begin forming our own opinions about God's Truth [while lovingly correcting us if we strayed too far from God's inherent purpose in inspiring His Word]. It was an exciting period of growth.

But as we hungered for [and digested] the deeper meanings of God's instructions, we began to discern that we weren't being "filled". We instinctively desired more of Him; a personal relationship, and began to be uncomfortable as our spirits revealed a new and disturbing incursion of a different kind of spirit; one that seemed to be contradicting what the Holy Spirit was teaching us. It began insidiously ... introducing the idea of "progressive theology" to the youth. [Isn't that one of Satan's favorite ways to begin attacking the foundation of anything that restricts his power]?

Mind you, I first began to see these changes in my beloved church 25 years ago, so when I began to question exactly what it meant to say you believed in progressive theology, I got a lot of varying answers. I suspect this movement was so new, that its members hadn't developed a consensus about what it stood for. What little I could find on the internet said they essentially believed in taking care of the planet [worshiping it]; the Bible was not the inerrant word of God, but influenced by men; and that Christians should be open to the idea that God speaks to different faiths in different ways, allowing for diversity in His commandments. When I approached the new pastor of my Church about my concerns over Progressive theology, he said, "Well, to me, it can mean we have moved from church services with a pipe organ, to we now enjoy worship services with electric guitars and modern music". 

Ok, then ... this wasn't exactly what I was looking for, nor did it inspire trust in me that my church was going to facilitate any growth in this new personal relationship with God that I was experiencing. I have since discovered that Progressive Christianity has grown deep roots within the Modern American Church, and has evolved into a major network of professed believers and proponents who have married with traditional Church ideology and theology. I think it is important that we know what they currently stand for, so allow me to give you a quick synopsis.

I have summarized their five Core Principles, and I urge you to read this article that expands on how they are influencing God's Church: 1) They believe that following Jesus can lead to experiencing sacredness, wholeness, and unity of all life, while recognizing that the Spirit moves in many faith traditions. 2) They seek community that is inclusive, honoring differences in theological perspectives, age, race, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, class, or ability. 3) They strive for peace and justice among all people, behaving with compassion and selfless love which is the fullest expression of their belief system. 4) They promote embracing the insights of contemporary science and strive to protect the Earth and ensure its integrity and sustainability. 5) They believe in committing to a path of life-long learning believing that there is more value in questioning than in absolutes. 

As a committed follower of Jesus Christ, the Lord and King of the Universe, my Savior and Redeemer, and the Son of the True [and Most High] God, what I see in these Principles of Progressive Christianity is a belief system that belittles the essence of Jesus. They openly state that they "place equal or greater emphasis on His life and teachings than they do in His Death and Resurrection". Further, they believe in Social Justice [as the world defines it; not as Jesus does]. Science has become an important [and equal] part of their faith, and they believe that "embracing science necessarily means scrutinizing narrative", and that "there is more value in questioning than in absolutes". In other words, science is their idol and it requires that they question God's Word as being absolute; moral relativism has more merit that God's stated Truth. 

Understanding the direction that my Church was heading towards led to the final fracture in my relationship with what I had believed would be my Church for life. It came to a crisis point when a teacher [in a class Mark and I attended, and whom we greatly respected] began bringing teachings by leaders of the Emerging Church into our gatherings. Basically, it was brought to our attention that if you believed Jesus was born of a virgin, that the Word was true and inerrant, or that Jesus knew He was the Son of God, then you were part of the "old paradigm" of the Church. The "new paradigm" understood that the virgin story in the Bible was just an allegory; a lot of the teachings in the Bible were meant to be symbolic, not literal; and that Jesus did not understand who He was until He was hanging on the Cross. 

I couldn't understand why we were studying books of this kind, instead of the Bible. And, our teachings began to settle around themes of a political nature, such as social justice and the use of the death penalty. Let me be clear, our faith should influence our thoughts on these issues -- on every issue in our life -- but what we were seeing in discussions of these issues was designed to influence, and change, our faith!   

My spirit screamed, "HERESY"! At this point, I think it's important that I make clear what heresy means to me. I actually agree with the Greek meaning from the word Hairesis: a choosing; a self-willed opinion which is substituted for submission to the power of truth. According to Paul in Galations 5, it leads to division and the formation of sects: "Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies"... the very things with which Progressive Christianity seeks to label us obedient Christians.  

These were the first examples where I personally saw heresy begin to slip into the Church -- and, again, that was 25 years ago! It has grown and expanded exponentially since then. Within the last couple of weeks an article appeared in Harbinger's Daily, by Ken Ham, [with whom I disagree regarding the topic of young earth vs old earth]. But, on the issue of rejecting Biblical authority, opening doors of compromise, and placing our opinions above God's, we agree. 

Here's what he wrote: "A United Church of Christ minister in LA (who refers to her sermon as heretical, so at least she admits it!) preached: Well do I think that [the resurrection] could have happened and did happen? I believe so ... I feel it probably did. But if I'm scientific or realistic I don't know. And I say that because there's no "proof". Did it really happen? ... Did Jesus really raise from the dead? I don't know. If Jesus didn't physically raise from the dead and ascend, it doesn't change a thing about my love of God and Christ and Christianity ... because I truly believe in my heart of hearts that my faith ... is a resurrection faith.

Ken Ham goes on to say that it should be obvious to any Christian that her refusal to affirm the Resurrection is a problem. After all, her Salvation depends on her affirmation. And here's what I have to say: "No proof"? Faith doesn't require proof! It's our confidence in what we hope for and the assurance about what we don't see. It involves trusting in God and His promises, even when they are not visible. Her obvious doubt and unbelief [in my opinion] disqualifies her to be a minister in the Church. And I believe she is introducing heresy into her church.

And then there's a second example that Ken Ham provides of heresy: "A Canadian reverend of The Metropolitan Community Church in Toronto, Ontario, preached in a sermon that for 40 years he's wanted his church to remove the "uncomfortable" and problematic" word Savior from the church website as that can be a "stumbling block" to potential visitors and those seeking membership at his church". 

That pastor had this to say: Many, before they come to our church, will check out the website to see what this church is about: so, see what they believe. And many of the folks that did that will tell me, "I looked up your church, and it sounded reasonable, but when I go to that word 'Savior', it was a problem." The pastor went on ... I would hope that someday, this church would see the possibility of changing that word because it is a stumbling block for many who want to be here. It is a stumbling block for people who do interfaith work. How do we explain that phrase to Muslims, and to Jews, and to Hindus"?  

Well, Pastor, here's my answer: You explain that phrase [Savior] as you express the True Gospel of the Bible; the Good News that the One True God of the Universe sent His only Son to earth to receive the wrath that we [that means all of humanity] deserve for rejecting Him and the relationship He established with us from the Garden. He is Holy ... meaning His nature is one of absolute purity and moral excellence. There is no sin in Him, and He expects those that are made in His image to reflect that same righteousness. Because we have inherited sin from humanity's original parents, we cannot attain that righteousness on our own. We are in desperate need of a way to come before our Holy God in submission and righteousness; that necessitates someone to save us from our sinfulness. Jesus is the Way to that reconciliation with our Father. He is our Savior! 

And I would further say this .... interfaith work should not mean acceptance of the "little g" gods of other faiths as equal to our Most High God. So, to find that the connotation of Jesus as our Savior to be "uncomfortable" or "problematic" indicates to me that you are willing to compromise the Truth of who Jesus is, in order to appeal to those who don't believe in Him. And that, Pastor, is heresy in my opinion. 

As I wind up this latest post, I want to reiterate that all this is my opinion. But my opinion is founded on the beliefs expressed through the Holy Spirit and the Bible. I am not a fundamentalist believer -- I recognize that Jesus did not come to establish "the Church" as a regimental force in the world. He did not instruct us to erect buildings and keep our faith to ourselves.  He came to re-establish the relationship He created us for; to express His love for each of us and give us the opportunity to return that love to Him and to walk in that love with our neighbors. Yes, there are absolute moral values that reflect His nature and to which He calls us to follow. And I admit that it is a narrow and often times difficult road to walk -- we don't want to become so religious that we stifle the freedom that Jesus died to give us; but we also don't want to endorse so much freedom in our sins that we allow any and all diverse beliefs to be approved [only to be perverted by the Enemy].

The purpose of this post is to share the heresies that I have witnessed in my journey with the Lord and how they can easily be used to foment lawlessness and corrupt theology. It is important that we defend the Truth and absolute authority of God's Word in the world. Lord, I ask you to guide me in the way to rightly handle Your Truth and to represent You in the world. We need Your heart and Your principles today, Lord! Help us to root out the Satan-inspired heresy that has entered our church buildings, and provide Your inspiration to guide others to righteousness. Amen!

Acts 14-16.   But this I confess to you, that according to the Way, which they call a sect, I worship the God of our fathers, believing everything laid down by the Law and written in the Prophets, having a hope in God, which these men themselves accept, that there will be a resurrection of both the just and the unjust. So, I always take pains to have a clear conscience toward both God and man. 

 

PETA and Artificial Intelligence Co-Author New Bible Version of Creation!

I hesitate to say that I have "seen it all", but a headline on The Christian Post website titled PETA sells vegan-friendly AI Bible rewrite of the Creation story, certainly pushes the bounds of absurdity. The article by Ian M. Giatti, reports that PETA used ChatGBT to steer an AI developed version of the Book of Genesis to support their animal rights message.

First of all, it must be recognized that ChatGBT is an AI software platform that ... surprise! ... has bias built into it based on the source data that is feeding it, and has the ability to modify itself according to corrective information and algorithms input by its human handlers. So, any logical thinking human should be mindful of the predisposition and prejudice of any person, group, or organization presenting information via AI and/or ChatGBT. 

That being said, just how is PETA using AI to alter the text of Genesis in their 75-page digital download, and what is the revised "word" they are promoting? Mr. Giatti records several instances of changed wording, along with deliberately deleted passages to promote their version of the Creation story. I'll share some of them, point out the truth of the Bible, and an ulterior motive for their false variation of Genesis.

Giatti states, "According to PETA, 'The message in Genesis is that God created every sentient being. He saw that they were good, and He gave them greens for sustenance' ". Ok, let's break this seemingly simple sentence down. The word sentient means "able to perceive or feel things; having a conscience".  By using the words sentient being, PETA is implying that God made humans and animals as equals. God very specifically refers to the animals as "beasts" or "creatures". That is an important distinction that has been obscured in the AI wording of this interpretation. Furthermore, there is the reference that He gave them greens for sustenance. In other words, PETA wants the readers of this new Genesis account to believe that mankind is meant to follow vegetarian practices. There is much to understand about God's instruction in the Bible regarding what is acceptable to eat. Let me try to simplify our understanding by pointing out a few Scriptures...

Yes, in the beginning God revealed that He provided plants as food for both man and animals (Genesis 1:29-30). PETA and AI stop there in their narrative. They do not reveal that after Man's Fall and the Flood, God changes His plan, and tells Noah in Genesis 9:3, Every moving thing that lives shall be food for you. And as I gave you the green plants, I [now] give you everything. GotQuestions.org points out "Throughout the Old Testament, meat eating was the norm, from the Passover lamb (Exodus 12) to the quail that God provided in the wilderness (Exodus 16) to the portions of the animal sacrifices that the priests and Levites ate (Deuteronomy 18). Daniel and his three friends refused to eat the king’s food in Babylon, choosing only vegetables (Daniel 1), but this was probably because there was no guarantee that the meat would have been considered clean according to the Mosaic law. Vegetarianism was not the issue" [my emphasis]. Furthermore, Jesus ate meat when He observed the Passover meal of the sacrificed lamb. 

As Mr. Giatti points out, "Another deviation is the use of plant fibers like hemp and bamboo as clothing rather than animal skins, a significant change from the narrative in Genesis 3 in which God made “garments of [an unidentified animal] skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them” (Genesis 3:21). I believe this is an intentional attempt to disregard the first blood sacrifice in the Bible that foreshadows the inevitable sacrifice of Jesus's blood on the Cross for the forgiveness of our sins. As I noted in my prior blog post, Bible illiteracy in this nation [even, sadly, among Christians] opens the door for deception and delusion [and false belief systems]. Satan would love nothing more than to wipe the truth of the power of the blood of Jesus from the AI-indoctrinated generations to come. 

Perhaps the most grievous misinterpretation centers around the willingness of Abraham to sacrifice his son, Isaac, to show his faith in God. In the PETA/AI version, Abraham's strength of faith is diminished to merely befriending a lamb, rather than any reference to a sacrifice, whether of Isaac or a ram. And among the most absurd additions to the Genesis account is the fabrication that Abraham and Sarah, who are 100 and 90, respectively, decide to add to their family by adopting a dog they name Herbie! If you can pick your jaw up off the floor, here is how the AI passage reads: "As they walked with Herbie, Sarah and Abraham thought of the importance of adopting dogs from shelters and rescue organizations rather than purchasing them from breeders...". How could anyone believe this blasphemous nonsense?!? But believe it they will, because "they refused to love the truth and so be saved".  

When confronted with this false revisionist form of the Bible, PETA President Ingrid Newkirk rationalized it by stating, “The Bible has long been used to justify all forms of oppression, so we’ve used ChatGPT to make it clear that a loving God would never endorse exploitation of or cruelty to animals ... This modern rendering of Genesis is a positive approach to bringing more people to understand God’s message of compassion, a return to the Garden of Eden, if you will,” she said. “This chatbot interpretation of the creation story clarifies and highlights God’s intended message of kindness, gentleness and love for everyone.”

So, now PETA claims to know the mind of our sovereign and God??? It appears to me that they have decided to rewrite God in the image of man! And do they really think they have the right and permission to change God's holy design of Creation that has been believed for thousands of years? It should also be alarming to all Believers that they are soft-pedaling their version to capture the attention of the faith-based public by claiming "Scriptural evidence for what Peta says is God's plans for animals under the stewardship of man". But when they go so far as to proclaim that "a vegan diet is a Kingdom diet", and use the harmony between man and animal in Isaiah 11:6-9 as their justification, the distortion is all too obvious. 

In summary, this is just one more example of how Satan is using technology to put forth AI-scripted theological discourses that will lead the blind and Biblically illiterate down a path of deception. We must educate our youth as to the Truth of the Bible and how to discern the spirit of not only people, but what is being disseminated as coming from God, for many false prophets and teachers are operating in the world today. It is our duty as Kingdom ambassadors, to take a stand; and do not be caught off guard when that results in harassment and tyranny from an increasingly AI-dominant system. But fear not! Jesus will soon come and confront the liars and deceivers, the falsifiers and the fabricators. Stay vigilant! See where technology is taking us, and be ready to stand on solid Biblical ground. We need Believers who see and hear without error! 

Thanks to christianpost.com and got questions.org for the reference material that contributed to this blog post. 

2 Timothy 4:3-5    For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching .... and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander into myths. As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.

Will We Christians Recognize God's Strong Delusion?

 

Those of us who are Christians with discerning hearts and spirits are aware that lawlessness is on growing/ There are spirits of anarchy, chaos, and rebellion that seem to have been given free reign over the land. And we are all aware that it won't be long before the Man of Lawlessness, as prophesied in the Bible, appears on the scene and is revealed. In 2 Thessalonians 2, we learn that this son of destruction will oppose the worship of any other god besides himself; and indeed, will exalt himself above the One True God, seating himself in the temple of God [in Jerusalem], and proclaiming himself to be God. We can take courage, though, because the Bible tells us that the appearance of this imposter is a sign that the Lord Jesus will soon appear and kill him with the breath of His mouth! 

But how has this blasphemous and profane man found his way upon the world stage? Again, the Bible gives us the answer ... "by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders, and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved." As Christians, we know that Satan has the ability to fool and deceive many into rejecting the salvation that Jesus offers. But surely that warning to "those who are perishing" can't apply to us who call ourselves saved and believers! Or can it? Remember, that Jesus, Himself, in Matthew, Chapter 24, refers to the prophecy of Daniel that there will be an abomination in the House of the Lord when a usurper stands in the Holy Place. This will be a future Man of Lawlessness who perverts the sanctity of God's House. Jesus goes on to warn that there will be great persecution against His followers, and "false christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect." But how can that happen? How could people who consider themselves strong believers possibly be so deceived? We find the answer in 2 Thessalonians 2 ... "Therefore God sends them a strong delusion, so that they may believe what is false, in order that all may be condemned who did not believe the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness."

Surely, that only refers to those who persistently reject Jesus as the Son of God, denying His redemptive death on the Cross for our sins and denying His resurrection to eternal life. But I would ask you to consider this ... again, I want to emphasize God's Immutable (Never-Changing) Nature. As tired as you may be of hearing it, He truly is the same as He was yesterday, is today, and will be tomorrow. So, we must recognize that God lets us know throughout the Bible that Judgment is part of His character and nature. The Book of Psalms is full of descriptors of His Judgment:  It is true; it is in all the earth; He has established His throne for Judgment; and He will most assuredly execute His Judgment.

But there is another topic that surrounds this theme of "Judgment", and it can be found in both the Old and New Testaments.  In Ezekiel, Chapter 9, God shows the prophet a vision of an effectual slaughter of the people of Israel for the abominations they have committed against Him.  Ezekiel sees God commanding an angel to put a mark on the foreheads of those who mourned over the sinfulness and kept themselves apart from it.  Then come the devastating words of the Lord: Utterly slay old men, young men, maidens, little children, and women, but do not touch any man on whom is the mark; and you shall start from My sanctuary. It is quite apparent that God's Judgment is swift and terrible, and His Judgment begins with His sanctuary. We, my friends, are His sanctuary today! We, as individuals and the corporate "Church" are His dwelling place on the earth. But soon, there will be a man who will arise, and being full of deception, he will perform great signs and wonders, so that he will be able to deceive even the elect -- if it is possible. 

How can it be possible to deceive the elect? Let's start with 1 Peter 4:17, which says, 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? Note that Peter says "for those who do not obey the gospel of God". Not "believe" but "obey" the gospel of God! First of all, the gospel of God includes all the good news of His nature, His character, His mercy, His love, and His laws. Can today's Church honestly say that they have obeyed His statues and His instruction to us? Have we followed His strict mandates for how He desires we worship, honor, and obey Him? Or have we followed our own hearts and compromised with the world so His House looks less like Him and more like what pleases us?

And has the modern church considered which gospel Peter is talking about? Is it the gospel of Salvation or the gospel of the Kingdom? Oh, we understand the gospel of Salvation pretty well and most of us will say we have obeyed its tenets. But remember, there are strong warnings to those who refused to "love the truth", thereby allowing themselves to be deceived and deluded. What is the truth? Yes, Jesus came to die for our sins, but He came for so much more! 

He came to re-establish His Father's kingdom on earth and to share the good news that the dominion of the earth could be ours again. Yes, His death gives us the choice to choose eternal life through faith in Him, but that salvation is just the first step. We cannot even see [or understand] what the Kingdom of God on earth is to be until we've been saved, and we cannot enter [or be a part of] the Kingdom [as citizens of heaven on earth] until we've been saved. Jesus, Himself, states that in John 3:1-5. Yet so much of "the Church" hasn't embraced and "loved this truth". Furthermore, we are commanded to take back dominion of the earth by healing the sick, casting out demons, raising the dead, and spreading the Gospel of the Kingdom to all earth's inhabitants. Those actions can [and should] be done by every Christian in order to defeat Satan's kingdom. 

We are not to simply receive our salvation and live out the rest of our lives waiting to die and go to Heaven! I believe our refusal to obey these commandments, once we have acknowledged their truth, are grounds for condemnation at the throne of God... "each one's work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. If anyone's work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire" (1 Corinthians 3:13-15). God desires more FOR us than our salvation. And He desires more FROM us -- that we enter His Kingdom, do all that He commands us on earth, and receive our inheritance in Heaven. That is the "bigger truth" of our faith.

So, back to this "strong delusion" from God. What might it look like? First, let's establish what the ancient writers would have meant by using that word delusion. It's interesting that in the Hebrew, the word can describe "a tyrant", which would certainly be indicative of the Man of Lawlessness. In the Greek, the word means fraudulent; a straying from orthodoxy or piety; wrong opinion; a forsaking of the right path (whether in doctrine or in morals); a wrong opinion or error in morals or religion. So, does the Bible give us any clues as to what this delusion could look like and how people could [and will] fall for it?  We just need to look to the Book of Revelation to see the vision...

This important and last Book of the Bible holds the key to answering our questions. It speaks in Chapters 12 and13 of several "players" in this great delusion. We have a dragon, who is Satan. And we see a beast, who was given the dragon's power, throne and authority. This is the Anti-Christ. We have another beast with two horns "like a lamb", who is the False Prophet. Hopefully, you are seeing that Satan is counterfeiting God's true hierarchy. Jesus, is of course the True Lamb, who shares in the Father's power, throne and authority. He was considered a great prophet in His day and proven to be the true Messiah. The beast, who is "like a lamb", will be a False Prophet [in the manner of John the Baptist}, who will be declared to be "like Elijah" [just as John was] and who is commissioned to make way for the appearance of the False Messiah [just as John made way for the true Messiah]. It is the False Prophet who will do great and miraculous signs and wonders [counterfeiting those of Jesus] and who will establish a one-world religion, with the objective of bringing about the crowning of the False Messiah. His call for a "universal church", blending all religions into one, will be a tempting message to those in the world who are tired of the persecution, strife and chaos that will be rife in the world. He will speak of "love" and "peace", which will be comforting words to ears that are desperate to hear them... especially Christians!

But we must not be deceived! We must hold fast to Jesus' warning that "false christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect."  In fact, He tells us that many will fall away, betray one another, and hate one another.  And again, Satan will counterfeit God's moves. In Ezekiel 9, God placed a mark on the foreheads of those who remained righteous and followed His precepts, keeping themselves separate from those who followed evil. Satan will cause a mark to be placed on the right hand or the forehead of those willing to go along with the False Prophet's enticing agenda. And just like God, Satan will destroy those who do not have the mark.

I cannot stress enough how important it is that the Household of God be aware of what is coming! We cannot bury out heads in the sand and pretend that what the Bible prophesies will not happen. What is spoken of in Ezekiel, 1 Corinthians, 2 Thessalonians, and the Book of Revelation will take place! There will be a fiery test of the quality of one's faith.  In other words, there will be a process of judgment that leads to a decision [by God], resulting from His investigation.  Those who are sealed with the mark of true faith will be exempt from the Judgment. Make no mistake ... there is a Man of Lawlessness waiting in the wings, and there is a strong delusion coming from God to separate the truly righteous from the pretenders. I pray the foundation of your life has been laid with the fullness of Jesus's truth and Gospels. May the true Church expose the deception of the Enemy and guide the faithful through the delusion that will cause many to fall away from their faith. To God be the Kingdom, and the Power, and the Glory forever and ever! Amen! 

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1 Samuel 15:23    For rebellion is as [serious as] the sin of divination (fortune-telling), And disobedience is as [serious as] false religion and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, He also has rejected you as king.”

 

Science and Technology: Forging A Path For The False Messiah? - Part 2

In the last post, I presented my theory that our culture's fascination with Science and Technology could be a possible path to deceiving the world [and the faithful in Christ] to receiving the False Messiah as the Second Coming of Jesus. That might seem an extraordinary stretch, but let me show you one of the ways that I believe Satan's plan may already have been set in motion.

Medical Science has been working hand-in-hand with Technology for nearly half a century to replicate God's divine creation of the human species. The first human eggs were fertilized in 1965, and the first live birth through the new medical procedure known as In Vitro Fertilization occurred in 1978. It's been 40 years since that baby, Louise Brown, was born and it is estimated that over 8 million babies have been born into the world via IVF. And just think how much science has advanced in those last 43 years!

Then take into account the scientific world's interest in the science of reproductive cloning. In an article at Scientific American, a laboratory at Advanced Cell Technology reported their success at cloning early-stage human embryos. Although they are pursuing cloning for "therapeutic reasons", they also report that other laboratories are experimenting with cloning whole human beings! But this is nothing new! In 1998, South Korean scientists claimed to have successfully cloned a human embryo, and in 2002, Clonaid, part of a religious group that believes humans were created by extraterrestrials, announced the birth of the first cloned human -- although they never provided evidence of the live birth. It is not inconceivable that the idea of cloning humans may have been at the heart of the diabolical genetic experiments performed by Hitler's star medical doctor, Dr. Josef Mengele, at the Auschwitz death camp. 

I present this information from the scientific medical community as a preface to Dr. Joye Jeffries Pugh's theory about how the world could be deceived by a False Messiah. In her book, Beguiled: Eden to Armageddon, she sets up her theory by saying, "Understanding our DNA and how we replicate to sustain life makes it easier to understand how cloning occurs... Underground researchers, since even before Hitler, have had a technological understanding on how to clone. Cloning is simply just adding DNA from a cell of an already existing person, either dead or alive, to a woman's egg whose nucleus has been totally removed. The egg is electrified and reinserted, through the same procedures as those of in vitro fertilization, into a woman's womb. where in nine months it will grow into an exact duplicate of the host from which it was taken. This means a mere cell from a living or deceased being can be brought back to life as cloned flesh".

Let that sink in a moment. What would be the best way to deceive even the Elect if you wanted to reveal a False Messiah? Why, reproduce a clone of Jesus Christ, Himself, right? But how could that happen? Jesus has been dead for 2000 years! Where would scientists be able to get his DNA to clone Him? Ever hear of the Shroud of Turin? Ahhhhh .... I can see some of you beginning to think I'm not just presenting some crazy conspiracy theory. Dr. Pugh provides so much research regarding Jesus's burial shroud and its history through the ages. It is a fascinating read and reveals how the scientific community has waded through centuries of doubt to come to the conclusion that the shroud is authentic. In fact, she reports, "every wound portrayed on the shroud exactly matches those detailed in Scripture, which Jesus suffered immediately before and during His crucifixion. The image clearly shows a man, who in some form of an unknown type of cool radiation burst, transparently went through this cloth, leaving a perfect photograph of Himself.... A most unusual finding on the shroud is that its blood has remained a bright red, never fading over time. Such an anomaly is directly due to this blood being enormously filled with bilirubin from induced trauma to the body, making it remain red. Blood flow onto the cloth is consistent with that from a crucified man". 

Although the shroud has been the subject of much speculation through the centuries as to its authenticity, there is so much more revealed in Dr. Pugh's book about the validity of the shroud and the scientific manifestation of pure power and light that left a radiological 3-D image of Jesus on that linen cloth. But I don't want to lose you in the scientific minutiae. It is imperative that I present the possibility of how a False Messiah could present himself as the true Messiah, so that millions will be prepared to uphold his claims. First, its important to understand that the existence of the shroud was recorded by a monk named Leander in 579 AD at a church in Toledo, Spain. Dr. Pugh states it is a historical fact that the shroud was permanently moved to Constantinople. Vatican archives include a comment by Pope Stephen III of Rome [in the 760's AD] about the face and body image of Christ on a cloth that was "divinely transferred". The shroud has been the object of much intrigue among men, and its history reads like a Machiavellian novel. It currently resides in a bullet-proof case in the Cathedral of Saint John the Baptist, in Turin, Italy.

So, let me get to the point. Consider this scenario: Bloodstains from the shroud have been routinely collected and analyzed over many years. In 1978 the Shroud of Turin Research Project (STURP) removed blood residue and found it tested positive for albumin, bilirubin, protein, and hemin . At the rib cage's sixth rib, shroud scientists also discovered blood and a clearer liquid called pericardial fluid had dumped from the man's pleural cavity [aligning with Scripture's account of a spear plunged into Jesus's side]. Along with other medical findings, STURP concluded the shroud is not a hoax or fake. So, based on the authenticity of the Shroud of Turin, can you envision the possible scenario: a viable blood  sample could be extracted from the Shroud of Turin in which the DNA of Jesus could be combined with the egg of a virgin and subjected to in vitro fertilization, resulting in a cloned version of Jesus that would be presented to the world as the Second Coming of Christ.

Scripture quotes Revelation 13:11 as saying, I saw another beast coming up out of the earth. He had two horns like a lamb, and he spoke like a dragon.  This is the only time in the Bible [that I am aware of] where the lamb does not represent Jesus. He looked like a lamb, but spoke like a dragon. If scientists can prove that this clone's blood matches perfectly with the blood on the Shroud of Turin, and is identical to the man imprinted on the Shroud, how many people will be deceived into believing "the science"? Furthermore, if prominent religious leaders across the world's religions proclaim their faith in who this man says he is, who would dare to doubt it? Keep in mind that the Vatican is the official owner of the Shroud, so as Dr. Pugh postulates, "No one will be allowed a voice or an ability to take a credible stand against the scientific and religious communities who will be backing the Vatican officials' announcement that this clone is really Jesus".

As evil advances its agenda against the world, millions will be so hungry for the end of wickedness that this clone/icon/image of the returning Christ will be welcomed and worshiped.  As Dr. Pugh states, "It is not hard to imagine that in the near future, discrediting the image of this Jesus as the False Messiah will not be tolerated. And as Scripture tells us, great and deadly opposition will be imposed on anyone not worshiping the Antichrist's image as Messiah or proclaiming him Lord of lords". That's why both the prophet Daniel and the real Messiah, Jesus Christ, tell us that those who are alive and see this false image standing in the temple of God will be encouraged to flee [whether it is a physical Temple of bricks or a man representing himself as the temple of God].  It will truly be an abomination of desolation which YHWH will not tolerate. 

There is so much more I could say about this possibility, and sadly, it is not the only way that Science and Technology could combine forces to deceive the world and even the Elect. Perhaps you have heard of one theory called "Project Blue Beam" which suggests that in principle, the New World Order would make use of the skies as a movie screen for space-based laser-generating satellites to project simultaneous images of Christ to the four corners of the planet in every language and dialect. This event would purportedly fulfill the prophecy of Revelation 1:7, which says, Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him, including those who pierced Him. All the tribes of the earth will mourn over Him.  It is suggested that this theory deals with the religious aspect of the New World Order and is deception and seduction on a massive scale.

The simple and common practice of subliminal messages is another possibility where technology could be used to suggest to vulnerable minds that a False Messiah is imminent. My husband and I were both watching a popular TV show called "The Good Doctor" one night, and both were aware of a "blip" in the viewing. We looked at each other and said, "Did you see that?" It took more than 30 minutes of rewinding and advancing the program frame-by-frame to catch what was flashed on the screen subliminally. It was an image to send money to St. Jude's Hospital! Think how many people could be reached around the world, in their own languages, with a subliminal image of the False Messiah and the wording, "Be prepared! He will appear next Wednesday!" I know that sounds ludicrous, but that's how easily millions could be deceived into believing that the appearance of a False Messiah is the real deal!

 I know if I presented these various theories to a group of mainstream Christians, I would most likely be laughed at; ridiculed as a crazy, delusional religious nut; or even ostracized and excluded from Christian circles. But I am not writing about these various scenarios to proclaim "this is the way it is going to happen", because none of us know for sure. But what I do know is that Scripture is true when it declares
At that time the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and all the tribes of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory (Matthew 24:30).  And equal in Truth is the Scripture that says, Let no one in any way deceive you, for it will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, who opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God (2 Thessalonians 2:3-4).

I do not claim to know how or when the sign of the Son of Man will occur, or how or when the Anti-Christ will appear as the False Messiah to declare himself God. But I know both events will happen because the Spirit of the Lord reveals His Truth through the Word. It is not our job to figure out what all that will look like, but it IS our job to stay awake and be on alert to call out the deception and save souls from falling away. There will be great terror and alarm when those things come upon the earth and as representatives of Christ's Heavenly Kingdom on earth, it is our responsibility to speak wisdom and courage and endurance and faith to people who will need someone to come alongside them and lead the way to victory in Christ. So, do not hide your head in the sand when it comes to seeing the advancements in Science and Technology. Be aware that they can [and are] being used to work with Satanic agents to prepare a Great Deception for all the earth. Be alert to what the prophets of darkness are revealing as their "plans for the future". Look upon everything from the perspective of Heaven. Does it glorify the Creator of this Universe? Or is it instigated for the advancement of man? Look at the fruit. Does it bring us closer to God and does it grow us in His image -- or does it separate us and promote us to become our own god? The time is drawing near for the final clash between the Kingdom of Light and the kingdom of darkness. Do not be deceived!

1 Thessalonians 5:5-6   For you are all sons of light and sons of day. We do not belong to the night nor to darkness. So then let us not sleep [in spiritual indifference] as the rest [of the world does], but let us keep wide awake [alert and cautious] and let us be sober [self-controlled, calm, and wise].

Science and Technology: Forging A Path For the False Messiah? -- Part 1

The title of this blog has been plaguing me for quite a few years -- ever since God began to show me what was behind the curtain of our society's growing interest in artificial intelligence and merging man with machine and other species. I would like to take the time to set up what I think this scenario might look like. And if you are familiar with my blog then you will know that I don't always adhere to the popular explanations that are agreed upon by the masses -- and that includes "following the science", as well as customary interpretations of the Bible. It's not that I do not believe every word of our faith's Holy Book is true. On the contrary, I believe there is so much more Truth in Scripture that is never discerned by the faithful. And I do not know why we have been chosen, but God has seen fit to give me and my husband a hunger to search out these deeper Truths. That hunger is both a blessing and a curse. 

It's a blessing because our spirits know without a doubt when Father reveals an idea or path He wants us to pursue. The unveiling of what had previously been mysterious to us results in such a burst of exultation over the new knowledge He has revealed, that it is uncontainable. But that is where we usually encounter the push-back from the Church and the world. No one, whether Christian or secular, wants to abandon their comfort zones. And if something we present makes them uncomfortable [because it doesn't align with their traditional belief system], well then, it must be false, right? Combine this hunger to pursue more of God's wisdom and plan for the world with our assignment as Watchmen on the Wall, and I'm sure you can see where we receive a lot of unfavorable response. But it will not deter us. And I also believe that if most Christians would be honest with themselves, it frightens them to see what used to be fringe science and technology becoming more mainstream. So, it's easier to refute our message and hang on to their traditions than to see how God may want to move them into position for our End Times battle with Satan and his protégés. 

When God first approached Mark and I through dreams, it was as if we were awakened to a new dimension; like we had stepped through a spiritual portal into a new realm where we were able to see everything we believed through new spiritual eyes. He introduced us, through a series of personal encounters, with people who were able to take us from milk to meat in our walk with Him. We began to hear Him in our spontaneous thoughts and to "accidentally" stumble upon books and podcasts by people who obviously had been given a similar hunger to explore more about the magnificent God we serve. And mind you, everything that came before us was vetted by the Word! Our library of Scripture-inspired books grew; some to be discarded as having an agenda other than to reveal the True God, while others revealed more of the breadth, length, height and depth of God [and His fullness]. Still more were added to the "to read" list. And every once in awhile, God will shine His light on one of those books that has been gathering dust, and we will go in search of it, to find that it is clearly a book to be read in this season. And this blog post is all about one of those books and a startling concept that I believe has found its time to be brought forth.

The book is entitled Beguiled: Eden to Armageddon, and was written by Dr. Joye Jeffries Pugh in 2013, with an updated and revised edition released in 2017. I daresay, "Dr. Joye" as she is known, does not fit the stereotype of Biblical researchers, or prophetic voices. But God has a habit of picking unconventional people whom He knows will be obedient to their calling.  And she writes with credible insight of Biblical truths and precepts. So, I'm just going to dive right in to what my spirit discerns is a scientific possibility that we need to be aware of in this season that precedes the Second Coming of Christ.

For years, I have been sounding the alarm on man's fascination with combining science and technology outside God's design of creation. In 2013, I quoted Ray Kurzweil, an American inventor and futurist, who is hellbent on seeing transhumanism realized in our lifetime. This is what he said then: "We can now see inside a living brain and see individual inter-neural connections being formed and firing in real time. We can see your brain create your thoughts and thoughts create your brain. A lot of this research reveals how the mechanism of the neocortex works, which is where we do our thinking. This provides biologically inspired methods that we can emulate in our computers. We’re already doing that. The deep learning technique that I mentioned uses multilayered neural nets that are inspired by how the brain works. Using these biologically inspired models, plus all of the research that’s been done over the decades in artificial intelligence (AI), combined with exponentially expanding hardware, we will achieve human levels within two decades." That was eight years ago, folks, and Kurzweil actually moved up his timeline to 2029, so we are half-way there!

Fast forward to last year, 2020, when Elon Musk, industrial designer/engineer and AI enthusiast, announced on a podcast that his company would be ready to implant a neural link in our brains in less than a year, with "low potential for rejection". Musk also said, "Full AI symbiosis is possible". In case you don't know the definition of symbiosis, it is this: interaction between two different organisms living in close physical association, typically to the advantage of both. The radio host's response? "Once we've experienced being a god, who is going to want to go back to being stupid [read that as human]?" Musk seemed to be in agreement, stating, "AI is getting better -- it's a benign scenario now [read as not harmful]. We're already a cyborg to some degree. We interact with our phones and electronic devices, but the data rate is too slow. Right now, we download information at about 100 bits/second (approximately 12.5 bytes). Computers can go 1 million times faster. If you can improve the data rate, you can improve symbiosis between man and machine". (Obviously, that is the goal of his invention). And he says it with such nonchalance!

But I want to return to the idea that man wants to be his own god expressed by that delusional radio host. Hasn't that been the goal of Satan ever since [as Lucifer] his pride convinced him he could usurp the throne of Heaven? And the prophecies of the Bible have been clear that a False Messiah will appear in the End Times. In fact, mankind has been warned for centuries through God's Word that this False Messiah would deceive many "with all power and signs and lying wonders". And Satan has done a great job of intermingling science and religion so that far too many Christians will receive him as the Second Coming of Christ. The acceptance of Evolution by the American National Academy of Sciences and their theory that "the evidence for evolution can be fully compatible with religious faith" has gone a long way to blend the two, and discredit the truth that faith is "the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen". Science, on the other hand, always demands evidence. There is no room for the supernatural, and unexplainable power of God in Science. 

 Therefore, because the 20th and 21st Centuries have moved us ever closer to worshiping Science and Technology, it will be easy to fool men and women (even Christians) when the False Messiah appears and his "lying wonders" prove that he is who he claims to be -- the Son of God. How will that be accomplished? I will give you a hint about what will be revealed in Part 2 of this topic... True Believers know the Word of God and they will not easily be deceived because they have not compromised with the world. But the day is coming when this remnant will be ridiculed not only by the world, but by their fellow Christians. The remnant will declare that the False Messiah, who will "stand in the holy place" [the temple], is the abomination of desolation spoken of by the prophet Daniel. But even those who claim to be Christians will believe the lie. How will this creation of Satan be able to fool so many who profess their faith in Jesus? That's where the science and technology of the last 50 years may very well provide the way. Even now, I believe we have reached the point [in man's ability to invent and create] to pull off this deception. If so, we could be closing in on the return of the True Messiah, who will put an end to this wickedness on earth. Tune in for Part 2 on the next blog post.

Mark 13:22    For false Christs and false prophets will arise, and they will provide signs and wonders in order to deceive, if [such a thing were] possible, even the elect [those God has chosen for Himself].

 

 

To The Ekklesia: We Must Fight To Keep Our Faith From Being Redefined!

Dr. George Barna fills an important role in our Christian culture. In 1984 he founded the Barna Research Group and helped it become a leading marketing research firm focused on the intersection of faith and culture [before selling it in 2009]. He currently serves as the Executive Director of the American Culture and Faith Institute, which recently published the results of their survey in its American Worldview Inventory 2020 (AWVI 2020). Sadly, it is not encouraging news. The following is a report by the Cultural Research Center (CRC) on what this survey revealed.

No surprise, the report stated that "American Christianity is undergoing a post-Christian Reformation -- with the nation's major Christian groups rapidly replacing traditional theological beliefs with the culture's secular values." The CRC took a look at Evangelicals, Pentecostals and Charismatics, mainline Protestants, and Catholics and found that they are all "creating new worldviews that are only loosely tied to the Biblical teachings that have traditionally defined them." Instead of the Church influencing the culture, it is as I have stated many times before, the culture influencing the Church. And to state the obvious ... that's not how it should be! The survey revealed some disturbing trends among these faith groups and here is a simplified view of how it breaks down: 

Evangelicals: More than half (52%) reject absolute moral truth; 61% do not read the Bible on a daily basis; 75% believe that people are basically good. The study found that between one-third and one-half embrace beliefs and behaviors that are counter to Biblical teaching and long-standing Evangelical beliefs. My Note: I think we should take a harder look at that statistic, because they could be people like me, who don't necessarily agree with the man-made doctrines which have been corrupted from the original teachings of the Bible. In other words, what are those long-standing beliefs?

Pentecostals and Charismatics take secularism a step further: Two-thirds (69%) reject absolute moral truth; 54% are unwilling to define human life as sacred, with half claiming that the Bible is ambiguous in its teaching on abortion; and 69% say they prefer socialism to capitalism. A full 45% did not qualify as born-again Christians.  My Note: I would like to understand if we are all in agreement on what "born-again Christian" means. Does that mean those surveyed don't believe that Jesus is God incarnate, and do not accept Him as their Savior? Or that He died, was buried and rose again? I would like a little more information on what their "qualifications" for born-again are.

Mainline Christians were the most secular of the four faith groups: 60% of this group's beliefs directly conflict with Biblical teaching. The CRC found that three key values define this group: truth and morality are relative; life has no inherent value or purpose, so individuals should pursue personal happiness or satisfaction; and traditional religious practices are no longer seen as central or essential to their Christian faith. Only 41% of Mainline Protestants are born-again.

Catholics are increasingly secular and permissive. This group's beliefs align sharply with Mainline Protestants, but differ substantially from Evangelicals and Pentecostal/Charismatics. They are most likely to believe in salvation through works (or living a good life), and least likely (28%) to be born-again. They are more permissive than the other groups, being most likely to accept sexual relations outside of marriage, and seeing lying, speeding, and refusal to repay a loan as morally acceptable behaviors. 

It is time that we American Christians face the reality that "the modern Church" has done a poor job of safeguarding and protecting the legacy of the First Century Church. I can look back over my lifetime and see the moral decay that is rotting the foundation of what was established in the Book of Acts. Instead of our Christian churches educating an unbelieving citizenry about morality, values, meaning and purpose, we let the unbelievers influence and impact our worldview so that it is no longer Biblical. We now look like the world, instead of influencing the world to look like Jesus. 

It makes me cringe when I hear this phenomenon called a "Post-Christian Reformation". That title tells me that the impact of Christians in the culture is in the past, and this "reformation" looks nothing like Martin Luther's, which was motivated by a desire to restore Biblical truth and purity to the Church. Our Churches seem to have shifted from focusing on the redemptive and supernatural work of Jesus Christ to a focus on personal efforts and how to be a "good" Christian, instead of an authentic follower of Christ. And in case you think I am over-stating the seriousness of the Church's failings to impact the world, consider some of these statistics from the survey:

• 48% believe a person who is good enough or does enough good works can earn salvation

• 44% do not believe history is the unfolding narrative of God's reality

• 44% claim the Bible is ambiguous on its teaching about abortion

• 43% maintain that when Jesus was on the earth, He sinned

• 43% do not believe our purpose is to know, love and serve Him who created us

• 42% seek moral guidance from sources other than the Bible

• 42% do not identify or confess their sins on a daily basis

• 40% do not believe that human life is sacred

• 40% believe that lying is morally acceptable if it advances personal interests or protects reputation

• 39% identify the people they always respect as having the same beliefs as they do

• 36% prefer socialism to capitalism

• 36% fail to seek God's will and purpose for their life every day

• 34% reject the idea of legitimate marriage being between one man and one woman

• 34% say that abortion is morally acceptable if it spares a mother from financial or emotional hardship

• 32% do not thank or worship God every day

Shocking, isn't it? So, in conclusion, I want to once again, exhort the Ekklesia to rise up and change the direction of our nation and the Body of Christ. We need to lead the Church away from secularization and stand for Biblical relevancy in our culture. Do not compromise and do not fear the rebuke of those who do not agree with you. It is quite apparent that we are a society who has strayed far from Biblical truth and it will be our destruction if we don't return to the righteous path of our Savior. Let us show the culture how powerful the faithful remnant can be!

2 Timothy 4:3-4     For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.

 

 

 

Why We Have Tolerated The Weeds

    

     Once again, as I've studied familiar Scripture, the Lord has shined His light upon the Word to give me a new and fresh revelation. We are studying Matthew in our Home Church and, specifically, Matthew 13, best known for the richness of the parables Jesus shared with His disciples.

     If you've spent any time at all reading your Bible, then these parables are familiar to you. And if you are like me, my initial understanding of them was that Jesus spoke in terms of simple stories, in order to teach a moral or spiritual lesson. Theses "lessons" were to be applicable down through the centuries to His followers. And I thought I'd done a pretty good job of comprehending what He was trying to teach me. That is, until I discovered His message of the Kingdom. That changed everything!

     It began with the recognition that the Kingdom of God was the central point of the parables, and that the Parable of the Sower is the foundation for understanding all the parables. Jesus confirms this in Mark 4:13 when He asks His disciples, "If you don’t understand this parable [of the Sower], how will you understand any parable?"

     So, Jesus proceeds to explain the Parable of the Sower in Matthew 13:18-23. How many of you, like me, missed verse 19 completely? How many, like me, were stunned when the Lord shined His Light on this fundamental truth in His Word? He says, The hard path where some of the seeds fell represents the heart of a person who hears the Good News about the Kingdom and doesn’t understand it; then Satan comes and snatches away the seeds from his heart. As we've all been taught by the Church, the "Gospel" is the "Good News" of Jesus Christ. He couldn't make it any clearer in this parable ... He is the Sower bringing the Gospel of the Kingdom into the hearts of men who will receive it! It is important that we distinguish which Gospel Jesus is sowing into the hearts of men in this parable! Check out the various translations in the Bible.... almost all of them identify "the seed" as the "word of the Kingdom".

     As I've written in previous posts (here and here), I am not downplaying or discrediting the Gospel of Salvation, but that wasn't His primary message to the crowds or to His disciples. Salvation is the necessary and mandatory entry point into the Kingdom of God. Jesus explains that quite well in John 3:1-5. Please read that, if you are confused about the difference between the two Gospels. Because, today, I want to show you why this confusion even exists today. And believe me, the Body of Christ needs to understand this truth in this critical hour.

     All you have to do is query the internet about the meaning of the parable of the Sower and you will find such vague and misleading answers as these .... The man represents God and the seed is His message. But what Message? Salvation or Kingdom?.... The moral of the Parable of the Sower is that not everyone who hears the Christian gospel will understand and believe. But which Gospel? Salvation or the Kingdom?

     So, why is it so difficult for the Body of Christ to grasp this important and crucial message about the Kingdom? Jesus made it clear that the Kingdom message was of primary importance to Him. In Luke 4:43, He says, “I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns as well; for I was sent for this purpose.” Why does the Church stay focused on the good news of Salvation, instead of taking the next step and sharing that once a person is Saved, they are to see and understand the Kingdom and enter into it? That's why they are here on earth!

     It's taken me a long time to get to the central point of this blog, but here it is .... In Matthew, after presenting the most important parable of the Sower, Jesus then shares the Parable of the Wheat and Tares [or Weeds]. Do you think that is a coincidence? If you believe as I do, that the Bible is the inspired Word of God, then join me in understanding what our Lord is telling us in this pivotal parable.

     In Matthew 13:24-30, Jesus has this exchange with His Disciples, "The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field, but while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat and went away. So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared also. And the servants of the master of the house came and said to him, ‘Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have weeds?’ He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ So the servants said to him, ‘Then do you want us to go and gather them?’ But he said, ‘No, lest in gathering the weeds you root up the wheat along with them. Let both grow together until the harvest, and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, “Gather the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.”

     We know from the previous parable of the Sower that the man is Jesus, the good seed is the Gospel of the Kingdom, and the field is the world which Jesus created. So how did weeds get in this field and what does it mean for us? This time, Jesus is more succinct in explaining the meaning of His parable. He says, "The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man. The field is the world, and the good seed is the sons of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the evil one, and the enemy who sowed them is the devil."

     I want you to focus on this small portion of the parable ...  that Jesus sowed the good seed of the Gospel of the Kingdom, but while "his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat and went away. So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared also". Are you able to discern that Jesus accomplished His mission of sowing the Gospel of the Kingdom into the world, which means the Gospel was received by the sons of the kingdom [the Disciples] and the Body of Christ, or the Church, was born. But after that first generation of Disciples died [were sleeping], others came into the Church and sowed seeds from the Enemy. These seeds represent men who began to alter Jesus's Gospel of the Kingdom, to focus primarily on the Gospel of Salvation. While this Gospel is not wrong and is most important, it stops short of Jesus's full mission for us ... receive Salvation and then enter the Kingdom to bring the government of Heaven down to earth.

     And here is an expanded meaning of what the weeds represent: In the King James Bible, “weeds” is called “tares”, and this is how the Concordance describes them: “A kind of darnel (Eurasian ryegrass) that grows as tall as wheat and barley, and resembles wheat in appearance, except the seeds are black. It is seen by the Jews as degenerate wheat (it has lost the qualities of wheat). The seeds are poisonous to man, producing sleepiness, nausea, convulsions and even death. The plants can be separated out, but the custom, as in the parable, is to leave the cleaning out till near the time of harvest”.

      If as true Christians, we desire to righteously represent our Lord, why have we tolerated these "weeds" in our midst? It's because these “weeds” have grown up alongside the men of the Kingdom since the inception of the Early Church, poisoning its teachings. They introduced denominationalism with all its varied doctrines and traditions, and hid the Gospel of the Kingdom from the Body of Christ. They promoted Salvation as the be-all, end-all of our Christian experience, and these teachings have continued until today. That’s why the Church follows so many wrong man-made doctrine.

     We were unable to recognize the poisonous seeds because they resembled the seeds first sown by Jesus. We did not see what grew from the seeds; we ignored the blackness of the seeds which was a poison that produced apathy and passivity in the Church. We, as the Body of Christ, did not guard against imposters, but welcomed anyone whom we thought resembled us, without doing our due diligence.

     And now, the Body as a whole, cannot be trusted to recognize the pure wheat from the impure (or degenerate) wheat. Centuries of assimilation and accommodation have produced a crop within the Church that includes lethargy, sickness of soul and spirit, upheaval in the Kingdom on earth, and yes, even death. These conditions are the weeds grown from the seeds of Christ's enemy. And Jesus will come and gather them out of His true Church at the end of this age. He will be the One who separates the wheat from the weeds at His harvest. And I believe the Body of Christ will be shocked at what is revealed amongst them.

     But, I also believe this is the season before the harvest, when the Remnant can rise and boldly declare the full Gospel of the Lord ... He came bringing the government of His Father's Kingdom in Heaven; to show us why we were created -- to rule the earth [as images of our Creator] in the same way He rules Heaven. The first and crucial step is to recognize our unrighteous sin, and receive Christ as our Savior, and pledging to be obedient in all His ways. Then we have the credentials to enter into the Kingdom, where we are to spend the rest of our lives as ambassadors of the Kingdom and continuing Jesus's work to bring the heavenly model of God's Kingdom to earth. Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven is not to just be spoken in reverent prayer, but is to be walked out and lived daily! 

     It is not too difficult to recognize that the wheat is ripening and the harvest is near. And I clearly distinguish the wheat from the weeds. The Good News that Jesus came proclaiming includes both Salvation and Kingdom! In this crucial hour, let us not rest on an incomplete Gospel. Let us bring Salvation to the nations and then encourage them to enter the Kingdom, where we might yet save more wheat from being destroyed by the weeds. I praise my Lord for calling my attention to His Word and revealing His truth where I have missed it. Let me be one of the righteous that shine like the sun in my Father's kingdom! Let me be an instrument to grow His harvest! Let's no longer tolerate the destruction that comes with the weeds!

Acts 20:29-30      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.