The Times... They Are a-Changing (Part 2)

 Apostasy in the church:

It was John Stott who said, "The essence of apostasy is changing sides from that of the crucified to that of the crucifier." 

 

The opening lyrics of the popular Boyzone song, No Matter What, sum up our modern age perfectly...

No matter what they tell us
No matter what they do
No matter what they teach us
What we believe is true

The Bible warns us... Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. 

Matthew 7:17 NASB 

 

Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first... " 2 Thessalonians 2:3 KJV  

 

This is what the LORD Almighty says: “Do not listen to what the prophets are prophesying to you; they fill you with false hopes. They speak visions from their own minds, not from the mouth of the LORD. Jeremiah 23:16 NIV 

 

I have, over the years, known many Christians, who apart from calling themselves believers, have exhibited little difference to the non-believers they mingle with. The Apostle James said: "to be friends with the world, is to be at enmity with God."  James 4:4 

 

There has always been apostasy in the Church. From the days of John's letters to the seven Churches as recorded in the Book of Revelation, right on down to modern times. Throughout history, much of the
"institutional" church has sought to align itself with the power base of the day. However, this verse tells us to expect something totally different... Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first... 2 Thessalonians 2:3 KJV   

 

There is now a rampant and rentless downward spiral as morality, ethics and more importantly, faith disintegrate. Across the Western Church sound doctrine is eschewed in favour of ear-tickling, crowd pleasing sermonizing.  Heresies, such as the prosperity gospel, the need to return to our supposed Jewish roots, (this one is as old as Christianity) new age spirituality. Liberal theology excuses all manner of sinful lifestyles. Many cults teach that salvation is lost by our sinning again. (who doesn't) This raises an interesting question. How much sin, and what type of sin, results in our salvation being ripped away? This is essentially maintaining that our salvation is dependant upon works.

 

There are an ever-growing cadre of pastors, evangelists, prophets (self-proclaimed) who spout that they have received a new revelation, they profess that God has given them prophecies, new doctrines, new words that must be obeyed. They often claim to have had a personal meeting with Jesus, or have visited Heaven, or had "special" dreams with messages for us... The words of Revelation 22:18-19 are very clear about adding to or subtracting from The Word of God. "For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book." KJV

God holds His Word in such high regard, He exalts it even above His own name. We tamper with it at our peril. I will worship toward thy holy temple, And give thanks unto thy name for thy loving-kindness and for thy truth: For thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name. Psalm 138:2 ASV

What is heresy?

According to dictionary.com, the following is a breakdown of the common definition of "heresy":

Opinion or doctrine at variance with the orthodox or accepted doctrine, especially of a church or religious system.

The maintaining of such an opinion or doctrine.

The wilful and persistent rejection of any article of faith by a baptized member of the church.

Any belief or theory that is strongly at variance with established beliefs, customs, etc.

Perhaps the most "dangerous" heresy evolving in the modern church is an anathema called "post-modernism" or the Emergent Church Movement. This movement is a close "spiritual cousin" to atheism. 

The atheist denies creation (as described in Genesis), the virgin birth, and the resurrection of Christ. The modernist movement allows for some form of God, but denies the same doctrines – atheistic evolution is usually replaced with theistic evolution, which also denies the God of the Bible. The post-modernist may allow for the possibility of creation or evolution, virgin or non-virgin birth, a physical or non-physical resurrection, but the “truth” is not important – in fact, it’s anathema to the post-modernist to allow that “truth” exists. While some who adhere to the emergent church movement profess the Gospel as to the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ, they also affirm that salvation is available in other (religious) belief systems. 

In conjunction with the Emergent Church Movement is the Church Growth Movement,  a lofty sounding idea that has unfortunately turned the denominations or groups following its precepts from "discipleship schools" into "for profit" organizations. Gone is the good old-fashioned preaching and worshipping that stirred the soul, replaced by "ear-tickling" talks and worship that's more like a "pop" concert. 

I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths. 2 Timothy 4:1-4 NASB   

  

 Part 3 of The Times... They Are a-Changing, will explore what we can do in face of the great "Falling Away"