Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!aramis.rutgers.edu!athos.rutgers.edu!christian From: bnr-fos!bnr-public!davem@watmath.waterloo.edu (Dave Mielke) Newsgroups: soc.religion.christian Subject: Re: A Scary thought, but I bet I get flamed anyway...! Message-ID: Date: 8 Jul 89 04:55:44 GMT Sender: hedrick@athos.rutgers.edu Organization: Bell-Northern Research, Ottawa, Canada Lines: 55 Approved: christian@aramis.rutgers.edu In article agt@sun.com (Alan Troup) writes: >It's so tough to call oneself a "Christian" these days. So many >religous groups and "religious" people do so many stupid things. What you observe is exactly what God has predicted and told us via the Scriptures. Matthew 24:24 tells us "For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if {it were} possible, they shall deceive the very elect.". 2 Corinthians 11:14-15 tells us "And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore {it is} no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.". 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4 tells us "Let no man deceive you by any means: for {that day shall not come}, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.". What all these things boil down to is that, as the end approaches, more and more things will be done both for and by Satan in the name of God. The Scriptures teach that essentially all the corporate church congregations will eventually become apostate. Even though we are commanded to belong to a congregation (Hebrews 10:25 tells us "Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some {is}; but exhorting {one another}: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching."), we are also commanded to leave as soon as that congregation has ceased following the true Gospel (Matthew 24:15-16 tells us "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:) Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains:"). Many people like to look at things like the new age movement and declare that it is the fulfillment of these types of prophecies. While it may be part of it, God is telling us something much more serious; Christianity itself will become the main forum for Satan's final attack. God knows that our times are very, very tough. Philippians 1:29 tells us "For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake;". Matthew 10:22 tells us "And ye shall be hated of all {men} for my name's sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.". We would do well to stand firm in our belief and agree with King David in Psalm 16:8 where he says "I have set the LORD always before me: because {he is} at my right hand, I shall not be moved.". Colossians 3:1-3 admonishes us "If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.". God promises us in Deuteronomy 31:6 "Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the LORD thy God, he {it is} that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.". Dave Mielke, 613-726-0014 856 Grenon Avenue Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K2B 6G3