As I have stated before, “As goes the church, so goes the nation.” It is plain to anyone who is paying attention that America is decaying in plain sight. The spectacle has become the source of entertainment for the entire world. As history makes clear, the United States of America has gone from God’s jewel to Satan’s sewer, from penthouse to outhouse in every possible way. Though her decline involves every aspect of her existence, the genesis of her fall from His grace is totally spiritual. Following in the footsteps of her ancient Israelite ancestors, America as a nation has followed the lead of her religious establishment. The American church, once God’s spiritual storehouse from which the people of the world received His Truth found in His Holy Bible, the effect of her demise is clearly seen in all so-called “Christian nations” throughout the earth whose Godly light has turned to Satanic darkness.

I wrote about the modern-day result of the church’s apostasy (falling away from God) in two series titled Who are God’s People? and “My People Called by My Name.” Key words–People and Called respectively. In this posting I will briefly return to that theme and identify the underlying factor that has produced the two-headed, multi-bodied religious monstrosity today known as “the church.” I will begin the journey in the book of Acts where, during the mid-50’s A.D., we find the Apostle Paul warning the churches of what would happen if they did not align their lives with the Old Testament Law. The New Testament would not come into existence for another 40 years.

In Acts 20:27-29 the apostle is writing to the overseers whom the Lord had appointed to lead the home churches scattered throughout the Roman Empire. Paul reminds them that he had declared to them the entire Word of God. He then warns them to be careful to feed the church of God ONLY HIS TRUE GOSPEL. Hearing the voice of the Holy Spirit, Paul tried to prepare them and their followers for the future, saying: “For I know that after my death GREVIOUS WOLVES will enter into the church and will attack the flock (symbolic sheep) spiritually. Also, there will be those among you (THE LORD’S APPOINTED LEADERS) who will preach false doctrines in order to entice people to follow them and become their disciples.” This is the first mention (and condemnation of) CHURCH DENOMINATIONS. Later Paul would warn the church about such Satan-directed separations by telling the people that there were to be “no divisions among you” (1 Cor. 1:10). Here we find one of the first cracks in the church’s spiritual armor which would result in hundreds of denominations, faiths, churches, sects, assemblies, etc., each proclaiming its own “truths” concocted by its own god and its own savior. Those competing, conflicting, rebellious “churches” control the whole of professing Christendom today. If asked if one is a Christian, the typical response is to hear which denomination one belongs to. God’s Word means nothing in today’s counterfeit church system.

In the two references mentioned in the second paragraph I go into detail about how God’s church came to be divided into two primary groups. One group is tiny, consisting of only a few thousand believers globally. These are His true disciples whom He calls His “little flock” which consists of a few “peculiar” saints that make up His “holy nation.” The other 99% of the “people called by His name” are members of the two-headed, multi-bodied counterfeit Catholic/Protestant church that has collectively labeled herself “Christianity.” In the two referenced series I explain how many groups developed within the church community and how they came to be separated from God’s true church (“sheep”) by those who are today known as pastors, evangelists, missionaries, etc. These FALSE PROPHETS have been so deceived by Satan that they do not know they are, in the eyes of God, “SAVAGE WOLVES” who divide and conquer His people by pulling the goats away from His Truth and into the various groups, each of which having its own “truths.” By keeping their followers ignorant of God’s Truth, the goats believe that they are in fact God’s sheep and are following the Good Shepherd to paradise. Paul calls such wolves “evil men, seducers who wax worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived” (by Satan). Never underestimate the power Satan maintains over the vast majority of salvation-seeking church people.

In Matthew 25 Jesus tells us that on Judgment Day He will have His angels go throughout the world gathering His people who will be brought before Him. He will then separate His sheep (true saints) from the goats (false saints) and give them their reward (vss 31-34). He will then address the goats by telling them their fate (vs 41). In First Peter 4:17,18 the Lord, speaking through the apostle, reminds us that He is judging those in His church now, and that “only the righteous SHALL BE SAVED (LATER). In Matthew 10:22 and 24:13 Jesus confirms that Truth, saying: “HE WHO ENDURES TO THE END (OF LIFE WITH HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS ENTACT) SHALL BE SAVED.” Read Born Again. Key word–Born.

The entire apostasy situation revolves around one thing–LOVE–meaning love for God and Christ. Every church person I have ever known proclaims to “love the Lord“, THEN REPEATEDLY PROVES THAT HE/SHE IS LYING. Jesus warns these false Christians in John 8:31; 14:15,23; 15:10. AS CHRIST’S WORDS TELL US, ONE MUST PROVE HIS LOVE BY OBEYING GOD’S TEN COMMANDMENT LAW. NOTE THAT #4 IS NOT EXEMPTED FROM THAT RULE. IT IS NOT WHAT ONE BELIEVES ABOUT HIM/HERSELF THAT MATTERS; IT IS WHAT GOD SAYS ABOUT HIM/HER THAT MATTERS. HE KNOWS MAN’S HEART (MIND) BETTER THAN MAN DOES. As James 1:22 tells us, those who use God’s grace as an excuse to sin are “deceiving themselves.” Self-deception, combined with Satan’s deception, makes one DOUBLY DECEIVED. L.J.