Neither the Lord nor His Truth played a part in what took place in Charleston, S.C. as a result of the tragedy. What did take place was necessary on a human level and will hopefully have the desired human-level effects. But everything that happened, all that was televised throughout the world was totally man-generated and man-exalting. Though well-meaning and sincere, those who poured out their hearts in the name of the Lord were not His people. The were exhibiting human emotions over a human tragedy in a human setting that appeared religious in nature. God was not involved in any way other than having His name regularly invoked. He was no more involved in those undertakings than He is in the “Holy City’s” church services that take place every Satan’s Sabbath, on Christmas and Easter. He was not and is not among those who have nailed His Law to His cross, who believe and spread “doctrines of demons” about such things as salvation, rebirth, Christ’s resurrection, entering heaven or hell at death, denominations, etc. He heard no prayers uttered by those who, in His name, openly and repeatedly defy Him before the world. THOSE WHO GATHERED IN CHARLESTON TO MOURN THE DEAD IN JESUS’ NAME WERE NOT HIS PEOPLE. If I could get their collective attention long enough to read a dozen or so passages of Scripture to them, then ask them if they believed what they had heard I would be told to take my Scriptures elsewhere. If one, or all of the apostles should rise from the dead and preach God’s Word to them, those same cross-wearing, Bible-carrying, Scripture-quoting, church-attending, sermon-preaching religionists would order them back to their graves post haste. THAT IS WHY GOD WAS NOT IN CHARLESTON. That is why He is not in the vast majority of church services conducted in His name. That is why He plays no part in the lives of those who conduct and attend those services–GOD HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE INSTITUTIONAL CHURCH. He does not spend time in Charleston as a general rule and did not show up there for man’s vain attempt to feel religious. Another reason why God was not in Charleston is revealed by what did NOT happen during the mourning period.

No one led the people in the city and throughout the world in a heart-felt, sincere cry to God for forgiveness of personal and collective sins. No one admitted to rejecting God’s Word and rebelling against Him openly and repeatedly. No one led the throngs in an open admission of faithlessness. No one led the masses in a vow to obey the Lord according to His written Truth. Anyone attempting to voice such notions would have been booed away from the microphone. THAT IS WHY GOD WAS NOT IN CHARLESTON.

Satan won in Charleston. Here is how. After viewing what took place during the days following the murders, millions were left with the belief that God had surely moved throughout the “Holy City,” and that He had done so because of all the church people who had gathered there. The viewing masses came away convinced that they had seen true Christianity in operation. Following those days no one could deny that having the various sects comprising professing Christendom come together in unison was anything short of a God-induced miracle. Surely the Holy Spirit had hovered over the proceedings, drawing those of the various religious organizations into a unified heart-set. Truly God had visited Charleston, whose religious masses had shown the world what true Christianity was about. Now they watch the participants return to religious business as usual and join them. Over the coming years they will hear and believe the same God-rejecting, Bible-defying messages from pulpit and podium. With happy hearts they will move along the wide path leading to death, convinced that they are in the center of God’s Will. Convinced that their heavenly mansion awaits, they will convinced others to enter the wide gate and walk the broad way of professing Christendom. Truly, Satan won in Charleston. Sadly, what happened in Charleston will not stay in Charleston.

An example of Satan’s victory before, during and after the proceedings was voiced by someone on television for the world to hear. Referring to those who were killed, he said that the dead were “… in heaven now.” Due to ignorance of God’s Word and full knowledge of Satan’s word, professing Christendom assumes that because the victims were members of a church, that they were 1) saved (no one is in this life) and 2) in heaven (only Jesus has ascended to heaven). If, that is, we can believe God. The problem with the uber-religious is that they reject what God says. As the above quote proves, church doctrine constitutes the “truth” concerning all things religious. What God says concerning an issue is accepted only if it conforms to church doctrine, which is rare. With extremely rare exception, when confronted with God’s written Word church people suddenly develop the Stephen Syndrome–they stop up their ears and attack the messenger. To be continued. L.J.