The history of the church as an institution is the history of warfare.  The same holds true for the individuals within the institution.  That warfare rarely involves the masses outside of professing Christianity.  As the previous postings have shown, it is those inside the religious beast that calls itself “the (Catholic/Protestant) church” that hates, rejects and persecutes God’s true saints to the extent that social law will allow.  During the height of the Roman Empire “the church,” which was Catholic, had the backing of the Roman government–the most powerful entity on earth at that time.  Backed by the power of that empire, the self-professed church persecuted any and all who refused to bow to her dictates, often unto death.  This church-state monstrosity is pictured in Revelation 17:1-5 as a woman (church–the Great Whore, Mystery Babylon and her Harlot Daughters), holding a cup filled with the “blood of the saints” and riding (guiding) an enormous Beast (world-ruling government).  That picture represents both an ancient all-powerful, ruling, church-state (Catholic Church/ Roman Empire) union.  It also represents a future church-state union prophesied to rise and rule the entire world just prior to Christ’s return to earth.  This union will come to fruition quickly and seemingly from “out of nowhere.”  Remember that, though written in past tense, the Book of Revelation concerns the future–the 3 1/2 year period just before the return of Jesus Christ.  The world will be amazed when the church-led Beast government rises up in the area ruled by the ancient Roman Empire and will consist of the nations that made up that empire.  As the church-state empire ruled one area of the world anciently, its future manifestation will rule the entire world, and like its predecessor, will rule with an “iron fist.”  The world will marvel at the church-led Beast.  Of it John wrote: “and all the world wondered (will wonder) after the Beast.  And they worshiped (will worship) the dragon (Satan) that gave (will give) power to the Beast, and they worshiped (will worship) the Beast, saying: ‘Who is like the Beast? who is able to make war with him?” (Rev. 13:3,4).  As in the past, one will either bow to and obey the church-led Beast Government, or die.  The vast majority will bow, worship and live.  But that is in the future, albeit the near future.  This series is about the war being waged here and now within what is the loosely conjoined, dual-headed, multi-bodied monster called “the church.”  Let us now return our focus to the present.

I ended the previous posting with the Lord’s promise of a double-curse upon those who lead people away from total faith in and obedience to God’s written Word.  This is the Word He recorded and preserved as His instruction book “for us (the church) upon whom the ends of the world have come” (I Cor. 10:11).  Those who preach a false gospel are being given grave warnings.  They are twice cursed if they do not repent, turn from their evil ways and obey God.  The same holds true for those who follow in their religious footsteps.

The Apostle Paul, addressing the church at Colosse, compared her parishioners to the people in the church at Laodicea who characterized the end-time church of today (see Rev. 3:14-20).  To those churches he wrote: “For I want you to know how conflicted I am concerning you (Colossians), as well as those at Laodicea ….”  Paul warned them to, “Beware of those who are corrupting you … through the traditions of men patterned after the ways of the world, and not after the ways of Christ” (Col. 2:1,8).  Church ministers were destroying their followers by deceiving them into believing and obeying a false gospel.  Paul also warned the churches of Galatia where the same problem had arisen (1:6-9).

While attending a ministerial conference in Ephesus, Paul warned the ministers in that church: “For I know that, following my death, grievieous wolves will enter in among you who will not spare the flock.  Also, those within your midst will arise and give forth perverse teachings in order to gather people unto themselves.”  Today those gatherings are called “denominations,” also called “cults.”  Paul warns the Ephesians to, “Watch out for them, just as I have been warning you to do night and day” (Acts 20:29-31).  Paul knew through revelation from Christ that much of his and the other apostles’ work would be undone following their deaths.  We must never forget that God’s Very Elect are always in a life and death war with the devil, his angels and his people, the vast majority of whom call themselves “Christians,” read the Bible, pray, tithe and wear crosses on various parts of their bodies.  Some tattoo crosses or some religious figure on their bodies.  I recently dealt with a man who had a cross tattooed on his forehead.  Some church people serve “the god of this world” (Satan) as pastors, evangelists and missionaries.  Over two billion people follow their lead today.  Ironically, THEY ALL BELIEVE THEY SERVE THE BIBLICAL GOD AND THAT GOD’S TRUE SAINTS SERVE SATAN.  Only the Serpent of Eden could pull of a ruse of this caliber.  And yet, many in the church do not believe that the god they ignorantly worship and serve even exists.  “Incredible” doesn’t come close to describing this fiasco.

Though Paul was the most vocal in terms of warnings about swine in the sanctuary, the other apostles also warned salvation seekers about the spiritual decay that was taking place within God’s church.  Their writings continue to warn us today.  The Apostle Peter proclaimed a warning that perfectly summarizes the teachings of all of the apostles: “But there were false prophets among the (Old Testament) people, just as there will be false prophets among you (the New Testament church).  These men will teach damnable heresies and even deny the Lord Who bought them ….  Because of them the way of Truth will be viewed as evil ….” (2 Pet. 2:1-3).  From past and current experience I can assure you that the apostle was right.  Nothing is more despised by professing Christendom than the pure Word of God.  Coming in a close second are those who proclaim that Word.

I will end this posting with words from Paul that send forth a warning that must not be ignored.  In his second letter to the church at Corinth he wrote: “false apostles and deceitful workers transform themselves into the apostles of Christ.  And no wonder, for Satan transforms himself into an angel of light (truth).  Therefore, it is no great thing for his ministers to transform themselves into ministers of righteousness ….” (11:13-15).  Paul was dealing with this problem in the first century A.D.  History reveals that, following the deaths of the original apostles, most of those in the early church turned away from God and followed Satan’s false prophets.  Their spiritual descendants continue to call themselves “the church.”  But the Lord has always had a remnant.  That remnant, called His Very Elect, His saints, His peculiar priests continue to cling to Him through obedience to His Law.  L.J.