The apostles warn us that false prophets will rise up from among us and lead us into evil. Jesus detailed exactly how Satan uses men to do this: “Take heed that no MAN deceive you, for many will come in My name SAYING (THAT) I AM CHRIST, and will deceive many” (Mat. 24:4,5). Some believe that men will claim that they, themselves are Christ and lead people astray. However, no one claiming to be the Lord will deceive many people, for they will demand to see the nail marks in his hands, demand that he walk on water, etc. The false prophets Jesus warns us about will declare that He (Jesus) is the Christ. Many  will perform miracles, conduct great ministries, etc. while leading people through the wide gate and along the broad way(s) of professing Christendom. Jesus warned that some church people will not love HIS TRUTH enough to obey it, but instead obey the Lawless one (the Antichrist) because his ministers perform signs, miracles and wonders. HE (Jesus) promised to send them a SPIRIT OF DELUSION and cause them to BELIEVE A LIE (2 Thes. 2:9-11). Remember the tree, rope and stool analogy.

The Lawless one comes in the power of SATAN who works through well-meaning but deceived MEN (false prophets) to lead the Biblicly ignorant into his web and keep them there. They do this by pre- venting them from studying, believing and obeying “… all the counsel of God” (Acts 20:27). As a result of this parishioners do not study to show themselves approved of GOD (2 Thes. 2:15), but rather to be approved of men who do not “Prove all things (and) hold fast to that which is good” while “Abstain(ing) from that which is evil” (1 Thes. 5:21,22). Notice that the apostles were writing to the church about the church.

In spite of Jesus’ Words that only a few would enter His strait gate and walk His narrow way (Mat. 7: 13,15), the Institutional Church believes that her hundreds of millions of adherents and thousands of ministries prove that she is the gold that spreads spiritual glitter throughout the world and the diamonds that reflect God’s light for the masses. But if the Bible is true, the gold is fool’s gold and the diamonds are zercon. Both are bright in form but lacking in substance. It is only by studying the Scrip- tures God’s way (Isa. 28:10,13) that one can tell the difference. Few there be who do so.

The church’s “glitter” is the end result of exalting “… the things of man” such as the celebration of Easter, Christmas and the Sunday Sabbath while believing in such deceptions as the rapture, instant salvation, entrance into heaven or hell at death, the immortality of the soul, the death of the Law, inherited sin, denominations, replacement theology, the Friday death and Sunday resurrection of Jesus, the substi- tution of Satan’s holidays for God’s Holy Days, etc.

Jesus speaks to the things of man and the people who practice them while rejecting His Words that will condemn them on the Day of Judgment: “This people honors Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me. In vain do they worship Me, teaching for (My) doctrines (Words/Truth) the commandments (church doctrines) of men” (Mk. 7:7). He will judge church people by the very words/doctrines they rejected: “… the Words that I have spoken, they will judge you on that day” (Jn. 12:48). Churchivity, global ministries, signs and miracles mean nothing unless they are accompanied by obedience to God’s Word. God said only a few would obey Him and inherit eternal life. Questions or comments? Contact me at LPJ4142@gmail.com or P.O. Box 2352 Athens, TX 75751 U.S.A. or (903) 677-5642.