Though it was not mentioned in part one of this series, there is another vital dimension that must be known, believed and manifested by the believer in order to achieve his ultimate goal–the salvation of his soul upon the return of Jesus Christ at the end of the age, which I believe will take place within the next eight years. The Scriptures tell us that before Christ returns a “falling away” (apostasy) of the church must take place (2 Thes. 2:3). This phenomenon is now taking place. The Catholic/Protestant Religious System (“the church”) is now in full escape mode. She is deliberately and forcefully separating herself from God and the teachings of His Holy Bible and is doing so at an increasingly rapid pace. Identified by Jesus as the Laodicean Church in Revelation 3:14-20, this billions-strong, two-headed, multi-bodied religious beast, whose tenacles stretch over the entire globe, has zealously embraced Satan’s anti-Bible, anti-God theology. The latest proof of the church’s apostasy can be found in the recent proclamations made by Pope Francis, Satan’s current, and possibly final architect of demise of “the church.” In the past such religious luminaries as Jack Van Impe, Jimmy Swaggart, Billy Graham and Orel Roberts served as the global shepherds who would lead the church into the devil’s religious ditch. Pope Francis will make his predecessors pale into insignificance over the next few years. With half of professing Christendom already bowing at his feet, he will turn the religious world to Satan as no one else ever has.

I have stated for a dozen or more years that the False Prophet of Revelation 16:13, 19:20 and 20:10 would be the reigning Catholic Pope during the final years of the final church age. When Francis began to make his beliefs known I opined that either he or his replacement would be the religious figure who would introduce the Antichrist (the leader of the first beast–a world ruling government–Rev. 13:1-12) to the world and would announce that he is the true god to whom the world must bow, worship and obey. It is prophesied that the False Prophet (second beast) will draw the world’s religions to himself and then to the first beast by performing miracles. One miracle will be to call down lightning from heaven as “proof” of the Antichrist’s godship (Rev. 13:11-17). Having drawn all religions into Catholicism, the second beast will be the leader of a one-world religion. This soon-to-appear phenomenon is examined in the series titled The In-gathering: The Rise of the End-time Church. Key word–Ingathering. The coming-together of the world’s religions began several years ago. Read about its beginning and current status in the series. Since the writing of that series, much more has been accomplished relative to the forming of a one-world church with Catholicism as her standard.

In order to prepare for this time of global terror, death and destruction the true believer must embrace and involve himself with the third, and most important dimension commanded by the Lord. Only by doing so can salvation-seekers become part of God’s tiny church and escape the Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord by being taken to “her (the church’s) place” of safety where she will be protected and provided for as the rest of the world destroys itself (Rev. 12:6,14). Jesus said that only a few will embrace the third dimension and earn the right to join His Very Elect saints (Mat. 7:13,14; 22:14). Why only a few? Because of the church’s rejection of the third missing dimension that we will begin to address at this time.

The Lord makes it abundantly clear in His Holy Scriptures that without RIGHTEOUSNESS AND HOLINESS no believer will be awarded eternal life upon His Son’s return at the end of the age. A prime example of this Biblical Truth is found in Romans 6:19,20,22. Here we find Him speaking to the church (then and now) through the Apostle Paul, saying: “As you had (before conversion) yielded yourselves as servants to uncleanness and iniquity (Gk.–Lawlessness), now (following TRUE conversion) you must yield yourselves as servants to RIGHTEOUSNESS UNTO HOLINESS … THE END RESULT OF WHICH IS ETERNAL LIFE.” Paul wrote the same Truth in Romans 5:21. Note that righteousness and holiness must be ATTAINED AND MAINTAINED UNTIL THE END OF LIFE IN ORDER TO RECEIVE SALVATION (Mat. 10:22).

In First John 2:19 the apostle tells THE CHURCH (1:1-5): “(Only) the one who does righteousness is born of God (not Born Again-read the series, key word–Born). In 3:6-8 John tells us that “He who abides in Him does not sin; whoever sins has not seen Him and does not know Him …. He who does righteousness is righteous, even as He is righteous. HE WHO COMMITS SIN IS OF THE DEVIL.” Then in 3:9 John reiterates this Truth by telling the church that, “Whosoever is born of God does not commit sin, for His seed (Word–2:14) remains in him and he CANNOT SIN because he is born (begotten) of God.” The conjunction “cannot” is comprised of two Greek words: “dunamai,” meaning able to, have power to, and “ou,” meaning absolutely not, under no circumstance, can but refuses to. Dunamai is the root word from which we get the word “dynamite.” God’s command for holiness is proclaimed by the Apostle Peter in First Peter 1:15,16 where he tells us that we must “be holy as (for) your Father in heaven is holy.” In First Peter 4:18 he tells us that judgment is on-going in the church, and that “only the righteous will be saved.”

In Second Corinthians 6:14,15 Paul tells us that there is absolutely NO unity between righteousness and unrighteousness, light and darkness, Christ and Satan, saints and infidels. Therefore, we can be assured that only those who are righteous, light, of Christ and are saints will be allowed into the Kingdom of God. That being the case, it is imperative that we know how to attain godliness, saintliness, righteousness and lightness as did the man Jesus of Nazareth. We are commanded to “walk as He walked” during his earthly tenure (1 Jn. 2:6/ Rev. 3:21). Only those who do so will join Him in the Kingdom of God. This we must do in order to enter that paradise on earth which Jesus will create in the Promised Land upon His return to earth. Read about that kingdom using the key word–Kingdom. Also read Born Again. Key word–Born. In the following posting we will delve deeply into the subject of RIGHTEOUSNESS, HOLINESS AND PURITY OF HEART, WITHOUT WHICH NO MAN WILL SEE GOD (Mat. 5:8). L.J.