Let us return to the spiritual “court case” mentioned at the beginning of The Verdict posting. Concerning the evidence to be used and the standard by which judgment would be rendered, if God’s Word was the Standard, and both questioner and questionee were part of professing Christendom, this would be an open and shut case relative to both parties involved. This could be proven by reading a dozen or so selected passages from the Bible and asking each party if he/she believed and obeyed those passages. Upon hearing their answer, the prosecuting attorney (Jesus) would rest His case and the judge (God) would pronounce the verdict. Both parties would be found innocent on all counts–there would not be enough evidence to convict either of them of being a God-defined Christian. In my experience I have found people–uber-religious, church-door-opening and closing church people, including preachers, who adamantly proclaim their right to go their own way in spite of the fact that God condemns their way in His Word. How can they defy God and get away with it?  They have all been seduced into believing that they are saved, born again and heaven bound. Truly, Satan has deceived the whole world (Rev. 12:9). And what is the common reaction upon being shown what God says in His Word about their theology? Anger at the messenger and rejection of God’s Word–the Stephen syndrome.

Of course this does not surprise Bible believers who have been warned that this would happen. See Persecution. Being that this is the case among church people, the question then becomes, “Why?” The answer is found in the Book that professing Christendom rejects. The following are a few examples of the numerous Scriptures she rejects.

In Philippeans 1:1,2 the Apostle Paul is writing to “the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi.” Paul makes it clear that these are members of the Church of God in that city–believing, baptized parishioners all. In verses 10 and 11 the apostle reminds the saints of three of the qualifications they must meet in order to remain in good standing with God: their love of knowledge of His Word must continually grow; they must embrace those things which are spiritually excellent; and they must be filled with righteousness, which is rewarded as a result of hungering and thirsting for it (Mat. 5:6). For further proof that these believing, baptized, Truth-loving, excellence-striving, righteousness-craving saints were not saved at that point (see Hope and Salvation), Paul adds in 2:12: “Therefore, my beloved (saints), as you have always obeyed (God’s Word) …, work out (know and do what is necessary to affect) your own salvation with fear and trembling ….” Then in verse 16 he adds that they can be assured of their future salvation only by “HOLDING FAST TO THE WORD OF LIFE.” The expression “work out” relative to salvation shows that these saints were not yet saved and had to do God-prescribed works in order to receive eternal life. See Faith versus Works. Paul’s warning to “hold fast” to God’s life-producing Word indicates that someone or something was trying to tear it away from them. From the previous postings we recognize that someone as Satan and that something as the emerging religion that Simon of Samaria was building which was already making major inroads into God’s church. For this reason the apostles repeatedly and fervently warned the church about Simon’s false prophets and their perverted gospel (Gal. 1:6-9) designed to draw them away from God and into Satan’s camp. At that time Simon’s organization was operating alone. Nevertheless, its perverted, ear-scratching, instant salvation message was luring ever larger numbers of people into its web. Today, having been reunited with her daughters (Rev. 17:1-5)–the masses of Protestantism–Satan’s Counterfeit Church has 99% of professing Christendom under its spiritual umbrella. To be continued. L.J.