Before delving into the third reason Satan hates God’s Very Elect I must interject a separate but vital message to those who are promised what Satan cannot have. The one who seeks what God has promised must understand that religion-as-usual produces spiritual death. None of God’s many promises will come to the one who is not totally sold out to God in accordance with His Word AS IT IS WRITTEN. Institutional Christianity is based on man’s interpretation of the Scriptures which is simply wishful thinking made into policy which is commonly known as “church doctrine.”  Such doctrine has been fed to him by the Great Deceiver–Satan. God’s chief enemy is dead set on preventing men from receiving God’s promises. The Almighty has much to say to and about those who, if they endure to the end in a state of righteousness, will inherit salvation (Mat. 10:20).

In order for the Lord’s Scriptural promises to come to fruition one must be a member His “Very Elect.” Membership in this extremely exclusive group requires much more than standard religiosity. It requires total sanctification unto Him which involves total spiritual separation from this world and total obedience to His Word. As the Apostle Paul said in reference to his surroundings: “None of these things move me.” “These things” referred to the things the world has to offer, which are not necessarily bad. We all would like to have a newer car. There is nothing wrong with looking up. The problem arises when our desire becomes too powerful and plays a too dominant part in our thoughts, words and acts. Paul was not moved by those things. We must have the same heart-set as God’s primer Bible writer who cautions us to desire “All things in moderation.” This brings us to the subject of “touching.”

In the first three verses of Genesis three we find Satan and Eve discussing the fruit of a tree God has forbidden her and Adam to eat. In verse three Eve says something that has been overlooked throughout church history. After telling Satan that they were not allowed to eat of the forbidden tree she says something else–that they are not allowed to TOUCH IT, adding that if they touched it THEY WOULD DIE.

Many generations later the Apostle Paul is found writing to a church that had been corrupted by false prophets who had risen up within it and were leading people astray. Because these men had gained control of the body, Paul was telling the true saints in the church that they must “come out of her and be separate (from those in her).” They must not only come out of her, they must not “TOUCH” those inside her because they were “UNCLEAN” (2 Cor. 6:17). In other words, they were to spiritually KEEP THEMSELVES FAR FROM SINNERS WHO HAD DECLARED THEMSELVES “SAVED BY GRACE.”

The Lord warns us that following judgment there will be much wailing and gnashing of teeth among those who “knew” that they were “saved” and heaven bound, the five foolish virgins being an excellent example. Recall that these “virgins” (church members) arrived at the door of the marriage feast “knowing” that they would be allowed in because they were members of  “the church”–worshippers of the Lord. Jesus lamented that many people “worshiped” Him “in vain” because they substituted man’s doctrines for His doctrines. The Very Elect will have worshipped Him by believing and obeying His Word exactly as written. Few, He said, would make it into that group. L.J.