The Last Days Of The World XXVII

 For the life of me, I can’t understand how, having read the Bible, from Paul’s letters to the Corinthians and the Galatians to Christ’s admonition to take heed that no one deceives us, to Jude’s warnings, Peter’s warnings, John’s warnings, James’s warnings about remaining steadfast in faith and not wandering, someone can conclude that they are above it all, and no matter how well-crafted or insidious, there is no danger, and no possibility of ever falling into the snare. Hubris comes in many shapes, but the hubris employed by some believers, who think that they can believe things antithetical to scripture while remaining in the truth, takes the cake.

It’s not as though the battlefield isn’t littered with the bodies of the fallen. It’s not as though there aren’t enough cautionary tales from no more than the past decade to fill a phone book. Yet, somehow, there are still those who, with the conviction of a zealot, insist that they neither have to guard their hearts nor take heed that they are not deceived. I believe it therefore, it must be right, is not the litmus test. I believe it because it’s in the Bible, is.

It's crucial to understand that signs, wonders, manifestations, visions, dreams, or self-aggrandizing prophecies about being a self-proclaimed prophet to the nations are not the indicators of true faith, despite what many may believe. The true mark of faith is obedience and faithfulness to Jesus. It's about daily denying oneself, taking up the cross, and humbly following after Him.

It's not a mystery why so many fall into deception; it's because they misunderstand what the church often considers a sign of faith. Men can mimic signs and wonders, and they have. They can make false prophecies or use their personal opinions as divine words to bolster their authority, and they have. But what they can’t replicate is genuine and enduring faith in Christ, even if it comes at a high cost, even if that cost ends up being life itself.

The moment sacrifice is required to call yourself a follower of Jesus, the threat of losing possessions and positions becomes a reality, and all the posers, conmen, grifters, and wolves will head for the exits, denying any association with Jesus or with the followers of Jesus.

Who, me? No, I was never a Christian. I was a spiritual advisor, a life coach, and a counselor to those who were seeking spirituality. However, as far as being a follower of Jesus exclusively, everyone knows there are multiple paths to heaven; I just encouraged people to find their path. That’s all; please don’t hurt me, confiscate my Porsche, or take away my McMansion with the indoor pool and sauna! Tell me what you need me to say. They trust me; I can sway them. Another jab, maybe? But just so you know, I have to use Jesus as a foil; they eat it up when I say it’s what Jesus would do.

You may think this is farfetched today, but give it a minute. It’s easy to point out the clowns and roll our eyes until we realize we’re living in a circus. It’s not as though we were given the option or that we bought tickets for the show. We all ended up in a giant circus tent with the circus clowns trying to keep the masses entertained for fear of seeing them fidgeting in their seats and heading for the exits. We sort of Hillsonged our way into it without realizing it. I know what you’re thinking: this would be a perfect segue into the frog and boiling water analogy, but apropos as it might be, I think we’ve all heard it one too many times.

The way the hearts of many grow cold and deception advances is the same way you eat an elephant: one bite at a time. Unless it’s smothered outright, a fire goes out one ember at a time, and if those tending it are not watchful, eventually, it dies out altogether.

I don’t mean to get preachy, but then again, I’m a preacher. It’s not God’s fault that the church is in the state it’s in. We’ve just done things contrary to the Word of God for so long that a falling away from the truth was inevitable. Rather than resist the devil that he might flee, we clung to the idea that we could coexist with him. Rather than preach the truth of the gospel unashamedly, we prioritized men’s feelings over what the Word said and omitted vital truths from our theology, doxology, and eschatology.  

The modern-day church is at a historical low point, spiritually speaking, due to a noxious and debilitating mix of the consequences of our choices and the cowardice of our spiritual leaders. If something is contrary to Scripture, it doesn’t matter how many leaders in a given denomination vote for it; it doesn’t make it scriptural. Man does not have the authority to override scripture! Yet, it’s done with such regularity that it’s no longer surprising. It no longer shocks the system when a given denomination embraces perversion with open arms or when some pastor or other waxes poetic on how Jesus was a misogynistic racist. We’re no longer shocked or surprised because it happens so often that it has become the norm.

The compromises, half-truths, whole lies, extrabiblical teachings, and the ever-increasing number of those who prefer to have their ears tickled rather than receive the truth have created the perfect environment for the falling away Paul warned of, and the deceiving of many Jesus warned of.

When you begin to understand the kind of pressure that will be brought to bear against the children of God, both spiritually and physically, a lot of the pieces start falling into place, and the picture that comes into focus is not a pretty one for the apathetic, halfhearted, duplicitous, or those averse to conflict.

We’re talking about the kind of spiritual battles that leave you with bloody knuckles, missing teeth, a busted nose, and bruised eye sockets, the type of battle where warriors are forged and names the enemy himself knows and fears are made, but also the kind of battle where many will be felled because they are ill-equipped and unprepared for the level of warfare that will be unleashed. Yet, the best we can manage is a dude that swallows swords shirtless while climbing up a pole and a man in a dress pretending to be little bo peep replete with a life-size candy cane crook calling himself a pastor.

If you thought the last few years were tough as far as pressure being exerted by bureaucrats and big pharma pimps, imagine it on steroids amplified by an exponent of fifty. This time, it won’t be about a jab or a prick; it will be about denouncing Jesus, denying Him, and swearing allegiance to another.

With love in Christ,

Michael Boldea, Jr.  

Posted on 22 June 2024 | 10:44 am