Lord, I ask that this will further Your purposes and be source of instruction, I ask this in Jesus’ name, Amen.
One belief as a Christian I hold fast to is that we must find encouragement in the most discouraging of times. The worse things get in the world for us, the nearer and greater our reward must be. Right now this is playing out in spades. The biggest end-times sign to date is also one of the most discouraging, and encouraging. It concerns religious leaders meeting the Pope at the Vatican.
While the encouragement is that we’re at the precipice of the Rapture, the church is largely and thoroughly asleep. Rather than making a priority to point this out for what it is, we are still under the bias that we need to “pray” for these leaders to convert. While this might not be a bad idea, it has caused some extreme division. Every one of these dignitaries is a false teacher, meeting for the purpose of evil. Satan’s kingdom is not divided, but Christendom is divided and it is detrimental to the Body of Christ.
1 Timothy 2:1-6: “1 I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior; who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.”
This is true about kings and those in high places, because God installed them to do His will, there is not one verse stating to pray for a false teacher. While many will try and say that we are here to pray for the lost, which is true as explained in Acts 26:18, Romans 10:1, James 5:13-18 and a host of other verses. However, this does not relieve us of the uncomfortable task of exposing those who are preaching prosperity, or a “love” gospel.
2 Timothy 3:5: “Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.”
It says “TURN AWAY” not “love” not “hope they get better” but to TURN AWAY.
Romans 16:17-18: “Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them. For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.”
Again, it says to “AVOID THEM.”
Jeremiah 23:1: “Woe be unto the pastors that destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture! saith the LORD.”
The real mystery is why the church is so divided on this to the point of alienation? We should have enough common sense to warn someone when their house is on fire, but should fail to raise an eyebrow when someone is partaking in doctrine that is spiritually damning? Many don’t want to be critical of someone they deem is a “servant of God” or they revert to Matthew 7:1 (“Judge not that you be not judged”) without looking into the context of the verse.
We wonder why unbelievers the world over say the Bible contradicts itself. The answer is that the equipment is fine, but it’s an operator error. We’ve failed to rightly divide the Word. I know this is a lot, and it’s been a struggle for me, too. This is still a problem we cannot give up on.
Maranatha!