Church and Christianity
To virtually all the world the words "Church" and "Christianity" are synonymous with the people that profess to believe in and follow Christ. Amazingly, the word "church" does not occur in the Greek of the New Testament but is a mistranslation.
At the end of this age, in the book of Revelation, we find God calling to His people to come out of a place he calls Babylon and the Great Whore to avoid the plagues she will receive for her sins. Where is this place that God's people find themselves that is a "habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit" (Rev. 18:2).
The apostle Paul told us that "such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works." (2Cor 11:13-15). Where are these false, deceitful ministers who claim to be sent by Christ? Where is Satan's influence to be found posing to be a source of light to those seeking God?
They can only be in places that claim to be of Christ! Christian denominations! As you read these articles prepare to be surprised and shocked. Satan deceives the whole world. He is hiding in a place that seems to be above suspicion but Paul also wrote that the one who "as God sitteth in the temple of God" will "be revealed in his time" (1Thess 2:4,6). As we draw nearer to the events that will herald the return of Christ the truth about the antichrist spirit and where it is hiding will be revealed.
New Birth Teaching Series
"You must be born again"
Three hours of audio teaching (transcript available) from Pastor John Clark, Sr. on the subject of the "New Birth".
When is a person born again and how do you know? The Bible contains clear revelation from God about when a person is born again. Learn what had to occur before the new birth was available to man. Listen as Pastor John covers these topics and more:This is perhaps the most important issue for a person to understand.
Have you been born again?
Thought for Today
Dec. 07
THE STRAIT GATE
Matthew 7:13-14
It is easy to misunderstand these words of our Lord because the word "strait" and the word "straight" sound alike. The word "straight" means "in a direct line", and that is not the word Jesus used to describe life in the Spirit. When God led Israel out of Egypt, He took them in anything but a direct line to Canaan. In fact, we are told in Exodus 13:17 that God purposefully did not take them to Canaan by the most direct way. If, as Paul taught, their winding trek through the burning desert to the Promised Land is a figure for our trek through this life to our Promised Land, then we can see why Jesus did not describe the way to eternal life as "straight".
What Jesus did say about the way to our eternal home is that it is "strait". That means that it is "narrow". The way of the Spirit is an ever-changing path, but not in width; it is always narrow. It may at times become "straight" for a while, but at other times it will contain sharp curves, or even double back, before it becomes "straight" again. Yet always, the road is never wide; it is always "strait".
While they lived, the very wise older saints who taught me Christ claimed that they were Christians, and although there was no place in Christianity where they were welcome because of the light they had from God, they still thought that Christianity was the family of God on earth. I, on the other hand, have come to despise Christianity, hopefully as much as Jesus himself does, and the title "Christian" is anathema to me. Nevertheless, I know that I am traveling on the same winding, narrow pathway of holiness that they traveled. I am being led by the same unseen hand. It is just that after their deaths, there came another bend in this "strait" road, and I stayed on it.
Actually, this bend in the road that led us away from the religion of Christianity came before the Lord took the last of those old saints home. There were four of them still living when Jesus revealed to me that Christianity itself, in its entirety (not just Catholicism, as some Protestants still teach) is that "great Whore" called "Babylon", and each one of those elders in the faith rejoiced greatly in this marvelous light. Though advanced in years, they were able to change, even from beliefs they had held their entire lives, because they were following the Spirit rather than custom or men. They were striving toward the goal rather than glorying in blessings of the past or trusting in tradition. They were able to bend with the strait road and not be confused when it took a sudden turn because they were alive in the Spirit and were wise. Their pastor had taught them well. He had fallen asleep in Christ ahead of them and had left them in my care, but he had taught them to hear the Spirit's voice and to follow it.
To recognize the voice of Jesus and to follow it is the strait road, "and few there be that find it." When Jesus opened my heart to the truth about the religion of Christianity and I then reported that truth to the congregation, the old saints still living recognized their Shepherd's voice and easily laid aside the filthy garments of that whorish religion and became even more perfect before Him. I honor them because of their humility and faith. Though at that time they were very old and weak, their faith was alive, trusting in the power and wisdom of God, and they esteemed His word above their own long-held religious opinions. Their road was very seldom straight, even in their last few days; it took many turns along the way, some of them sudden and severe. But it was always strait, and few ever were discerning enough to stay with them for long on that strait and curving road to glory.
So, my friends, avoid at all costs the straight and wide road; that is the way traveled by the foolish, and there are many fools in this world. Stay on the strait and winding path; that is the way of the Spirit, "and few there be that find it."