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Chapter II
History Validates Man’s Halfhearted Service to GOD
SCRIPTURE THEME
“And if the righteous scarcely be saved [those whose names are on the church books], where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear.” I Peter 4:18
PART I
STREAMLINING THE TIME TO THE 2ND ADVENT
Peter’s words shed light on the duty of every Christian: “Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God.” II Pet.3:12. The definition of the word hasting verifies that man has a role to play when the Gospel work is done and Christ can come. Jesus Christ verifies this in His own Words: “And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.” Matt.24:14. The end cannot come until “this gospel,”—the true gospel of the Bible is preached. A corrupt gospel has no contribution to the closing work and therefore lends no support to the church’s claim of desiring the 2nd Advent or even salvation itself. Where faith and falsehood stand together GOD cannot empower the church to carry out the closing work of the Gospel (Acts 19:13-17)!
Let us briefly review the state of Christianity at the dawn of the 1800’s after the pope’s civil authority was removed by Napoleon’s general, Berthier, in 1798. The turn of the century came; and in the early 19th century the power of the Holy Ghost was seen with the rise of the American and British Bible Societies filling the Earth with missionary stations. Following this work, evangelists, raised up by the LORD, began to piece together the more difficult prophecies. And while some of their theological beliefs were flawed due to “the tradition of men” the Spirit of GOD was clearly leading them, desiring to shed more light on their path. The church was swelling to a lofty summit. And, step-by-step the LORD was opening up new venues of understanding and outreach. Despite the increase of knowledge in Scripture, as was prophesied to come (Daniel 12:4), the zeal slowly waned, and by the 20th Century the fire of the Spirit that ignited the great movements of the 19th Century was quenched through Christ's entrusted leaders who betrayed their calling (Rev.2:4). [Analysis of this is forthcoming.] Ascending knowledge should always be met with a corresponding zeal (Titus 2:14). But while knowledge has ascended, the zeal of most rests on a comfortable plateau. Jesus refers to this as the “lukewarm” church (Rev.3:14-19). All we have to do is to merely contrast what the Apostles accomplished in demonstrating the power of GOD to deliver men from their afflictions (Matt.10:1) vs. today’s demonstrations in Christianity where most church members have no testimony of the power of GOD in their lives. And this lack of personal testimony displays a lack of discernment of the very channels of blessing that established and fortified the faith of Jesus Himself (Jn.7:15). But where there is often seen great zeal in the church, Satan lends his hand to deceive all who stand Biblically illiterate to his deceptions (Rev.12:9).
In light of this, let us consider the suffering of life and reflect on the words of Paul for a moment: “For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.” Rom.8:22. Men have little concept of the cacophony of misery emanating from this world: the continual shriek of pain, sorrow and despair that only GOD can hear. Blessed be the GOD of Heaven who can withstand such roaring torment from the very creatures He intended to only live in peace and joy—forever. But man’s ignorance and cruel indifference to the purposes of Satan against GOD proves the weakness of the character that rules in the lives of most men. |
