Something that the church lacks today is discernment. Some do not know the difference between Scriptural truth and false teaching. They cannot discern God’s plan for the church from a pastor’s agenda. Their pastor will claim that God is going to, do this or that, and many will accept it as gospel; even if what the pastor is prophesying does not align with endtimes prophecy—his words are false. To the imperceptive, what is preached sounds good to them. They believe what is preached is true without checking that it aligns with God’s holy word. The Holy Spirit revealed to the apostle Paul that a lack of discernment would be prevalent in the endtimes church—the final generation of the church before it is raptured out of this world into eternity. These exact words are not recorded in Scripture but they are implied.
Having a bead on the condition of the contemporary church in the Western World it is not hard to see that the Holy Spirit was referring to the church in this age when it is written the church would be deceived. Paul prophesied that in the decades leading up to the Tribulation Period, people in the church would not want to hear cold hard truth, but rather prefer messages that make them feel good about themselves which breeds a spirit of lust for the world they are in (2 Tim. 4:3). To gain a following pastors are more than willing to comply to the desires of the people. Gaining a following and having bigger numbers in their church are more important to most pastors than teaching cold hard facts. Some pastors are so mesmerized by their agendas that the plan of God for the church has made them blind to the hard facts of Scripture. So, every Sunday they fill the minds of those they preach to with their version of the word of God, and will throw in some make-me-feel-good anecdotes to charm their congregations to stay hooked to their false teachings.
Because most Christians do not study and meditate on the word of God like they should discernment has not taken root within them. The word of God is supposed to be planted within the believer so that the Holy Spirit can assist the believer in knowing what is true and what is not. The Holy Spirit will not reveal the truth of Scripture unless the believer has it planted within their spirit—he will not force truth on anyone who does not want it. Anyone who desires truth will read and study the word of God. This growth will help the believers so they are not seduced, by false teachings. Seducing spirits have a harder time deceiving the believer who has the word of God growing in them. The apostle Paul taught that there is a gift of διακρίσεις πνευμάτων (diakríseis pnevmáton) “discernment of spirits.” But not everyone in the church is given this gift (1 Cor. 12:10c). Therefore, every believer must study and meditate on the word of God regularly so that truth will grow within their spirit, thereby having the spiritual ability to know what is truth or deception.
Since the Scriptures prophesy that the rapture of the body of Christ, the seven-year Tribulation Period, and the second coming of Israel’s Messiah is right at the door (Matt. 24:32-34; Mk. 13:28-30; Lk. 21:29-32), there are far too many church-goers who do not want to hear anything about these subjects. It could be because of fear, or just the thought of leaving the world they love, endtimes prophecy is not the message many want to study. This is why some pastors have a congregation to manipulate with their false teachings and skim milk messages. Many in today’s church turn away from the reality that endtimes prophesy will be fulfilled in their lifetime because fiction is more pleasant to their ears. They accept spiritual fantasy so they do not have to think about the rapture and the soon succeeding Tribulation Period. A lifetime of daydreaming birthed by fictional literature, television, and movies has twisted the minds of even those who are Christian. Daydreaming opens the door to the deception of “deceitful spirits and teachings of demons” (1 Tim. 4:1, ESV).
If pastors would teach their congregations
that the rapture will happen before the seven-year Tribulation – the time of
God’s wrath – then maybe the church would put their hope in it (Rms. 5:9; 1Thess.1:10;
5:9; Rev.3:10). The hope that the body of Christ will finally see Christ at the
rapture will purify the believer, just as the Savior is pure (1 Jn. 3:2-3). The
Holy Scriptures teach that the believer’s citizenship is in heaven; it is not
this world (Phil. 3:20a). And it further teaches that the believer is to
eagerly wait for Jesus to come and take them out of this world (Phil. 3:20b). A
crown of righteousness will be rewarded to every believer that longs for his
appearing—longs for the day when Jesus comes to rapture the church (2 Tim.
4:8). The believer should eagerly wait for Christ to come, and get them; not be
uninterested in it (1 Cor. 1:7; Titus 2:13). It is prophesied that because
Jesus was sacrificed to take away the believer’s sins he will also bring –
eternal – salvation to “those who are eagerly waiting for him” (Heb. 9:28d,
ESV). This is when the body of Christ will be clothed in heavenly bodies—their salvation
is completed (1 Cor. 15:50-53).
Because the Scriptures continually remark that the believer should eagerly wait for the rapture to occur, does this mean that those who refuse to be enthusiastic about it will be passed over when this glorious event happens? There has to be a reason why the apostle Paul has written repeatedly that the believer must be thirsty for the coming of the Lord—the rapture of the body of Christ is for the church (1 Thess. 4:13-18), the second coming is to redeem the remnant Jewish nation (Rev. 9:11-21). Considering the evil condition of this world, should the believer not be impatiently waiting for the day of the rapture? Should that desire not be burning within them? This world is ruled by Satan (2 Cor. 4:4; Lk. 4:5-7; Jn. 14:30; Eph. 2:2), and he will continue to do so until the angel of God binds him to the Abyss (Rev. 20:1-3). This will not happen until the end of the seven-year Tribulation Period at the second appearance of Israel’s Messiah—the church will not transform this world into a Christian theocracy as some false apostles and false prophets are teaching. The believer that hears the Spirit of Truth, and functions in spiritual discernment, can distinguish what is true or false that comes out of the pulpit. The same in video, and written works. More true Bible study and meditation on the word of God will transform the believer from accepting anything preached. They will know what is true or false as the Spirit teaches them. Today’s church should practice the Berean Jew method and examine what is being preached with the Holy Scriptures to verify whether it is true, or false.
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