Apostasy in the Church

[SavedOnebyGrace]

Source: Apostasy in the Church

Don Koenig is the author of the above article.  I believe it's an important topic of discussion in these times, maybe even essential in these (end) times.  I will quote his introduction and leave you to read the rest, as you have time.  It is quite lengthy.

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Apostasy in the church and false doctrines of men

By Don Koenig

The reason for this article

Most of the major Christian denominations have deviated from biblical Christianity in one way or another. It is not the purpose of this article to point a finger at any one group, or to tell true Christians to get out of their denomination or not to fellowship. I understand that this article will not win me any popularity contest but very few others are talking about the apostasy in the church institutions identified with Christianity and the false doctrines of men within these church institutions that now deviate from true biblical Christianity.

The one true Church of God is a spiritual body and it is interwoven in all Christian denominations. I have noticed in my own experiences that there is at least a small core of true believers in just about every church in every denomination. That certainly does not mean that the doctrine of certain denominations actually leads people to Christian salvation - many teach a different gospel than what the Bible teaches. However, some in these denominations do find that salvation comes by God's grace through faith (trust) in the risen Savior in spite of denominational heresy. I have at one time in my life been part of all the major groups listed below and I have first hand knowledge of what they practice (except the Orthodox Catholics).

My purpose is to expose the darkness so that the true light of the gospel of Christ will shine. I do not believe that true Christians can significantly change the overwhelmingly apostate pseudo Christian agenda that is now prevails in most of our churches and intuitions'. What we can do however, is not be deceived by Satan's devices and not support what is not biblical.

He then asks the question, who is a Christian?  Think about that for awhile as we're reading about the PCA calling Mohammed a prophet.  Have the leadership ceased to be Christian?

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Who is a Christian?

There are over 2.2 billion people on the earth who identify themselves as Christians, but there are significantly fewer that are really part of the body of Christ.

Jesus said you can not enter the kingdom of heaven unless you are born of the Spirit. The new birth from the Holy Spirit occurs when a person truly believes that Jesus is the son of God and trusts in the finished work of Jesus on the cross to atone for their own sins and to justify them before God.

The scriptures say you are saved by faith, not by your own works, lest anyone should boast.

We cannot judge if a person who identifies with Christianity is really trusting in Christ or in their religion to save them. If they are trusting in their religion to save them they are no more part of the body of Christ than a Jew or Moslem or any other religion.

Christianity is a personal relationship with Jesus because we are one with Him spiritually. This relationship does not depend on having all correct theology but correct theology will result in more fruitful Christianity.

Are you a Christian?  Do you long to please God and rely upon his word for guidance?  Do you put God first, or is He first when it's convenient?  These are serious questions that require soul-searching to reach an honest assessment.

Edited October 14, 2016 by Saved.One.by.Grace

[SavedOnebyGrace]

1 hour ago, Yowm said:

In my opinion, this seems to be the pertinent list of Koenig's for Evangelicals today...

I agree.  I've seen first-hand many, maybe even most of what that list states for Evangelicals when I was a part of a non-denominational Charismatic church some years ago.

[SavedOnebyGrace]

5 minutes ago, Yowm said:

I had to chuckle at this one though...

When I was growing up, I remember my grandparents having a picture of a very western looking Jesus sitting on clouds overlooking a city below.  I don't remember if his eyes were blue or not.

[kwikphilly]

Blessings SObG

    Yep,they are not only just interested in filling seats,a numbers game but also to destroy the very heart of the Gospel,JESUS!!! I've heard entire sermons preached where I never heard the Name above all names spoken,not mentioning Jesus Christ one time......Blows my mind,the enemy is very very busy

                                                                                                                         With love-in Christ,Kwik

[SavedOnebyGrace]

24 minutes ago, kwikphilly said:

Blessings SObG

    Yep,they are not only just interested in filling seats,a numbers game but also to destroy the very heart of the Gospel,JESUS!!! I've heard entire sermons preached where I never heard the Name above all names spoken,not mentioning Jesus Christ one time......Blows my mind,the enemy is very very busy

                                                                                                                         With love-in Christ,Kwik

So much of what Yowm quoted from the article I can directly relate to.  The straw that broke this camel's back was teaching on visualization techniques to facilitate our ability to heal others.  I had just finished reading a book by Dave Hunt and another by Constance Cumby warning of the influx of "New Age" practices into the church.  Quite a few people left the church after that.  This wasn't just the "laying on of hands" which I am a firm believer in.  That's how God healed my dog who was paralyzed.  I laid hands on him and believed in Jesus name that he was healed and he was.  Not instantly, but my faith in Jesus never wavered and God gave us many more years with a healthy, loving, and energetic Pomeranian.  After the healing, he trotted around our yard like he was a Clydesdale!  Of course, he was spoiled, but that's not surprising.

[Ezra]

1 hour ago, Yowm said:

I had to chuckle at this one though.

When some tried to portray Jesus as a Hebrew, they certainly made a mess of that -- that portrayal looked more like a caveman. And this is hardly an issue.

[Guest Robert]

1 hour ago, Ezra said:

When some tried to portray Jesus as a Hebrew, they certainly made a mess of that -- that portrayal looked more like a caveman. And this is hardly an issue.

I'm pretty sure the Lord was less than thrilled with that portrayal; while Scripture says Jesus would look pretty much average in Isaiah 53, it never said he would look like He wasn't smart enough to walk and talk at the same time (which is what that "portrait" seemed to indicate).

[Ezra]

1 hour ago, RobertS said:

I'm pretty sure the Lord was less than thrilled with that portrayal; while Scripture says Jesus would look pretty much average in Isaiah 53, it never said he would look like He wasn't smart enough to walk and talk at the same time (which is what that "portrait" seemed to indicate).

Exactly, Robert.  You got the subliminal message, as did probably many.  It was another attempt to downgrade the Lord Jesus Christ.

Also, what we see in Isaiah is more a portrayal of Christ on the Cross -- appearing as one who could be mocked and scorned. There was certainly no beauty on the Cross (Isa 53:2,3), hanging between to criminals and bleeding from every pore.

But Jesus of Nazareth during His earthly ministry was walking in all the regal dignity of His Person, preaching the Gospel and doing good.  Even in the Garden of Gethsemane, we see the impact of the Deity of Christ on His captors (John 18:5,6).

[enoob57]

13 hours ago, Ezra said:

Exactly, Robert.  You got the subliminal message, as did probably many.  It was another attempt to downgrade the Lord Jesus Christ.

Also, what we see in Isaiah is more a portrayal of Christ on the Cross -- appearing as one who could be mocked and scorned. There was certainly no beauty on the Cross (Isa 53:2,3), hanging between to criminals and bleeding from every pore.

But Jesus of Nazareth during His earthly ministry was walking in all the regal dignity of His Person, preaching the Gospel and doing good.  Even in the Garden of Gethsemane, we see the impact of the Deity of Christ on His captors (John 18:5,6).

Yet one of the most markedly facts of all this was His Heart attitude to it all

Philippians 2:5 (KJV)

[5] Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:

[6] Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:

[7] But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:

[8] And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

[9] Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:

[10] That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;

 

[SavedOnebyGrace]

On ‎10‎/‎15‎/‎2016 at 4:03 AM, Logoman said:

During the time God was guiding me to different churches to attend in the 1980's and early 1990's, I found churches that never mentioned many of the important things I read about in the Bible. I grew up in a Lutheran church that never mentioned anything about the beast or antichrist that appears in the books of Daniel and Revelation. Even Jesus mentioned that antichrists were among those who were listening to the gospel he was preaching. Most of the other churches I went to never mentioned the beast or antichrist either. 

Yes.  There are many churches like that.  On the flip side are churches who spend so much time on the end times, they forget the here and now, and the Gospel (good news).  Then their are churches who seem to spend an inordinate amount of time on tithing and building programs. 

I went to a free will Baptist church as a visitor a couple of years ago.  The teaching was very good.  The preacher taught in an expository way which I prefer.  But I didn't feel the Holy Spirit's presence during the worship part of the service.  My wife sensed it too.  The Church was probably large enough for 1000-2000 people, but was less than 1/3 full.  There's a definite malaise infecting the body of Christ.