The subject of this document is so unpleasing to the 21st century American Christian, I believe that by writing it, I will step across a threshold of "Main stream evangelical Christian", to a "radical", a "dissenter", "out there" and even "lost" in the eyes of some folks who read these words. So be it.
(James 2:1 My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons.)
If I have learned anything in the 35 years of being brought up and taught in this faith, it is that in most cases, the word of God and the truth of Jesus Christ are foolishness in the eyes of modern man, and they do not fare so well in the "marketplace" of public opinion. Most Christians would agree, that speaking the word as it is revealed by God, has never in the history of the world been accepted by the masses, and often times even by those who lay claim to membership in the kingdom of God. I have also learned that we who name the name of Christ are called not to be silent, when we see the work of Satan flourishing in the world around us, and we are called to speak with unwavering conviction, the word of God and the teachings of our Lord Jesus Christ, with no regard for the consequences of that speech. I saw an interesting commercial on TV today, in which a young girl is standing on a dock, and a woman is drowning in the water in front of her. The girl is just standing there, watching her drown. The commercial is about when friends see friends having drug and alcohol problems, they wouldn't just stand by and watch, they would help! In the same spirit, a Christian who sees another caught in the vile deceptions of the evil one, wouldn't just stand by and watch that person be led to destruction, they would speak out! I am compelled to write this, and the other articles on this site, because of this principal.
What brother or sister in the Lord would stand by and watch his friends be deceived by the devil and not speak out? What man would see his brother about to fall into a ditch and not warn him?
Ezekiel 3:18 When I say unto the wicked, Thou shall surely die; and thou give him not warning, nor speak to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life; the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand.
Ezekiel 3:20 Again, When a righteous man doth turn from his righteousness, and commit iniquity, and I lay a stumbling block before him, he shall die: because thou hast not given him warning, he shall die in his sin, and his righteousness which he hath done shall not be remembered; but his blood will I require at thine hand. and again
Ezekiel 33:6 But if the watchman see the sword come, and blow not the trumpet, and the people be not warned; if the sword come, and take any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at the watchman's hand. and yet again,
Ezekiel 33:8 When I say unto the wicked, O wicked man, thou shall surely die; if thou dost not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand.
I think it is interesting that this is stated a number of times in Ezekiel, I wondered why God would repeat himself so many times on this item in Ezekiel. I realized it is because he is saying something different in each instance. In the first instance 3:18, he mentions the wicked. In the second instance 3:20, he mentions the righteous, in the third instance 33:6, he mentions the people, and in the final instance 33:8, he returns to the wicked. I think there are no accidents here, I think God is making it clear, that no matter who we may see in error, (the wicked, the righteous, or all of the people) it is our call to warn them, and that if we do not, they will perish in their sins, but their blood will be required at our hands.
It is this spirit in which this article is written, and for this purpose I believe God has inspired us to open this site, and to speak out in the name of Jesus to anyone that he may direct to this site. A "voice crying in the wilderness of the internet" as it were, to anyone who will hear, and turn from the deceitfulness of unrighteousness...
2 Thessalonians 2: 8-12 And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming. Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
The context of this scripture, is of the time of the end of the age, as Jesus is about to come, and it describes a state of affairs in the world and among the people of our world and the work of Satan to deceive them, and lead them to destruction. Paul is discussing the time when the one we know as Antichrist will appear on the earth, and will deceive the world, including as many of the people of God as possible. I believe that as you read these words, this scripture is being fulfilled in the world today.
I think most Christians would agree, that the deception spoken of by the Apostles, concerning the "Last Days", is deception that will be directed at the true believers of God's word, and in his Son Jesus Christ, not at the "world", as the world was already deceived, there is no need to bother with them. The evil one's target? I believe the target can only be the evangelical church of Jesus Christ. Therefore, I believe it is necessary to take a close look at how the Devil could possibly have worked a deception into that body of believers at this time, (we believe the time of the end). What is/are these deceptions, and how do they add up to the "Strong Delusion" spoken of by Paul? They would have to be the ones that our Lord warned us about throughout his entire ministry, #1, the love of money, #2 the love of this world, and #3 the love of darkness...
See the rest of the Article here. "The Gospel Of Convenience"
Frank Reilly is one of the Writers for The 11th Hour Web Site.