* They call themselves names not in the Bible, such as "Reverend."
* They dress their ministers in special garments of clothing, not in New Testament.
* They cross themselves thinking to bless themselves, not in New Testament.
* They light candles at church gathers for religious purposes, not in New Testament.
* They set up water which they call "Holy Water", not in New Testament.
* They bow down before graven images to recite words.
* They wear around their neck crosses and medallions, not told to do this in Bible.
* They discard portions of scripture and teach perverse doctrines to their church groups.
By all this the man of lawlessness, antichrist, reigns in today's church groups.
Paul told us antichrist would be in the church groups before Jesus returns.
II Thessalonians 2
3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day (of the Lord) shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; (antichrist)
4 Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.
(Churches would fall away from portions of scripture.)
***
What we are seeing today in church groups is the end time apostasy.
I Timothy 4
1 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;
2 Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;
3 Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth.
The Catholic church are examples of this as they forbid their ministers to marry and as they command their people to abstain from the eating of meat on Fridays. They follow seducing spirits and doctrines of devils.
***
II Timothy 3 (the apostle Paul says)
1 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.
2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,
4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;
(Paul shows by verse 5, this would happen in the church groups of the last days.)
5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.
(They deny the power of certain scripture to rule today in the church as they set up doctrine opposite from the scripture.)
6 For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts,
7 Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.
13 Evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.
***
Jesus said concerning the sign of the end time:
Matthew 24:4-5 Take heed that no man deceive you. For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.
They come saying they are Christians. They say "Jesus is Lord". But they do not show that they follow the Spirit of God.
Romans 8:14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.
***
Jude
3 Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.
4 For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.
(While they say "Jesus is Lord", they show that the Word does not rule over themselves, therefore their actions deny Jesus as Lord.)
12 These are spots in your feasts of charity, when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear: (They show no fear of Bible and they change doctrines from Bible to suit themselves) clouds they are without water, carried about of winds; trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots;
They attract other ungodly men to their doctrines as they approve sin in the church itself.
13 Raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever.
They copy other persons who seem religious, thus they are mockers, copiers, having not the Spirit.
16 These are murmurers, complainers, walking after their own lusts; and their mouth speaketh great swelling words, having men's persons in admiration because of advantage.
17 But, beloved, remember ye the words which were spoken before of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ;
18 How that they told you there should be mockers (copiers) in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts.
19 These be they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit.
The ministers of these groups are like well trained performers on a stage and by their own flesh they draw to themselves others who are fleshly ... but they seek their own ways and do things to cause people to admire themselves and speak perverse doctrines.
The apostle Paul told us this would happen in the church.
Acts 20 (Paul speaking to the elders of the church at Ephesus)
29 For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock.
30 Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.
***
Peter also warned us about the false teachers of the end times.
II Peter 2
1 But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.
2 And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of.
3 And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you:
14 Having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin; beguiling unstable souls: an heart they have exercised with covetous practices; cursed children:
15 Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness;
17 These are wells without water, clouds that are carried with a tempest; to whom the mist of darkness is reserved for ever.
18 For when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them who live in error.
They entice men through clever words of their own flesh. But their words have no real power though they promise power. Their words entice the flesh of men. And they draw large crowds to themselves because they do not speak of sin but they speak of approval. Therefore there is no repentance from sin in their churches.
***
The apostle John said there were many antichrists trying to get into the church groups.
I John 2
18 Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time.
19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.
They came among the real church but then they left ... They set up their own churches where they could present their own doctrines after the lives of Paul and the real apostles of Christ. (Acts 20)
So today we have all these denominations set up by man.
But according to Paul, this had to happen to the churches before Jesus returns ... the apostasy, the falling away from doctrine, before the great tribulation.
***
Luke 20:46-47 Beware of the scribes, which desire to walk in long robes, and love greetings in the markets, and the highest seats in the synagogues, and the chief rooms at feasts;
Which devour widows' houses, and for a shew make long prayers: the same shall receive greater damnation.
Matthew 23:15 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves.
27 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness.
28 Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.
***
I Corinthians 14:39 Wherefore, brethren, covet to prophesy, and forbid not to speak with tongues.
***
1 Corinthians 7:10-11 And unto the married I command, yet not I, but the Lord, Let not the wife depart from her husband: But and if she depart, let her remain unmarried or be reconciled to her husband: and let not the husband put away his wife.
Mark 10:11-12 And HE saith unto them, Whosoever shall put away his wife, and marry another, committeth adultery against her.
And if a woman shall put away her husband, and be married to another, she committeth adultery.
***
Ephesians 4:11-13 And HE (Jesus) gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:
***
I Corinthians 2:1-5 And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God.
2 For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and HIM crucified.
3 And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling.
4 And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:
5 That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.
* For writings on additional subjects, click here: Jesus Ministries Exhortations Blog
