The Apostate, chapter 2
To: In home churches of God. His 9th month Kislev 25, 5,781, 12/12/20
Almighty God: thank You for Your calling and discernments, we’re indeed temples of Your spirit. Please strengthen us with gifted faith as Abraham’s, who as we; lived as a stranger among foreigners and deceived populous. In the holy name of Jesus we ask to be led to serve as pleasing to Yourself. AMEN.
God allowed the apostasy that Jude saw on the horizon for His purpose, and will continue to allow it until Jesus’ return. It’s prophesied that before Jesus’ returns His two witnesses will miraculously teach His true message and be hated by the whole world. (Study Revelations 11) Satan has the whole world deceived, manifesting himself and his followers as angels of lights, making Christendom populations think of themselves as believers in Jesus: blind leading the blind.
These were prevalent during the time Paul was writing the following to the Corinthians.
(2Cor 11:13-15; For such people are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. Therefore it is not surprising his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness, whose end will correspond to their actions.)
Claiming to believe in Jesus, presenting impressive credentials, and teaching Jesus lived and died for the sins of the world doesn’t make one a called follower. These may not understand the difference between ‘believing that,’ opposed to ‘believing IN.’ Most unbelievers are about the business of selling a paganism mixed Christendom, attract pagan populations by teaching a condoning of lawlessness. Perhaps a somewhat rebellious to His Father, Jesus, a Jesus differing from the Lord God who taught that, ‘He and His Father were as One.’
Believing that Jesus lived and died for the sins of the world while not opposing all that’s an abomination to Him; isn’t believing IN. Believers IN can’t continue practicing the abominable fertility and sun worshiping customs of pagans. Honoring their gods and labeling them Christian is an abomination. The naïve ‘believing that mentality populations’ desire religion while accepting the imposed pagan calendar that names week days for pagan gods and fits it to pagan sun worship practices don’t understanding that such practices was detestable to God. Thus, this world’s so called Christendom populations believe in a Jesus that doesn’t exist. Jesus prophesied about this age, see Matthew 24.
All have sinned and every individual inherited a lawless toward God nature that must be supernaturally changed in order to inherit eternal life. However there is a methodology to building principled fleshly character with integrity. High moral principles and integrity can be developed, but that isn’t belief in God as He manifest Himself to be in the holy scriptures. Good fleshly methodologies can’t make a person good in God’s View. Building good characteristics can include a self serving vanity, also a human condition that must be turned from. This was revealed to David and he prophesied.
(Psalms: 53:1-7 Fools say to themselves, there is no God. They sin, and commit evil deeds none of them do what is right. The Lord looks down from heaven at the human race, to see if there is anyone who is wise and seeks God. Everyone rejects God, thus they are all morally corrupt. None of them does what is right, not even one! All those who behave wickedly do not understand; those who devour My people as if they were eating bread, and do not call out to the Lord. They are absolutely terrified, for God defends the godly. You want to humiliate the oppressed, even though the Lord is their shelter. I wish the deliverance of Israel would come from Zion! When the Lord restores the well-being of His people, may Jacob rejoice, may Israel be happy!)
David’s wish will be fulfilled our Deliverer will come from Zion and fulfill promises to Abraham. Again, no methodology promoting sincerity and integrity can make one Christ like. Even Satan knows God is. Believing IN Christians have no problem believing John 1:1-5, Colossians 1:15-20 and Hebrews 1: These scriptures teach that Jesus created all things. Even angelic being and Lucifer were created by Jesus! Believers IN have no problem believing that Lucifer rebelled, fought God and was removed from the heavenly realms.
The unbeliever’s mentality is likened to Cain’s who thought to sacrifice his way, rather than submit to God’s command. Cain made God fit his imagination, thinking, surely this other way will please Him. Unbelievers like Cain imagine vain things and worship according to what seems right intellectually. The modern day apostate is rooted in Cain’s path which is likened to Korah and Balaam’s errors. Let’s review.
(Jude 1:11-13; Woe to them! For they have traveled down Cain’s path, and because of greed have abandoned themselves to Balaam’s error; hence, they will certainly perish in Korah’s rebellion. These men are dangerous reefs at your love feasts, feasting without reverence, feeding only themselves. They are waterless clouds, carried along by the winds; autumn trees without fruit – twice dead, uprooted; wild sea waves, spewing out the foam of their shame; wayward stars for whom the utter depths of eternal darkness have been reserved.)
Twice dead? Deceivers of people and all who don’t repent of evil living will die a second death. This is God’s righteous judgment. (See Rev 2, 19, 20 & 21:7-8.
Cain imagined God fitting his imagination. He assumed God would be pleased with his worshiping his way. Believers that and denominational Christendom make the same assumptions. God is not pleased when people choose to worship the way that seems right to their fleshly nature. Balaam’s error also revolved around his assumptions.
(Jude 1:17-23; But you, dear friends– recall the predictions foretold by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ. For, they said to you; ‘in the end times there will come scoffers, propelled by their own ungodly desires.’ These people are divisive, worldly, devoid of the Spirit. But you, dear friends, by building yourselves up in your most holy faith, by praying in the Holy Spirit, maintain yourselves in the love of God, while anticipating the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that brings eternal life. And have mercy on those who waver; save others by snatching them out of the fire; have mercy on others, coupled with a fear of God, hating even the clothes stained by the flesh.)
Christians know their fleshly minds are carnal, sold on unrighteousness, doing what seemed right to that fleshly intellectual nature. The natural inherited fleshly mind rejects what God says is right, wrong, good and evil. Review last study.
Followers of Jesus need to meditate, study, ask for wisdom and understanding while looking at ourselves in Jesus’ spiritual mirror. Ask to be kept on God’s Potter’s wheel. Ask to be lead by the Almighty. Realizing that God mercifully reveals Himself, otherwise a person can attempt to be saved by works. Let us each pray that God lead us from the path Cain and Balaam took.
Jesus said; ‘I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.’ Luke 10:18. Satan’s removal was apparently violent and before Adam was created. Remember, ‘all these things, especially Israel’s history is for our learning.’ God’s awesomeness includes the fact that He looks through this age, our trials, knowing our inherited nature and Satan’s influence. His looking forward includes when He will bring New Jerusalem to this earth and beyond. (See Rev 3:12 & 21:2) God is totally in charge and is only allowing Satan’s domination for the short haul. For the time being, God is allowing people live according to what seems right for His own ultimate purpose. Allowing Satan to be this world’s god. This is the overcoming age! Jesus’ leading Israel from Egyptian bondage is a foreshadowing of His delivering us from sin’s bondage in this age. Allow Jesus’ teaching through His apostle Paul.
(1Cor 10:1-4; For I do not want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters, that our fathers were all under the cloud and all passed through the sea, and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, and all ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they were all drinking from the spiritual Rock that followed them, and the Rock was Christ.)
This same Jesus, that saw Satan fall like lightening from the heavens, is the ROCK that communed with Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and created all things, led His chosen people Israel and is leading His called out ones today! That Rock is the Creator, Re-creator, Deliverer, Revealer, Redeemer, that’s leading and giving Christian’s spiritual food. One day the whole world will understand this awesome truth!
(1Cor 10:5-11; But God was not pleased with most of them, for they were cut down in the wilderness. These things happened as examples for us, so that we will not crave evil things as they did. So do not be idolaters, as some of them were. As it is written, ‘The people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play.’ And let us not be immoral, as some of them were, and twenty-three thousand died in a single day. And let us not put Christ to the test, as some of them did, and were destroyed by snakes. And do not complain, as some of them did, and were killed by the destroying angel. These things happened to them as examples and were written for our instruction, on whom the ends of the ages have come.)
Part of the apostasy hinges on the fact that false apostles weren’t gifted to understand that the same Lord God Jesus that died for the sins of the world, is the Rock that led Israel from sinful Egyptian bondage, made perpetual promises to Abraham and gave Moses the commandments.