Where are we?

[Amanah]

Would some of you weigh in on where you think we are as a church and nation. Do you think we are living in a time of strong delusion? Do you think we are losing our message by blending into the world? Do you think we are on the brink of Jesus' return?

Galatians 1:6-9
6 I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— 7 not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. 8 But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed. 9 As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed.

2 John 1:4-11 4 I rejoiced greatly to find some of your children walking in the truth, just as we were commanded by the Father. 5 And now I ask you, dear lady--not as though I were writing you a new commandment, but the one we have had from the beginning--that we love one another. 6 And this is love, that we walk according to his commandments; this is the commandment, just as you have heard from the beginning, so that you should walk in it. 7 For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not confess the coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh. Such a one is the deceiver and the antichrist. 8 Watch yourselves, so that you may not lose what we have worked for, but may win a full reward. 9 Everyone who goes on ahead and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God. Whoever abides in the teaching has both the Father and the Son. 10 If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house or give him any greeting, 11 for whoever greets him takes part in his wicked works.

2 Thess 2 Now concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered together to him, we ask you, brothers, 2 not to be quickly shaken in mind or alarmed, either by a spirit or a spoken word, or a letter seeming to be from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come. 3 Let no one deceive you in any way. For that day will not come, unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction,[c] 4 who opposes and exalts himself against every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God. 5 Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things? 6 And you know what is restraining him now so that he may be revealed in his time. 7 For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work. Only he who now restrains it will do so until he is out of the way. 8 And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will kill with the breath of his mouth and bring to nothing by the appearance of his coming. 9 The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders, 10 and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. 11 Therefore God sends them a strong delusion, so that they may believe what is false, 12 in order that all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

[1ofthechosen]

Originally Posted by Amanah

Would some of you weigh in on where you think we are as a church and nation. Do you think we are living in a time of strong delusion? Do you think we are losing our message by blending into the world? Do you think we are on the brink of Jesus' return?

I believe were on the brink of Jesus' return. I know we can't lose our message (although some are losing it) because its the Gospel of Jesus Christ. "Upon this rock He promised to build His church, and promised the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." That word shall means its immutable, it's not passive, its a guarantee!

Many are blending in with the world, while there's some preaching it and living it harder than ever. It is a time of delusion but this is the devils world, so there's never been a time since the fall that there wasn't strong delusion, either!

Gods church is strong, been strong and will stay strong. He promised, He was coming back for it. So I'm going to work out my salvation with fear and trembling, making sure I'm in it. Because its the only thing guaranteed to make it out! Everything thats falling away never was it, it only appeared that way, but time reveals all things!

[Amanah]

Originally Posted by 1ofthechosen

I believe were on the brink of Jesus' return. I know we can't lose our message (although some are losing it) because its the Gospel of Jesus Christ. "Upon this rock He promised to build His church, and promised the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." That word shall means its immutable, it's not passive, its a guarantee!

Many are blending in with the world, while there's some preaching it and living it harder than ever. It is a time of delusion but this is the devils world, so there's never been a time since the fall that there wasn't strong delusion, either!

Gods church is strong, been strong and will stay strong. He promised, He was coming back for it. So I'm going to work out my salvation with fear and trembling, making sure I'm in it. Because its the only thing guaranteed to make it out! Everything thats falling away never was it, it only appeared that way, but time reveals all things!

1 John 2:19 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.

[1ofthechosen]

Originally Posted by Amanah

1 John 2:19 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.

Amen!!

[Amanah]

I'm borrowing Esaias quote for this thread

Originally Posted by Esaias

Nothing will change (for the better) as long as most people are "looking for a church with" such qualifications as "good music, but no clothing standards". It's the same as looking for a church with the qualification of "having a PREACH-UH! Who can preach to a rhythm! and got that PREACH-UH voice!" Or looking for a church with voluptuous carpet and decor and padded pews. Or looking for a church with hardwood floors and wooden pews from the 1800s. Or whatever.

It's all about marketing a product to a consumer base with certain expectations that you can "meet their felt needs" (aka WANTS).

I doubt things will change until something convinces most people that only TRUTH is important. Boy, that's gonna be a mighty tough lesson to learn, like "beyond the Great Depression" tough...

And I'm adding this because in the end it all that matters is that we are following Jesus and following His Word. What other people do is above my pay grade. I must follow Christ.

1 Corinthians 3 King James Version (KJV)
3 And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ.
2 I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able.
3 For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?
4 For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal?
5 Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man?
6 I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.
7 So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.
8 Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour.
9 For we are labourers together with God: ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building.
10 According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon.
11 For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
12 Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble;
13 Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is.
14 If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.
15 If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.
16 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?
17 If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.
18 Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise.
19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness.
20 And again, The Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain.
21 Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are your's;
22 Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are your's;
23 And ye are Christ's; and Christ is God's.

[votivesoul]

Originally Posted by Amanah

Would some of you weigh in on where you think we are as a church and nation. Do you think we are living in a time of strong delusion?

I think we've been in a time of strong delusion since Eve first looked at the fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil and thought it was a good idea to reach for it.

Do you think we are losing our message by blending into the world?

No. I think those who lose the message have nowhere else to go but into the world. They don't blend into the world and then lose the message, they lose the message first, then find themselves blended with the world.

Do you think we are on the brink of Jesus' return?

No. Jesus already returned on Pentecost. "If I go away, I will come again" was said right in the middle of His treatise on the Spirit of Truth and "another Comforter". He's been here ever since.