A BRIGHT RED LINE
The Bible tells us that all of the Law, (the Torah), and all Prophecies are to be fulfilled by Jesus. (see Matthew 5:17). In fact, the entirety of the Bible, all the narratives, all the events, each and every word points to a time when there would be a bright Scarlet Line etched into the cosmos and into the hearts and minds of every person on the earth.
This is the Blood of Christ, spilled on our behalf. An immutable Scarlet Line drawn in the eternal sands of time, dividing truth from error, deception and lies, and life from death, and you must choose. Choose which side of this line you will stand.
Many people, Christians included, seem to miss or overlook the fact that the Bible is a purely prophetic book. About 27 percent of the Bible is predictive or prophetic, that is it ‘foretells’ the truth of what was, is and is to come.(By one count, Payne, J. B., The Encyclopedia of Biblical Prophecy, Baker Pub. Group, 1980, p. 675). The remaining 73 percent of the Bible is prophetic in the sense that it ‘forthtells’ these same truths and directly supports, explains and defines the predictive prophecies.
Surprisingly and sadly, however, you can listen to many preachers and Bible teachers tell what they call ‘stories’ from the Bible. They focus on the narratives and the moral lessons to be gained. They cannot see the profound prophetic significance of every word, sentence, chapter and book in the Bible. They assume, speculate and muse about many things written there, supposing what they might mean. Some will ignorantly or deliberately reframe the meaning of the Bible texts into their own perspectives.
There are those who foolishly try to redefine certain words in the Bible, or to convince others to there is no Line you can cross. They will say ‘it is not so. There is no true Line.’ They will say there are many different ways to see and interpret the things that Jesus spoke, taught and demonstrated. But, the Bible informs us, “But know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture becomes a matter of someone’s own interpretation, for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.” (see 2 Peter 1:20-21). These men and women have Crossed The Line, and that is a dangerous game. (see Matthew 5:17-19, and Revelation 22:18-19).
I have to ask, in light of all this, why do they not just accept the Bible as it is written and in the context it is written? Why would anyone take these documents (The Bible), which they purport to believe, and then deny its accuracy and inerrancy? Is it a deliberate deception of evil intent, or is it lunacy, the work of fools? Or, both?
Why do I call this The Bright Red Line? It is because there are no ‘shadows of turning’ nor are there any ‘shades of gray’ in the Bible. There is the Truth and there is Error. One leads to life and the other leads to death. However, following ‘the letter of the law’, does little eternal good. It is living on the side of Truth, which is faith in and loving obedience to Jesus’ Words. Crossing that line only leads to trouble.
“For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace, because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so, and those who are in the flesh cannot please God.” Romans 8:6-8.
Those who ‘have eyes to see’, know that this Red Line is the demarcation of a permanent end to the power of sin and the sting of death. This is the Good News.
But to those who choose to ignore or cannot see the Scarlet Line, it marks the edge of the precipice to eternal darkness, damnation and the fires of hell. Simply put, the Bible is The Book of Life, The Word of God for all who would believe. For those people who would speculate otherwise, a millstone waits for their neck and the depths of the ocean for their grave, and all the plagues of the Bible and eternal death will be added. (see Luke 17:2, Revelation 22:18-19).
CAN THE BIBLE BE ABOUT COMPROMISE AND BALANCE?
The Bible is about balance – a radical balance of extremes.
Is this going too far? Is this ‘out of balance’? Is this too radical? What if I told you Jesus said or did things such radical things, such as:
John 18:37 “Therefore Pilate said to Him, “So You are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say correctly that I am a king. For this purpose I have been born, and for this I have come into the world: to testify to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to My voice.”
TO BRING A SWORD
Matthew 10:34, “Do not think that I came to bring peace on the earth; I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. Verse 35. For I came to TURN A MAN AGAINST HIS FATHER, AND A DAUGHTER AGAINST HER MOTHER, AND A DAUGHTER-IN-LAW AGAINST HER MOTHER-IN-LAW; Verse 36 and A PERSON’S ENEMIES WILL BE THE MEMBERS OF HIS HOUSEHOLD.”
TO FULFILL THE LAW
Matthew 5:17, “Do not presume that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish, but to fulfill the Law and the Prophets.”
TO CALL SINNERS
Mark 2:17, “And hearing this, Jesus *said to them, “It is not those who are healthy who need a physician, but those who are sick; I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”
TO SAVE THE WORLD
John 12:47, If anyone hears My teachings and does not keep them, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world.”
TO CAST FIRE & BRING DIVISION UPON THE EARTH
Luke 12:49, “I have come to cast fire upon the earth; and how I wish it were already kindled! Verse 50. But I have a baptism to undergo, and how distressed I am until it is accomplished! Verse 51. Do you think that I came to provide peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather to create division.
WHAT HE REALLY MEANT
John 14:12, “Truly, truly I say to you, the one who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also; and greater works than these he will do; because I am going to the Father. Verse 13. And whatever you ask in My name, this I will do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. Verse 14. If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it.”
“(I never lie). I testify to the truth. I AM the Truth!
“I do not bring peace, but a sword to the world”.
“I am turning sons against their fathers, daughters against their mothers”.
“I am the fulfillment the Hebrew and Judaic law and that of their prophets”.
“I have the right to call sinners to righteousness”.
“I am bringing fire upon the earth and creating division”.
“I came into the Temple and beat men with a whip and turned over tables”.
“I am openly calling the scribes (lawyers) and Pharisees (religious elites) hypocrites, whitewashed tombs, robbers, murderers, blind guides”.
Jesus gave up His own life to give you a life.
Jesus died for sins He did not commit, so you could be forgiven of the sins you did commit.
Jesus prayed for and died for even those who killed Him.
(for more details see “These Works”).
I could go on with examples, but you get the idea, right? Even His own family said, “He has lost His senses”. (Mark 3:21).
What I am illustrating is that, when kept in context, Jesus said exactly what He meant and meant exactly what He said. And no matter how much you wish that some of what He said were not so, the consequences for abrogating His Words, can be dire. It is like wandering off a path of safety into a nightmarish quagmire.
THE CHURCH
Jesus said He would build His Church, in or around A.D. 30, “And I say to you that you are Peter, (just one small stone), and upon (a more massive) rock, (constructed of many stones such as you), I will build My church”, (see Matthew 16:18), and that “I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatever you bind, (i.e., forbid) on earth shall have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose, (i.e., permit) on earth shall have been loosed in heaven.” And the prophetic work began.
But only a few years after Jesus had spoken these words, the drift of the Church began.
In or around A.D. 95, John heard these things and wrote them in seven letters to the 7 churches at that time:
Revelation 1, Verse 4. “John to the seven churches that are in Asia: Grace to you and peace from Him who is, and who was, and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before His throne, verse 5, and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To Him who loves us and released us from our sins by His blood, verse 6, and He made us into a kingdom, priests to His God and Father, to Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen. Verse 9. “I, John, your brother and fellow participant in the tribulation (which has now begun), and (in the) kingdom and perseverance in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. Verse 10. I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and I heard behind me a loud voice like the sound of a trumpet, verse 11, saying, “Write on a scroll what you see, and send it to the seven churches: to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea.”
These letter reveal that:
- False apostles had crept into the church.
- The church at Ephesus had lost its first love for Christ.
- There were some in the church who were ‘of the synagogue of Satan’.
- Those at the church of Pergamum held to the false teachings of Balaam, of sexual immorality and of the Nicolaitans.
- There were those in the church at Thyatira who tolerated the woman Jezebel who called herself a prophetess, and she taught and led Jesus’ bond-servants astray so that they commit sexual immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols.
- There were those at the church of Laodicea who were lukewarm, toward God, and lazy, arrogant and self-reliant.
Herein lies the early seeds of drift, rot and failure within the Church. Here is where the church began to cross the Red Line Jesus had drawn.
THE AGE OF APOSTASY IS UNDER WAY
There are several warning signs that the church has entered the age of apostasy, as described in the Bible. However, most Christians cannot adequately describe what this means.
2nd Thessalonians chapter 2, verses 1 through 3, tell us about the coming apostasy and of the timing, “Now we request you, brethren, (1) with regard to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, that you
(2) not be quickly shaken from your composure or be disturbed either by a spirit or a message or a letter as if from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come.
(3) Let no one in any way deceive you, for
(4) it will not come unless the apostasy, (the falling away from Christ and the forsaking of His teachings of the truth and the Gospel Message), comes first.”
We read about it again in Matthew 24:10, “And at that time many will fall away (from the faith), and they will betray one another and hate one another.”
Apostasy, from the Greek word apostasia, means “a defiance of an established system or authority; a rebellion; an abandonment or breach of faith.”
IN A.D 35 THE CHURCH WAS A MOVEMENT
During the time of Jesus’ earthly ministry, in AD 35, The Church of Jesus Christ, The Body of Christ, had no buildings, little money and no wealth, but, the Church was a Movement.
Jesus said to make disciples; collect no money except to make your journey.
The penalty for becoming a Christian was often death, still, the Church grew exponentially.
THEN THE CHURCH BECAME A PHILOSOPHY
A.D 49, The Church expanded into Greece. The Church became a philosophy to many. The Church grew and size and influence.
THEN THE CHURCH BECAME AN INSTITUTION
A.D 313, The Church expanded into Rome, and it gained recognition. It grew in power and popularity. It obtained wealth, buildings, property and influence. It became an institution.
THEN THE CHURCH BECAME A CULTURE
A.D 380, The Church expanded into Europe. It was becoming a worldwide phenomenon. It grew in wealth, stature, power and influence. It had become a culture.
THE CHURCH BECAME A BUSINESS
A.D 1607, The Church reaches America.
A.D 1681, The Church became corporate. It had become a business and incorporated. It became regulated by the government.
The Corporate Church grew. It needed money to support growth and expansion, which meant the Corporate Church needed more people.
A.D 1777, The state of Virginia granted tax exemption to houses of worship.
A.D 1894, The corporate church was granted tax exemptions by the Federal Government.
A.D 1954, The Federal Government regulated what a church could and could not say in order to retain tax-exempt status.
The church continued to grow, and in order to attract more people, the Corporate Church lowered its membership and doctrinal standards. More people became ‘members’ and gave more money to support more growth.
The Church corporation is complete with leaders, boards and membership and a business model.
Local churches compete against one another for members (customers). The church is selling itself in “three line slogans”.
The Church members now have choices and have become religious consumers. Church people can shop around for the religious brand and standards that best suits them. (see 2nd Timothy chapter 3).
The Leadership (pastors and preachers) have become CEOs, disciples have become church leaders, growing their 501(c)(3) business models.
And just like in business, record numbers of pastors quitting the ministry because of stress, burnout or are being fired by their congregations (some stats say 1500 – 1700 leave “the ministry” each month).
Contrary to what the Bible say about debt, the Church debt in America soars; church foreclosures soar.
THE CHURCH ABANDONS THE TRUTH
A.D 1968, Despite what the Bible teaches about homosexuality, the church begins to ordain homosexuals as clergy.
A.D 1972, The United church of Christ ordains homosexual clergy
A.D 2010, The Lutheran church ordains homosexual clergy
A.D 2012, The Presbyterian church, USA, ordains homosexual clergy
The Episcopal Church in the United States and the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) have also allowed ordination of openly gay and lesbian candidates for ministry for some years.
Internationally, churches that have ordained openly lesbian or gay clergy include the Church of Scotland, the Church of England, the Church in Wales, the Church of Sweden, the Church of Norway, the Church of Denmark, the Church of Iceland, the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland, the Evangelical Church in Germany, the Methodist Church in Britain, the Protestant Church in the Netherlands, the United Protestant Church in Belgium, the Swiss Reformed Church, the United Protestant Church of France, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada, Anglican Church in Canada, the Old Catholic Church, the Czechoslovak Hussite Church and the United Church of Christ in Japan.
A.D 2019, The formation and establishment of the One World Church, THE ABRAHAMIC FAMILY HOUSE.
Now, approximately 1,900 years later:
A.D 2020, The church is losing and has lost influence. The church in 2020 is losing members.
A.D 2020, The church is teaching and living a different Gospel than that of the Apostles.
A.D 2024, By God’s gracious choice, there has come to be at the present time, a remnant, those who endure to the end.
THE AGE OF APOSTASY IS WELL UNDER WAY
There are several warning signs that the church has entered the age of apostasy. As described in the foregoing paragraphs, we can see the onset, and its progression. Still, most Christians cannot adequately describe what this means.
Apostasy, from the Greek word apostasia, means “a defiance of an established system or authority; a rebellion; an abandonment or breach of faith.” This the final act the 5th tribulation seal, the climax of the apostasy, will usher in the beginning of the final 7 years of the Great Tribulation, the Great and Terrible Day of the Lord with the breaking of the 6th Tribulation Seal.
Despite all the signs and warnings, it seems like the contemporary church, (i.e., Christians), are far more concerned with their comfort and safety rather than taking up their Cross and following Jesus.
Again, I believe that most professing Christians do not have a good grasp on what it means to follow Jesus. If you ran a survey, most Christians might say that following Jesus is nothing more than doing a good deed here-and-there, attending church and being nice most of the time. And that discipleship is sitting in a classroom learning.
Jesus says, you must deny yourself and do His Will, His Way. You must leave family friends and home if necessary, and go where He directs and where He is needed. You must put your worldly concerns aside and focus on Him and His mission.
Additionally, many more professing Christians are more concerned with receiving a blessing than being a blessing. This too, is a departure from the way of Jesus.
We, The Church, The Body of Christ, You and I, must return to Jesus’ Way. We must be doing those Works that Jesus does and the way He does them.
Jesus faced the same circumstances during His earthly ministry. But He and His disciples stood out from the crowd. They were counter-cultural. They were reviled, mocked, spit upon, and persecuted. And they changed the world and glorified God!
The postmodern church’s way of inventing new ways of ‘doing church’ in order to connect to the culture is failing! We are not of this world – we must stop acting like it. We must be and act like Jesus.
Despite these things, we do not lose hope. There is a time coming, and is close at hand, when God will purge, cleanse, and refine His Church, in preparation for the wedding of the Groom, Jesus, and His Bride, the Church. (see Daniel, chapter 12).
Be Berean. Read, study and pray to be prepared.
Your Brother and Friend,
Mike Young
Ephesians 2:13, But now in Christ Jesus you who previously were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ.
Hebrews 9:14, how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?
1st Peter 1:19, but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ.
Hebrews 10:19, Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus,
1st John 1:7, but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.
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