Rotten Fruit!
Let’s face it; we are living in one of the worst periods of church history on record. It is certain that the modern Christian church has an abundance of works and money coming out of their ears. But they are a cross between the corrupted church of Thyatira, Rev2:19, and the totally lukewarm church of Laodicea, Rev3:14. They are rich and increased with goods and in need of nothing, while at the same time wretched, miserable, poor, blind and naked. They have love, service, patience and faith, but at the same time they allow sexual immorality, spiritual idolatry and every evil temper to abound among them. The pastors won’t take it to heart, many are greedy for gain or caught up in some active cause that has nothing to do with guiding people OUT of their sins. Yea, they are greedy dogs which can never have enough, and they are shepherds that cannot understand: they all look to their own way, every one for his gain, from his quarter. Isa:56:11
Only those under the influence of this Strong delusion cannot recognize that the Vineyard has been ruined. Every pastor you meet thinks his church is the ‘faithful’ church, yet where is his focus? Is he concerned about bringing the people in his own congregation out of their sins, or does he daily argue in favor of sin by his conduct and his doctrine? Of course he’s offended when someone confronts him about these things, but how can he deny them? How can YOU deny them? Do you really think that showing up on Sunday and raising your hands in praise to God is enough to make up for your lack of obedience to His truth? I know it ‘feels’ good and appears as though you have God’s blessing on the service, but why do people remain entangled in being lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, heady, high-minded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof?
You go to dead churches to offer up dead praise and then rely on your dead works to save your soul. ‘It’s NOT of works!’ may be your battle cry, but what else do you have? You rely on church attendance, missions, activities and service to PROVE you’re really saved Yet all these are mere substitutes for the ‘Witness’ of the Spirit and a Living faith, of which you are destitute. Pretense is what salvation is based on today. The pastors PRESUME that if they can get a person to ‘repeat’ a prayer based on Rom10:9-10, they will be saved…..because ‘whoever calls upon the Name of the Lord shall be saved!’ There isn’t time for godly sorrow for sin, or a period of brokenness before God, crying out for His mercy as He opens the eyes of your understanding to your own wicked heart. That would require too much effort and it would eliminate MOST of the potential candidates for church membership. And through covetousness do YOU with feigned words make merchandise of souls: And your Judgment now of a long time lingers not, and your damnation shall not slumber! 2Pe:2:3)
It’s much more convenient to preach a gospel designed to make people comfortable in their complacency and ‘pretend’ you’re doing God’s will in the process. The pay and the perks are better than most jobs. If local pastors actually stood in their pulpits and demanded people live holy lives and submit themselves to the truth, they would have to be ‘EXAMPLES’ to the flock instead of making excuses for their own sin. Instead of platitudes it would have to be ‘testimony’ of what a true and living faith can accomplish in the heart of a man. The average church pastor today wouldn’t last a month preaching anything but his usual crowd pacifying pabulum. Once he’d crossed the line and started calling people out of their sins, he’d be parking cars in no time, guaranteed. If you don’t compromise, then its empty pockets and isolation. You are going no where in the modern church system today unless you play the game and keep the people happy. After all, Pastor, you have to be the crowd pleaser you were hired to be! Your flock will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, LIKE YOU, having itching ears; 2Tm:4:3 So by all means get up there and please them or live in your car!
Still not convinced? Here are some examples of the Rotten fruit being produced in the churches today. (1) The moral law has been abolished under grace. (2) Therefore it’s not necessary to obey God, keep His commandments or live a holy life. (3) Grace has thereby lowered the standard of holiness and we are less obligated to obey than under the law. (4) Grace is not license to sin, but sin will not exclude you from going to heaven, thus you can ‘sin’ with impunity! (not openly said, but strongly implied) (5) You are pronounced righteous in Jesus Christ because you believe, even though you remain wicked inside. (6) You can deny Christ and He will not deny you, He remains faithful. (7) You can live a selfish self-centered life, totally carnal and still inherit the Kingdom. In fact, you will probably get there sooner because God will take you out early for your disobedience.
And you wonder why the churches are entirely VOID of life, why there hasn’t been a true conversion from sin in decades and why the leadership is 100% compromised with the world. Is it any surprise why Christ said that you make Him sick to His stomach? (Rev3:16) The whole system is rotten to the core and you just sit there pretending everything is fine and dandy while your soul is dying of terminal cancer. You can re-arrange the deck chairs on your mighty corporate "Titanic" but you're still all on your way to the bottom! It’s all so shiny and bright, the presentation is polished and professional, your stage props impeccable. You purveyors of darkness are smooth and convincing. It all has the appearance of godliness with a flurry of activity going on in His Name. The PERFECT mirage! All form without the Power, the people wallow in their sins and suppose themselves Christians, and anyone who oppose them is considered a self righteous heretic preaching legalism.
Yet it was not always so in America or other nations where the whole counsel of God was preached. In times long passed ‘holiness unto the Lord’ meant happiness and peace in our communities and the love of God adorned those who professed the Name of Christ. The essence of true religion in the hearts of men was expressed in the Mind of Christ and a walk worthy of His Name. Purity and righteousness were preferred over worldliness and lust and the vast majority of Gospel preachers knew the difference between the faith that saves and the ‘faith’ of devils. But not anymore. It is rare to find a preacher even slightly aware of these things, who isn’t greedily compromised by gain, comfortable in his position or convinced that ‘his’ church is acceptable in the sight of God. The fruit is rotting on the vine, the stench is rising up to the heavens and the pastors are sound asleep!
Who’s to blame for this miserable mess? Has ‘He who now restrains’ been taken out of the way and is the Strong Delusion coming on full force? What else could it be? No one in a position of leadership in the so-called Christian world seems to know what is going on or care. They grope for answers and expend mountains of energy explaining their doctrines, but nothing ever seems to get any better. The churches are packed to the walls with unconverted brats who have never submitted themselves to God nor ever intend to obey Him. They are obstinate, selfish, seeking vain amusements and unyielding to the Spirit, yet they are told weekly that their salvation is secured in Christ because they have ‘once’ believed on His Name! While they bring millions into the church coffers, the preachers bellow about tithes and offerings, estate planning and weekly dinners.
If only SOMEONE among them had the guts to stand up and say, “Your god is your belly, you glory in your shame and set your mind on earthly things!” (Rom 16:18) But you preachers have lost your spines and answer only to the allure of wages of unrighteousness.
Is this the Great Apostasy spoken of in scripture, (1Tim4:1 - 2Thes2:3) or the DEPARTURE from the faith Jesus predicted preceding His return? (Matt24:12) Where’s the church that will endure anything but an extraneous exhortation of sound doctrine? They love the jargon, but despise anyone who turns the focus of God’s Word inward to their hearts. If you want to hear professing Christians squeal like the swine they really are, start talking to them about heart purity, righteous living and obedience to the truth. Watch them scatter like frightened little ducklings when the Two Edge Sword starts to swing in their direction. You will find out very quickly who they really serve when Jesus points to them and says ‘Deny yourself and take up your Cross and follow Me!’
Most of you reading this now have a mind like a steel trap, closed tight and secure. You are convinced you have enough truth to get you into heaven, but you refuse to allow any more light to penetrate your skull. You believe a lie! When you read the Word of God it’s like a thick veil is hanging over your brain. You believe and that’s enough, according to your pastor, BUT have you ever closely examined the evidence yourself and made absolutely CERTAIN he isn’t wrong? The devils believe, what makes you any different? (Jas2:19) That God loves you and Jesus died on the Cross for your sins and you have ‘accepted’ Him as your personal Savior? Where’s the proof? If Jesus is alive inside your heart by His Spirit, why are you so full of yourselves? Why are your evil tempers not under control? Why is He, the True God, the furthest thing from your mind while you go about your worldly endeavors focused on everything else BUT HIM? Could it be because you know Him not, and that your assurance is based on what men say and not the Word of God? These are eternal matters and you treat them as though they were yesterday’s mail.
The average professing Christian today is so accustomed to having his ears tickled with sweet sounding hyperbole that when he does hear the truth it’s like getting slapped in the face. Worse yet, he slaps the messenger! Never in the history of Christendom has more wealth, greater resources or more freedom of expression been available to the churches. The scope of it all is staggering to imagine. Yet the message is shallow and empty of life altering effects. People sit under so-called evangelical preaching their entire lives and remain carnal self-centered ‘believers’ void of any inward purity or outward righteousness. They remain members in good standing at the local church, but they haven’t got one clue as to the nature of true and genuine religion. (James 1:27)
The pastors would rather let them drop into hell fire than warn or examine them in light of God’s Word. As long as they show up and drop their money in the plate it’s enough for him. He doesn’t care if they are destitute of spiritual life; let them have their rummage sales, pie sales, bake sales, golfing, picnics, singings, skits, dramas, morning breakfasts, birthday dinners, appreciation dinners, fellowship dinners bowling leagues, softball games and volleyball, WHILE THE WORLD OUTSIDE THE CHURCH GOES TO HELL! It all has the appearance of godliness, it’s so neat and pretty and it keeps them coming back for more.
Who can deny that the moral foundations of our society have not fallen into new depths of depravity and shame? There’s no fear of God, no reverence for His Word and certainly no obedience to His Commands. It’s all a phony display of religiosity, that’s why the hand of the wicked has been strengthened in our land and evil is on the rise. The men in the pulpits have compromised with sin and these gutless cowards FEAR to denounce it even in their own congregations! They have no moral courage to Stand the Gap, but make vain babblings about patriotism and duty while millions march to the Judgment unprepared to meet the Judge. Who could turn this tide of iniquity but God Himself from His Throne.
The nominal professing Christian has no idea WHO he is dealing with. He thinks that God is some Big benevolent Sugar Daddy somewhere up in the sky who is winking at his sin because he believes in Jesus. He has no idea that the Lord is a Jealous God who demands his undivided love and absolute obedience, an undefiled garment not soiled by the filth of sin and worldly pleasures. (For the LORD thy God is a consuming fire, even a jealous God. De:4:24) In his mind he can believe in Jesus and do his own ‘thing’ because of grace. (at least that’s what the pastor told him, ‘It’s not of works!’)
So Joe Christian sits on his couch soaking down his chips and beer, believing he is saved, with no intention of ever lifting a thought or a finger concerning his eternal well being. Sinning willfully in his mind or outwardly is of no consequence to him, everyone he knows at church does it, including the pastor, so it must be normal and God understands. Grace will certainly make up the difference in the end. Thus he sleepwalks toward the Judgment unaware of his ultimate fate, incapable of repentance in his present mind-set and totally uncaring.
Thus professing Christians trifle with eternal matters as though they were reading the Sunday paper. They toy with a God so awesome in Power that He could cast them into outer darkness in the next heartbeat. He has told them to LOVE HIM with everything they have and everything they are, but they drift through their lives as though He doesn’t even exist, thinking about Him only when they need something. He demands their fear and reverence and holy sacrifice daily but they wrap themselves up in the worldly shroud of death and ignore Him, expecting Heaven in the end because they have believed a lie.
He has warned them time and again to take heed to His Word and Commandments, but they scoff and call it legalism, claiming salvation in His Name while they continue in sin.
Who will warn them of their impending doom? Faithful pastor Wolf presiding over them in all his vain glory? What about the church elders, who fit the description of shrewd business men rather than faithful servants? Or perhaps a close trusted friend could sound the alarm and show them vividly they are charging down the wide road to Hell! But can the blind lead the blind? (Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch. M't:15:14) How can God warn a people who ‘PRESUME’ themselves spiritual? Did the religious hypocrites of the past ever pay heed to any warnings? Did they not go about their business of buying and selling, marrying and giving in marriage until Judgment came and swept them all away? Does ‘AS THE DAYS OF NOAH’ ring a bell with anyone? People WILL NOT repent of something they do not perceive themselves guilty of. That’s why Christ has spewed them OUT of His mouth!
Don’t delude yourself either dear reader that somehow your church is exempt from all this or that your pastor is one of the faithful few. If a ‘Little Leaven’ leavens the whole lump (Gal5:9) then how could you imagine that ANY body of professing Christians today are not compromised with the world to the fullest degree? Otherwise why would the churches be filled with unproductive, worldly converts involved in every kind of immoral behavior under the sun? And where are the pastors with guts enough to expose the drunkenness, greed, jealously, envy, strife, malice and idolatry of the people right under his nose!?
Rather they conduct classes on ‘addiction’ and talk about carnality as a ‘rewards’ issue, leaving people entrenched in such behavior with the impression that God is cutting them slack by Grace and not holding them accountable for the sin. This my blind friend is Cheap Grace. Satan himself could not have devised a better set up to put your souls into hell, if he could have struck a deal directly with the modern pastors from behind the throne.
They WILLINGLY preach a gospel designed to keep people in bondage to sin and then turn around and defend themselves claiming they are NOT teaching a license to sin. It’s a travesty of criminal proportions and NO ONE seems to even be aware of its effects on the modern church. As long as everything has the appearance of godliness and the providential blessings of God seem to be raining down from heaven, what could be amiss? Who cares if the fruit is rotting on the tree while the bank accounts are full and the delusion is fixed? The people are flocking to see the show; it’s diabolically sophisticated and instills emotional enthusiasm. The worship is shallow but it feels so good to hear the powerless promises of eternal life to those who ‘believe!’
The people in churches today will put up with almost any kind of extreme false doctrine, especially if it’s accompanied by a ‘show,’ but stand up and tell them they must have purity of heart and righteousness of life to enter the Kingdom of God and you will be called a heretic. You will also become the subject of pastor Wolf’s next sermon as he feels obligated to argue in favor of sin and tell the people you’re teaching WORKS! He has to protect his flock and keep them assured that their disobedient worldly life styles are ‘acceptable’ to God and his version of the Truth is the correct one.
At the top of this ash heap of counterfeit Christianity are the Snake Oil salesmen on world wide television and radio. Their influence is immense and they have enriched themselves beyond the dreams of Solomon. Most of them preach pure unadulterated morality and call it religion, and the people can’t get enough of it! The crowd laps it up like liquid candy and begs for more. The Fat Cat preachers in their five hundred dollar suits and gold rings prance across the sound stages decked out like pompous peacocks, sweating and screaming about God’s power to make them healthy, wealthy and wise, while the people literally swoon in ecstasy in their seats. It’s a disgusting display of flesh and pride, but nothing can abate their popularity or lessen their impact because of the instant gratification they promise!
The stench of this modern generation of professed Christians has risen up to the heavens and JUDGMENT is at the doors. What the churches once assuredly had is being taken away and only bondage follows in its wake. Those awaiting the ‘RAPTURE’ had better take a closer look at 2Thess1:8-9, it’s flaming fire and Judgment that the Lord will bring with Him when He returns to PUNISH those who will NOT OBEY the Gospel! The Day of the Lord will bring darkness not Light to your corporate church.
The Shepherds are blind dumb dogs, and spineless cowards fearful of losing their positions, COMPROMISED with evil and numb to reproof. They loudly proclaim that you will not be held accountable for your sins because you have once believed, but they have trampled the blood of Christ long enough and insulted the Spirit of Grace one too many times. (If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame. Heb:6:6) Judgment will come upon them unexpectedly and without remedy.
The phony, rotten, and cheap religion of our present day system will go up in the flames of God’s wrath along with our nation and all it once stood for. It’s doubtful that slightly more than a tiny remnant of dedicated people will flee the destruction and come out of this godless mess before it’s too late. The delusion is strong and the snare pressing in, tightly fixed around them. Time is running out. Only spiritual ears will hear what the Spirit is saying. Most of you will continue in your delusion until you stand naked at the Judgment. Then you will scream bloody murder at the lying Shepherds who devoured your eternal soul and sent you into Judgment still accountable for your sins. But you bought into the lies and sold yourself to the devil because it felt good to your flesh.
Your lifeless profession will go up in smoke as you stand on the shores of eternal damnation and weep for the thousands of chances God gave you to repent and follow Him. Even now in these fleeting seconds as you read this, He is giving you yet another opportunity to awaken and escape His wrath, but you laugh it off and continue on in your pretense, convinced that your worldly profession of faith will save your soul.
The fruit is ROTTEN. The foundations are crumbling and the churches are filled with unconverted souls racing down the road to eternal destruction. Does anyone CARE?
Will you, local pastor, TAKE it to heart and count the cost, or have you bought into this colossal lie to the point of no return? I KNOW it has the APPEARANCE of godliness and everything GIVES THE IMPRESSION of prosperity and success, but it’s abhorrent in God’s sight and full of DEAD MEN’S BONES!
Either lose everything now and start calling this apostate generation to repentance or wait until the judgment and explain to God why you preferred comfort over commitment and laughter over tears. You still have a choice. Do you yet have ears