WHAT ARE THE SPIRITUAL TRAPS THAT CAPTURE MANY CHURCHES?
TRAP ONE – A DEFICIENT GOSPEL PROHIBITING PROPHECY
The church organization is SO afraid of Prophecy lest they make a mistake. THEY PREACH A HOLLOW GOSPEL ALLOWING NO PROPHECY messages.This is one understandable trap to fall into based on those who may have become disillusioned by past mistakes. Abandoning a core component of Biblical truth is going too far in the opposite direction- period. Churches should cover and celebrate the coming of Jesus and the end of the age of evil.
Psalm 96:10 -11, “Say among the nations, ‘The LORD reigns.’ The world is firmly established, it cannot be moved; he will judge the peoples with equity. 11 Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad; let the sea resound, and all that is in it…Let all creation rejoice before the LORD, for he comes, he comes…He will judge the world in righteousness and the peoples in his faithfulness.” (NIV)
REMEMBER THE SECOND COMING IS SOMETHING TO COMFORT US.
1 Thessalonians 4:16-18, “For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven, with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God…to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. 18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.” (ASV)
Therefore thinking about and talking about the second coming should be a POSITIVE, comforting issue within the church's messages, not something to be avoided.
1 Thessalonians 5:5-7, “[F]or ye are all sons of light, and sons of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness; 6 so then let us not sleep, as do the rest, but let us watch and be sober. 7 For they that sleep sleep in the night: and they that are drunken are drunken in the night.”
CHRIST COMMANDS US TO WATCH FOR HIS SECOND COMING
This watchful approach, of course, leads to remaining alert and ready spiritually. Watching events motivates us to remain close to God and helps us resist the dangers of being lulled to sleep.
Matthew 24:43-49, "But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. 44 Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect. 45 Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his master made ruler over his household, to give them food in due season?" (NKJV)
No one knows the exact date of the second coming, but those who watch are blessed.
Verse 46, “Blessed is that servant whom his master, when he comes, will find so doing. 47 Assuredly, I say to you that he will make him ruler over all his goods. 48 But if that evil servant says in his heart, 'My master is delaying his coming,' 49 and begins to beat his fellow servants, and to eat and drink with the drunkards 50 the lord of that servant shall come in a day when he expecteth not, and in an hour when he knoweth not, 51 and shall cut him asunder, and appoint his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth.”
Similar warnings are given in Mark and Luke's gospels. How do believers stay ready when we do not know the specifics as to when the end of this age comes and paradise arrives? The answer is given: keep watching –– but we must watch in a mature, knowledgable manner.
BECOME A MATURE EVALUATOR OF PROPHETIC SIGNS
A mature, knowledgeable Christian knows that signs tell us we are closer but it is easy to overreact to events. For example, people during WWI and following the Spanish flu thought the end was near. The same was true of WWII. These events altered the world in ways that are profound, but the end is not quite here yet. The problem with overreacting to end time events is that it can be hard to put them in perspective. It will get even worse before the final end. Therefore, be cautious in evaluations so as not to become disillusioned. Say, “This is speculation!”
2 Peter 3:3-6, “…knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, 4 and saying, ‘Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation.’ 5 For this they willfully forget:…6 by which the world that then existed perished, being flooded with water.” (NKJV)
Further, a mature evaluator of the full gospel message is not ashamed of any of the things that Christ preached, including watching for His return and the end of this age of evil.
Romans 1:16, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ…”
Since we know that people will scoff at this society coming to an end, we know we must not let that happen to us. Events will come and go, yet God's patience has not yet run out, until it does. Therefore, as sophisticated consumers of prophetic events, we will be cautious.
TRAP TWO – OVER EMPHASIS ON PROPHECY
These churches scream wolf, wolf almost all the time. This also produces a hollow and UNBALANCED gospel. They not only pervert the correct kind of event-watching, but undermine their own credibility. Leaders are inclined to elevate their importance. They cry, “The sky is falling!” over and over again, posting dates (which should not be done now), and that they only can save us from the tribulation. Instead, rely on Christ –– not them –– for protection.
Matthew 24:36, "But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only. " (NKJV)
Any church leader who sets dates and elevates himself as a Prophet at this time is highly suspect of apostasy and unbridled arrogance, period. They should be avoided. Following such a leader is dangerous to our spiritual health!
Acts 20:29-31, "For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. 30 Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves. 31 Therefore watch, and remember that for three years I did not cease to warn everyone night and day with tears."
Paul warns that even among those true elders some would become perverse and go after a personal following, instead of serving the sheep.
ISSUES:
SINCE WE WISH TO SEE THE END OF THIS AGE , WE MUST COUNTER THAT BUILT IN BIAS, BUT HOW?
HOW DANGEROUS ARE THE "WOLF, WOLF" PREACHERS?
