I was shocked.

[Betty52]

I watched a video on YouTube of a well-known Preacher on a telethon. He started joking about how he is now a multi-millionaire and owns a jet. Then he went on to say that the rapture has not happened because Christians are not sending enough money to the telethon. What do you think?

Then I read about a well-known Christian speaker and writer who attended a BLM who got on his knees and apologized for being white and for his ancestors. Then he attended an LBGTQ meeting and apologized for writing that homosexuality is a sin.

What is happening to Christians?
Betty

 

[Tall Timbers]

I don't think those two are members of the Body of Christ. They seem to be charlatan opportunists.

 

[Betty52]

That is what I was thinking.
Betty

 

[Andy C]

Money hustlers on the pulpit and false teaching are getting more prevalent than ever before, and its only going to get worse.

We all stay in the Word of God and we cant be mislead.

 

[Ghoti Ichthus]

Apostasy.
The great falling away.
Deceivers.


24 For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.
Matthew 24:24, KJV

1 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;
2 Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;
1 Timothy 4:1-2, KJV

3 For the time is coming when people will not endure sound[a] teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions,
4 and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.
2 Timothy 4:3-4, ESV

They will be judged more harshly
1 Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness.
James 3:1, ESV

1 This is a true saying, if a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work.
2 A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;
3 Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous;
4 One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity;
5 (For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?)
6 Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil.
7 Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.
1 Timothy 3:1-7, KJV

 

[Armor of Light]

"Wolves" plain and simple, and scripturally, they are not listening to or following Jesus!
"beware of wolves"

 

[Work4Peanuts]

Honestly, it's getting easier and easier to spot those people who claim to be Christian but don't actually follow Jesus. My mom and I were talking about it the other day. It's interesting to me that, lately, calling someone a sheep, implies that they are just a dumb blind follower with no ability discern anything for themselves while if you are a goat, well, that means you are the greatest of all time. GOAT.

Sheep and goats. The sheep will know their Shepherd's voice, and will follow. Even though we haven't reached the judgement of our Lord, there's definitely a separation taking place. Those men claiming to be pastors (shepherds) that are attempting to fleece the flock- I would not want to be in their shoes. Not for all the money and jets in the world.

I'm really looking forward to our Jesus saying "Come up here!" before things get really nasty. This sheep is not sticking around!

 

[TCC]

I've expereinced quite interesting things over the past 3 decades with churches. I've seen a lot of love and some incredible sanctifying from Him in my life over much of the time. But from what we have seen in the pademic season and other things, there certainly seems to be a concern by many of the condition in general that many churches are going. I know there are churches that do love the Lord and stand for sound doctrine. But i have also seen some scary sides of even orthodoxy as well. There is no perfect church. But there are some good churches out there too. I don't know if how you guys feel about the notion that the 7 churches in Revelation may be metaphorical time periods perhaps as well.

I do believe they were literally churchs. I also believe that they represents seven typical types of churches in any age. But there are some that believe that perhaps it could also be that there could be periods in time meant too perhaps? Like the church of Laodicea a description maybe of an era as well as a literal church in the first century and a type of church in any age. If it might be considerable to have this sense about that, i would see a sense in which we may be living in a season of Laodicea. Where we do see a number of churches and attitudes drifting. Well there is quite a bit more I could say. But in respect to not knowing some of the boundaries in which this perspective might be reasonable or edifying on this forum, I guess to just leave it at that. By the way I would see theologically that Laodicea was a saved church. It did end up being the first city to have church councils in historically. I would see God having great mercy and compassion on a our wayward world gone astray...and to what degree the churches might be not too far behind these days. I would see some churches of course in outright apostasy as those desribed in this thread. But i would surmise there might be something to Laodicea as a church age too. Blessings.

 

[mattfivefour]

Yes, I think that when God gave John the Book of Revelation, He used seven real churches of the first Christian century as prophetic pictures of the Church through time. While you could argue that vestiges of five of the seven churches may still be found, I think it more significant that two of the metaphorical churches are still in existence: Laodicea and Philadelphia. And while almost all (if not all) of our churches today can be categorized as one or the other, I think it more important to realize that all Christians at this time are members of one of the two churches. So, it doesn't really matter what name is on the outside of any church building, inside there are members of the church of Laodicea and members of the church of Philadelphia sitting side by side.

 

[Work4Peanuts]

I really like Jack Kelley's summation of the churches in his Revelation e-book. I particularly loved that he had actually visited the site of each original church.

 

[Betty52]

I saw a video of a TV preacher standing behind the pulpit and cutting his hand and pouring communion wine into his hand saying that he now had the blood of Jesus in his body. I think we are going to have to prepare ourselves for more out outlandish stuff to happen by Preachers who have become greedy for financial gain and fame.

God is allowing us to see who the true faithful are.
Betty

 

[mattfivefour]

I think we are going to have to prepare ourselves for more out outlandish stuff to happen by Preachers who have become greedy for financial gain and fame.

Amen, Betty! Amen

 

[Almost Heaven]

The darker this world becomes, the easier it will be to see those who have the "true light."

John 1:5

 

[lismore]

Apostasy.
The great falling away.
Deceivers.

Yes. A sign of the times. But I think the other sign of the times is that many believers who ought to know better tolerate and even promote these shady characters, as long as ears are tickled everything is ok. Only a few seem to be lining up things according to the Word of God anymore. The Bereans in Acts 17:11 were noble because they compared what they heard to the scriptures. God Bless You