|
|
An International Missionary Outreach Dedicated to Evangelizing the Lost By Sharing The Gospel According to the Scriptures
|
|
|
|||||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||||
|
|
||||
|
|
The Warning
Commentary
by Roger Oakland For printer friendly version, please click here |
|||
|
There is a pattern we find throughout the Word of God. God always warns before He brings judgment on sinful man. God is merciful and never reacts quickly without giving sinners a chance to repent. While He hates sin, He has often allowed men to carry on even if they do not respond. However there are always consequences of sin. The Bible states that the wages of sin is death. Often sin is exposed publically, and others are reminded to get right with God. As we read through the Bible, we see how God has always raised up men and women to warn the people of coming judgments. The first time this occurred in history was before the great flood of Noah. Very few listened to Noah. God used Noah to warn, and then the judgment came. For the majority who refused to listen, they were wiped out in a global catastrophe. Of all the prophets, Jeremiah is the one who seemed to have the toughest job. Virtually no one would listen to him as he was trying to warn the leaders of Israel about the judgment they were going to face. They had turned away from God and were following their forefathers who had turned to the gods. God used Jeremiah to warn the people and then judged the children of Israel by sending them into exile where they were forced to live in a society that was totally pagan. If history repeats itself as the Bible states, then it would be reasonable to predict the same pattern would be repeated today. People who profess to be followers of God end up following men who follow the devil who then become Satan’s pawns. As Solomon said, there is nothing new under the sun. A brief overview of what we call the “new” evangelical movement provides a good example of what is happening today. According to Bible prophecy, the Last Days will see the implementation of a global One World Religion that prepares the way for the antichrist. This would mean that we will see all religions coming together for the cause of peace. Not only will the religions of the world join up in an ecumenical unity, but so will the majority of those who call themselves Christian. We have been watching this trend happen for over two decades. Without knowing it “Protestant evangelicals” have been seduced so that they are neither Protestant nor evangelical. Many churches and denominations have been led astray by the pied pipers of the Purpose Driven emerging church movement, which clearly embraces a false hope centered on a P.E.A.C.E. Plan that is supposed to unite all religions of the world to do good. This plan is fueled by the belief that we can get closer to God through various contemplative eastern practices like Yoga and contemplative prayer. Christ is mentioned in name, but the “Jesus” and the “gospel” is not the Jesus Christ and the gospel that is supported by the Scriptures. While I have only been a born-again Christian for just over three decades, it has been long enough to see a paradigm shift taking place with regards to what it means today to be a Christian. Many churches and denominations have joined hands with pagans. Once Bible-based and Jesus-centered, many evangelical churches have moved away from messengers of the gospel towards church-growth programs driven by corporate politics that leaves biblical Christianity behind. Rather than looking to the Good Shepherd, Jesus Christ, the sheep are conditioned or brainwashed to look to some man whom they believe is the answer to all their problems. This cult style of Christian leadership is not only dangerous, it provides the backbone that leads towards a One World Religion with an ecumenical headquarters headed by the pope in Rome. These pseudo churches have departed from the faith in such a way that many have not even noticed. When someone points out the deception that is happening they are considered to be the heretics. Those with discernment are scoffed at and told to shut up. Worse yet those who are persistent in shining the light on apostasy are marginalized, shunned, or declared crazy. The bottom line is this: the leaders of the Last Days apostasy are most often too proud to receive correction from anyone. They call those who stand up and warn them as unbalanced, out of touch, “haters,” or even psychotic misfits who are on the lunatic fringe. The Final, Final, Final Warning Just before sitting down to write this commentary, I was at the John Wayne Airport in southern Californian waiting for a flight to San Francisco. As I had time to spare before my flight, I took out a notepad from my pocket and started to jot down an outline dealing with the subject matter of this commentary. Unexpectedly, I heard an announcement made over the intercom: “This is the final – final – final call for United Airlines Flight 322 to San Francisco.” I looked at my watch and realized I had nearly missed my flight. The call was for me. We are living at a period in Church history when the final-final-final call is being made to warn the Church to wake up. The apostasy that is underway is greater every day. Worse yet, fewer and fewer professing Christians realize what is happening. They have gone to sleep it seems. More and more pastors are concerned about property, power, and prestige than they are about people. While many should be repenting from their sins, they are spending the time they have left here on earth covering up their sin in order to protect what they believe is their legacy. Others have poured their energies and focus into trying to “return” America to a Christian nation, claiming that we need to get back to our Christian roots and take over our country for Jesus. While there have certainly been many Christians in the history of America who have served Him faithfully over the past two hundred years, the fact is that no country is “Christian.” The Bible refers to those of the faith as “strangers and pilgrims of the earth” (Hebrews 11:13; 1 Peter 2:11). The only solution to our problem with sin is salvation through Jesus Christ and the finished work of the cross. Our home is not on earth but in heaven. So while the majority of Christians are distracted by their worldly carnal ambitions, they are missing the final call. Recently we sent out a general open letter to all pastors attempting to wake up those who should know better. The letter was written to all pastors even though the majority of the churches I have spoken at in the past were fellowships belonging to the Calvary Chapel movement. In my view, the time we have before God’s judgment comes is short. When the church is more interested in man-made agenda’s than God’s, the church is no longer useful. God will simply raise up others to do the job. In fact, I believe we are fast approaching a time when the apostate “church” will join up with the One World Religion, and the body of true believers in Jesus Christ will be forced to the sidelines and even underground because of persecution. For those who have followed the ministry of Understand The Times, you will know we have been trying to warn the church for the last two decades about the judgment that is coming. Books and commentaries have been written. Presentations have been made since about 1990. Some of these books that were written include: New Wine Or Old Deception, When New Wine Makes a Man Divine, New Wine and the Babylonian Vine, When Marian Apparitions Plan to United the World Religions, Another Jesus: The Eucharistic Christ and the New Evangelization and Faith Undone. Not only did I express my concerns about the direction the church was headed in a public way, I wrote personal letters to the leaders of Calvary Chapel that we are now making public so the world can see. You can read some of these letters by going to the following link: http://www.lighthousetrailsresearch.com/blog/?p=5258. Why am I doing this? The answer is very simple. Over the past year, I have been accused by some of my colleagues as being mentally unbalanced and vindictive because I have simply expressed the facts. I have even been told that I have blasphemed the Holy Spirit because I have questioned the roots of the Calvary Chapel movement. Apparently, up until now, no one has dared to do this. While I have heard the rumors and seen some of the e-mails regarding what has been said, I will make the statement again: The Lord has led me to warn what is happening. No one is listening. I have done this according the Scriptures. When you see brothers heading into apostasy, you need to warn them, and then if the warning isn’t heeded, wash your hands. Finally, I fear no man. I reverence and fear Jesus Christ and His Word. The rejection and ridicule that we have received from many of my former colleagues would provide the contents for a book, which we will likely write at a later time. While I refuse to read the blogs and even the threating e-mails that come to me from pastors and church leaders that I once shared a common platform with, the time has come for me to speak up. Understand The Times will not be silenced; we will tell the facts whatever the cost. Sin cannot be covered up. Just like Jeremiah, we have been told that we are crazy and to shut up. Read Jeremiah chapter 21. Prediction The truth always wins out. As someone said, the truth will always chase a lie through the back door. While I have no personal vendetta against those who conjure up lies and rumors about me, I will make one final appeal to the consciences of those who know better. It is time to fear God and get things right. You cannot continue to let on that everything is all right. It is time to warn the body of Christ about the days in which we live. Your camp is full of leaven. Your sin will find you out. Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. (Galatians 6:7-8) |
||||
|
Understand The Times is an independent non-profit organization in
Canada and the United States.
|
||||
