These are Perilous Times! What is Your Focus?
To Make a Better World or Look for a City to Come?
I wrote a post to explain the phrase perilous times (What are Perilous Times?}. This post explains why these times are perilous times; in fact, every generation has faced perilous times (2Ti 3:1 KJV). The question is not about identifying these times for they will find you. The question you must answer, “What is the focus of YOUR faith during these perilous times?”
Perilous times {Gk: καιροὶ χαλεποί} means harsh, violent, dangerous times promoting evil over good; sin over God (Ro 1:18-28). This has been the norm ever since sin entered the World through Man, Woman and Satan (Ge 3:1-7). Sinners agitate toward a world without God and persecute those who are of God. Those who are maturing in Christ are humble {He: Hebel (Abel)} while sinners work toward strength to contend against God. This was evident in the first generation resulting in Cain {God given} murdering Abel {Worthless} because God chose Abel over Cain (Ge 4:1-8). That was the perilous time for Abel. It is no different today. What are the qualities of these perilous times?
Revelation gives four qualities of Man’s rule over God’s rule (Re 6:1-14). The Lost always seek to conquer whether by diplomacy or through conflict. The society of the Lost has no peace like the restless, stormy seas that pound the shores seeking to overwhelm and destroy. By seeking to interfere with times and seasons Man’s advances disrupts God’s ecology destroying food supplies. Today’s genetic alterations are a direct attack on the wholesomeness of foods while Man’s socialized governments disrupt the distribution of what foods are available. The more Man Controls, the more Man causes suffering and death. Man’s meddling at the cellular, genetic level has begun to unleash diseases, pandemics. Man’s so-called solutions are not only ineffective, they also cause morbidity and mortality {Suffering and death}. Finally, those who speak against Man’s brave new world are marginalized, neutralized and eventually will be eliminated with the consent of the Lost. This is the essence of Rousseau’s General Will. Yet, in the midst of Man’s meddling, God shows His power through natural phenomenon Man cannot control! This is true not just of the Great Tribulation but of every time for God will not abandon His people or His plan (Jn 10:24-30; He 1:8-12).
While there is nothing new under the sun, Satan constantly changes the words to confuse people as to the sameness of his plan: absolute Control through his agent; i.e., to be as god to man (Ec 1:9-11; Is 14:13-14; Mt 4:8-10). Satan’s plan suffered a great reset when God separated the land into continents during Noah’s Cataclysm. He has been at work to create an overarching Control network ever since (Da 2:36-43). It is during our time that Satan has been able to bring together technology, philosophy and Man’s hubris to initiate his kingdom of iron and clay. Whereas God’s kingdom is spiritual, for the Father is Spirit-Truth and the Holy Spirit binds the body of Christ together, Satan’s kingdom and the focus of the Lost is Material (Jn 4:23-24; 1Co 12:4-7; Ep 4:4-7).
Why Does the Church Choose Materialism?
Church’s Focus is to be Spiritual!
In the Renaissance, Man began a systematic search for Truth, and knowledge which was known as natural philosophy. By the 19th century, Man realized his observations could not prove truth, not even truth in God. Hence, Science split from philosophy to create the foundation for our modern world; and Satan’s molding of technology for his uses. Science quickly morphed into Scientism; i.e., came under the direction of the goals decreed by the Lost. Science-Scientism deals only with the empirical or material. Evolution and geology are early examples of Scientism; i.e., fabricated explanations of observations that deliberately excluded God with the goal of discrediting His Bible. Neither can stand the scrutiny of their own incoherent explanations and must be enforced by governmental laws. The major reason for public education was not educating; it was indoctrination into the scientisms and beliefs of the Lost.
Since the early days of the Church, Satan has infiltrated this body with materialistic false teachers (2Pe 2:1-3, 12-15). These have brought divisions growing into great and small denominations (1Co 3:1-4). These works-based religions are steeped in Materialistic heresies. Postmillennialism is one such false heresy which teaches that Christians can make this World better for God who will come when Man has recreated Paradise. Though discredited after World War I, it has enjoyed a great resurgence today. Evangelic churches keep agitating for political candidates to clean up the world or force Bible morality onto the Lost. The Prohibition was one such at tempt to force morality; however, it had the opposite effect of enhancing evil especially in government.
Why is the Church looking for a city on earth which Paul clearly showed it to be enslaved to sin (Ga 4:21-31)? We are also children of Abraham (Ga 3:7-9). He looked for a city to come (He 11:8-10). That city is from above and will not be visible until the New Earth (Re 21:1-3; 22:1-5). Satan neutralizes Christ’s gospel of salvation because His people seek to make a home here which is passing away (1Jo 2:17). Christians focused on this world become ensnared in materialism, love of mammon, which is idolatry (Mt 6:19-21, 24; Col 3:5; Ja 4:1-8). Christians do not want to suffer; understandable but fruitless.
Satan Uses Pandemic to Usher in his Control
Non-Compliant will be Marginalized then Neutralized
Abel did not want to be bludgeoned to death. Isaiah did not want to be sawn in two by Manasseh. Ezekiel did not want to be killed by an idolator while speaking against idolatry. Naboth did not want to be stoned for adhering to the Law (1Ki 21:11-16). The many nameless sufferers did not want to be hunted, discredited or killed for being faithful (He 11:32-38). What was their choice? They had to be faithful to God for no one else had the words of life (Jn 6:66-71). Yet, many who claim to be Christians are not and when perilous times come they fall away and entice immature believers to recant also (Mt 7:21-23). What is our expectation?
Christ said this world will grow worse and worse and the love of many will grow cold; Church of Laodicea (Mt 24:4-12; 2Ti 3:10-13; Re 3:14-22). What is the focus of your faith? Did you become saved for fire insurance? Does your prayers focus on paying bills, removing problems and great health! Thus, many are surprised when these fiery trials come upon them for being faithful (1Pe 4:12-14). This betrays our focus. We should rejoice because it confirms we are of Christ; so long as we do not suffer for doing prideful evil (1Pe 4:15).
The World will enact its Great Reset. It will seek to Control you through digital currency. It will punish you for betraying the General Will, Critical Theory in its current form, labeling you as racist. This gives them their supposed moral authority to judge and eliminate you. However, it reveal their sinfulness justifying God’s judgment of them for their sin (Ro 2:1-11). But, God will keep you faithful in the strength of His Spirit just as He did Christ. He will never, never, leave nor forsake us. He will mold us into Christ’s image honoring Abel; humble toward the Lost and turning the other cheek even as they rejoice in our persecution (Mt 5:38-48). We give them the Gospel of Life as they seek to give us Death; which in fact is Life as we go to be with Christ (2Co 5:6-10). If we walk in His strength then we will not be ashamed when we give an account before Him at the Bema Seat. These are indeed perilous times and they will ever be so until this world is ended after the Millennial Kingdom (Re 20:1-3, 7-10). Prepare yourself in Christ.