PART TWO
The writer of 3 John wrote about a false teacher who had actually taken over the church.
I wrote to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to have the preeminence among them, does not receive us. Therefore, if I come, I will call to mind his deeds which he does, prating against us with malicious words. And not content with that, he himself does not receive the brethren, and forbids those who wish to, putting them out of the church. (3 John 9-10)
Jude writes,
Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints. For certain men have crept in unnoticed, who long ago were marked out for this condemnation, ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into lewdness and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ. (Jude 3-4)
Even though Jude says they actually " deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ ," he most profoundly points out that these ungodly men had " crept in unnoticed ." How could they be " unnoticed " if they deny the Lord? Surely, believers would immediately notice anyone who denied the Lord. The problem is, they deny Him deceitfully, as Titus dictates,
They profess to know God, but in works they deny Him, being abominable, disobedient, and disqualified for every good work. (Titus 1:16)
When we come near to the end of that first century, what do we find in those seven churches mentioned in the book of Revelation? Only two out of the seven, Smyrna and Philadelphia, do not get rebuked. Ephesus had lost their first love (Revelation 2:1-7). Pergamos had a problem with idolatry, immorality, and " the doctrine of the Nicolaitans " (Revelation 2:12-17). Thyatira had a false prophetess teaching immorality and idolatry (Revelation 2:18-29). Sardis was dead (Revelation 3:1-6), and Laodicea was lukewarm (Revelation 3:14-22). Other than the churches of Smyrna and Philadelphia, the churches were either in serious trouble, as in Ephesus, or they were downright lost, as in Laodicea. Overall, things were not going well.
When Paul met with the elders of Ephesus in Acts 20, what was his warning to them? Basically, that things were going to get bad!
For I have not shunned to declare to you the whole counsel of God. Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood. For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves. Therefore watch, and remember that for three years I did not cease to warn everyone night and day with tears. (Acts 20:27-31)
Paul knew that trouble was coming and that false spiritual leaders would arise, even from among those to whom he spoke. So Paul warned them, day and night with tears.
Likewise, the New Testament warns over and again about being deceived and led astray and the importance of sound doctrine (e.g. Romans 16:17-18; 1 Corinthians 6:9; Ephesians 5:6; Colossians 2:4-10; 1 Thessalonians 5:20-22; 2 Thessalonians 2:3; 1 Timothy 1:3-6; 4:16; 6:20-21; 2 Timothy 1:13; Titus 1:9-16; 2:6-8; 3:9-11; 2 Peter 3:17-18; 1 John 4:1-6; 2 John 7-11; etc.). The early church was not oblivious to the kinds of perils we see in our day. They were repeatedly warned, and yet still, many fell (e.g. Philippians 2:19-21; 3:17-19; 1 Timothy 1:5-7, 18-20; 5:11-15; 6:10, 20-21; 2 Timothy 1:15; 2:17-18; 4:10; Titus 1:10-11).
In 2 Peter, Peter came right out and said, " there will be false teachers among you ," and that " many will follow their destructive ways " (2 Peter 2:1-2). False teachers are nothing new, and the reality of " many " following them is also not peculiar to our times. False Christianity has been active since that first century.
So, what should we expect to find when it comes to real Christianity? Given the above, particularly the reality of 2 Timothy 3:1-5 and 4:3-4, what should we Biblically expect in these last days? Does Scripture describe an abundance of real, true, Spirit-filled believers? No, on the contrary, just the opposite is depicted (2 Timothy 3:1-5; 4:3-4; 2 Peter 2:1-2). In fact, Jesus asked a similar question, and by it, indicated the possibility of little to no believers on the planet in the last days.
I tell you that He will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth? (Luke 18:8)
Literally, in the Greek, Christ says, " will He really find the faith on the earth? " The question here is not whether or not Christ will find people of great faith when He returns, but rather, will He find anyone who truly believes in Him when He comes back! Will He find the faith on the earth? Will the faith even be on the planet? The fact that Christ even asks this question implies perilous times for the last days, particularly those last days immediately before His return.
To press this point home even further, when was the last time you heard of a Christian praying for justice and vengeance? This is the context in which Christ spoke (Luke 18:1-8), and this is the kind of faith that describes the faith of the elect. As Christ said in this same text,
And shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them? I tell you that He will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find the faith on the earth? (Luke 18:7-8, NKJV with "the" added before "faith" in keeping with the Greek)
Therefore, in keeping with the Word of God, what should we expect to find in these last days? Should we expect to find many believers, or very few? Actually, with the Words of Christ in mind, we might even expect to find none! Yet, with Jeremiah 35:19 and 1 Thessalonians 4:15 & 17, these indicate that there will be, at the very least, two or more.
In Jeremiah 35:19 the Lord promised Jonadab the son of Rechab that he would " not lack a man to stand before Me forever " intimating that there would be at least one true believer from his loins throughout each generation. Moreover, in 1 Thessalonians 4:15 Paul writes, " we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord ," and in verse 17 " Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds. " These, " we who are alive and remain " dictate that there will be true believers who are alive on the planet when Christ returns. How many? Paul doesn?t say. But, nonetheless, there will be some, at least two, because he says " we ."
From 2 Timothy 3:1-5, 4:3-4, 2 Peter 2:1-2, and Luke 18:8, it is apparent that few indeed (Matthew 7:13-14), even among the "Christian" population, will be true believers up until the time of Christ's return. Sometime in the near future (Revelation 1:1-3), Elijah is suppose to come back upon the scene (Malachi 4:5; Matthew 17:11; Mark 9:12), and God?s two witnesses will be present (Revelation 11:3-12). But, Elijah and these two witnesses are not anyone new. Elijah has already been on the earth, and these two witnesses are people who have been in heaven for quite some time (Zechariah 4:11-14; Revelation 11:4). Whether one of these two witnesses is actually Elijah or not, Scripture does not say. Nevertheless, these two, or three, are yet to be on the earth.
Once the day of the Lord hits (1 Thessalonians 4:15-5:3), the Word reveals that there will be specifically 144,000 Jews who will be saved (Revelation 7:1-8; 14:1-5), and also a mass number of people " of all nations ." This number is so great that the Lord calls it " a great multitude which no one could number " (Revelation 7:9-17). From what we have recorded in Scripture, this time, that is, during the great tribulation (Matthew 24:21; Revelation 7:13-14), is a time unlike any in the history of mankind in which untold thousands, if not millions, are saved. God does a great work of salvation in the final days. Praise the Lord!
Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever. (Psalm 136:1)
The writer of 3 John wrote about a false teacher who had actually taken over the church.
I wrote to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to have the preeminence among them, does not receive us. Therefore, if I come, I will call to mind his deeds which he does, prating against us with malicious words. And not content with that, he himself does not receive the brethren, and forbids those who wish to, putting them out of the church. (3 John 9-10)
Jude writes,
Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints. For certain men have crept in unnoticed, who long ago were marked out for this condemnation, ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into lewdness and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ. (Jude 3-4)
Even though Jude says they actually " deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ ," he most profoundly points out that these ungodly men had " crept in unnoticed ." How could they be " unnoticed " if they deny the Lord? Surely, believers would immediately notice anyone who denied the Lord. The problem is, they deny Him deceitfully, as Titus dictates,
They profess to know God, but in works they deny Him, being abominable, disobedient, and disqualified for every good work. (Titus 1:16)
When we come near to the end of that first century, what do we find in those seven churches mentioned in the book of Revelation? Only two out of the seven, Smyrna and Philadelphia, do not get rebuked. Ephesus had lost their first love (Revelation 2:1-7). Pergamos had a problem with idolatry, immorality, and " the doctrine of the Nicolaitans " (Revelation 2:12-17). Thyatira had a false prophetess teaching immorality and idolatry (Revelation 2:18-29). Sardis was dead (Revelation 3:1-6), and Laodicea was lukewarm (Revelation 3:14-22). Other than the churches of Smyrna and Philadelphia, the churches were either in serious trouble, as in Ephesus, or they were downright lost, as in Laodicea. Overall, things were not going well.
When Paul met with the elders of Ephesus in Acts 20, what was his warning to them? Basically, that things were going to get bad!
For I have not shunned to declare to you the whole counsel of God. Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood. For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves. Therefore watch, and remember that for three years I did not cease to warn everyone night and day with tears. (Acts 20:27-31)
Paul knew that trouble was coming and that false spiritual leaders would arise, even from among those to whom he spoke. So Paul warned them, day and night with tears.
Likewise, the New Testament warns over and again about being deceived and led astray and the importance of sound doctrine (e.g. Romans 16:17-18; 1 Corinthians 6:9; Ephesians 5:6; Colossians 2:4-10; 1 Thessalonians 5:20-22; 2 Thessalonians 2:3; 1 Timothy 1:3-6; 4:16; 6:20-21; 2 Timothy 1:13; Titus 1:9-16; 2:6-8; 3:9-11; 2 Peter 3:17-18; 1 John 4:1-6; 2 John 7-11; etc.). The early church was not oblivious to the kinds of perils we see in our day. They were repeatedly warned, and yet still, many fell (e.g. Philippians 2:19-21; 3:17-19; 1 Timothy 1:5-7, 18-20; 5:11-15; 6:10, 20-21; 2 Timothy 1:15; 2:17-18; 4:10; Titus 1:10-11).
In 2 Peter, Peter came right out and said, " there will be false teachers among you ," and that " many will follow their destructive ways " (2 Peter 2:1-2). False teachers are nothing new, and the reality of " many " following them is also not peculiar to our times. False Christianity has been active since that first century.
So, what should we expect to find when it comes to real Christianity? Given the above, particularly the reality of 2 Timothy 3:1-5 and 4:3-4, what should we Biblically expect in these last days? Does Scripture describe an abundance of real, true, Spirit-filled believers? No, on the contrary, just the opposite is depicted (2 Timothy 3:1-5; 4:3-4; 2 Peter 2:1-2). In fact, Jesus asked a similar question, and by it, indicated the possibility of little to no believers on the planet in the last days.
I tell you that He will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth? (Luke 18:8)
Literally, in the Greek, Christ says, " will He really find the faith on the earth? " The question here is not whether or not Christ will find people of great faith when He returns, but rather, will He find anyone who truly believes in Him when He comes back! Will He find the faith on the earth? Will the faith even be on the planet? The fact that Christ even asks this question implies perilous times for the last days, particularly those last days immediately before His return.
To press this point home even further, when was the last time you heard of a Christian praying for justice and vengeance? This is the context in which Christ spoke (Luke 18:1-8), and this is the kind of faith that describes the faith of the elect. As Christ said in this same text,
And shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them? I tell you that He will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find the faith on the earth? (Luke 18:7-8, NKJV with "the" added before "faith" in keeping with the Greek)
Therefore, in keeping with the Word of God, what should we expect to find in these last days? Should we expect to find many believers, or very few? Actually, with the Words of Christ in mind, we might even expect to find none! Yet, with Jeremiah 35:19 and 1 Thessalonians 4:15 & 17, these indicate that there will be, at the very least, two or more.
In Jeremiah 35:19 the Lord promised Jonadab the son of Rechab that he would " not lack a man to stand before Me forever " intimating that there would be at least one true believer from his loins throughout each generation. Moreover, in 1 Thessalonians 4:15 Paul writes, " we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord ," and in verse 17 " Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds. " These, " we who are alive and remain " dictate that there will be true believers who are alive on the planet when Christ returns. How many? Paul doesn?t say. But, nonetheless, there will be some, at least two, because he says " we ."
From 2 Timothy 3:1-5, 4:3-4, 2 Peter 2:1-2, and Luke 18:8, it is apparent that few indeed (Matthew 7:13-14), even among the "Christian" population, will be true believers up until the time of Christ's return. Sometime in the near future (Revelation 1:1-3), Elijah is suppose to come back upon the scene (Malachi 4:5; Matthew 17:11; Mark 9:12), and God?s two witnesses will be present (Revelation 11:3-12). But, Elijah and these two witnesses are not anyone new. Elijah has already been on the earth, and these two witnesses are people who have been in heaven for quite some time (Zechariah 4:11-14; Revelation 11:4). Whether one of these two witnesses is actually Elijah or not, Scripture does not say. Nevertheless, these two, or three, are yet to be on the earth.
Once the day of the Lord hits (1 Thessalonians 4:15-5:3), the Word reveals that there will be specifically 144,000 Jews who will be saved (Revelation 7:1-8; 14:1-5), and also a mass number of people " of all nations ." This number is so great that the Lord calls it " a great multitude which no one could number " (Revelation 7:9-17). From what we have recorded in Scripture, this time, that is, during the great tribulation (Matthew 24:21; Revelation 7:13-14), is a time unlike any in the history of mankind in which untold thousands, if not millions, are saved. God does a great work of salvation in the final days. Praise the Lord!
Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever. (Psalm 136:1)
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