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 A persecuting harlot church a theological urban myth?

I have been thinking lately about the increasingly common boisterous waters we are seeing these days from many parts of Christendom as far as orthodox doctrinal matters and the nature of the true church is concerned. Things like the Bible is not the inspired word of God. The Bible stories are myths to convey deeper truths. Sin is not really sin as the Bible would have you believe. Same sex blessings even unto marriage. Christ was surely good but not really God. Many paths lead to God. Ever since I've been a Christian there has always been a belief just sort of hanging about that one day a counterfeit harlot church will be formed and it will have ill will toward true believers even though it will probably herald itself as the true believers. I'm wondering if today a counterfeit church is really forming. Maybe it's unconscious now but nonetheless beginning to come and bind itself together because of the unholy alliances it has made. A harlot who lays under every tree and offers herself to every passer by (Jer 2:20, 3:6) If so, where will things lead to? Will this "harlot" throw in with even more unholy alliances and really end up persecuting that born of the Spirit?

Not so long ago I read a Dr. Kim Riddlebarger's book "The Man of Sin" - Uncovering the Truth About The Antichrist." He is a Reformed scholar and teacher and very knowledgeble. I didn't agree with his a-mill position but he will make you think. I have included a little below from his book. He didn't come close to speculating on who this individual Antichrist (the man of sin) may be and that is good in my opinion. But he writes of a potent brew engaging the saints at the time of the end and that's my focus rather than who is who as far as the man of sin goes even though I'm sure he is to come.

From the book,

"The final manifestation of Antichrist will amount to an unholy marriage between the bride of heresy and blasphemy against Christ and his kingdom and a groom that takes the form of a satanically energized state (government), which pours out its wrath upon the people of God. The appearance of this individual - commonly called the Antichrist - in whom these two powers merge (heresy and the worship of state) is the supreme and final harbinbger of the coming of Jesus Christ to judge the world, raise the dead, and make all things new. "(Intro. - pg. 13)

(Me: Heresy and blasphemy against Christ and His kingdom wedded to a satanically energized state. That's a potent brew in my opinion.)

"It must be pointed out that whatever antichrist is - given the imagery used by John - antichrist clearly involves explicit doctrinal error and heresy regarding the person and work of Jesus Christ, especially his incarnation and the necessary relationship that Jesus bears to the Father:

"They come closer to the truth when they warn us about government upsurping its God-given role and seeking the adoration and worship owed to God by his people.This is a real and pressing threat to all Christians. The worship of the state or its leaders in all of its forms is a false religion. It is the very essence of the beast." (pg. 174)

"Based upon John's discussion of the beast and the harlot Babylon, the final manifestation of the beast and its leader will not be so much a Nero redivivus but a beast redivivus. If we want to know what the Antichrist and his kingdom will be like, we look to the Romans Empire and the imperial cult already present in the pages of the New Testament, taking the lives of God's people and preventing them from buying and selling. This is what the final beast will seek to do - wage war upon the saints because they refuse to worship him or his blasphemous image."

Me: And here's one more paragraph from a article by Art Katz titled "Prophetic Intimations."

"This emerging true Church will finally grow sick of the hype and the banal predictability of a merely phraseological Christianity. It will seek the deeper reality of faith and relationship, counting the cost and increasingly taking on the visage of pilgrim, stranger and sojourner in the earth. Those that remain in conventional church situations, either impervious to the need or unwilling to pay the price, will settle under a deception of religious unreality, condemning as heretics and agitators those who cannot abide the same. Centrifugal forces will polarize Christendom ultimately toward two camps – persecuted or persecutors - reminiscent of the opposition of the Reformation churches to the Anabaptists of the 16th century! Finally, impeading unities will drive the religio-political kind to fury against that minority of the Spirit which will not subscribe to their ecumenical designs. So once again, and finally, a man will find his enemies to be those of his own household; yet, one’s love for his enemies in response to opposition and persecution will be the distinguishing mark of this consummating, remnant-martyr Church. Such a response will be the possibility of those whose conscious, determined preparation and sanctification begins now." (Art Katz)

Notable from the paragraph,

"Finally, impeading unities will drive the religio-political kind to fury against that minority of the Spirit which will not subscribe to their ecumenical designs."

Me: Will things really come to that? Are we seeing the beginnings of it and if we are where? Or have we just built up a popular and lightly examined something that we casually refer to as the coming harlot church and its persecutions. Is this a theological urban myth or is it reality to come? I know the scriptures don't point to the true church as being held in high esteem by the world at the end of the age but we're all familiar with that. Error and hatred of that born of the Spirit has always been around but it has reached a new depth today along with doctrinal heresy of a deepr and more anti-scriptural base than in past centuries. For sure some kind of entity is being formed that refers to itself as the church and uses the same talk and imitates the real walk but when held up to the light it doesn't make the grade. Will this religio-politcal entity really end up being a persecutor not just in word but in actual physical deed?


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David Winter

 2011/6/25 12:00Profile
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 Re: A persecuting harlot church a theological urban myth?

Quote:
"This emerging true Church will finally grow sick of the hype and the banal predictability of a merely phraseological Christianity. It will seek the deeper reality of faith and relationship, counting the cost and increasingly taking on the visage of pilgrim, stranger and sojourner in the earth. Those that remain in conventional church situations, either impervious to the need or unwilling to pay the price, will settle under a deception of religious unreality, condemning as heretics and agitators those who cannot abide the same. Centrifugal forces will polarize Christendom ultimately toward two camps – persecuted or persecutors - reminiscent of the opposition of the Reformation churches to the Anabaptists of the 16th century! Finally, impeading unities will drive the religio-political kind to fury against that minority of the Spirit which will not subscribe to their ecumenical designs. So once again, and finally, a man will find his enemies to be those of his own household; yet, one’s love for his enemies in response to opposition and persecution will be the distinguishing mark of this consummating, remnant-martyr Church. Such a response will be the possibility of those whose conscious, determined preparation and sanctification begins now." (Art Katz)



Brother Katz spoke on this subject often. I feel it will come again with more of a secular all religion state rather then a Christian one. It will come with christians who are homosexuals yet so nothing wrong with it. But even before that culmination. It will happen from biblical believing Christians that are religious but not spiritual. Those who are of the flesh persecute those of the Spirit, it is even till this day the same.


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SI Moderator - Greg Gordon

 2011/6/25 12:14Profile









 Re:

"Those that remain in conventional church situations, either impervious to the need or unwilling to pay the price, will settle under a deception of religious unreality, condemning as heretics and agitators those who cannot abide the same. Centrifugal forces will polarize Christendom ultimately toward two camps – persecuted or persecutors - reminiscent of the opposition of the Reformation churches to the Anabaptists of the 16th century! Finally, impeading unities will drive the religio-political kind to fury against that minority of the Spirit which will not subscribe to their ecumenical designs. So once again, and finally, a man will find his enemies to be those of his own household; yet, one’s love for his enemies in response to opposition and persecution will be the distinguishing mark of this consummating, remnant-martyr Church. Such a response will be the possibility of those whose conscious, determined preparation and sanctification begins now." (Art Katz)

That persecution has already begun. " persecution will be the distinguisihing mark of this consummating, remnant-martyr Church." There are many who despise even the concept of a " remnant church,' and would, while believing to serve God, do their best to come against it......... brother Frank


 2011/6/25 17:48









 Re:

Here is an essay that goes all the way to the bottom of the subject.

http://worldcouncilofcults.com/

 2011/6/25 22:35





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