When Will We Ever Learn?

Men and brethren before submitting my comments, let me first cite a passage of Holy Scripture. Galatians 4:16 "Am I therefore become your enemy, because I tell you the truth?" The Apostle Paul’s purpose for raising that particular inquiry flows from when he had before spoken the truth unto the believers in the region of Galatia, they quite obviously turned on him. My observations are in nowise intended to hurt the brethren; they are however an honest appraisal of what is frequently read, heard, or taught by luminaries of eschatology. Having quoted God’s Holy Word and made these preliminary remarks these are the findings.

A sample of erroneous comments that have been made from both the spiritual and legal areas are submitted in this position paper. First, in the spiritual arena: Following a list of current events in which was mentioned the gruesome topics ranging from abortion to the war, the assumption was argued that the world eagerly looks for a saviour. In answer to his own rhetorical question of who that could be, it was asserted: "The book of the Revelation of the Lord Jesus Christ tells of this one of whom John writes. He is the Anti-Christ (sic) ... These truly are the last days." These two concepts shall be individually addressed.

No other personage in all of Scripture incites the mind of the modern student of the Bible like that of the dreaded Antichrist. Unhappily, professing believers have heard more about, and allege to know far more - so they think - of the Antichrist than of the Christ of Calvary. Men unconverted, outside of the fold, men who adamantly refuse to attend the appointed worship of the saints of God at the regularly appointed times of assembly, have railed on this Pastor, and have become quite indignant when their convoluted schemes have been exposed to God’s Holy Word which lucidly demonstrates that all such systems are riddled with error. If that were not enough, leading Pastors, men renown within their own affiliation, have falsified statements so as to deflect the ramifications of their failed technique of study. When they were challenged to substantiate their allegations in order to verify positions, years of silence have ensued.

What saith the Scripture, beloved? May the aposltes exhortations suffice: (1 Th 5:21 KJV) "Prove all things; hold fast that which is good." (1 John 4:1 KJV) "Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world."

While it is true the Apostle John was used by God to record the Revelation of Christ Jesus our LORD, that book never once mentions the "Antichrist" in any of its 22 chapters using that term. Hence, any declaration stating that the world awaits him is somewhat misleading. What the Bible actually says regarding the subject of the antichrist may be reviewed as follows: First, note that [antichristos] is a combined form of [christos] - Christ - and the prefix [anti.] One of the renderings of "anti" would be "against." However, it also carries the idea of "in the place of" as a substitute for another. The concept of Antichrist, according to Scripture, contains both of these senses.

The Apostle John in the first century is the only one who specifically addressed the issue by name. Keep in mind that in that first century the Holy Spirit forcefully indicates that the Antichrist was already alive. Incidentally, the following passages are the only ones which mention by name the Antichrist. These passages should be used to determine the topic of antichrist.

(1 John 2:18 KJV) Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time.

(1 John 2:22 KJV) Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son.

(1 John 4:3 KJV) And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.

(2 John 1:7 KJV) For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist.

Again it must be noted that the Apostle John was writing these epistles in the first century. Therefore, his immediate audience was capable of discerning an antichrist.

The second part of the above sample "These truly are the last days." is not supported by Scripture either and is refuted by the Apostle John as shown from the former portions of the Bible. John unequivocally indicated nearly two thousand years that it was "the last days." Friends, whom should we believe: God or man? Paul emphatically said, "Let God be true, and every man a liar."

In one of my recently published articles in The Vigo Examiner entitled, Erroneous Conclusions are a Result of False Premises, the point was made by saying, To teach, preach, write or say something in the name of God that is false, clearly violates the third commandment which reads, "Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain." Ex 20:7

Vain is from the Hebrew [shav shav] and means "emptiness, vanity, falsehood." Moreover, the practicing of claiming that the Bible says certain things that it does not actually teach, is by way of application of the ninth commandment a violation of its spirit and intent. The commandment reads: "Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour." Ex 20:16

Many men misrepresent God and HIS Word with no compunction like the opening example demonstrated, and as did the one referred to and examined in this Pastor’s recent article mentioned. The assertion was made by the title of that one’s article "AMERICA, in bible prophecy." (sic) That particular man should have capitalized Bible since it is a proper noun. In addition to lacking primary English composition skills, he grossly erred by ignoring basic hermeneutical rules. To be sure, he is not alone in this modern perversion, as is illustrated by the reoccurring hype about who and where the antichrist is as previously cited.

These types of people too often are simply relating their own preconceived ideas into the Bible, from what they have read or heard.

When one sets forth to expound the Word of God, he must do so from its contextual setting. These basic questions must be attended to before pushing the application of any passage of Scripture: Who, what, where, when, why, and what were the initial results at the time it was first given by the Holy Spirit through HIS servants?

The above procedure is called exegesis. Exegesis from The Unabridged Webster’s 20th Century Dictionary 2nd edition (1977) is defined as, "An explanation, from exegeisthai, to show the way, to lead, to explain; Ex, out, and hegeisthai to lead, guide." Webster’s adds, "The exposition, critical analysis, or interpretation of a word, literary passage, etc., especially the Bible." Briefly stated Exegesis simply means a reading out of the passage what is there.

The practice employed by people, as our two examples obviously bear out that they did, that dismisses the contextual reading of the passage of Holy Writ, possibly out of ignorance, is called Eisegesis. As defined by The Unabridged Webster’s 20th Century Dictionary 2nd edition (1977), Eisegesis is "A bringing in." Continuing it indicates that Eisegesis comes from Eis = into and hegeisthai = to lead, guide." It simply means reading into the passage. As Webster’s says of it, "An improper method of exposition by which the expounder introduces his own ideas into the interpretation of a text; opposed to exegesis."

That is precisely what countless dispensational preachers do; they offer personal, semi private ideas as they relate to current events in America. It is Newspaper exegesis or Text tearing! Had these men openly admitted that these determinations were drawn, like water from a well, from within their own private reservoirs, and not cited Bible verses to bolster their flawed conclusions, one could entertain them with an end of accepting or rejecting these positions. However, by alleging that their views are rooted in Bible prophecy, is not a minor sin. Jeremiah recounts (Chapter 28) the instance of a false prophet named Hananiah who misrepresented God during Jeremiah’s ministry. The diligent student of Scripture, readily discovers that as the term "antichrist" is never mentioned in the last book of God’s Word, neither is America ever mentioned in the Bible.

Having said that, it must be emphatically stated: This nation, America, is certainly under Almighty God’s awful judgment! How or why would one make such an assertion? When a nation - any nation, America included - forgets God, then that nation shall be turned into Hell (See: Psalm 9:17). The essence of remembering God is consistently applying HIS Law/Word to one’s culture. George Mason, credited as being the Father of the Bill of Rights, astutely said, "As nations cannot be rewarded or punished in the next world, they must be in this. By an inevitable chain of causes and effects, Providence punishes national sins by national calamities."

Now then, this brings us face to face with the legal arena. For nearly four decades, America has lived under the ridiculous ban of secularism. Prayer and Bible reading have been methodically replaced by psychological sessions, sex education, and death education in the government schools throughout America.

Not only have the proverbial chickens come home to roost in the spiritual realm, due to the defective methods of Bible study, they are resting upon the roost in the legal field as well. (Cluck, cluck.) Their hacked ideas are even now clawing and pecking out the eyes of those who yearn for a godly standard. Ideas do, indeed, have consequences, beloved. In this we plainly see the high cost of having no permanent standard. The final authority for both our faith as well as our practice is the very Word of God. Let us explain.

In the Holy Scriptures we read of God’s definition of religion: "Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, [and] to keep himself unspotted from the world." James 1:27 The term translated "visit" comes from the Greek word [ep-ee-skep'-tom-ahee] and means: "to look upon in order to help or to benefit; to look after, have care for, provide for: of God."

Within the national constitution in the first of the Bill of rights, it expressly states: "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and petition the government for a redress of grievances."

It is abundantly clear that Congress has absolutely no authority to draft any law, much less pass one that would establish a religion. Neither has Congress any authority to craft a law that would prohibit the free exercise of an established religion. According to the only immutable standard, the Holy Bible, as James 1:27 explicitly states, religion is exceedingly helpful to society in that its practitioners live lives not besmirched by selfishness, while providing assistance to those in difficult circumstances. The tenor of Scripture abundantly illustrates the distinct contrast between pure and perverse religion. Only those who have been born again by the Holy Spirit of God and have repented of their sins and received the benefit of the efficacy of our LORD Jesus Christ’s Blood by faith, being indwelt by the Spirit are capable of pursuing and promoting pure religion.

While that is true, the modern courts have ruled that secular humanism is, in fact, a religion. In 1961 U.S.Supreme Court Torcaso v. Watkins decision, Justice Hugo L. Black wrote: "Among religions in this country which do not teach what would generally be considered a belief in the existence of God are Buddhism, Taoism (pronounced Dowism), Ethical Culture, Secular Humanism and others." This court saw secular humanism as a non personal deity religion, and henceforth it has been exalted in America.

In the government schools of today, the religion of secular humanism is precisely what is promoted. Hence, this godless religion is highly favored in government schools, and is firmly established by the stolen finances of its citizenry. What’s more, one of the advantages of this religion’s favored position is that it prohibits the public expression of Scriptural religion.

What is at stake, therefore, is the precise sense or meaning of religion. Those that define the terms win the debate. Since exchanging a true, predicable, correct rendering of religion as clearly given in God’s Word, the courts have aggressively established the religion of secular humanism. Webster’s New World College Dictionary , 3rd edition 1997 copyright, defines secular humanism, in this manner: "Any system of thought or action based upon the nature, interest, and ideals of man: Specifically, a modern, nontheistic, rationalist movement that holds that man is capable of self-fulfillment, ethical conduct, etc., without recourse to supernationalism." This was reflected by the 1961 U.S.Supreme Court decision.

Is America under God’s judgment? Yes! Absolutely. How or in what manner God will dispense HIS unmitigated judgment upon apostate America remains to be seen. Are these the last days? That can only be answered as one first defines what days (National, personal, or Biblical) are under consideration.

What must we do? It has never been better summed than when God informed Solomon how to deal with national disobedience: "If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land." (2 Chr 7:14 KJV)