"This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of Godliness (refers to all the trappings of Christianity, but without the power), but denying the power thereof (the modern Church, for all practical purposes, has denied the Cross; in doing this, they have denied that through which the Holy Spirit works, and in Whom the power resides [Rom. 8:1-2, 11; I Cor. 1:18]): from such turn away (No half measures are to be adopted here. The command is clear! It means to turn away from Churches that deny or ignore the Cross.) II Tim. 3:1-5
The Bible doesn’t teach that the situation is going to get better and better, but, as stated here, worse and worse. It also teaches, as we see from Verse 5, that the Church will go into total apostasy. It will have, and presently has, “a form of Godliness, but denies the power thereof.”
What does “denying the power thereof” mean?
Paul said, “For the preaching of the Cross is to them who perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved, it is the Power of God” (I Cor. 1:18).
The Church is in apostasy; it has fallen asleep. The Church faith is not in Christ and Him Crucified, but only Christ. In other words they are proclaiming Christ while forsaking the Cross (the Blood of Jesus). Which is another Jesus. It has made a covenant with the Evil One, and the price is the blindness of the right eye, spiritually speaking; now they cannot see what is right or what is wrong (I Sam. 11:1-2). No covenant can be made with Satan — not of any nature. If we make anything the object of our faith other than Christ and His Cross, we are, in effect, whether we realize it or not, making a covenant with Satan.
As stated, the Church has already apostatized. The Church Age opened with Christ standing in the midst of the candlesticks, in which the candlesticks represent the Church (Rev. 1:12-13). At the close of the Church Age, which pertains to the present time, we no longer find Christ in the midst of the Church, but rather outside, knocking on the door, trying to get in (Rev. 3:17-20). The Lord is, in fact, no longer dealing with the institutionalized Church as a whole, but rather with individuals only.
“If any man hear My Voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with Me” (Rev. 3:20). So, who presently is saved?
As there was a “Remnant” in Israel who were saved, meaning that most were lost, likewise, there also is a “Remnant” in the modern Church who are saved, but only a Remnant. Israel had rejected much of that which was of the Lord, but when they rejected the Cross, there was nothing left. They were cut off. The modern Church has done the same thing. It has rejected much which is of the Lord, but now it is rejecting the Cross. As with Israel, if the Cross is rejected, that means the Righteousness of God is rejected, and that means the Church is also cut off — except for the “Remnant.”
Are you in the Remnant?
The only way that anyone can be in the Remnant is by accepting Christ and what Christ did at the Cross. There is no other way!"’
Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand” (Dan. 12:3, 10).
JSM
The Bible doesn’t teach that the situation is going to get better and better, but, as stated here, worse and worse. It also teaches, as we see from Verse 5, that the Church will go into total apostasy. It will have, and presently has, “a form of Godliness, but denies the power thereof.”
What does “denying the power thereof” mean?
Paul said, “For the preaching of the Cross is to them who perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved, it is the Power of God” (I Cor. 1:18).
The Church is in apostasy; it has fallen asleep. The Church faith is not in Christ and Him Crucified, but only Christ. In other words they are proclaiming Christ while forsaking the Cross (the Blood of Jesus). Which is another Jesus. It has made a covenant with the Evil One, and the price is the blindness of the right eye, spiritually speaking; now they cannot see what is right or what is wrong (I Sam. 11:1-2). No covenant can be made with Satan — not of any nature. If we make anything the object of our faith other than Christ and His Cross, we are, in effect, whether we realize it or not, making a covenant with Satan.
As stated, the Church has already apostatized. The Church Age opened with Christ standing in the midst of the candlesticks, in which the candlesticks represent the Church (Rev. 1:12-13). At the close of the Church Age, which pertains to the present time, we no longer find Christ in the midst of the Church, but rather outside, knocking on the door, trying to get in (Rev. 3:17-20). The Lord is, in fact, no longer dealing with the institutionalized Church as a whole, but rather with individuals only.
“If any man hear My Voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with Me” (Rev. 3:20). So, who presently is saved?
As there was a “Remnant” in Israel who were saved, meaning that most were lost, likewise, there also is a “Remnant” in the modern Church who are saved, but only a Remnant. Israel had rejected much of that which was of the Lord, but when they rejected the Cross, there was nothing left. They were cut off. The modern Church has done the same thing. It has rejected much which is of the Lord, but now it is rejecting the Cross. As with Israel, if the Cross is rejected, that means the Righteousness of God is rejected, and that means the Church is also cut off — except for the “Remnant.”
Are you in the Remnant?
The only way that anyone can be in the Remnant is by accepting Christ and what Christ did at the Cross. There is no other way!"’
Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand” (Dan. 12:3, 10).
JSM
