“The Emerging
Church!” Perhaps the term is meaningless to
you. If this is the case, it won’t be for
long. Bible-believing Christians are facing
an onslaught of ideas and experiences
redefining the meaning of Christianity in
this post-modern world. The Word of God is
under attack. Biblical truths are being
replaced by the word of Christian leaders
who are claiming the time has come “to do
whatever it takes to establish the Kingdom
of God here on earth”.
This new wave
that is sweeping the world is powerful.
While other waves have come and gone, the
present emerging church wave is a tsunami
that has the potential of reshaping the very
foundation of the Christian faith – the
gospel of Jesus Christ.
Consider the
following list of changes presently underway
in the name of Christ and becoming
increasingly more popular on a worldwide
scale. No denomination or church affiliation
is immune to the changes. The emerging
church movement is gaining momentum.
-
Scripture is
no longer the ultimate authority as the
basis for the Christian faith.
-
The
centrality of the gospel of Jesus Christ
is being replaced by humanistic methods
that promote church growth and a social
gospel.
-
More and
more emphasis is being placed on “how
can I be more successful in the ‘here
and now’”, and less and less on the
warnings of Scripture about the imminent
return of Jesus Christ and a coming
judgment in the future.
-
More and
more Christian leaders are looking for a
kingdom of God to be established here on
earth by human effort and deny that
Jesus Christ will rule and reign in a
literal millennial period that is to
come.
-
There is a
growing trend towards replacement
theology – the church takes the place of
Israel and Israel has no prophetic
significance. Proponents say the Book of
Revelation does not refer to the future,
but instead has been already fulfilled
in the past.
-
An
experiential mystical form of
Christianity is being promoted to reach
the postmodern generation called the
“Emerging Church”.
-
The church
is being told that Christianity needs to
be re-invented in order to provide
meaning for this generation.
-
Leaders of
the Emerging Church say that in order to
take the church forward, Christian
leaders need to look backward in church
history and find out what experiences
were effective to get people in the
door, then reintroduce these experiences
into the present.
-
While the
authority of the Word of God is being
undermined, images and sensual
experiences are being promoted as the
key to experiencing and knowing God.
-
These
experiences include icons, candles,
incense, liturgy, contemplative prayer,
experiencing the sacraments,
particularly the sacrament of the
Eucharist.
-
Many bridges
are being established that lead in the
direction of unity with the Roman
Catholic Church. While the Roman
Catholic Church has an agenda called the
“new evangelization” program to win the
world to the Roman Catholic Eucharistic
Jesus, many evangelicals are unaware or
don’t care.
-
Some
evangelical Protestant leaders are
saying that the Reformation went too
far. They are reexamining the claims of
the “church fathers” saying that
communion is more than a symbol and that
Jesus actually becomes present in the
wafer at communion.
-
There is a
growing trend towards an ecumenical
unity for the cause of world peace that
claims there are many ways to God.
While the term
“Emerging Church” may be new, the ideas
being promoted by the Emerging Church can be
understood by the warnings we find in the
Bible regarding an End Times counterfeit
bride that will prepare the way for a
counterfeit Christ. Those who take the Bible
seriously are not surprised. The following
is a list of trends we can expect to see in
the future based upon the warnings we find
in the Scriptures:
-
Apostasy
(falling away from the faith) will
become worse and worse. Many who once
held to “the faith” based on God’s Word,
will embrace “a faith” that contradicts
God’s Word. This deception will become
stronger and stronger as God allows a
“strong delusion” to overcome those who
refuse to accept God’s Word as the truth
(2 Thessalonians 2: 3-11).
-
Christianity
will be “re-invented” as Christians fall
away from the faith and embrace an
alternative faith that is inspired by
“doctrines of demons” who have a plan to
prepare the counterfeit bride for the
counterfeit Christ (1Timothy 4:1).
-
The biblical
teachings on sin will be replaced by
psychological self-help and
self-empowerment programs promoting
loving oneself rather than loving God (2
Timothy 3: 1-5).
-
Sincere
Bible-believing Christians seduced by
doctrines of demons will lose
discernment and embrace ideas in the
name of Christianity that are
antichristian (2 Timothy 2: 23-26).
-
The road to
Rome and a one world religion will
become more and more apparent to those
who study Bible prophecy. Rome's plan to
unite the religions of the world for the
cause of peace will promote a false
security (1 Thessalonians 5: 1-5).
-
Further,
P.E.A.C.E. plans being promoted by
purpose driven Christians have the
potential of causing believers to depart
from the simple gospel for a social
gospel. While this social gospel
promises answers to the world’s
problems, there are concerns. The Roman
Catholic peace plan and the purpose
driven P.E.A.C.E plan both plan to
establish the Kingdom of God here on
earth by human effort.
-
Deceivers
will become more and more effective and
many will be deceived. Fewer and fewer
Christian leaders will teach the Word
and warn about the imminent return of
Jesus (2 Timothy 3: 13).
-
Faith in
God’s Word and a belief in the simple
gospel will become a rare commodity
(Luke 18: 8).
-
Serious
Bible-believing Christians will begin
meeting in homes and having private
Bible studies. Bible-believing
Christians who stand on the truth and
warn others about the dangers of
man-made plans that contradict God’s
plan will be viewed as crackpots and
dangerous heretics (2 Timothy 3-12).
-
Christian
Babylonianism will become more and more
popular as Satan’s plans to deceive the
world in the name of Jesus Christ
continues to unfold (Matthew 24: 3-4).
-
This
counterfeit gospel can be understood in
light of Paul’s warning to the church at
Corinth. “Another spirit” will lead the
masses towards “another Christ” as
“another gospel” sweeps the world (2
Corinthians 11: 3-4).
-
False
appearances of the Roman Catholic
Eucharistic Jesus will become more and
more evident. People of all faiths will
eventually be attracted to these so
called “Eucharistic Miracles”, being
attracted to signs and wonders that
include healings and the casting out of
demons (Matthew 7: 21-23).
-
Apparitions
of a woman claiming to be the mother of
Jesus, also called the “Queen of Heaven”
will continue to play an important role
in setting up the Eucharistic Reign of
Jesus. This apparitional woman will
claim to share a role in redemption of
mankind and can be understood in light
of the Bible as demonic in nature
(Isaiah 47: 10).
-
However this
“Mary” factor will be very instrumental
in bringing about unity with Roman
Catholics and Muslims and other
religions for the cause of peace.
Eventually all religions will unify for
the cause of peace, seduced by Marian
apparitions and false appearance of
Jesus Christ in the Eucharist (Matthew
24: 23-26).
-
More and
more we will hear about the Catholic
view of the Eucharistic Reign of Jesus
(the Second Coming) as these appearances
of the Eucharistic Jesus manifest
through the practice of Eucharistic
adoration.
There is much
more that could be said regarding the
biblical scenario of how the Emerging Church
will unfold in light of Bible prophecy. One
thing is certain. It will not be popular to
warn people what the Bible foretells. We can
expect that the trend to unify at any cost
will continue. Those who refuse to bow their
knee to the coming one-world religion for
the cause of peace will be singled out as
trouble makers.
Finally, I am
going to conclude this commentary with a
challenge to all serious Bible believers.
The only way to understand what is happening
and to know what lies ahead is to know what
God has said. Many are saying they are no
longer able to find a church in their area
that teaches the Bible and where the pastor
is warning the flock about what lies ahead.
John in his
vision provided the solution to this
dilemma. He wrote:
And after these things I saw
another angel come down from heaven, having
great power; and the earth was lightened
with his glory. And he cried mightily with a
strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is
fallen, is fallen, and is become the
habitation of devils, and the hold of every
foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and
hateful bird. For all nations have drunk of
the wine of the wrath of her fornication,
and the kings of the earth have committed
fornication with her, and the merchants of
the earth are waxed rich through the
abundance of her delicacies. And I heard
another voice from heaven, saying,
Come out of her,
my people, that ye be not partakers of her
sins, and that ye receive not of her
plagues.
