“Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves.” (Matthew 23:15)
(Twofold- Greek; diploûs: meaning, two-fold, double.)
Christ said about the Pharisees that they went to great extremes to make people 200% “children of hell.” It is uncertain how committed as children of hell the Pharisees were. However, all lost souls are 100% aimed toward hell. Did the Pharisees make them twice as likely to arrive in hell? One wonders how 200% more destined for hell is even possible.
It is just my opinion, but I believe the Lord meant that after being influenced by the Pharisees, people would be twice as difficult to reach with the true Gospel. If that is the case, then we understand how great a mistake it was to allow the heretics and hirelings to slither into Christianity. I am old enough to have witnessed the tragedy. Not only was the leadership guilty of that invasion, but the rank and file professing Christians were hungry for such deception. How alluring it was to be informed that God wants them to be rich, comfortable, and disease-free! Why wait for heaven in a miserable, sin-plagued, environment? How much easier it is to “win” souls when you tell them that everything they are searching for in the World System can be had by coming to God in salivating expectation—even demanding and ordering Him to keep His promises? They eagerly invited the deceivers.
When the Word of Faith doctrine emerged, Pentecostals, and also Charismatics exiting the liturgical denominations, were the primary adherents. Unscrupulous pastors recognized the opportunity to build their churches numerically. They abandoned soul-winning to become proselyters. It was all downhill from that point. Once the gate was opened to Hagan, Copeland and their ilk, other ones with increasingly bizarre heresies came strolling in. Religious television became popular and heretics of all stripes rose to prominence. Religious networks such as PTL and TBN provided a steady stream of good and bad doctrine. Eventually, the programming was reduced to totally spiritual unclean programming.
However, apostasy already existed in the denominations that adhered to false soteriology. They had the nation saturated with apathy and complacency. When the millions of liturgical and other dead denominational escapees joined the Charismatic heresy, they did not leave their belief systems behind. They merely added the Charismatic heresies and became more the children of hell. In that period no one challenged the false soteriology of individuals exiting dead religions, i.e., the Methodist, Baptist or Roman Catholic churches. Pastors counted heads, rejoiced over the increase in attendance, and erecting massive, ornate, buildings to honor their accomplishments.
Thus, the new proselytes that were 100% committed to a false gospel became even more bound and unreachable in their belief systems. Even the ones that remained in the spiritual dearth of apostate denominationalism were more unreachable. I know from experience that people under the influence of someone such as Charles Stanley are near impossible to reach with the true Gospel. The same is more true for all of the individuals that submit to the influence of famed modern heretics.
On a side note, I find it fascinating that many of the individuals that are exposing the bizarre modem heretics are themselves believers in ages-old heresies that have frustrated the true Gospel of Christ. There is no way to number the souls that have been made two-fold children of hell by Augustine, Calvin, Luther, or their offshoots. Anyone that convinces someone that he or she is predestined to be eternally in God’s Kingdom is accursed. Additionally, individuals that espouse once a confession of faith in Christ as Lord and Savior has been made, one can commit any degree or type of sin and remain a child of God, is also accursed. Yet, the majority of individuals in so-called “discernment ministries” hold to one of those errant positions that are opposed to the true Gospel of Christ. They may deliver souls from Kenneth Copeland, but encourage them to be followers of Charles Stanley.
The major heretics today are actually worshipped to the extent that they are at least subliminally equated with God’s word. People hang on their every statement. Attempting to reach such individuals with the truth seems impossible. In all cases, they are offended, become angry, and very defensive.
One has much more success witnessing to secular lost people than the 200% deceived ones. That is the primary reason that all the efforts to warn people and inform them about the Apostasy, have failed. It is much easier to beat the wolves away from the gate than to eject them from the sheepfold.
The fact is, God gave us a free moral choice. We’d like to grab people by the shoulders and shake some sense into them, but we can’t. They must be willing to hear and react faithfully to the truth. Now they say to the shepherds, “You’re the real wolf!” To the “wolves” they say, “You are my Shepherd!” They cannot be convinced otherwise because they are 200% in the grip of deception.
A rank reprobate, such as Kanye West—untried, unproven, and uncouth—can now stroll into Christianity and begin at the top level. It is not because he has been exalted by God. Rather, it is because the leadership positions are now level with the lowest degree of expectation. The requirement is no longer to be called by God, espouse sound doctrine, manifest godliness (the fruit of the Holy Spirit) and obvious anointing. One must only have been made famous by soaking in unfettered wickedness of the World System. Will not such a man’s proselytes be 200% more children of hell? And what will be God’s judgment on the ones that facilitate and support such an evil tragedy?
So here we are—surrounded by an innumerable company of the 200% children of hell. The glaring question is, “What can God’s Remnant do?”
The Believers must continue speaking the truth and exposing the darkness. I believe that the day will come that it will be clear to many wolf-followers that they were deceived. Consider the words of Daniel.
“And some of them of understanding shall fall, to try them, and to purge, and to make them white, even to the time of the end: because it is yet for a time appointed.” – Daniel 11:35
And then there is this statement by the Apostle Paul.
“If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.” – 1 Corinthians 3:15
I believe that when persecution begins, some people that are presently deceived will realize their mistakes. If that occurs, the only truth available may be in their memories. So we must continue to proclaim it even when it appears not much is being accomplished. The 200% may never turn around, but we hope in the power of God’s Holy Spirit that truth will reach the hearts of some that are in darkness.
“In your patience possess ye your souls.” – Luke 21:19
I don’t think very many of the compromising Christians (?) can be persuaded this side of great tribulation, but try we must. Keep sounding the warning cry that judgment is coming on the fast train and it begins at the house of God ! I believe that the ‘tribulation martyrs ‘ are the 5 foolish virgins, and those living at that time will be very surprised to be facing the wrath of the little horn. I guess that maybe I could be described one who believes the Word of God teaches some kind of what some call a ‘partial rapture’ .
That is the one thing that keeps me going. The fact that someone may remember a warning from before when they see it all coming to pass and repent and come to their God given senses spiritually. Once in a blue moon I would come across a comment about one person who did see that they were swimming in a sea of apostasy, they saw the light through the fog, and they came out of the deception, and they were so thankful and tried to warn others too. It was so rare, like a diamond on the sands of the beach and it always stirred me emotionally. That is what I kept going for. That one rare soul who sees through the darkness and comes into the light. And I don’t doubt that all of heaven rejoices with them as well.
Yes, the church growth movement has made merchandise of the flock. They don’t care about evangelism, only about filling the pews. They don’t count saved souls and those on fire for the Lord, they only count warm chairs and money in the bag. They are the Harlot at best, Judas at worst. Many are against evangelism and are infiltrating wolves from the devil who are change agents in the ‘church.’
It’s so hard now to reach anyone in any way. I have definitely been noticing that, whether it’s evangelism or discernment ministry. 99% are cemented into their false positions, and good luck trying to get them out!
Thanks, brother, for saying what needs to be said. I lingered too long in a religious system that did not expose my love of sin, and I appreciate anyone who is willing to tell me the truth!
This is good information for the multitudes of professing “Christians”.
I would truly desire to share this on social media but with the false teaching that Greek is needed to bring understanding to Gods’ pure and eternal word that has been from the foundation of the world I would appear as a hypocrite compared to what I share in social media. This is what TKs have inserted that I am speaking to you about >>>>Greek; diploûs: meaning, two-fold, double.)<<<<<>> Isaiah 28:9-12 KJV
[9] Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts. [10] For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little: [11] For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people. [12] To whom he said, This is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest; and this is the refreshing: yet they would not hear.
Psalm 12:6-7 KJV
[6] The words of the Lord are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times. [7] Thou shalt keep them, O Lord, thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever.
And this false teaching of many centuries that that the Lord’s’ covenant was written in Greek is a Roman Catholic lie from the pits of hell. Believing this lie is only one of many reasons the truth cannot be heard with the ears or the heart.
Stephen ~
What is it about Charles Stanley’s gospel that you don’t agree with?
It is not mere disagreement, but rejection–as all heresy should be rejected. It is a false gospel that has and will send innumerable people to hell that believe they have immunity from judgment no matter what type of amount of sin they commit–even if they become an unbeliever. OSAS is likely the major if not one of the major reasons for the great and final apostasy. Of course, OSAS adherents do not believe in apostasy. However, it is impossible to depart from faith, if one was never in the faith. Or to be removed to the Vine is one was never connected to the Vine (Jesus Christ). Or return to wallowing in the mire if one had not left the mire. OSAS is a man-made doctrine designed by Satan to lure innumerable individuals to eternal death.
So according to the writing, one sin after confessing Christ and your toast. I think there is something wrong with this gospel.
That is a common false accusation, in fact a strawman argument, against individuals that expose false soteriology of individuals such as Charles Stanley. It is actually an attempt to convince oneself that God is not holy, that there will not be a Judgment Throne, that God’s word, the Holy Spirit, and all that God equips the Believer with, simply makes them worse sinners than the ones under the Mosaic Law, only now exempt from Judgment.
“For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries. Anyone who has rejected Moses’ law dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace? For we know Him who said, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord. And again, “The Lord will judge His people.” It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” Hebrews 10:26-31
Have you ever seen Sean Christie’s testimony?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HIlcs9a2AEs
A key takeaway from Sean’s testimony is that, in this day, a lot of people who think of themselves as Christians… really are not yet. They may have had a “spiritual experience” that they identify as being born again, but it was actually a counterfeit.
People who are just as much caught in sin as ever, need to be taught carefully about the full gospel, so they can examine themselves — not to be reassured that surely they are already saved. Highlight “as much as ever” because 1 John shows we will sin at times and need to repent for those lapses, but one’s sinful identity and lifestyle *will* be thrown off.
1 Corinthians 6:11 And such *WERE* some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.
There is a youtube discernment person named ‘servus christi’ who has an excellent rebuttal to the OSAS heresy. He actually has a website and it’s one of the blog articles exposing OSAS. He does a fine job refuting the heresy, but of course in the comment section are the usual dull of learning types.