The apostasy of the last days has come. Paul the Apostle, along with Jude, John and Peter predicted in the New Covenant that this apostasy will come in on both MORAL and DOCTRINAL grounds. The revealed root of this apostasy is the self-will and self-glorification of MAN, the same religious root that the Antichrist will use to control and dominate the world after the rapture of the Church.  The Epistles predict no stopping the spread of this apostasy and their continuance right up to the physical Second Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. The world is being prepared for a great delusion that will cause it to "wonder" in awe after the beast. With the recent death of Pope John Paul II we have been given a thumbnail sketch of what is coming on a grander scale when the man of sin is revealed. These events are to warn us neighbor that it's getting late and it's harvest time.

By Chris McDonald

The Religion of Antichrist - Part One Of A Series Of Articles/Journals On The Coming Man Of Sin

TEXT: II Thessalonians 2:2-4- That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand. Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; Who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.
 

        We have just witnessed and watched the recent surrounding the death of Pope John Paul II.  Pope John Paul II died this past Saturday (4/4/05) at the time of this journal. His life was very significant in both political, spiritual and prophetic terms. This is a man who faced down communism in his native Poland and was such a powerful force against communism that the KGB tried to assassinate him.

        Pope John Paul II was a staunch advocate of life, believing that life was sacred because it was given by God. He stood firm against abortion and held to the traditional Catholic (and biblical) doctrine regarding the sanctity of marriage and celibacy outside of marriage. He was consistent against war, opting for peace all the time. He loved children and had a special relationship with the youth of the Catholic Church. Many do not agree with the underpinnings of the Catholic Church but respected this Pope for his commitment and character. And many in the world mourned his death and wandered after him in such ways not seen in recent history over any one individual.

       There are many reports that surfaced through the years that Pope John Paul II sincerely wanted people to come to Jesus Christ and accept Him as their personal Savior. A world evangelist, Pope John Paul II often was open to the Protestant church on the way to attaining this ultimate goal. While he seemed to personally strive toward Christian purity, some of his close friends said the pope was often grieved with the American church, which often took its own direction in disobedience to God’s word.

        The media coverage of the death of Pope John Paul II was seen on television by over two billion people, nearly one-third of the world’s population, positioning the deceptive doctrine of the Catholic Church as true “Christianity” and ushering in the end-time church that many Bible scholars feel may give rise to the Antichrist and the False Prophet as prophesied in the Bible. While I believe the Catholic church will play a role in this end-time saga, it's not the only player. There is just as much false doctrine and false teachings in the PROTESTANT church that is preparing just as many hearts for the rise of the man of Sin.

        By virtue of the false doctrine of the Catholic Church and its promotion as “the” Christian Church, the next pope may very possibly sit in the seat of a false prophet along with being uniquely positioned to become either the false prophet or the antichrist as the world enters into the end-times. For example, the basic tenet of biblical Christianity is salvation by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. The famous Bible verse known the world over is John 3:16 — in which Jesus said, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believe in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (NKJV). Jesus also said in John 14:6, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”

        Catholic doctrine does not deny salvation through Christ but promotes other ways to salvation such as prayers through the Virgin Mary — mother of Christ, and by absolution of sins by priests. The Catholic Catechism, which is the doctrine and statement of faith of the Catholic Church, states that “Only priests who have received the faculty of absolving from the authority of the Church can forgive sins in the name of Christ.” And Mary, the mother of Christ, is “the cause of salvation for herself and for the whole human race.”

        Further, the new catechism, which was endorsed by Pope John Paul II on October 11, 1992, seems to deify the Mary in several places. One of them says, “Mary is the perfect Orans (pray-er), a figure of the Church. When we pray to her, we are adhering with her to the plan of the Father, who sends his Son to save all men. Like the beloved disciple, we welcome Jesus’ mother into our homes, for she has become the mother of all the living. We can pray with and to her. The prayer of the Church is sustained by the prayer of Mary and united with it in hope.”

        Neighbor, let us never forget this about the Roman Catholic Church. (Don't fret Catholics, this journal is not about you, it's about PROTESTANTS!) Most of, it not ALL, Roman Catholic dogma is at great odds with the Scripture. And it does not take a theologian to see it. Sadly, many theologians don't see the danger in the church's stance and cry out against those who speak against it in the name of unity. Unity around error is not unity! True unity surrounds a PERSON and that PERSON IS CHRIST, not the virgin Mary, the Pope or the tenets of the Roman Catholic Church.

        Many in the Catholic faith truly believe there is salvation in the church. Neighbor, THERE IS NO SALVATION IN THE CHURCH! There is no remission of sins without the SHEDDING of blood. We are forgiven from our sins by placing our FAITH in the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. NOTHING else can save. NOTHING! The Bible’s central teachings are simple and clear. I know that many Catholics have come to true faith in Jesus Christ as Savior and been baptized in the Holy Ghost with the evidence of speaking with other tongues, IN SPITE of the teaching of their Church. Despite the salvations and the work of the Holy Spirit within the church, there is great error in the central dogma of the Church ... an error powerful enough to blind someone to the simplicity of simple faith in Christ as our only atonement for sin. And while we as Protestants say a hearty "amen" to that, let me be clear that we too have drifted off into heresy and apostasy ourselves with the modern church growth movement teachings and the influx of New Age Humanism into most gospel preaching today.

        The Holy Spirit warned through Paul that in the last days, especially after the Man of Sin is revealed, God will send a strong delusion on the earth and MILLIONS will believe a LIE and be damned. Whether one has a year's supply of food in case of famine or a suitable shelter for surviving a nuclear attack may be important in temporal terms, not believing that CHRIST is man's only covering for sin affects our ETERNAL destinies. Eternity is FAR more important.

        Most of us watched the massive numbers of world leaders flocking to Rome to mourn the loss of Pope John Paul II has been called unprecedented by historians and journalists alike, and invokes a type-and-shadow of the one-world religion as prophesied in the end-time book of Revelation in the Bible.  The picture of five non-Catholic U.S. dignitaries — U.S. President George W. Bush, First Lady Laura Bush, former presidents Bill Clinton and George H. W. Bush and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice — bowing down in prayer before the deceased body of the Pope is an unprecedented scene in world history and shows how the world can be united under one religion by a powerful man with the mantra of world peace.

        “It is extremely rare throughout American history for an American president to go to a funeral of any foreign dignitary ... No American president has ever gone to a papal funeral before,” said Allan Lightman, professor of American history and presidential historian, in an interview with ABC News. “It was considered quite a situation in 1995 when then-president Bill Clinton went to the funeral of slain Israeli leader Yitzhak Rabin, but it was not this kind of extraordinary delegation of a sitting president, former presidents and a first lady. Look, the Pope has strode like a colossus over the late 20th and 21st century [sic]. And here we have the greatest spiritual leader of our time being paid homage by, of course, the most powerful, political and material leader of the world — George W. Bush.”

        Leaders from nearly every major country in the world (except China), including Arab nations, the Palestinian Authority and royal families, are slated to attend the Pope’s funeral. This includes radical Islam, European Protestants, the United Nations, Buddhists and Hindus who have already paid homage by attending viewings and praying for the deceased pope. Most all have expressed public sentiments in support of Pope John Paul II, especially how he promoted world peace in countries across the globe. For example, Islamic terrorist groups Hamas and Islamic Jihad expressed fond memories of the Pope, who often demanded that Israel give up land for peace. Hamas officially mourned the Pope as a “great man of peace.” Palestinian Authority President Mohmaud Abbas and Prime Minister Ahmad Qurei said the Pope supported the establishment of a Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital city.

        The issue here is not one of mocking political leaders paying respect to a world religious leader. The issue here is that the SPIRIT we witnessed last weekend is the same spirit in many ways that will cause the world to worship the coming man of sin. The Antichrist's grip on the world will not just be political and military - it will be SPIRITUAL, which makes domination even more deadly. Spiritual control and manipulation will peak under the rise of this coming son of perdition. The seeds of this spiritual delusion are already in the ground and certain signs are already being observed that tells us we're in the last days. (For those reading this who don't believe that we're living in such times - you need to ask the Holy Spirit to open your eyes!)

Rev 13:8- And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.

        Many are speculating about who the next pope of the Roman Catholic Church will be; many others are hypothesizing what the next pope may be — pope, false prophet or anti-Christ. Irrespective, all Vatican watchers agree that the next Pope will play an important role in both theological and political circles.

        There are many in the Christian faith who believe the Roman Catholic Church, vis-á-vis the Pope, will play a role in the end-times. Some say the Catholic Church will be the one-world church that all other churches will join in ecumenical unity. Others say the Pope will become the Antichrist. Still others say the Pope will be the false prophet of the Antichrist who gives him credibility and authenticity. There are healthy disagreements among experts, but most believe that the Catholic Church will be intimately involved in the theological and political landscape of the end-times.

        This journal is about the religious spirit and system of religion that will engulf the world under Antichrist - whether it be through the help of the CATHOLIC church or the backslidden evangelical Christian community at large today. We have been in the midst of a cult/occult explosion for the past 25 years - an explosion that began with the drug movement of the 1960s and turned into a mystical trip into false religions such as Hinduism and Buddhism. Eastern mysticism grabbed hold of the rebellious hearts of millions during the Vietnam War and has not let go since. Sadly though the clutches of this "mysticism" has not just influenced society, it has crept into the church world as well.

        The materialism of modern society today along with fears of nuclear war and lose of freedom has turned mankind to turn to the realm of the spirit for answers. Unfortunately, man is not seeking the HOLY SPIRIT, which is GOD, and points sinful man to CHRIST, but evil, demonic spirits whom Isaiah warned would drive men to darkness.

Isa 8:19-22
19 And when they shall say unto you, Seek unto them that have familiar spirits, and unto wizards that peep, and that mutter: should not a people seek unto their God? for the living to the dead?
20 To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.
21 And they shall pass through it, hardly bestead and hungry: and it shall come to pass, that when they shall be hungry, they shall fret themselves, and curse their king and their God, and look upward.
22 And they shall look unto the earth; and behold trouble and darkness, dimness of anguish; and they shall be driven to darkness.
 

        This is preparing humanity for the coming world religion of Antichrist and the prophetic warnings in the Bible concerning it deserve to be taken seriously! Biblical prophecies have a good deal to say about political, military and economic developments in the last days. Antichrist will rule the earth. This is declared in scripture in no uncertain terms. It's not something that can be "debated" among heathen so-called Bible teachers:

Rev 13:16-17
16 And he causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:
17 And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.
(KJV)

            In our modern world, 2000 years after these words were written by John under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, they at last make sense in THIS GENERATION! With the advent of computer technologies, skin chips and other surveillance gadgets, world control is more possible than even our parents could have dreamed of 50 years ago. Neighbor, we're living in monumental times and it's late in the game. We now have the technology to impregnate, not just a NUMBER, but to implant a micro chip with considerable data that would be invisible except to electronic scanning devices. This is the coming step of all world banking and commerce. While it sounds good to nations on economic terms, it could also be used to monitor BILLIONS of people from satellite and control the movement of every single person on earth.

        My brother Todd, whom I respect deeply even through He and I differ a bit on the timing of these events, feels that when the Antichrist comes to power, he will have very little resistance to implanting such devices because it will be common practice. In other words, the world will be ready for this type system when it comes. It's getting ready for it NOW. Just the fact there are companies making such chips tells us that something is coming that will change life for millions on Planet Earth in the way we conduct business and are monitored by governments.

        This may be why "the mark of the beast" will only be put into operation by Antichrist himself. Volumes of books have been written on the meaning of "666" and none really know the answer. The most important thing is to realize that receiving this mark will be an act of submission to the Antichrist and will cause ALL who take this mark to forfeit the possibility of salvation. Those who do not accept it will lose the privilege of buying or selling. The choice will be between time and eternity.
 

        It's no longer a question of WHETHER but WHEN humanity will be united both economically and politically under one world government AND religion! Satan is the author of this scheme and will use whatever pawns who are willing to listen to his siren song of false peace and prosperity. World domination has always been his goal. Actually not just the world, but domination of the heavens as well. He wants to be God and to fulfill that dream will give his power to the beast for a season to try and bring that to pass. Even so, that can only come when God allows it, and it will be made possible through some startling developments and scenarios, including many within the institutionalized church.

        We must never forget this about the Antichrist. He will be far more than just a world dictator, a mere political/military leader. He will also be the revered and WORSHIPPED head of an unprecedented world religion. The world's loyalty to him will be of a SPIRITUAL nature. His takeover of the world is above all a SPIRITUAL event toward which Satan has plotted since the Garden of Eden. Those who seek to overlook this fact and significance are more likely to fall prey to the deception by which the world and church will be seduced into worshipping him.

The Source And Root Of Antichrist's Power

Rev 13:3-4
3 And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast. And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?

Rev 13:8
8 And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.

II Th 2:11-12 - And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

            The Bible foretells that Antichrist will declare himself to be God and that the whole world - Marxists, Maoists, Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, atheists, and professing, yet deceived Christians - EVERYONE - will believe this astonishing claim and WORSHIP him! This seems to be fantastic that many sincere Christians have tried to interpret this prophecy to mean only that only certain parts of the world will be under the Antichrist. That is certainly a question we can discuss and debate. Some teach that his sphere of influence will be partial while others teach total world domination. Without a doubt, the entire WORLD will be affected, including America! (That if America is still standing as we know it today).

        The words in Revelation 13 used to describe his dominion tend to indicate that his sphere of control will be massive and large, not remote and small.

Rev 13:3, 4, 7-9 -  And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast. 4 And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him? 7 - And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations. 8 And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. 9 If any man have an ear, let him hear.
 

            The entire human race will worship a mere man as God. Earth's inhabitants at that time will not recognize this claim as the outrageous lie of a diabolical counterfeit. It will seem to be as the sincere revelation of truth from the very "saviour" the world desperately needs. If this man was just an aspiring dictator the world would be so apt to bow down and give up their arms in the name of peace to such. Antichrist will have such power over humanity in such a way that the entire world will worship him as God. Worship brings reverence and obedience. Military power is hardly necessary to force the members of a religion to obey the "god" they worship. His blood claim that he is God, however, nit not made by Antichrist as a ploy to gain control. There is nothing much deeper behind it. The new world religion of Antichrist will be thought of as scientific. This new religious science will promise to lead humanity into the experience of it's own DIVINITY! It will teach that each of us is "God," which is the basic lie of the gospel of self-esteem Satan preached to Eve. This will be validated by the Antichrist's godlike psychic powers he will more than likely possess. The whole world will pursue him on these grounds.

        It will be a religion of SELF-LOVE, SELF-WORSHIP, centered on MAN Himself and oriented to man's personal SUCCESS rather than to the glory of the true God. It is already clear we are headed there rapidly in this very direction. Neighbor, this is the gospel of the modern church and it's paving the way for the coming religion of the man of Sin!

Preparation For Delusion

        This journal is about events in the world AND THE CHURCH that are currently preparing the world for this great delusion spoken of in scripture. This delusion is the precursor for a period of great tribulation on earth spoken of by Christ in Matthew 24 and the Apostle Paul in our text above.

        After a brief period of utopian unity and peace, the revived Roman Empire of "iron mixed with clay," that Daniel said, "shall not cleave to one another," will begin to fall apart. This earth will turn into a veritable hell when Satan, operating through the Antichrist, plays his last cards as his long-standing cosmic struggle with God reaches its climax.

        In a furious battle in heaven itself between Michael and his angels...and "that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceives the whole world," the latter will be "cast out into the earth, and his angels....with him."

Rev. 12:7-9
And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, [8] And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven. [9] And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceives the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.

        Planet Earth will be Satan's last bastion. In his fury to retain dominion, all pretense of being an angel of light will be stripped away. Those inhabiting this earth will begin to discover at last the horror of what it means to be the servants of sin and Satan. Angels from heaven will literally preach the doom of those left behind to face Satan's wrath:

Rev. 12:12
Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.
   

          The sobering issue facing us at this hour we live in is the groundwork that is being laid for these events by an apostate church system that is spreading it's false doctrine rapidly across the Planet. Apostasy is a departing from the faith. The apostasy of the last days prior to the Coming of the Lord will be, as predicted in the New Covenant, both DOCTRINAL AND MORAL! Jude develops the history of this apostasy in the tiny book that bears his name.  It is very interesting when reading Jude that we see a striking parallel to the writings of Peter in his Second Epistle. It was as if the Holy Spirit wanted them to say the same thing concerning the end times and the fight for truth. It is most probable that Jude wrote his Epistle after Peter wrote his Second Epistle, and there is no doubt that Jude, if in fact that was the case, read that written by Peter.

        When the Holy Spirit says something once it's important! When the Holy Spirit says something TWICE, it is of UTMOST importance! And through the writers of Jude and Peter, He says through this men that the core root of the apostasy of the last days will be in the visible church and open for all to see and hear. Satan will not hide his intent but blatantly blaspheme the truth through false teachers, preachers and apostles in the days we are in. I have said it many times recently in journals on this web site - and I'll say it again - the apostasy is no longing coming - it is HERE. As the religion of Antichrist will be self-will, we see the false gospel that is touted today being one laced with the same theme - the self-will and rebellion of man.

            Jude and Peter use CAIN as the example of how this apostasy in the end times will look. As Cain went out from the presence of Jehovah, so too have the false teachers of today went out doctrinally from the Lord's presence as well. The Holy Spirit has been substituted for "other spirits;" the real Christ has been substituted for "another Jesus;" and the true gospel, which is Christ and Him Crucified, has been substituted for "another gospel," laced with New Age Humanism, greed, false prosperity and license. If Satan can't get us to buy into the license play, he tries to take the gospel and turn it into legalism which puts men in bondage, fear and ultimately leads them to the same destination - destruction!

         The Bible teaches that there is only one Sacrifice for sin, and that is what Jesus did at the Cross. This means the only way sin can be forgiven and washed clean, is for the believer to trust completely in what Christ has done. The difference between the true church of Jesus and the apostate church in place today is that the apostate church ignores what Christ has done at the Cross. The TRUE CHURCH looks to Jesus and Jesus alone and His Finished Work to obtain righteousness. Righteousness is obtained strictly by FAITH. The apostate church, which will prepare the way for the Antichrist religion formulates its own brand of righteousness. Some may even verbally state they believe in the cross, but then they will quickly add something else to the Finished Work of Christ, which is in effect, nullifying what Christ has done. To attempt to add to the Finished work of Christ is just as bad in one sense as denying the Work altogether.

        The coming world religion will be a religion built upon everything BUT the Cross of Christ! That's the point this journal is really trying to bring home to you today.  The modern church world today has such high tech tools as the computer, database tracking systems, state of the art video and sound equipment that we think expedites the kingdom of God to the masses. This is rooted in something known as the "general systems theory," pushed strongly by Rick Warren in the Purpose Driven Life. It is a surrogate theological paradigm replacing the old traditional doctrines about the nature of man and God with new "evolutionary," world view in which man is transforming HIMSELF, HIS COMMUNITY and SOCIETY.

The "general systems theory," comes from esoteric philosophies prevalent in 1800's Germany known as Theosophy (Luciferosnism), with GST as it's foundation. This new way of doing Church easily corresponds with the notion that the Bride of Christ must prefect herself on Earth structurally, as well as spiritually, before Jesus can return.

        This was promoted by strongly by Bishop Earl Paul, Robert Schuler and others in the mid to late 1980s in the "Kingdom Theology," doctrine, a parallel doctrine, that teaches the historical church was grossly inefficient. In other words, the model of the New Covenant Church begun by the Apostles in the book of Acts, of preaching a powerful sermon under the anointing of the Holy Spirit on Jesus Christ and Him Crucified, is not for this "new millennium church," or so they say.

        This message has evolved into the 21rst Century marketing and packaging to the local pastor so he no longer has to "waste" his time praying and seeking God for his message. He can buy it. Individual thinkers and students of the Word of God won't "fit" into this paradigm shift of accountability, assessments, win-win situations, facilitators, consensus, confessions of sins, leaders, leader of leaders, service, felt needs, servant-hood, Government of 12 and a large sort of other programs just like these. The false teachers of this false gospel tell their followers, "you have to abandon the Bible and "move on." This new Church emerges under different names, "Purpose Driven," "Willow Creek," "Seeker Sensitive," and "Government of 12." This has come to be known as the "post modern church."

        What people don't realize is that this is the same pattern the Antichrist will use to foster his own one-world religion! The gospel of Antichrist will be readily received by the deluded masses because the seeds of this religion are being planted in the hearts of millions already.

        Rick Warren continually brings emphasis to purpose in his book, WITHOUT the Finished work of Christ on the Cross! Warren quotes numerous times from secular humanists such as Karl Marx, Annie Besant, and George Bernard Shaw. Shaw's theory of purpose is printed on the pages of Warren's book:

"This is the true joy of life: the being used up for a purpose recognized by yourself as a mighty one; being a force of nature instead of a feverish, selfish little clot of ailments and grievances, complaining that the world will not devote itself to making you happy."

       Shaw was a student of Karl Marx and was greatly influenced by the Socialist and Communist agendas of Soviet Russia. Another socialist and humanist disguised as a Christian, E. Stanley Jones, is quoted in Chapter 10 of Warren's book:

"If you don't surrender to Christ, to you surrender to chaos."

        The issue here is "what Jesus" Jones was speaking of. In 1959, according to the Methodist publication World Outlook, Jones was named "Missionary Extraordinaire." It was Jones, who through his missionary work, who would life up Jesus Christ as the universal Son of Man and invited people to receive Christ "within their own framework." This new approach to missions was to become known as "indigenization." Interestingly though, Jones denied the virgin birth of Christ, the verbal inspiration of the Scriptures, the Triune Godhead, and other doctrines.

        In his humanistic garb, Jones said this:

"When the western world was floundering in an unjust and competitive order...God reached out and put his just hand on the Russian communists to produce a just order and to show a recumbent church what it has missed in its own gospel....We have yet to see the folly of trying to change the individual and leaving him in an unchanged, selfish, corporate life. Life on a collective scale must be born again. Cannot be done? Absurd. The Russians have done it. Russia has a secular new birth."

        The bottom line in these statements is this. Without the CROSS OF CHRIST being the emphasis, there is NO TRUE GOSPEL. And without the true gospel, there is not going to be true salvations. Warren's mentor, Peter Drucker believes in a total humanist view of the coming world "order." His mission statement which is really found stamped throughout Warren's books says this:

"The mission of the Leadership Network is to accelerate the emergence of the 21rst Century Church. We believe the emerging paradigm of the 21rst Century church calls for the development of new tools and resources as well as equipping a new type of 21rst Century leader, both clergy and laity. We value innovation that leads to results and working with Kingdom perspective church leaders. We value seeing fruit on other's people's trees. And finally, we value getting it 'right' for those we serve as well as out team."

        This is the operating motif for the Apostate Church. Apostasy takes the Cross of Christ out of the equation and the working of the Holy Spirit, substituting it for the "development of new tools and resources" to equip 21rst Century leaders. Neighbor, the early church didn't need new tools or new fads to get the gospel out to the world. They needed the WORD OF GOD and the power of the Holy Ghost behind them to send religious Israel, Rome and the entire heathen world to its knees trembling in fear at what the Lord was doing. The church today is not in that same shape! Instead of fear, the world just laughs at us and mocks us. As a result the modern church world seeks acceptance and hops into bed with the world system hoping that if we use the world's methods, then maybe we can "package" the gospel in a way that will be acceptable to the sinner. THAT IS A LIE. It borders on blasphemy. It is the slide we're on that will wind up in "strong delusion," in the hearts of MILLIONS who will believe a LIE and be damned! Do we not read our Bibles anymore? Do we not care about the warnings of the apostles when it comes to this apostasy? Do we not feel ANY conviction over the false gospel, doctrines we see and hear about today?

The Great Whore Of Babylon And The Antichrist

        The first century Christian church was HATED and PERSECUTED by the world. The Apostle John saw this body metamorphose into a centrally controlled empire or religious perversion under the pretense of representing Jesus as what he termed, "the great whore of Babylon." This revelation left him reeling in shock. John expressed "admiration," at this scene yet this admiration was not the type of admiration the Lord uses for His saints.

Rev. 17:1-3
And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will shew unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters: [2] With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication. [3] So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.

Rev. 17:5
And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.

Rev. 17:6
And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration.

        God has always called unfaithfulness to Him by His people "spiritual adultery." Bowing down to idols and worshipping any gods, including the worship of SELF, except the one true God is the gravest of sins. Jeremiah's indictment of Judah with having committed adultery with stones and with stocks (idols) - an indictment echoed by other prophets - reveals God's view of paganism. That standard is violated by the modern church world's praise of other religions such as Hinduism, Buddhism and other pagan religions, just as it has been for centuries by the mixture of paganism and "Christianity," within the Roman Catholic Church.

        The woman is called a "whore," guilty of fornication and is in contrast with the "bride," the "Lamb's wife."

Rev. 21:9
And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will show thee the bride, the Lamb's wife.
 

        The true church would be committing adultery if she engaged in the illicit relationships with ungodly kings of which the false church is guilty! The woman is "dressed," indicating that she professes to be the true church. Yet she has sold herself, battering a pretended spiritual authority and relationship with Christ for a share in the kingdoms of this world. This fornication of the apostate church with the world will set up the world for the rise of the Antichrist!

        The Roman Catholic Church will no doubt play a HUGE role in this. But I also feel apostate Protestantism will also play a role as well. The church that exists today in the earth rivals any movement in the past in terms of influence with worldly rulers. The hatred you hear over the news media is not directed at the apostate church! It's directed at true born again believers, washed by the blood of Jesus, filled with the Holy Spirit, whose names are written in the Lamb's book of life. And that hatred will only get more pronounced as we draw closer to the rapture and the advent of the Antichrist.

        Just as the world for years past wanted to get into bed with the Vatican, so now the apostate church wants to get into bed with the world! The heads of state in today's world ALL recognize that the Pope wields a power which in many ways is even greater than their own. The Catholic church teaches that the CHURCH, not CHRIST, holds the keys to heaven and eternal salvation and without her favor only hell awaits. Neighbor, these false teachings are just the beginning of the rise of the religion of the Antichrist.

        We have really just touched the surface in this journal. We will pick this up in part two of this new series on the coming Antichrist. This journal will also be one of our lessons in our new study course coming online soon, "The Time Of The End." The apostate church is preparing the world for the religion of Antichrist who will rule it and bring God's judgment upon mankind, culminating in Armageddon. Mystery Babylon has embodied the same marriage of Babel/Babylonian paganism and Christianity that ancient Rome developed with Christianity through Constantine.

        Just as the world wandered a few days back at the death of a man named Pope John Paul II, so too will it wander very soon after another man - the coming son of perdition, who will plunge the world into Great Tribulation. The reason the world will gladly accept him will be because the church will have planted and paved the way with another gospel, pointing it to another Jesus driven by another Spirit. It's a false gospel neighbor.
 

        The true church which Christ founded was called the "ecclesia" in New Testament Greek, meaning "the called out ones." We have been called out of the world for heavenly citizenship. Jesus warned us that if the world hated Him, then it will hate all those who are truly HIS, and not those who are part of the apostate church. I pray you belong to the true church neighbor. It's getting late and it's harvest time.

John 15:19-20 - If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.  Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.
 

Rev. 13:8  - And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.