Apostates and Impostors

June 16, 2021 at 2:21 PM 3 comments

Audio for this article is here: SermonAudio.com/StudyGrowKnow

Some links for your research:

Jude goes into great depths regarding apostates and ungodly lusts, for a book that is only twenty-five verses in length. It’s amazing to read because Jude is actually describing our present age. The fallout from these apostates is seen in every type of institution today, especially churches.

An outline of Jude breaks down like this (from the NKJV):

  • Greetings to those called (vv 1-2)
  • Contend for the Faith (vv 3-4)
  • Old and New Apostates (vv 5-11)
  • Apostates Depraved and Doomed (vv 12-15)
  • Apostates Predicted (vv 16-19)
  • Maintain Your Life with God (vv 20-23)
  • Glory to God (vv 24-25)

For certain men have crept in unnoticed, who long ago were marked out for this condemnation, ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into lewdness and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ. (Jude 4)

Apostates have crept into many conservatively biblical seminaries, Christian colleges and universities. They’ve ultimately taken over these same institutions/churches decades ago. Once there, they then slowly began inserting heresies into their teaching/preaching. Often these apostates have “loving” or “engaging” personalities.

This coincides with Antonio Gramsci’s writings in which he posited that it would take roughly 100 years to take over the institutions. The institutions he referenced were all major societal institutions: public schools, colleges, seminaries, government offices and churches.

Has society not been nearly completely taken over as we watch politicians, CEOs, AntiFa, BLM and other anarchists/Marxists push society to the brink of war? We are at a serious tipping point in society and I can only wonder what might push it over the edge? If the Rapture were to happen today, that would create the vacuum needed leading to the full societal reset globally ending in the final world government, wouldn’t it? We “malcontents” (authentic Christians), would be gone but are currently in the way.

But if the Rapture doesn’t happen today or soon, what event or series of events might be used to push global society over the edge? Secular companies are having “racial reconciliation” zoom meetings” or celebrating Pride month and “inviting” all employees to participate in zoom “gatherings” where DJ music, happy hour and discussion occurs. People are encouraged to introduce themselves using their preferred “pronouns.” The absurdity is causing major divisions in society, but that’s exactly how Marxism works.

It’s also happening in churches. It might be best for authentic Christians to try to insist their church returns to biblical standards if its off the mark, but failing that, leaving to find either another truly biblically-literate and obedient church or creating a home-based gathering for fellowship between authentic Christians. The spirit of Babylon is overtaking churches today as it is overtaking global society. Leaving those heretical churches may be the best and only option.

An article from the folks at Way of Life Literature titled, Psychology and End-Times Mysticism, by David Cloud is interesting. The article is from Cloud’s book titled, The God of End-Time Mysticism and can be downloaded free of charge at this link as a PDF.

What I found fascinating are all the big names who either started modern day psychology (atheists, agnostics, and/or mystics), or actual Christian leaders who have carried it forward continuing to endorse it in their teachings and sermons. People like Carl Jung, Abraham Maslow, and Carl Rogers, are known names within psychology because of their involvement in creating it or bringing it to the mainstream.

Cloud lists people like “…W.A. Criswell, R.C. Sproul, Christianity Today, National Association of Evangelicals, World Vision, Promise Keepers, James Dobson, Tony Campolo, Bill Bright, Paul Yonggi Cho, Jack Hayford, Ralph Reed, Bill Hybels, Paul Crouch, John Wimber, Ravi Zacharias, Lee Strobel, Chuck Colson, and Rick Warren.” These are just some of the well known “evangelicals” who have not only bought into the mysticism of modern psychology, but endorse it in their books and sermons. Some of the names just listed are not really surprising, though others may be a bit surprising.

But what exactly is wrong with psychology if anything? Is it really that bad or can it be used for good? Cloud outlines the history and background of those who invented modern psychology that is accepted as settled science today and without exception, all come from either a completely non-Christian background, steeped in New Age mysticism in some form or from a Christian background only to fully reject it later in life, embracing instead the ideology of self-esteem,which is at the heart of psychology self-help methods.

Self-esteem is really just another expression for self-love. We know what Paul says about that, don’t we?

But understand this: In the last days terrible times will come. For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, without love of good… (2 Timothy 3:1-3 Berean Study Bible; emphasis added)

Cloud points out that Psychology teaches that people need to learn to love themselves more than they already do. Psychologists believe and teach that people who fail to love themselves (or they’d say, have the  proper amount of self-esteem), are causing great harm to themselves and others because of their emotional bondage to a flawed ideology. That flawed ideology is the biblical concept of human depravity, sin and rebellion against God. This is actually the root of Satan’s first temptation, teaching Eve that she needed to love herself more, to take care of her own felt needs by rebelling against God because God was limiting her and Adam.

Psychologists argue that people who focus on their alleged sin and their unworthiness, etc., are doing the exact opposite of what God really wants for us (they say). They refer to the words of Jesus when He said to love your neighbor as yourself (Mark 12:31), and take that to mean that Jesus was actually teaching people to learn to love one’s self more and more. Of course, Jesus was not saying this, but was saying essentially, “as you already love yourself and take care of your body and your own needs, this is the way to love other people” (my paraphrase). Jesus was not directing us to love ourselves. His premise was that we already do that.

Jude defines three types of apostates in his short letter (who already deeply loved themselves), in verse 11:

  1. The way of Cain
  2. The way of Balaam
  3. The way of Korah

As we know, Cain, the first type of apostate, murdered Abel in cold blood, because Cain’s sacrifice was not acceptable to God, while Abel’s was acceptable. In other words, this type of apostate literally hates their brethren. They only join in with them to overcome them, to turn them away from the truth, not to fellowship with them. Authentic Christians who remain true to the LORD are hated by these impostors as bigoted and blind. If led away, the result is spiritual death to the Christian who succumbs to this type of impostor.

The second type of apostate is after the error of Balaam. It is when a person seeks their own financial gain using religion to do so. This is exactly what Balaam sought to do, though God circumvented Balaam’s plan to curse the nation of Israel for the king, who hired him for that purpose. God’s vengeance was later exacted on Balaam, who was slain (Numbers 22-24). Individuals who follow in Balaam’s error are fully corrupt and use their position in Christendom solely as a vehicle for their own financial gain and fame, just like the apostate I refer to below. Their goal is enriching themselves.

The third type of apostate is patterned after Korah (Numbers 16). You’ll recall this man led a rebellion against Moses and his God-appointed authority. God sent judgment in the form of the earth swallowing Korah and those who followed him. As people opposed Jesus and His apostles, Korah also opposed God’s man Moses whom He specifically chose to gather the nation of Israel and lead them out of bondage from Egypt to the Promised Land. Korah’s high opinion of himself and jealousy got the better of him.

These three types of apostates have infiltrated churches and are doing tremendous harm to Christians because they detest God and His Word though the opposite appears to be true. It is clear that Christendom has been overrun by apostates who serve themselves because of their self-love. They don’t have a problem with self-esteem at all. They love themselves so much, working to capture the hearts and minds of people whom they can turn from the truth of God’s Word due to a lack of discernment with too many Christians.

The list of apostates and impostors seems endless today. Many websites attempt to keep track of apostates, but as you can imagine, it’s difficult. Here’s more information on Priscilla Shirer (daughter of Tony Evans), and here’s more information on Michael Brown and how Christians can and should take note of those who teach another Gospel. They should be marked and avoided (Romans 16:17). These people live to cause division within Christendom and do so for their own selfish gain and notoriety. Watchman’s Bagpipes has much more on many wolves who are nothing but apostates and impostors.

Here’s another one that I first wrote about back in 2015: Pastor James Staley, who interestingly enough, was arrested for fraud. He plead guilty and was ultimately sentenced to 7 years in prison and was released after 55 months. As I pointed out previously, Staley is a Hebrew Roots heretic, a modern day Judaizer, who, while preaching sermons that centered around a stated “passion for truth,” was busy ripping off elderly people to the tune of 3.3 million and pocketing nearly $600,000 for himself. Originally, Staley originally faced up to 30 years in prison for his illegal activities.

After being released, he went right back to his Internet church he founded and leads and continued essentially where he had left off. The Hebrew Roots Movement is tied into the modern signs and wonders NAR group of people that stemmed from aspects of the Charismatic Movement. It is also interesting how Staley now tries to liken himself a modern day Joseph. The problem? Joseph was guilty of NOTHING. Staley? Guilty of FRAUD. I wonder if he has paid people back as he promised he would?

The tragic thing the world is experiencing today is mirroring what Christianity faced in the first century shortly after the birth of the church in Acts 2. In fact, much of the New Testament was written in order to correct doctrinal error in many individual churches at that time.

The ungodly lusts that Jude refers to in these apostates (v 18), the sexual deviancy practiced (v 7), calling them grumblers and complainers (v 16), and who walk according to their own lusts, flattering everyone they can in order to elevate themselves (v 16), should cause us to separate from them. These apostates live to cause division (v 19). There is nothing good in them because they have rejected God and His truth, favoring the lies of Satan. How can Christians fellowship with people like that?

If we learned to properly fear OFFENDING the LORD, we will be protected from the lies and deceit of the enemy.

By mercy and truth iniquity is purged: and by the fear of the LORD men depart from evil (Proverbs 16:6 KJV)

 

[1] https://fee.org/articles/antonio-gramsci-the-godfather-of-cultural-marxism/

Entry filed under: 9/11, Agenda 21, alienology, Atheism and religion, christianity, Communism, Cultural Marxism, Demonic, Emotional virtue, eternity, Global Elite, rapture, Religious - Christian - End Times, Religious - Christian - Prophecy, Religious - Christian - Theology.

Simple Way to Understand Fear of the Lord Harsh Love

3 Comments Add your own

  • 2. Jen B  |  June 16, 2021 at 3:42 PM

    I cannot speak for outside of America, but what I’ve experienced in the church system is definitely a syncrenistic blend of scripture with yung. I was not churched as a young person, and did not get saved until mid 30’s. The women’s study groups I attended as a baby believer were all about taking any scripture you wanted and applying it to yourself; or ripping any verse out of the Bible and praying it over another woman. That was about the extent of the study of scripture. The focus was on “personality profiles” in order to determine your spiritual gifts. All humanistic nonsense. I was attending church and studies for months and had YET to hear that Jesus Christ died on the cross for the sins of the world, was buried and raised again so that I could have life in His name. That was not said to me one time. My dying father gave me the Gospel of John and I read it..finally a diagnosis that made sense…I was a sinner.

    One of the leaders of the women’s study group I was in gave me some books by Leanne Payne and Agnes Sanford. Thankfully the Sanford book was lost upon me, but I sure was drawn to one of Leanne Payne’s books. She started out all about “jesus” but I began to notice that the entire focus quickly turned to Yung. Yung is the real focus of her adoration and It dawned on me that the entire premise of her book was that in order to “heal” troubled souls, more is needed than scripture and the Holy Spirit. This idea of “practicing the presence” is no where in scripture. This movement seems to have no grasp that “who the Son sets free is free indeed”. Their religion is all about healing the hurts of humanity that make us sad and feel bad about ourselves, because according to them, we must ever feel bad about ourselves.

    At one in her book, Leanne Payne point blank stated that for some people “the death of Christ alone is not enough”. She actually said that!!!! Repressive memory techniques are needed to flush out the wounds so they can be brought to the surface and “healed”. The Hebrews verse came to my mind and that book went into the trash heap. Since then I have come to realize every single “mentor” I had was immersed in psychological preaching. People like Agnes Sanford and Leanne Payne influenced all the women in the church I first attended, and it has spread like gangrene. Since emotionally led women are so influential in this modern church movement…this kind of teaching has had a powerful conduit to reach the younger generations. It is honestly overwhelming and why my husband and I have never been able to belong to a church.

    I have kept in touch with one of my Christian mentors. I love this woman, but I see now that she has been deceived for many years and teaches exactly the doctrine you have warned about. NAR, mysticism, Henry Nowen. She is a PHD and a counselor who suggested “mirroring” to me as a new bride (as a way to effectually communicate with my husband). I asked her why she felt methods were necessary, why prayer and the sanctifying power of the Word of God isn’t enough. She responded it “I don’t know, it just isn’t”. It’s a miracle any of us ever gets saved and grow in the Word, given the deception out there.

    Sad to say, that s the real belief system of the organized American church…they don’t believe the Word has power and they don’t know about our function as believer priests with access to the Father through our great high Priest.

    I have been praying a dear friend and sister in the LORD who has been embedded into the emergent mega church system. She has definitely been waking up to things at her church, however she is encouraging her son to pursue psychology at a major. It broke my heart….there just seems to be no way to communicate to these folks in a way that wakes them up…only God can remove the scales.

    thanks for your teaching, warning and encouragement, Fred.

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    • 3. modres  |  June 16, 2021 at 6:59 PM

      Thx Jen for your comments and insight. It is sad.

      “…Since emotionally led women are so influential in this modern church movement.”

      Yep! Thank you for saying that.

      Like

      Reply

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