Little children, it is
the last hour;
and as you have heard
that they Antichrist is coming,
seven now many antichrists
have come, by which we know
that it is the last hour.
They went out from us,
but they were not of us;
for if they had been of us,
they would have continued
with us; but they went out
that they might be made
manifest, that none of
them were of us.
1John 2:18-19
It is so very clear, the antichrists are not coming from the world, rather they are those within the body of Christ, those that proclaim that they are of the body of Christ, a part of the Church, but they are not! These antichrists use the same terminology as do Orthodox true believers in Christ, they do much the same in their exercise within the Church, but upon close examination they are found wanting, they are teaching doctrines that are far removed from what the Bible actually teaches. But how does the average person know what is true and what is false? Paul advises under the power and inspiration of the Holy Spirit: "Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy--meditate on these things" (Philippians 4:8). We cannot just sit by and accept whatever is thrown at us and call it truth, to be apathetic brings into question your devotion to God, and calls into question; what Jesus do you follow? Christianity has continually appealed for the truth. It is obvious when a truthful person looks at the world around him, and at the divisions of thought in the Church, there is a need that the past be subject to searching criticism; Paul, Peter, all early Christian men search out what was being taught, and called attention to those teachings that they found that were in contradiction to what was taught by our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. They were not afraid to speak for the truth, even though, at times, they were put to death. Think of Ignatious riding in the back of a cart, bound, knowing that he was going to Rome to die in the arena while thousands would watch and cheer his death. Riding from city to city he still wrote much to the Christian Church, mile after mile, time to think, to ponder on his fate, and yet he was not deterred, only on his mind was the Church and the fact that false teachings were invading the Church, and leading people away from the truth. You may object at this study of doctrines, you may think it a waste of time, and if this is so, then you do so at your own peril. Jehovah Witnesses fall into such a category, they object to any reading of books, or other Bibles by those who call themselves Jehovah's Witnesses, just try to read from the King James Bible, John 1:1, and see how for you get! One sided knowledge is just that, one sided, and the truth will not shine it's light upon our minds, even scientist will agree with this, that they must examine all possibilities to find the facts, the truth.
Many people are running to and fro looking for the "secret" that if discovered will restore them and the Church to a right relationship to God. And where are they getting these "secrets" these better ways to worship God? Preachers today have their higher learning from universities that teach those things that are derived from so-called men of enlightenment, Immanuel Kant, Kirkegaard, John Dewey, etc. and the Bible is not considered to be the infallible word of God, that God has preserved His word, and have followed their own ideologies. In the last 200+ years many denominations have formed, and this is not all bad, but the underlying premises are to be examined, such a movement by many, even today is a movement away from traditional Orthodoxy, from true Biblical doctrines. This can be seen by the invasion of music that is more like the world's drug infested culture, tatoos, rings that placed everywhere possible and the music is played so loud, in fact last week two separate people from two far apart places told me that they had to wear ear plugs as the music was so loud. It reminds, this loud music, of a saying from my past, "if it doesn't go fast, chrome it." Many Churches are very prideful, they call themselves, "non-denominational" as though they have no doctrinal positions so that anyone can attend and feel welcome, but is that true? No! They have doctrines, they have tenents, they are nothing more than a denomination that has the name: 'Non-Denominational." But people flock to them as though to be traditional, such as Presbyterian, Lutheran, Anglican, even Baptist, or Methodist, etc, is not good, they are teaching those things that are not according to the culture of today, they are "old-school." So, they run away from the Church, for various reasons, seldom do they turn away from their Church due to theological reasons, it is either the pastor doesn't teach what they want to hear, or the music is wrong, or the Sunday Schools, are just not right, too much of this or that, but they have not even taken time to look at the tenants, of the Church and they have not examined the Church's doctrinal positions, and certainly they have, even if they have looked, examined them in the light of Scripture. They are looking for the "new" way, that "new secret", those "hidden" things that they believe need to be found, that those men of the Reformation had it all wrong, that is if they even know what the Reformation is all about. Where is honest teaching, where are those teachers that teach from the Bible? Not those who seem to teach from the Bible, rather those men who will teach properly by leading those attending Church to become devoted to God, not just some psychological babble. It may sound good, but it is nothing more than the tickling of ears.
I started this week with this blog, because many find this study on doctrine boring, and so unnecessary, they are so satisfied with the status quo, they don't want to be bothered, they are getting what they want out of their attendance at Church. Yet, what they are sitting under, that teaching from men who do not hold to the Bible as absolute truth, no matter what they say, what comes out of their mouths, they are secular in their approach to how their Church operates, leading people to perform or exercise their faith that is not Biblical faith. True doctrinal faith will give to you a freedom that you seek, freedom to live and enjoy life, and to not worry that what you do will be offensive to God, this is the goal of this study on doctrines, are return to the true faith of the Bible.
Not therefore, listen to me,
my children, for those
who keep my ways. Hear
instruction and be wise,
and do not disdain it.
Proverbs 8:32-33
May this day be blessed, live it, and love God
Richard L. Crumb
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