The Churchy World and The Worldly Church by David J. Stewart (A Must Read)

From http://www.jesus-is-savior.com/Evils%20in%20America/Apostasy/churchy_world.htm

The Churchy World and The Worldly Church

By David J. Stewart

"Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils" -1st Timothy 4:1

We are living in apostate times like never before. The Greek word for "depart" in 1st Timothy 4:1 above is "aphistemi" and means "to withdraw one's self from, to keep one's self from, to shun, flee from." This Scripture is NOT saying that some believers will lose their salvation and quit on God, it simply means that certain people will shun the Gospel message altogether and choose to remain in their sins. The Greek word for "some" is "tis" and simply means "any man, or certain men." It is different from our understanding of the word today. "Some" to us implies a lesser amount; but, in this Scripture it can also mean many. We know that MANY will be deceived in the last days because Jesus said in Matthew 24:11, "And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many." We are also informed in Matthew 7:13-14 that few people go to Heaven, and most go to Hell. As apostasy (a turning away from God) continues, fewer and fewer lost sinners will be saved, because of the sinful hardness of their hearts. We read in 1st Timothy 4:1 that those who reject the truth of God's Word will give HEED to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils. This describes 95% of society today. The word "heed" in Greek is "prosekho" and means "to apply one’s self to, attach one’s self to, hold or cleave to a person or a thing." Hence, people today who reject the Bible are instead attaching themselves to doctrines of devils.

It's very interesting that people need to believe something. You would think that the wicked would just reject the truth of God's Word and be done with it; but, they ALL seek another god--another source of spiritual guidance. We hear MUCH about spirituality nowadays; but it is NOT the Spirit of God. Rather, they are demonic spirits, seducing spirits which desire to enslave their victims. The only way to discern the spirits is with the inspired Word of God. That's the main reason God gave us the Bible--to Light our path in this dark dreary world and show us the way of salvation. God's Word is Truth (John 17:17).

The Worldly Church

Christian Rock

Jude 1:4 warns us that ungodly men will creep into the church, For there are certain men crept in unawares ... ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ." Many so-called "Christian" singers today are as worldly as can be. TobyMac dresses and sings like a street punk. As I Lay Dying, another popular band in the Christian rock charts, was featured at OzzFest 2002! Country singer, Faith Hill, and former student of Bible-college, claims to be a Christian; yet, she has posed twice for Playboy magazine! Read Jude 1:4 again ... "turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness." Faith Hill is NO Christian! Carrie Underwood sings, "Jesus Take The Wheel"; but she can't keep her clothes on, and was featured in SELF magazine recently. The Apostle Paul said in 1st Corinthians 15:31, "I die daily." SELF has no place in the genuine Christian life. Colossians 3:5 commands, "Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry." God tells us to "mortify" (Greek, "put to death") the flesh. MercyMe, another so-called "Christian" rock band, appeared last year on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno. What song did they sing ... Amazing Grace? Nope! ... Rocking Around The Christmas Tree!!! I'll tell you very truthfully, ANY professed "Christian" who appears as a guest on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno is an IMPOSTER! We are commanded to separate from the world; NOT fraternize with them (2nd Corinthians 6:14-17; James 4:4). There is nothing as worldly and destructive to Christian young people today as Contemporary Christian Music; yet, our churches today are SATURATED with such godless filth. There is no such animal as "Christian rock." All rock music is demonic!

Televangelists

The Word of God has much to say about money-hungry preachers. Please note that a preacher doesn't necessarily have to be crooked or dishonest to be greedy or covetous. 2nd Peter 2:1-3 describes such evil ministers of darkness ... "But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily (secretly) shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. And many shall follow their pernicious (destructive) ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not." What an accurate description of televangelists today! The Bible says that such false prophets will MAKE MERCHANDISE of you. Benny Hinn, a false prophet, took in over $100,000,000 last year alone! James Robison, another false prophet, took in over $50,000,000 last year, and REFUSES to disclose his personal earnings to the Better Business Bureau. I think you know why! The Bible warns us about such men. Carefully notice in the above Scripture what God says ... "through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you." TV evangelists use COVETOUSNESS, the desire to have more, as the bait to sucker in their victims. Mike Murdoch is a classic example (you won't believe what this guy teaches).

Churches Gone Wild!

All across America, so-called "churches" have going insane. I was shocked when a Southern Baptist Church in Tennessee called an ordained lesbian to be their pastor. I was also shocked when I learned that legendary Baptist preacher, George W. Truett, was a lifelong occult Freemason. Dr. Truett was very influential as the president of the Southern Baptist Convention decades ago. As a tragic result, 37% of the U.S. membership today to the demonic Freemasonry cult are Southern Baptist men. Don't they realize that the god of Freemasonry, The Great Architect, is Satan! Recently, the Methodist church joined in with the Lutherans to come to an AGREEMENT with the Roman Catholic church. Doesn't anyone read the Bible anymore? ... 2nd Corinthians 6:16 states, "And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? ..."

The average church today is money-hungry. Most pastors who would never take a stand for God outside an abortion clinic, or at a homosexual parade--WILL protest at city hall if their tax-exempt status is being threatened. I've known MANY pastors to trim their sermons and compromise their message because of covetousness. Every pastor learns quickly that his sermons have power over people's wallets. It takes a caring preacher, who genuinely loves his congregation, to preach hard against sin while at the same time keeping the hearts of his people close. Now that's a man of God. If a pastor is worried that hard preaching will drive his members away, it is only because he is not sure whether or not his people know they are loved. It's getting so bad nowadays in our churches that some people are having to leave church to become close to the Lord again. I'm not kidding!

The average church service today is more like a funeral--they chant through a few hymns, pass the offering plate, tell a dumb joke or two, listen to a sermonette, and then rush to their cars to zoom to McDonalds. It's called organized religion, and it's next of kin to organized crime. I'm amazed in these times of great apostasy that 99% of the churches in America are DEAD SPIRITUALLY. How could this have happened? Where are the Billy Sundays, and the George Whitefields, and the Dwight L. Moodys, and the J. Frank Norris'? America's churches are dead because they're pastors are dead. Where are the men of God? Listen to what Jeremiah 10:21 states, "For the pastors are become brutish, and have not sought the LORD: therefore they shall not prosper, and all their flocks shall be scattered." The word "brutish" comes from the Hebrew word "baar" and means "to be stupid, dull-hearted, unreceptive." God is literally saying, "Your pastors have become idiots!" The typical pastor today is a stuff-shirt filled with sinful pride. There's no one as stiffnecked as some of America's religious men and women. God's judgment will begin with the church.

Divorce

I'm starting to think that one of the leading causes of divorce in America is apostate ministers and pastor's wives who sinfully approve of divorce. Folks, divorce is a sin! Part of everyone's marriage vows is ... "for better, for WORSE!" We are a nation of LIARS! I hate to say it, but many churches are becoming like Planned Parenthood clinics, accept they're recommending divorces instead of abortions. I know a woman who was in a struggling marriage. Some "church people" broke her marriage apart. They provided the woman with shelter, poisoned her mind with feminist theology, and then drove her down to the lawyer's office to file for divorce--AND SHE DID! Really "Christian" people, huh? It's apostasy!!! Mark 10:9 WARNS ... "What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder." There are NO Biblical grounds for divorce. I just don't understand how any preacher could say otherwise. Do you mean to tell me that divorce is permissible for fornication; but not for murder or bank robbery? Let's be reasonable.

Furthermore, we are clearly forbidden in the Scriptures from taking a fellow Christian to court...
"Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unjust, and not before the saints? ... I speak to your shame ... But brother goeth to law with brother, and that before the unbelievers. Now therefore there is utterly a fault among you, because ye go to law one with another. Why do ye not rather take wrong? why do ye not rather suffer yourselves to be defrauded? Nay, ye do wrong, and defraud, and that your brethren." -1st Corinthians 6:1,5-8
If a wife feels compelled to leave her husband for awhile, fine; but to file for divorce violates God's command not to take him to court. The ONLY place to get a divorce in America is in a heathen court room. The entire basis of our legal system has become pagan. It is the heathen judges who have legalized abortion, prostitution, pornography, gambling, and homosexual marriages. For a so-called "Christian" wife or husband to take their spouse before such a godless court system is an abomination unto God.

In fact, God says that the wife who divorces her husband is GUILTY of shaming the name of Christ, "Nay, ye do wrong, and defraud..." I have received MANY letters from people asking questions about divorce and remarriage. It's interesting, and a testimony against them, that nearly every one of them has a valid excuse (in their own mind) to justify their divorce. Isn't it coincidental that as the divorce rate skyrockets, everyone has LEGITIMATE reasons for divorce. Who's kidding who? Proverb 13:10 gives us the reason why there's so many divorces, "Only by pride cometh contention..." America has become a spoiled rotten nation of stiffnecked, hot-tempered, selfish, covetous, vengeful, brats--who are filled with SINFUL PRIDE! It's the hardness of people's hearts.

Pornographers Claiming Spirituality and Good Christian Upbringing

Faith Hill (birth name: Audrey Faith Perry) is an imposter! She claims to be a Christian; yet, she poses in demonic Playboy magazine:

"Playboy" (USA), May 2000, Vol. 47, Issue 5, pg. 31, by: staff, "Babe of the Month: Faith Hill"
"Playboy" (USA), April 1994, Vol. 41, Issue 4, pg. 167, by: Paul Natkin, "Grapevine: Hill Top"
This is so sickening! Faith Hill was chosen in 1997 and 2000 by "People" magazine as one of the 50 most beautiful people in the world. I think not! Faith Hill's beauty runs skin deep only--beneath she is an opportunistic whore creating lasciviousness in the hearts of men. I'm sure Playboy paid her very well. Anything for fame and money! America is going to Hell morally and it's time for Bible-believing Christians to take an uncompromising stand against such phonies as Faith Hill who are influencing our children. Listen to what Faith Hill says concerning her "spirituality" ...
She credits her tenacity to upbringing and spirituality. "It’s still a big part of me," she says. "That’s where my strength comes from. It’s my foundation. I was raised in a Christian home and it prepared me to deal with life on my own, the everyday trials and tribulations in an industry where a lot of things, morally, aren’t good. Having a backbone of spirituality makes me a little stronger. I pray a lot, and when I first moved to Nashville, that’s what kept me alive. -Faith Hill (SOURCE)

You've got to be Kidding me Faith? You have the gall to talk about "an industry where a lot of things, morally, aren't good" and here you're featured in Playboy magazine! That's not IMMORAL??? Why would you support such a wicked and morally reprehensible organization such as Playboy? Hugh Hefner is a sicko pervert, and is probably responsible for destroying more marriages and families worldwide than any one man. Thank God some folks in Indonesia have more sense than Faith Hill. They demolished the Playboy office when those perverts tried to bring that filth to their country. And they're not even Christians--they're Muslims! Faith Hill is a disgrace to the name of Christ. Faith Hill's biography states that she started out in college; but then dropped our a year later. I don't know if it's true; but I've heard it was a Bible College in Indiana.

The Churchy World

I recently heard in the news that Hollywood has an increased interest in Christianity these days. The reason is because apostasy is everywhere, and our churches are filled with "Hollywood Christians!" There's actually professed "Christians" online with pro-homosexual websites! One is gaychristians.com, another is christiangays.com. It's morally reprehensible!!! As professed "Christians" are becoming more and more like the sinful world, the world is accepting them. Jesus stated in John 15:19 that the world loves it's own, "If ye were of the world, the world would love his own..." (John 15:19). A worldly believer will be accepted by the sinful world. Most believers today are worldly; therefore, the world accepts them. This is why there has been so much talk of Christianity in the entertainment industry nowadays. Sadly, there's no longer a dime's difference between professed Christians and the sinful world. The world is becoming "churchy."

Heathen Entertainers Singing About God

When asked by interviewer, Andrew Schwartz, "Are you thinking about God these days?", Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys replied:
"I think about God, yes, and I wonder if there is a God. And if there is a God, will God please help me through my hard trips." -SOURCE, INTERVIEW: Backtalk with Brian Wilson
I find it utterly disturbing that any individual could sing about a God he's not sure exists. To make matters even more freakish, Wilson states...

"...I've gone beyond him (Phil Spector) now. I'm doing the spiritual sound, a white spiritual sound. Religious music ... That's the whole movement. That's where I'm going. It's going to scare a lot of people ... That's where I'm going and it's going to scare a lot of people when I get there."~Brian Wilson quoted in Jules Siegel's article, Goodbye Surfing Hello God!
A perfect example of what I am talking about is world famous entertainer Elton John (an icon in the homosexual community and an open homosexual himself) and his song, Dear God. It is an accurate barometer of America's and Europe's apostate condition. It is an abomination to God almighty for an openly shameless Sodomite to sing a song professing his faith in God and asking God to light his way. The photo to the left shows Elton John with his sodomite lover--they were recently married. Elton John doesn't need any more light, he already has the light (the Word of God) ... he needs to repent of his wickedness and come to Jesus Christ for forgiveness and salvation. Elton John is the enemy of God (James 4:4).

Heathen Politicians Claiming to be Christian

All of Satan's minions--psychics, godless entertainers, and New Agers are talking about "spirituality" these days; but, they are demonic! Some of the most evil and malicious people on earth claim to be "Christian." George W. Bush is a prime example. His administration alone has given $1,500,000,000 to murderous Planned Parenthood. Ronald Reagan was no better. I get so sick when I hear Christians talk about Ronald Reagan like he was some great man. It was Reagan who legalized astrology in California while governor. It was during the Reagan administration that Operation Garden Plot was developed--a system of concentration camps for Americans! Don't tell me he was a great man! How about drug-trafficking hero, Oliver North. He's all over Fox News like some kind of hero; but millions of American children have been killed by the very drugs North helped bring into the country. The Bible tells us that we battle against such wickedness in high places (Ephesians 6:12).

Both Reagan and Bush are members of Bohemian Grove, an occult organization. So why do professed Christians continue to vote for these imposters, wolves in sheep's clothing. Please read, Bush dinner's porn star: "I'm a praying Christian." You know folks, if I were given a choice to vote between Judas or Barabbas, I'd refuse to vote. George W. Bush has publicly stated that Muslims and Christians worship the SAME GOD--that's BLASPHEMY! To recognize Allah as God is a denial of Jesus Christ, because Islam teaches that their god has no son. John 3:16 proclaims Jesus Christ as the Son of God!

Demonic TV Entertainers and Talk Show Hosts who talk about Heaven and Spirituality
Psychic mediums are of the Devil, and so is John Edward. Other demon possessed psychics include Sylvia Browne and Char Margolis. Then there's Dr. Phil, who is controlled by Satan. Oprah Winfrey speaks a lot about spirituality; but she outright DENIES Jesus Christ as the only Savior. The Word of God vehemently condemns such wickedness. Please don't allow the Devil to poison your soul with demonism. A "familiar spirit" is any spirit that is not the Holy Spirit of God. Here is what the Word of God has to say concerning familiar spirits...
"Regard not them that have FAMILIAR SPIRITS, neither seek after wizards, to be defiled by them: I am the LORD your God." -Leviticus 19:31

The people who are making John Edward and Oprah Winfrey rich, are victims of demonism, they are being defiled. Familiar spirits are demons! If a spirit is not of God, then it can only be of the Devil. The penalty for such sin in the Old Testament was death...
"A man also or woman that hath a familiar spirit, or that is a wizard, shall surely be put to death: they shall stone them with stones: their blood shall be upon them." -Leviticus 20:27
The Word of God condemns witchcraft, psychics, fortunetellers, soothsayers, Tarots, astrologers, horoscopes, palm reading, Astral projection, Wicca, magicians, sorcerers, wizards, spiritualists, necromancers, yoga, and every other form of demonism that taps into Satan's power. The only acceptable power is the Holy Spirit of God (Zechariah 4:6), and the Word of God (Hebrews 4:2).

More and more, you can expect to hear the heathen world speaking well of apostate "Christians" who are homosexual, pose in Playboy, drink beer, gamble, live in fornication, wear tattoos, party in Las Vegas, and appear as guests on TV's godless late night shows.

Godless Reprobate Playboy founder, Hugh Hefner, says "I'm a pretty moral guy!

In a 2004 Chicago Sun-Times interview by Cathleen Falsani, Hugh Hefner stated ...
"Sin is a religious term for immoral behavior, but it's a religious term," Hefner says, adding that his definition of sin is "things that are hurtful to people" ... "I believe in the creation, and therefore I believe there has to be a creator of some kind, and that is my God. I do not believe in a biblical God, not in the sense that he doesn't exist, it's just that I know rationally that man created the Bible and that we invented our perception of what we do not know."
This is Modernism! Hugh Hefner is a hardhearted Christ-rejecter who claims to believe in a god, but he rejects the God of the Bible. Hefner's false god makes no demands, has no laws, and approves of all sorts of sexual sins. Hugh Hefner is a whoremonger! Hebrews 13:4 WARNS, "Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge." The Bible describes unbelievers like Hugh Hefner in Philippians 3:18,19 ... "For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things." When asked whether or not he had ever sinned, Hefner replied...

"Oh, sure, but I haven’t pursued very much immoral behavior. I’m a pretty moral guy. Now, it's morality as I perceive it. Morality is what is perceived as good for people"
What! ... Hugh Hefner, "a pretty moral guy"? You've got to be kidding me! How can a man who is credited with mainstreaming pornography into American culture claim to be moral? Hugh Hefner is IMMORAL! Hugh Hefner's life has been spent indulging in sinful sex orgies and fornication; yet, Hugh says, "I haven’t pursued very much immoral behavior." Perhaps it's because of the immoral ministers, and professed Christians like Faith Hill, who support Playboy magazine, that Mr. Hefner doesn't see the wickedness of his morally reprehensible lifestyle.
When he thinks about how he might worship his creator God, the Playboy founder also talks about music -- jazz musician Bix Beiderbecke, the Midwestern cornet player who drank himself to an early grave at age 28.
America is a land infested with sinister ministers...

Back in the 1960s, when Hefner and Playboy Enterprises were involved with the civil rights movement and Playboy was in its heyday, he met an Episcopal priest and author named Malcolm Boyd. The two men have remained close friends for more than 40 years.
At the time, Hefner spent time with various clergymen, including the Rev. Jesse Jackson, with whom he could knock around his ideas about theology and morality. In fact, Hefner says, for a time Playboy magazine offered a special discount subscription rate for ministers.
Can you imagine? ... ministers subscribing to Playboy magazine! Jesse Jackson was featured in Playboy magazine in 1969. Jackson has proven to be a moral disgrace to the name of Christ...
"During the contested election of 2000, Jackson quickly became involved in pro-Democrat demonstrations in the state of Florida. Shortly afterward, it was revealed that Jackson (married since 1962) had an affair with a staffer Karin Stanford that resulted in the birth of his daughter, Ashley. The Rainbow Push Coalition had paid Stanford $40,000 to relocate her to Southern California, in addition to a continuing $3,000 a month in support, and $365,000 in funds from Rainbow Push were also used to purchase Stanford’s house. Many commentators questioned the legality of these payments and charged that Jackson was paying "hush money" to Stanford." -SOURCE

Jesse Jackson is an imposter, just as was Martin Luther King Jr.--a Communist heretic who denied the deity of Jesus Christ.

Ecumenicalism

As the church becomes more worldly, the world will continue to become more churchy (John 15:19). In other words ... as the church sells out to Satan, the Devil's crowd will love the apostate church (which is no church at all). Most professed "Christians" today are as lost as can be, still in their sins without Christ, hellbound. Every hellbound Catholic claims to be a "Christian"; but they aren't. Every hellbound Lutheran claims to be a Christian; but they aren't. Seventeen percent of the congregation of the Unitarian Universalist Church are atheists! So much for the term "church."

Satan's goal is to deceive the masses, by bringing the world and organized religion together. The genuine Christian today discerns the vast difference between organized religion (which has gone apostate) and the local New Testament Church (which is composed of individual born again believers who obey the Word of God). In preparation of the New World Order (the Beast System of the coming Antichrist)--it is necessary for Satan to condition the world's masses to receive him. Ecumenism is the apostate vehicle by which Satan is corrupting organized religion.
Modernism

Modernists are False Prophets! Modernism is religious liberalism! These are the people who claim to know God, or to be spiritual; but, they deny one or more of the fundamental doctrines of the Christian faith. Others aren't sure if there is a God, but they claim to be spiritual. A perfect example is the Unitarian Universalism Church, whose members are 18% Atheist. The organization boasts of having no doctrinal statement whatsoever. They fully deny the Word of God; yet, claim to worship God. Another Modernist was Martin Luther King Jr. who denied the deity of Christ; yet, falsely claimed to be a Christian. Another modernist was C.S. Lewis who believed the Bible contains myths, believed in purgatory, believed being born again was a lifelong process, taught works salvation, denied the penalty of Hell, etc. C.S. Lewis was an unsaved heretic who fooled many people into thinking he was a Christian. Beware of Modernism!
In these perilous times of apostasy, let us diligently contend for the faith as believers. Let's be aggressive soulwinners, because we won't have a chance to witness to lost sinners anymore once we get to Heaven. Let's stay on our knees in prayer, and live in the Word of God daily. "I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing ... Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples" -John 15:5,8.

"And I will punish the world for their evil, and the wicked for their iniquity; and I will cause the arrogancy of the proud to cease, and will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible." -Isaiah 13:11

"Ye that love the LORD, hate evil..." -Psalm 97:10