Introductory post

The corrupt spiritual state of today's churches

My “born-again” experience

When searching for “God” some 30-years ago (which followed 3-years of seeking Him in the New Age Movement and a year of reading the Bible through completely), He gave me a “born-again” experience:

Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Marvel not [or don’t be astonished] that I said unto thee, YE MUST BE BORN AGAIN. (John 3:4-6)

After the ‘experience’ had finished, I knew God has placed a “new heart” in me, and that I was a totally different person to that which I previously was — I was now a Child of God — spiritually speaking!

A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you… (Ezekiel 36:26)

As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word [or the many truths in God’s word], that ye may grow [spiritually] thereby (1 Peter 2:2)

The many churches I visited

After attending various churches, I found they had little or no ‘truth’ or Biblical spirituality in what they were offering — so I kept on looking by changing churches.

In some, I found occult symbolism in the church’s statues and stained-glass windows. Although the church below is a Catholic Church, similar symbolism was observed in (so-called) ‘Protestant’ church buildings.

Notice the eight-spoke ‘Wheel of Knowledge’ above the main door. Also, the six-leaved ornaments above three entrance doors that form the number of the beast: 6-6-6 together with the Triquetra symbol found on the New King James Bible.

Some churches had embraced New Age philosophies that I had discarded at my New Birth experience.

Others had embraced populist beliefs such as Once Saved, Always Saved (or OSAS) that aimed to assure God’s people of eternal life while ignoring the many requirements God has stated in scripture that His children MUST achieve if they are to really become “sons of God”:

Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world [and non-born-again Christians in the churches] knoweth us not, because it knew him [God and Christ] not. (1 John 3:1)

There were other churches (i.e. Pentecostal and Charismatic) that I found to be highly spiritual, however I often found the Spirit of Truth was not present. Instead, it was the Spirit of Error:

Howbeit when he, the [Holy] Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth… (John 16:13)

We are of God [because of the New Birth]: he [in the churches] that knoweth God heareth us [when we reveal error]; he [in the churches] that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH, and the SPIRIT OF ERROR. (1 John 4:6)

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All Christians are not necessarily “sons of God”

The Lord says that He allows “heresies” (or false beliefs) to enter into the churches so that He can determine from discussions among Christians that follow, who loves ‘TRUTH’ found in His words and who prefers to believe and defend the “LIE” that deny God’s words:

For there must be also HERESIES among you [in the churches], that they [the truly born-again Christians] which are approved [by God - 2 Tim 2:15] may be made manifest among you [in the churches]. (1 Corinthians 11:19)

God requires His “sons” (and His daughters — 2 Corinthians 6:18) to raise questions when non-Biblical beliefs or practices are discovered. When questions are asked, God “…tries the hearts” of everyone present to determine whether they:

• Have a “love of the truth” that they MIGHT be saved (2 Thessalonians 2:10)

• Are hardening their heart to “Biblical truth” or not (Hebrews 4:6-7)

• If Christians continue to “harden their hearts” to the truths contained in God’s word by preferring to defend the lies associated with heresies, then God at some point hardens those people’s hearts for them (Romans 9:18).

• Any Christian who demonstrates a “hardened heart” by them using a dogmatic defence of church beliefs (i.e. the doctrines and traditions of men — Colossians 2:22); this means that he or she has NO Salvation.

• Similarly Christians who refuse to express an opinion on controversial issues being raised — Christ says that He will “spew them (or their names) out of His mouth” (Revelation 3:16).

• Such Christians God rejects and will NOT allow them entry into Heaven. If He were to do that, these same people would ultimately attempt to corrupt others in Heaven and thereby undermine God’s authority. God will never permit that to happen. Only those who have suffered persecution for their faith in God by defending His word will be allowed into Heaven.

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The lessons I have learned

When one (like me):

• Takes up their personal cross (ministry) that Jesus has waiting for them at their ‘New Birth’ (Matthew 16:24) and then:

• Follows Jesus wherever He leads them (John 10:27)

• Grows (or matures) spiritually from being a:

  • “babe in Christ” (1 Peter 2:2)

  • “child of God” (1 John 3:18)

  • “strong young man” of God (1 John 2:14)

  • “father” of God’s children (1 John 2:14; Philemon 1:10; 2 Timothy 1:2)

  • “Good soldier of Jesus Christ” (2 Timothy 2:3)
    this indicates that having attained such levels of maturity that God can then EMPOWER His child to do the “works” that Christ did when He was on the Earth — and GREATER WORKS TOO!

Verily, verily, I [Jesus] say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and GREATER WORKS THAN THESE SHALL HE DO; because I go unto my Father. (John 14:12)

ALL Christians are required to progress through each of the above spiritual growth stages to prove to both God and to Christ that they are indeed “sons and daughters of the Living God” — and not just club members meeting every week to accommodate the Devil and his agents in the churches with their pacifist behaviour:

For such [preachers who preach lies] are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. 14 And no marvel [meaning, don’t be astonished]; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light [or an angel of God that even the holy angels cannot detect]. 15 Therefore it is no great thing if his [Satan’s] ministers [in today’s pulpits who compromise the ‘truth’ for lies] also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end [in Hell] shall be according to their works. (2 Corinthians 11:13-15)

Conclusion

This article aims to provide Christians who are sincerely searching for ‘The Truth’ to obtain some Bible-based answers as to why the churches today have become so:

• Compromised, powerless and meaningless (1 Corinthians 5:6);

• Compliant to government (‘man’) rather than to serving God and Christ (Acts 5:29)

• Willing to believe a lie rather than the many truths God demands Christians should know and defend (Jude 1:3)

Therefore, it is my aim to post at least one new article on this platform each week. The topics in these articles will aim to provide readers with a Biblical basis for them to determine if what they believe is either ‘truth’ or a ‘lie’.

I also encourage readers to look up the scripture references provided in a King James Bible.

Please leave a comment below.

God bless you.