Grace Through Faith – by Jack Kelley
For the secret power of lawlessness is already at work; but the one who now holds it back will continue to do so till he is taken out of the way (2 Thes 2:7).
The number of emails I receive from people who are discouraged, frustrated, even despondent, is steadily increasing. They point to current conditions in the world and wonder how much worse things can get.
You no longer have to be an astute observer to notice how rapidly our world is changing. It wasn’t that long ago when the standard measure was a comparison between what was acceptable to people in their time with what was acceptable in their grandparents’ time. Now we only have to compare what’s currently acceptable with what was acceptable just a few years ago to see measurable change. Not only are things changing, but the rate of change is accelerating.
A person with discernment can’t help but see a supernatural component in all this. It’s true that the heart of man is incurably wicked (Jeremiah 17:9) but these days society seems to be under a compulsion to see just how wicked they can become. All around us we see God’s Laws being conspicuously broken, His word being stifled, and His people, both Jewish and Christian, being persecuted. It’s like it doesn’t matter how twisted something is, as long as it’s a slap in God’s face, it’s bound to catch on.
This obviously couldn’t be happening without man’s active participation, but I’m becoming convinced there’s more to it than a natural progression of things. I think there’s growing evidence of a malevolent power accelerating this and to me that means the time during which the restrainer holds back the secret power of lawlessness (2 Thes. 2:7) is rapidly drawing to a close.
That Day Should Not Surprise You
If you keep up with Christian or even conservative news instead of just relying on the main stream media, none of what I’m describing is new to you. You’ve already seen the increase in frequency and intensity of the the things Jesus called “birth pangs” in Matt. 24:4-8. And you’re aware of the same kind of destructive changes taking place in society.
As one example among many, our country was founded primarily on principles of religious freedom, but today, of all the religions practiced in America, only Christians are seeing their freedom of expression restricted. Laws have already been passed that limit our right to adhere to Biblical principles and more are coming. These laws began with prohibiting school prayer, then municipalities were made to stop erecting Christmas displays. These laws have have gotten progressively more restrictive until now individual Christians risk being prosecuted simply for living according to their beliefs.
The Bible tells us we can expect these trends to continue. Speaking of the time before the rapture, Jesus had this to say to the Church,
“I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut. I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name”(Rev. 3:8).
At the end of the Age the commendation Jesus will have for the Church is even though we have little strength, we have kept His word and have not denied His name. The Greek word translated “strength” also means “power, or ability.” As the end of our time here approaches we will no longer have much influence in the world, but we will have kept His word and not denied His name. For that He promised two blessings for us.
I will make those who are of the synagogue of Satan, who claim to be Jews though they are not, but are liars—I will make them come and fall down at your feet and acknowledge that I have loved you (Rev. 3:9).
A large component of Christianity believes that when Israel rejected the Messiah they gave up any right to the future promises God had made to them, and those promises were transferred to the Church. This belief is called supersessionism or replacement theology, and is the reason why many Christians believe the Church is now spiritual Israel, heirs to Israel’s destiny. Supersessionists believe the very existence of Israel in our time is in defiance of God’s word.
But Jesus said these people are liars and He would make them bow down at our feet and admit that He loves us.
Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come on the whole world to test the inhabitants of the earth (Rev. 3:10).
The Lord also promised that because we’ve kept His command to endure patiently, He will keep us from the hour of trial that’s coming upon the whole world to test the inhabitants of the earth.
The hour of trial refers to the end times judgments of Daniel’s 70th Week, the only time since the Great Flood when the Lord will subject the whole world to a judgment. And right now is the only time since He said that when all the signs we’ve been given to alert us to this coming judgment are in some stage of fulfillment. The Greek word translated “from” in Rev. 3:10 means “out of the time, place, or cause” of the end times judgments. We won’t be here when they happen and we won’t be here where they happen, because we’re not the reason they’ll be happening.
This Too Shall Pass?
Many people see the times in which we live as a temporary situation. They think if we just humble ourselves and pray, the Lord will preserve us through them and then everything will go back to being OK again.
But the Bible speaks of a time when that won’t be the case. At the end of the age the world will be subject to a series of judgments unlike any other and if the Lord didn’t return at the appointed time not a single human would survive them (Matt. 24:22). All indications are that we aren’t approaching one of the temporary periods of hard times we’re used to, but literally the end of the world as we know it.
One of the signs that this is true is that the world will suddenly become more rebellious toward God and the love of people toward one another will turn cold. Paul said, “There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God—having a form of godliness but denying its power” (2 Tim. 3:1-5)
This alone tells us that evil is on the ascendancy and we’re not just going through a temporary rough patch but are headed straight for the time of judgment.
And that means two things; 1) Born again Christians are going to become less and less comfortable here, and 2) the time of our departure is drawing near.
Jesus said His Kingdom is not of this world (John 18:36) and that means we who are part of His kingdom are not of this world either. Paul said our citizenship is in heaven and we eagerly await a savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ (Phil. 3:20). When Jesus comes for us, He won’t be coming to be with us here where we are, He will be coming to take us to be with him in His Father’s house where He is (John 14:2-3).
I believe one purpose of this ascendancy of evil is to divest us of all our misguided notions that this world is our home. It never has been our home, and it never will be. If it has been a pleasant place for us, that’s just a measure of God’s Grace. And if it’s steadily becoming less so, that’s an indication that our stay here is just about over. In the meantime our prayer should not be that God will make this world more comfortable for us, but that He would hasten to take us to our real home, where we will enjoy every conceivable comfort forever.
One of the Lord’s great promises to us is that when we see all these signs of the end times judgments begin to happen we should stand up and lift up our heads because our redemption is drawing near (Luke 21:28). That means every advance of evil in the world brings the day of our departure that much closer.
I’m not saying that we should celebrate the ascendancy of evil in the world. But I am saying that it shouldn’t come as a surprise to us that all this is happening (1 Thes. 5:4). It’s something the Bible has warned us about and its arrival is one more sign that our time here is drawing to a close, and we’ll be going home soon. Therefore encourage one another with these words (1 Thes. 4:18). You can almost hear the footsteps of the Messiah 05-09-15.
http://gracethrufaith.com/end-times-prophecy/ascendancy-evil/
Please don’t tell me that you are following that old Jesuit lie about a Pre-tribulation Rapture. Much of what you say otherwise has merit though. However, concerning this.
A large component of Christianity believes that when Israel rejected the Messiah they gave up any right to the future promises God had made to them, and those promises were transferred to the Church. This belief is called supersessionism or replacement theology, and is the reason why many Christians believe the Church is now spiritual Israel, heirs to Israel’s destiny. Supersessionists believe the very existence of Israel in our time is in defiance of God’s word. This is a link to a video of Orthodox Jews protesting against Zionism. Go figure. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nMQ9C6vni0w Don’t ever believe something just because someone else believes it.
“A large component of Christianity believes that when Israel rejected the Messiah they gave up any right to the future promises God had made to them, and those promises were transferred to the Church. This belief is called supersessionism or replacement theology, and is the reason why many Christians believe the Church is now spiritual Israel, heirs to Israel’s destiny. Supersessionists believe the very existence of Israel in our time is in defiance of God’s word.
But Jesus said these people are liars and He would make them bow down at our feet and admit that He loves us.”
THIS MAN IS A LIAR—
THE DAYS OF THE OLD COVENANT HAVE ENDED.THE JEWS ARE NOT “JEWISH” BUT KHAZARS…. THEY USE THE OLD COVENANT TO PUSH AN AGENDA. A NEW COVENANT NOW REIGNS.
Heb 8:7 For if that first covenant had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the second.
Heb 8:8 For finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah:
Heb 8:9 Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they continued not in my covenant, and I REGARGED THEM NOT, saith the Lord.
Heb 8:10 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people:
Heb 8:11 And they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest.
Col 3:10 And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:
Col 3:11 Where there is NEITHER GREEK nor JEW, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all.
CAPS MINE….
Amen to this!
Col 3:11 Where there is NEITHER GREEK nor JEW, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all.
The next administration will hi light the 144,000, the blood line of the 12 tribes of Judah, formerly named Jacob.
The so called Jews are no greater than a gentile, as there is neither Jew nor gentile, but Christ is all and in all in this administration.
Thank you Paraclete for this post.
The Bible tells us we can expect these trends to continue. Speaking of the time before the rapture, Jesus had this to say to the Church, “I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut. I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name”(Rev. 3:8).
Rev. 3:8 is addressed to the seven churches as noted in Rev. 1:4. Churches is the greek work ekklesia which is a group of people called out or invited from others to be a part of a group, assembly, congregation, or gathering together that would unite them in some fashion. The seven assemblies or group of people called out on the occasion spoken of here are people in the future administration referred to in verse 10 as the Lord’s Day.
If we take into consideration who Rev.3:8 is addressed to it becomes clear the church or assemblies refered to is during the time of the Lord’s Day, not the Church in this administration(present time). Rev. 3:8 does not concern us, although we can learn from it.
Again, the following statement cannot be accurate because the Church referenced is during the administration of the Lord’s Day.
At the end of the Age the commendation Jesus will have for the Church is even though we have little strength ,(Paul prays in Ephesians 3:16 for the believers in Ephesus and the faithful in Christ Jesus as noted in Eph. 1:1 to be strengthened with might,(power) by His spirit in the inner man.)(Eph.1:19 and what is the exceeding greatness of His (God’s) power to us who believe. That power is according to the working of His mighty power(the strength of God’s ability to prevail) we have kept His word and have not denied His name. The Greek word translated “strength” also means “power, or ability.” As the end of our time here approaches we will no longer have much influence in the world, but we will have kept His word and not denied His name.
Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come on the whole world to test the inhabitants of the earth (Rev. 3:10).
Again, we must ask who this is concerning. Just as Rev.3:8 is addressed to the seven churches or assemblies, Rev.3:10 is also addressed to them as well.
Mark 24:22 is described in Daniel 12:1 as a time of affliction like no other time. This in not in reference to the end of the world as we know it.
We must rightly divide the word of truth so as to stand approved before God.
Also, Matthew 24:22 does not concern this administration.
“the heart of man is incurably wicked” (Jeremiah 17:9) I agree with author when observing evil in this world becoming darker to the point that it looks like a competition to see who can do the most dastardly evil. The normal mores have been watered down with video games like “Call of Duty”. You soon become completely emotionally detached where the act of killing someone requires as much thought as grabbing the next chip out of your snack bag. Sex and violence is the norm in “blockbuster” movies and they must keep stooping to new lows for high ticket sales. It’s a race to the bottom of that black heart, the heart of darkness, where “unthinkable” evil awaits discovery.
“All around us we see God’s Laws being conspicuously broken, His word being stifled, and His people, both Jewish and Christian, being persecuted.”
Hold it right there!
Christians, who actually ARE God’s people, are being persecuted by the JEWS, who are NOT God’s people.
“Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.” Jn. 8:44 KJ.
“Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell?” Matt. 23:33 KJ.
What part of “the jews are EVIL” do you NOT GET???