The Daily Word of Righteousness

What We Need To Look Out For

Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; (II Thessalonians 2:3)

Antichrist, we believe, will begin his (or her) career as a Christian disciple (just as Judas did). He will arise at the time that most of the earth has been converted in the latter-rain revival, the unprecedented manifestation of the Glory of God portrayed in the Book of Revelation by the two witnesses.

Antichrist will perceive the possibility of uniting all the religious people of the earth in a miracle-working Christianity, and of the suitability of libertarian democracy, and perhaps capitalism, as a form of one-world government and economics seemingly compatible with Christianity.

The truth is, there are elements in libertarian democracy and capitalism that could not be more violently opposed to the Kingdom of God.

Antichrist will involve the churches in the government and the government in the churches.

He may present "Christian" supernatural power as a means of relieving the problems of the world: hunger, disease, crime, poverty, violence, addiction. He may support the notion that all of mankind's ills can be healed by a positive-thinking, miracle-working Christianity."

Antichrist will not fight the churches, he will support them.

Antichrist will not seek to change fundamental doctrines or the traditional hymns. He will impress on the Christians those parts of the Scriptures that emphasize doing good to the peoples of the earth.

His message will be one of hope, of compassion, of attempting to bring the blessing of God on mankind.

He will invite prominent "Christian" ministers to fill posts of importance in his government.

The fundamental Christians will do just as they have done with the contemporary errors in Christian thinking, particularly the notion that we can have faith in Jesus Christ without living a righteous, holy life. They will embrace Antichrist because they have neglected prayer; because they have not guarded the word of Christ's patience; because they have not taken up the cross of death to self and followed the Master into crucifixion.

They have found a better way—the way of positive thinking, of using self- centered faith to better their condition on earth, of getting what they want now.

But there will be a few, a handful of saints whom God will warn. God will come to them in judgment, testing every aspect of their personality. They will become accustomed to the suffering and patience of the Kingdom of God.

They will seek to warn the remainder of the believers that God is not accepting the marriage of the church to the world.

Antichrist and the leaders of the church will scorn the saints as being gloomy heralds of doom and gloom—a deviation from what is normal, wholesome, healthy.

At first, the saints merely will be snubbed by the government and the main body of believers. As Antichrist gains power he will bring economic pressure, and physical terror in some instances, on the Lord's little flock. The babylonish (man-directed) church at first may object to the persecution of the fervent believers; but the government soon will cause the religious leaders to understand that the remnant of saints are a threat and are not to be tolerated.

The organized Christians will not have the moral strength to stand in the way of the government as it attempts to destroy the remnant. Some of the members of Babylon will repent and run to the true saints for spiritual deliverance. Others will join themselves to the remnant but with flattery, having hypocrisy in their hearts.

The love of the majority will grow cold as every form of sin becomes commonplace and readily available.

You can be a part of the godly remnant of saints that is being drawn to the Lord. But you will have to quit fooling around and begin to get serious with God! (from Dying in the Lord)