Month: June 2013

For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. (Matthew 24:24)

In the sixth chapter of Ephesians, the apostle Paul warned Christians to beware of the wiles of the devil. This advice is given because Satan is a counterfeiter and a master of deceit that has myriads of devices to trick believers. When you become a Christian, you are not immune to the devil’s schemes and you must be vigilant to check everything you hear no matter how much you may trust those who would teach you the word of God. Even though Satan is adept at planting false doctrines in our minds, there is really nothing he can do to take away the salvation we have in Christ. It is a better tactic for him to snatch the seed of the word of God away before it ever takes root in our heart.

We would think the best tactic Satan could use to keep people away from God and salvation is to convince them God does not really exist; therefore, he would spend most of his time trying to make atheists of people. Actually, Satan doesn’t really concentrate a lot of his efforts in making atheists because atheism is educated ignorance. Satan is far too smart to make pure ignorance his best friends (sorry atheists, but even Satan doesn’t like you!). Since God has put it into the heart of man to know He exists, and since our hearts are naturally religious, Satan knows he must concentrate his efforts in perverting knowledge of the true God. He seeks to make a substitute for God, a counterfeit god that people will believe and be none the wiser.

In Matthew chapter 24, Jesus describes the activity of Satan in trying to counterfeit God when he says, “there shall arise false Christs.” A false Christ is a good imitation but is not the real thing. A false Christ can make you satisfied you have found truth when in reality you are more blinded to truth than ever before. A parallel passage to Matthew 24:24 is found in the book of Revelation (Rev. 13:13-15) where a false prophet arises during the Tribulation that is able to perform many miracles that mimic the power of God. We can see by this that when Satan empowers the nations of the world to rise up against the one true God, they do not do so because of atheism. They fight against God because they believe they have the real god on their side. They do not know their god is the counterfeit and is leading them to their ultimate destruction.

There is a very important point we must remember about Satan’s activity. He is not waiting for the Tribulation to come before he begins his great deception. He is busy right now in 2012 counterfeiting the work of God. The apostle John wrote “even now there are many antichrists” (1 John 2:18c). Atheism is not our greatest concern. We are far more concerned with preachers in pulpits proclaiming their false Christs. We are more concerned with those that claim signs and wonders in the name of Christ when they have nothing to do with Him. Jesus said, “Not everyone that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter the kingdom of heaven” (Mat. 7:21).

Religious chicanery is the devil’s method and it comes in a variety of forms. One of the fastest growing of these is the charismatic movement. Whenever I read Matthew 7, Matthew 24, and Revelation 13, my mind is always immediately drawn towards the charlatans of this movement. They have also spawned the equally perverted doctrines of the Word of Faith teachers. Huge auditoriums across this country like the former Compaq Center in Houston are not filled with atheists; they are filled with gullible “seekers” that have been sucked in with Satan’s religion.

Yes, Satan is alive and well in 2012. He is not waiting for anything to happen before he takes his best shot at God and His people. Atheists are the tag-alongs; they are the devil’s step children. The real danger is in the pulpit; the real danger will smile at you while he pushes you into the abyss. Beware of the devil’s counterfeits; there is one in a church near you.

Pastor V. Mark Smith

And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy. (Revelation 13:1)

As we continue our congregational reading today in the book of Revelation, we have reached the thirteenth chapter which gives the reader an introduction to one of the most intriguing characters in the Bible. Unfortunately for many, there seems to be more interest in this person than in the one the Revelation is truly about. The book is the Revelation of Jesus Christ, but for all of the interest that is stirred over the thirteenth chapter we would think it is the Revelation of the Antichrist. Would to God there was as much in-depth study of the person, character, and nature of Christ as there is devoted to the speculation of the identity of the Antichrist!

Even though the term “antichrist” is never used in Revelation, there is no doubt this is the person described in the thirteenth chapter. The apostle John is the only writer of scripture that uses the term but he does not use it here. We find it five times in 1 John (including “antichrists”) in which he refers not only to this person named in Revelation, but to any person that denies the essential equality of the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ (1 John 2:22). The term simply means “against Christ” therefore anyone that stands against the doctrines of Christ is identified by the term.

During the last half of the Tribulation, a new world leader will emerge that embodies the worst forces of evil. He will be a charismatic, mesmerizing man empowered by Satan. With the deceitful skills and craftiness of the old serpent, he will deceive the world into thinking he is actually God. It is most interesting to me that he gains notoriety and his position through his first deception which is the ability to handle the world’s economy. Prosperity is his mantra and when he is able to give people “hope” in the calamitous times of tribulation, he quickly rises to the top as the world’s economic savior. I find this very curious in light of the current economic climate. Even Christians have abandoned God’s demands of morality and decency to pursue their political candidates (and preachers) that promise prosperity.

Although the Antichrist will be wildly popular, he cannot produce what every person most desperately needs. Lest we forget, this world was not created for us. As the song says, “This is my Father’s world” and He will receive all glory from His creation. The world needs “THE CHRIST” not the Antichrist because God intends to receive glory. Scripture declares “To God only wise, be glory through Jesus Christ forever.” If you do not have Christ living in your heart, you cannot glorify God. Whatever and whomever does not conform to God’s glorious purpose will be destroyed.

We should not forget the reason Christ came into the world. The apostle John wrote: “He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil” (1 John 3:8). Our leaders may claim to be political and economic saviors, but that kind of salvation has no value for your soul. Look to Christ and keep your eyes on Him! He is the only one that can give you soul salvation. It will not profit to gain the whole world and lose your own soul (Matthew 16:26). The world and its system will pass away. Your soul will last for eternity. Do you know where it will be? Heaven or Hell are the only options, so be careful which “christ” you choose to follow.

Pastor V. Mark Smith