An Ode To Subterfuge
At the end of January, we began a series of sermons from Mark 13 about Jesus’ conversation with His disciples concerning eschatology. The etymological basis for this word is the Greek eschatos with the simple meaning of “last.” Jesus spoke with them about the last times or commonly called the end times. Since this conversation two thousand years ago, the meaning of Mark 13 and its parallels of Matthew 24 and Luke 21 have sparked debate, more I suppose in our time than in centuries before. In church history, the doctrines of theology proper (essentia Dei), anthropology, Christology, soteriology, and ecclesiology were more the topics of debate than eschatology. And yet, the end times did have its advocates even leading to the establishment of new religious movements that made it their primary reason for existence. Without exception, each of these movements resulted in new heresies, in dangerous cults, and deceitful false prophets.
This week in our study, a major part of the sermon is Jesus’ claim that many will come in His name with their plans to help people through the calamities of the tribulation. Satan knows the wickedness of the human heart and knows we are all naturally religious. This statement is not difficult to defend since we are dichotomous beings consisting of both physical and spiritual life. There is pretend political salvation in the tribulation coupled with false spiritual hope which satisfies this dichotomy. These are willing bedfellows until the religious aspect is no longer useful.
This description now leads me away from future events to contemplate the insidious use of religion and God’s name to deceive and entrap the confused—those whom true believers could help with truth to leave their sinful lifestyles. Instead, false prophets lead them to believe that God is the instigator and supporter of their lifestyles. Though what they do receives plain and stern rebuke throughout God’s word, these false prophets twist and make excuses and promise they are faithful to God when they choose a life that is against His created order. As I call these deceitful purveyors of wickedness false prophets, they are in churches provoking the helpless, contented with leaving them without truth to the condemnation of following a lie from which God says they will never receive deliverance. Why? Because also provoking God’s penetrating eyes, they ate of the tree that promised to give them satisfaction in their sinful desires. What is better than living in their sins while at the same time claiming God gives them an approving gaze as they claim affinity with His sinless Son? This is the ultimate deception. They will not recover if they convince themselves they are worthy of sympathy for mistreatment from those they falsely claim want to hurt them. Thus, Satan blocks the possibility of recovery because their minds are reprobate with no ability to seek or desire forgiveness of their sins. When Satan convinces that sin is just harmless natural propensity and therefore inoffensive to God, what is their motive to ask forgiveness?
This is the worst false prophet. Not content to suffer the consequences of sin alone, they forge alliances with others dying with the same false hopes. Meanwhile, false Christianity and a relentless devil cheer them on. They have worked through a strategy that says, “give this part up and God will let you have this other part that feeds your desires.” They think they have their bargain with God and have reached settlement. All along it was nothing more than a pact with Satan. A false prophet is a false prophet even though the packaging may differ.
Pastor V. Mark Smith