The Great Apostasy

The lust of the eye, the lust of the flesh and the pride of life. Eve was not only deceived and seduced by that old serpent, the devil but she was also enticed and drawn away by her own lust that was operating through her carnal senses. Yes, the devil introduced the temptation of the fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil to Eve but it was her own lust that caused her to disobey GOD's command.

The scripture describes where Eve saw the fruit to be desirable and it appealed to her fleshly taste and her latent appetite for power even over GOD. No, Eve was not merely just seduced, she was propositioned with a lie by the father of lies but it was a lie that she desired to have manifested and this where she was deceived. Eve could never have any lasting gratification from the results of her lust for the things of this world and her disobedience to GOD. This is why the scripture commands CHRISTians to: "love not the world, neither the things that are in the world, if any man love the world the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world is the lust of the eye, the lust of the flesh and the pride of life." Eve, through her carnal senses had come to love this world and the things in this world. She had become enticed and drawn away of her own lust for the desires of this world under the leading of satan and thus she abandoned the leading and direction of GOD by blatantly disobeying his word. Eve's enticement was clearly as a result of the lust of her eye, the lust of her flesh and the pride of life, which are the product of her walking after her flesh and not after the Spirit of GOD, for which she was condemned. This overview of the process from temptation, to enticement, to deception, to disobedience, to sin and then finally to condemnation is not an anomaly, nor is it unique only to Eve but this same slippery slope to condemnation has been repeated in the lives of multitudes of men throughout time.

Looking back at Eve's example, it is easy for CHRISTians to recognize such a blatantly willful delineation from GOD's word that caused both Adam and Eve to suffer immediate and eternal sep-ara-tion from daily fellowship with the presence of GOD. Today, there are many who profess to be CHRISTians who have committed the same type of abandonment of their loyalty to GOD (apostasy) in lieu of experiencing the pleasures of this world through the lust of the eye, the lust of the flesh and the pride of life. Even though this act of the highest treason can apply to many areas of a professing CHRISTian's life, I can see this clandestine defection operating in great force within the area of secular entertainment. It is evident that many who profess to be CHRITians vigorously purchase, patronize, and participate in secular forms of profane and blasphemous entertainment.

Don't believe me?

Simply conduct your own investigation. Go down to your local flesh driven, sin dominant, dog kennel or what some may refer to as "church" and ask some of the most devoted regular attendees what is currently playing in their CD player, what are the radio stations that they listen to or list some of their most recent DVD movie rentals or the most recent movie they went to see at the movie theater. To go a step further, I personally saw recently a display at a national chain bookstore which promotes itself as a CHRISTian bookstore, where several professing CHRISTian music artists, such as KJ52, listed what music they were currently playing in their ipod or CD player.

To my dismay, the majority of those so called CHRISTian artists listed secular CDs as the music they were being entertained by. I have personally had encounters with well known purportedly "gospel" artists, such as Kirk Franklin who openly and brazenly declared to me that he used secular music and producers on his CDs and Fred Hammond, even boasted to me that he attends secular concerts without any shame. If these so called "gospel" artists are entertained by and use secular (without GOD) music, it is impossible for them to lead anyone into the presence of a holy GOD. By their own confessions they are enticed and drawn to music that is not only without GOD but that additionally promotes unholy and blasphemous activities.

Therefore these so called "gospel" artists are not being lead by the Holy Spirit but rather a defiled and wicked spirit. Further, these false "gospel" artists not only market their CDs under the category of "gospel" music but they actually expect CHRISTians to purchase their asinine laced mixture of the holy with the profane.

Recently, all three of my children were enrolled in a supposedly "Christian" dance school. My wife had spoken with the director (Amy) over the phone about the beliefs of the dance school prior to enrolling my children, even though with a name like "In His Steps" you would think there should not be any thing questionable as far as it being a CHRISTian dance school. The Director, Amy explained to my wife how her school was all about GOD. Never-the-less, not long after the sudden death and subsequent casting into eternal hell fire of Michael Jackson, the "Christian" dance school began to “do a tribute” to Michael Jackson by playing his songs and actually teaching the choreography for the "Thriller" video.

Yes, this took place at the "Christian" dance school.

So, you might say, what is the big deal? This is the big deal. Not only was Michael Jackson an ungodly, wicked person among a list of other perversions but the whole "Thriller" video is about the practice of necromancy for which GOD calls an abomination/hated (Deuteronomy 18:10-12) and GOD further hated Michael Jackson. I've even been present when another "Christian" dance company (Dance Revolution) while in Orlando, Florida played a myriad of secular music from such artist as Alicia Keyes, Alana Morisson, Sting and even the song "Another One Bites the Dust". According to these professing "Christians" they were being "evangelistic" by performing dance choreography to these secular songs. Never-the-less, they are not only deceived but further, GOD has sent them strong delusion that they should believe a lie, "That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness." (II Thessalonians 2:11-12).

You might ask, so what is so unrighteous about trying to win people to the Lord by using "Chirstian" dance to secular songs? The answer is simple, maybe even too simple for some. GOD, in his holy word, that CHRISTians call the holy Bible, said "And that ye may put difference between holy and unholy, and between unclean and clean" (Leviticus 10:10). If you think that this is just some obsolete Old Testament passage, you really need to read II Corinthians 6:14-18; which is about not being unequally yoked together with unbelievers and I John 2:15-17, which is about not loving this world. Oh, so you say that you don't love the things of this world? But, if you do not hate the things of this world, you really do love them. How so? JESUS said: No man can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other. Also, JESUS said: "for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh" (Matthew 12:34-35). As a matter of fact, depending on who is reading this, you may only need to mentally review your own personal collection of your favorite CD's and DVD's to see if you too are one of the defectors.

Not you? because you really, really love God.

Well, let's see just how devoted you are to GOD and his kingdom compared to this world and the lust thereof. What entertains you? Most professing CHRISTians attempting to be "relevant" to their culture have become so deeply immersed into the prevailing culture of this world that they have lost all the vital elements of their once practiced CHRISTian identity. These pseudo-CHRISTians, for the sake of entertainment, have abandoned their loyalty to GOD and their belief in the infallible and incontrovertible CHRISTian doctrines that give Christianity its very identity.

If you find secular (without GOD) music enjoyable and the singers, producers and promoters of it entertaining, you are not devoted to GOD. If you are drawn to be entertained by movies that promote sinful life styles and that glorifies ungodly characters you clearly do not have any allegiance to the kingdom of GOD. Jesus said that if the world hates you, know that it hated him first. Additionally, from the teaching of Jesus Christ, you can not serve two masters, you will either love one and hate the other or you will draw close to one and despise the other. These scriptures are proof positive that you can not serve this world along with the sensual, fleshly, carnal things of this world and serve the Lord Jesus Christ.

If you are drawn and enticed to the secular entertainment of this world it is axiomatic by your mere predisposition to secular, sinful entertainment that you must by nature and action despise the Lord Jesus Christ. You are then by nature an enemy of Christ by the mere fact that you are entertained by and participate in sensual, fleshly and carnal activities... no matter how much you say that you love GOD.

The 21st Century apostle,
Orlando Bethel
Acts 3:26

Excuse Me! Are You Judging Me?

Many professing CHRISTians and SINners alike, have the false impression that CHRISTians are not supposed to judge others (rebuke and correct) who are committing SIN. Many of the "ain'ts" when caught in the act of some baser proclivity, will blurt out the all famous partially quoted line "judge not". So, exactly what did JESUS say about judging, rebuking and correcting others who are committing sin?

In Matthew chapter 7, verse 1 through 5, JESUS begins by saying "Judge not that ye be not judged." Now, if you stop reading at verse one and simply close your Bible here, it would seem apparent that JESUS clearly commanded his followers (CHRISTians) not to judge others. But and if, you continue reading this whole passage it may reveal more to you about what JESUS said about judging others. In verse 2, JESUS is saying: with the same standard of judgment that you use to judge others, this same standard will be used to judge you. Verse 2, stated differently, says that with the same system of measurement that you use to measure others by, you will also be measured by as well. Now, answer this question. What standard of judgment do you want to be judged by? Your answer may still be that you only want to be judged by GOD (JESUS). Excuse me! Are You Judging Me?

In verse 3, JESUS said why would you examine the small wooden object that is in your brothers eye, but you are not considering the larger wooden object that is in your own eye. In essence, JESUS is saying: why would a person be concerned with others sin, when that same person is not concerned with their own greater issue of sin. JESUS continues in verse 4, by saying how could you say to your brother, let me pull the small wooden object out of your eye and at the same time you still have a larger wooden object in your own eye. This again is a very clear illustration. JESUS is teaching his disciples how difficult it is for you to correct someone else who is in SIN, when you haven't corrected your own SIN. Excuse Me! Are You Judging Me?

JESUS then, in verse 5, calls a person who judges others who are in SIN, a hypocrite, if the person who is judging is also in SIN. Please read carefully, because no where in this passage does JESUS say that he (GOD) is the only one who can judge, rebuke or correct others in SIN. Instead, JESUS said to first remove the larger wooden object out of your own eye, so that you can then have the ability to see clearly to remove the smaller wooden object out of your brother's eye. For example, if you know someone who uses an occasional profane word here and there but you use profane words like you're speaking a second language, then you would be a hypocrite to rebuke and correct someone else who occasionally uses profane words. Without an confusion, JESUS is saying, in order for you to judge that person who uses profanity every now and then, you must first clean up the foul, wicked and nasty language that you let spew out of your own mouth and then you will be in the right position to correct others who commit the same SINful acts. This whole principle of having the right and authority from GOD to judge others is illustrative evidence why CHRISTians are required to live a SIN free and perfect life (I John 3:6-10; Luke 6:40; Matthew 5:48). Even the children of the world have this wisdom. For example, if there was a judge in a court of law who sentenced those who committed the crime of statutory rape to prison but the same judge is involved with child pornography then that judge would be considered to be a hypocrite and if exposed for his crimes, he would be removed from his position as a judge and imprisoned himself. Even more so, the scripture in I Corinthians chapter 5, verse 2, says that the saints (CHRISTians) shall judge the world and if CHRISTians are going to judge this world, then we as saints should be worthy to judge the smallest matters. In verse 3, it states that CHRISTians would also judge angels, therefore, "How much more things that pertain to this life?" Excuse Me! Are You Judging Me?

In the book of Jude, verses 14 and 15, the scripture says that the Lord shall come with ten thousands of his saints (CHRISTians) to execute judgment upon all. Verse 15 becomes more explicit about judging by stating: "to convince all that are ungodly among them of all of their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, d of all their hard speeches which ungodly SINners have spoken against him (GOD)." Now the word "saint" in the Greek text is the word "hagios" which translates to mean "holy". CHRISTians, who the scripture refers to as the saints are by divine nature supposed to be holy, if those who claim to be CHRISTian are not holy, then in reality they are not saints. This is the premier reason why those who claim to be CHRISTians/ saints/ holy, do not believe that they are to judge those who commit SIN, because the person who is claiming to be a CHRISTian is really not living a holy life. It is therefore impossible for a Saint to be the same as a SINner because the Saints who are holy will execute judgment on the SINners who are ungodly (unholy). This all confirms that if profess to be a CHRISTian, you are required by GOD to live SIN free and be "perfect even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect", so that you can be in the position to judge those who are in SIN. Excuse Me! Are You Judging Me?

If you are really interested in knowing what the holy scripture says further on this matter you will diligently search them because the holy scripture is replete with numerous examples of GOD's people (Saints) judging the ungodly (SINners). From the Law and the Prophets: Leviticus 19:15-18; Ezekiel 3:17-21; to the Psalms and Proverbs: Psalm 149:6-9; Proverb 27:5-6; and in the Gospels: Luke 3:19; John 20:23; and throughout the New Testament: Acts 13:9-11; Titus 1:10-16. GOD's people, who are Saints (CHRISTians) are ordained by GOD to judge those who SIN. Amen.

The 21st Century apostle,
Orlando Bethel