by Just Another Christian
by Just Another Christian
Philologos Religious Online Books
Philologos.org
Chapter 18 (part 1) | Table of Contents | Chapter 19
THE GREAT DREAM
by Just Another Christian
| The "titles" or "names" that I will use for the DIFFERENT TYPES OF HIRELINGS are of my own devising. I believe that these "names" help to describe and segregate the various types of HIRELINGS. The descriptions that I will give however, I ASSERT TO BE ACCURATE. These people really do exist, AND, as you will begin to see: they actually constitute the MAJORITY of the people who profess or practice some form of Christianity in this present evil world. | ||
| MERCENARIES: These are the people that God sends to wage wars, wipe out populations, and kill particular people. We have already discussed this group under THE WORK OF THE EMPIRE and THE RIGHT MAN FOR EVERY JOB. I will not say that God NEVER uses the RIGHTEOUS for this, but that it is a very great rarity. During WW2, Dietrich Bonhoeffer conspired to assassinate Adolph Hitler, but failed and was arrested, and was finally executed for this. While I am not sure that God "authorized" Dietrich Bonhoeffer to KILL anybody, I am persuaded that he was a true saint, and also a shining example of TRUE RELIGION in his day. If Bonnehoffer had succeeded in getting rid of Adolph Hitler, he would have brought no public discredit to his faith. On the other hand, there may be a very wicked man right down the street from you who lives a relatively private life. He appears to be a "good citizen"; as good as anyone else. God has determined that this wicked man's time is up; so that wicked man is murdered by a robber in the airport parking lot. Again: A lukewarm, church attending, publicly moral, and socially responsible man is living at peace, with his family, until someone rapes his daughter. There is nothing he can do to prevent it, for it has already happened, his daughter has been raped. The New Testament says to us: Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves; but rather give place unto wrath: For it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord (Rom. 12:19). BUT, this man, outraged by the evil and the injustice perpetrated by the rapist, feels that he is obligated to VINDICATE TRUTH, and God, and justice; so he seeks out and kills the rapist. Then he himself is arrested for murder, and suffers some penalty. Some people may applaud this man, but his life has been severely disrupted or even ruined. He has become God's HIRELING to kill the rapist. The police then become God's HIRELINGS to punish this lukewarm religious professor for disobeying His command to avenge not yourselves, AND for committing murder, Get it? Church history abounds with the records of such HIRELINGS. During the Middle Ages, and especially during the Inquisition, many thousands of "Christians" were killed by other "Christians" just for holding a different "version" of the faith. A great many of those so "executed" were truly heretics, and God sent His HIRELINGS to do the DIRTY WORK of WIPING THEM OUT. But at no time has Our God ever authorized any Christian to kill another Christian just because they professed a different "version" of the faith. Remember, that as I cited earlier, Our Lord Jesus Christ said Forbid them not (John 9:39). The MERCENARY HIRELINGS of Christendom are the UNSAVED religious professors that do acts of violence against the enemies of THE EMPIRE, and SUBJUGATE or ELIMINATE BY FORCE those that resist the expansion of the KINGDOM OF THE HEAVENS; which is Christendom. | ||
| MADMEN: These are the insane ones that commit outrageous and atrocious acts because "God told them to do it". These men are not acting on any particular principle of Righteousness, or in the defense of any particular truth. These MADMEN also act as MERCENARIES sometimes. They are the ones that assassinate world leaders and respectable public figures. These MADMEN are the ones who will set fire to a "gay bar" or bomb an abortion clinic. They are frustrated and miserable men, searching for a way to become significant by doing "some great thing". They look around for some particular evil person or evil thing to blame the misery of the world, and the misery of their own life on. They then feel as if they have received a "divine commission" to do something about it. They calculate the risks, but go ahead anyway: for they are going to be HEROS in their own sight. Many of them claim to have heard "voices", or been given signs from heaven that tell them what they are to do. It is usually impossible to convince these MADMEN that they have not heard from God. In some cases, they may have. Such was the case with Jehu, (2 Kings 9 & 10) which we discussed earlier. When such a MADMAN claims to be authorized by the "Christian God" to commit some outrageous act against whoever or whatever is conspicuously "evil" in the Biblical sense, he is a HIRELING. | ||
| MERCHANTS: These are the purveyors of religious objects of every kind; whose level of interest, and whose area of interest corresponds to their business. They are first of all, PANDERERS to their market. They will sell whatever the public will buy. They never try to "force" something on the public just because it is good or true. If it happens to be good and true, they just crow all the louder in order to increase sales. These people are in the publishing, religious art, music, jewelry, novelty, and clothing business. They know their own market. | ||
| EXAMPLE: The owner of the Catholic bookstore isn't likely to sell anything written by Martin Luther. This may be because the owner doesn't agree with Luther, and thinks, as many Catholics do, that Luther was an apostate. On the other hand, he may not care about what Luther had to say, or whether or not Luther was right in anything. His only concern in the matter is to please his customers. | ||
| You may not find a book by Martin Luther in the Protestant bookstore either. In this case, it would be because it doesn't sell well enough. The owner is not concerned with whether or not Luther had anything important to say to Christians; but only with whether or not someone will buy a book by Martin Luther. On the other hand, if some rock star or some high paid athlete pens some drivel about himself, and then goes on T.V. and says "I'm a Christian, too" he orders 100 copies and puts them right in front of the door, and makes big signs to put in the window. The lack of concern about whether or not a particular book, or piece of music, is GOOD FOR THE SOUL is what makes the purveyor of religious objects into a HIRELING. BUT...... he provides an important, YEA, and in my opinion, a CRITICAL service to Christendom. | ||
| LET ME MAKE THIS PERFECTLY CLEAR: I am not denouncing the religious book and gift business. I myself thank God that they are there. They have provided me with all these WONDERFUL BOOKS that I have around me as I sit at this desk. I am not denouncing what some people call "jesus junk". If a man is going to have a rubber comb in his pocket, why not have a comb with a scripture printed on it? Neither am I complaining that the merchants of these things may earn some money from it. They deserve that money, and in my opinion, they don't get enough. What I will complain about, is that you can hardly find a copy of Bondage of the Will in any Christian book store. Bondage of the Will, written by Martin Luther, is the THEME and the THEOLOGICAL SOUL of the Reformation. If there is a copy, it is stuffed away between books of considerably less importance, and never put out front, or aggressively "pushed". I think all of you ought to spend A LOT MORE MONEY in the local Christian bookstore, and I wish you would spend it on books that are GOOD FOR THE SOUL. | ||
| Having said how glad I am for the existence of the Christian book and gift business; and having expressed my wish that these businesses would prosper, I have to say: MOST OF THESE PEOPLE ARE HIRELINGS. If you ask them, they will tell you: YOU CAN'T MAKE A LIVING SELLING ONLY THE GOOD BOOKS. This is true, for there isn't much of a market for the good books. AND, I would never suggest that they set themselves up as "censors" over what shall be available to the public: this would be to curtail freedom of speech in matters of religion, and such a notion is absolutely TERRIFYING to me. In these days, when ignorant and stupid concession is made to Organized Religion by the masses of Christendom without so much as a second thought about what they have conceded to, these bookstores are truly the last bastions of serious theological inquiry. To me, the Christian bookstores are a hundred times more beneficial to the TRUE BELIEVER than our modern churches. | ||
| What makes the "purveyor of religious objects" into a RELIGIOUS BUT GODLESS HIRELING MERCHANT is when his judgement on what to sell or not sell, AND ESPECIALLY, his judgement on what to "push" is based almost completely on anticipated sales. By his judgement on what to offer, and by his judgement on what to "push" the purveyor of religious objects becomes a TEACHER. This is a grave responsibility, and according to the Bible, teachers will be held to a more severe judgement than others, who do not put themselves forward as teachers (James 3:1). The publisher or the bookstore owner who is NOT REALLY CONCERNED about whether or not his wares are GOOD FOR THE SOUL is just another HIRELING in Christendom, who will find himself saying "didn't I sell Bibles to the public?" when he faces Our Lord Jesus Christ (Matt. 7:22). | ||
| MODERATORS: This is a small and rather exclusive group of HIRELINGS that are found only in the upper echelons of Christendom. They correspond rather precisely to the Sadducees of the N.T. These are the "deal makers" of Christendom. What the MODERATORS do, is negotiate with the government or with the rich and powerful for the security of Christendom. They are the politicians of THE EMPIRE, and are experts in the subtle art of compromise. As the Sadducees were, these MODERATORS are usually moderately religious, and claim to see no real conflict between the mission of the Church and the goals of the STATE. | ||
| EXAMPLE: After it became obvious that the REFORMATION was going to be a successful revolution, Martin Luther retired. In Luther's stead came a man named Melancthon, who was chosen by the "board of directors" of the Reformation to represent them to the kings, dukes, and rich men of Europe. Melancthon was chosen precisely because of his "moderate" nature. He was held in honor among the people for both his "genius" and his "mildness". His reputation for being "tolerant", "reasonable", and "understanding" made him JUST THE MAN THAT WAS NEEDED to "make a deal" with the governments of those nations that embraced the Reformation. Melancthon's job was to secure the property rights, tax exemptions, and military security of the "new" church. This he did. As the principal author and architect of the Book of Concord, he made "deals" with the STATE that Luther himself would never have made, because Luther was not known for being tolerant and conciliatory. I have read the entire Book of Concord; all 636 pages of it. When all the haggling was over, there wasn't A BIT OF REAL DIFFERENCE between the way the "Old Church" and the "New Church" related to the STATE. The Church promised to turn out "good little citizens" that would serve the purposes of the STATE, and the STATE promised to protect the "church" from any competition by "heretical movements or troublesome persons". It wasn't but 13 years from the day that Luther hung his 95 Sentences on the door of the Catholic church in Wittenburg, that the "New Church" and the "Old Church", and the STATE all got together to begin the persecution and murder of 85,000 people who refused to acknowledge either the "Old Church" or the "New Church". Like MOTHER, like DAUGHTER. YET, it must be said, that IF NO DEAL HAD BEEN MADE, the Reformation itself would have collapsed, and the MODERATORS from the "Old Church" would have been right there to pick up the pieces. No man who was completely devoted to Our Lord Jesus Christ and loyal to the faith which was once delivered to the saints (Jude 3), would have made such a "deal" as Melancthon did. God always finds THE RIGHT MAN FOR EVERY JOB, and since no man of unflinching spiritual integrity could ever had made such a "deal", God found a HIRELING to handle it. The HIRELING MODERATOR uses religion as a means to obtain some social, political, or economic end that he deems as important for it's own sake. He is quick to compromise or discard any theological consideration that will make his cause unacceptable to the powers that be. His goal is the preservation and vindication of a particular race, nationality, or culture: who just so happens to also profess a particular brand of Christianity. The "brand" of Christianity the MODERATOR represents is used as a rallying cry for the masses, under the cloak of which, he pursues other ends. The one thing he will never do, is present a pure doctrine of religion that he knows will never be tolerated by those to whom he makes his appeal. | ||
| I make no claim to know the final fate of Phillip Melancthon, but I do assert that the "arrangement" he made with The State was clearly a betrayal not only of his own profession of faith; but also of the Reformation itself. | ||
| MORALIZERS: This is a very large and important group of HIRELINGS. They are the Pharisees of modern Christendom. Their job is to police both the morals and the religious performance of the masses in Christendom. What they do, is establish an achievable set of standards for holiness and religious service, that they themselves "almost" live up to. Then, they spend the rest of their lives yelling at everyone else who fails to meet their standards. These are the CLASSICLY SELF RIGHTEOUS, who take their confidence and their sense of spiritual security from the observation of their own "relative" performance of religious and moral duties. These HIRELING MORALIZERS perform an enormous service to the Cause of Christ. They keep the EMPIRE intact, by chastising those church- folks who fail to participate enough, or give enough money. They preserve the public testimony of Christendom, by accusing and threatening any member who begins to become an "embarrassment" through a failure in morals or social responsibility. And lastly, but most importantly, they promote morality in the unchurched populations, by constantly warning everyone that the wages of sin is death (Rom. 6:23). It might also be said that they are responsible for provoking the majority of "conversions", of both the false and the true type, through their constant harping on the "sins of the people". These HIRELING MORALIZERS get their reward in this life, for their "service to righteousness", and for maintaining a "public testimony". BUT, when the Day of Judgement comes upon them, and their "relatively better" performance of righteousness shrivels in the Blaze of God's Infinite Holiness, they will begin to say; Lord! Lord! Didn't I? | ||
| MONEY HANDLERS: Almost every HIRELING in the EMPIRE could be called a MONEY HANDLER, for they have all contributed at least a little cash to the cause. As a distinct group, the HIRELING MONEY HANDLERS are those unsaved religious professors whose primary service to Christendom is to BANKROLL THE EMPIRE. They can be divided into 3 basic types. | ||
| There are the TEMPLE TAX PAYERS, who think to "satisfy God's requirement" by paying "tithes" or some other fixed amount on a regular basis. These are the financial backbone of the empire, for they are RELIABLE for "so much per week", and they are the vast majority of the HIRELING MONEY HANDLERS. These are usually the people who also pay all their other bills on time, and are able to live according to a budget. Thus, they have stable and predictable lives, which they usually account to be the "reward" for their giving. | ||
| And then, there are the PROSPERITY COVENANTERS. This class of HIRELING MONEY HANDLERS may also be TEMPLE TAX PAYERS, and if they are, it's always at least 10% of something or other, for they look to Malachi 3:10 as a promise of prosperity addressed to themselves. These people give sporadically in larger amounts, and will even borrow money, or postpone paying their bills, in order to show their "faith' by sacrificial giving. To them, it's like investing in the "heavenly stock market", for they confidently expect to receive back not only their "principal", but a little or a lot of something "extra" in some form or other, AND THEY USUALLY DO. God plays the "game" with these people, and "nurses them along", so that they will continue to BANKROLL THE EMPIRE. Romans 11:35 is meaningless to these people. | ||
| The BIG LUMP GIVERS are the smallest group. They provide the least money, and get the most attention. They are mostly rich men trying to buy off, through one act, an evil conscience, from a lifetime of greed and vanity. These are the guys that get whole buildings named after them. They get to eat lunch with the preacher, and have their photograph taken with the orphans sitting in their lap. The rest of THE BIG LUMP GIVERS are mostly old people, who are sure that they will die before they can use up the rest of their savings. They resent the fact that their children, or anyone else, should be able to enjoy this money without working for it as long, and as hard, as they did. SO, they will it all to the church; to prove what "godly" people they were. Maybe they'll be remembered fondly, or get their name on the back of a pew, and maybe God will remember their "great generosity to the cause" when they come to JUDGEMENT. | ||
| The TEMPLE TAX PAYERS, the PROSPERITY COVENANTERS, and the BIG LUMP GIVERS are all types of HIRELING MONEY HANDLERS. These are all unsaved religious professors that supply MOST OF THE MONEY to support the MIGHTY EMPIRE that we call Christendom. | ||
| CAUSE CRUSADERS: This group of HIRELINGS justify the Church to the world by deceiving the world into thinking that the real goals of Christian service are the "betterment" of mankind through social activism. Thus, they become the champions of all sorts of public concerns, from stamping out pornography to "wear your seatbelt" campaigns. The CAUSE CRUSADERS are those unsaved religious professors who are striving to justify their existence or achieve a sense of significance. They find that the preaching of the THEOLOGY OF RELIGION has little effect on society, so they pick up on a side issue of morality or public justice for their theme. CAUSE CRUSADERS usually come from the upper middle class of society. They are bored with their comfortable lives, and can afford some time and money for the "cause". Much of their public credibility is derived from the very fact that they "could be doing something else for more fun and profit". CAUSE CRUSADERS usually jump onto some "bandwagon" that is already rolling, and then attempt to "volunteer" their way to the front. They can be quite courageous as long as they know the "cheering section" is watching them. Even though it is impossible to find a single instance of "social activism" in the New Testament, these people usually claim to have Jesus as their example. | ||
| There are 2 things that reveal the hollow hypocrisy of their avowed dedication to "truth, justice, and fairness". These people all have 2 faces. When they argue their cause to the religious, their mouth is full of Bible references, and they talk about "sin" and warn of "judgements" to come from an angry God for "crimes" against humanity. When they argue their cause to the non- religious, their mouths are full of facts and figures. They quote from surveys and studies, and cite historical precedents. They appeal to science and common secular wisdom, and bring in the testimonies and opinions of godless "experts" whose credentials and reputations are totally secular. They are willing to drop any insistence on THE ABSOLUTE NECESSITY OF HAVING A TRUE CHRISTIAN RELIGION, if by doing so they can secure the services of some worldly BIG-SHOT for their cause. | ||
| The other thing that reveals the lack of TRUE ETHICAL PRINCIPLE in these CAUSE CRUSADERS is their lack of consistency in their concerns about social injustice. The very fact that you probably never even "thought about" what I am going to bring to your attention only proves my charge. | ||
| CONSIDER: The very construct of our economic system "grinds down" the poor and the disadvantaged. EXAMPLE: A man with little education has to take a low paying job with little or no benefits. Since he lives in a "degraded or crime ridden" part of town (where he can afford the rent), his auto insurance, (which he must buy by law) is higher than for the rich man who lives in the nice neighborhood. If he lets his insurance lapse because he cannot afford it, and then gets a ticket for some minor moving violation, HE IS IN BIG TROUBLE. First of all, tickets are given out on the "turkey shoot" plan. He may be just one of 10,000 people that are going 10 miles over the speed limit on that day. He just happens to be the one who gets pulled over. HE GETS THE SAME TICKET AND THE SAME FINE AS THE RICH MAN. In the case of the rich man, the ticket is just a minor annoyance. In the case of the poor man, that fine may take the food right out of his children's mouths. When he goes to court for "lack of proof of insurance' he gets fined again. If he still cannot afford insurance they confiscate his license plate, so that he cannot drive the car. He even has to take a day off work to show up for court, and that costs him money. All the while, his wife, and his children are having to suffer the loss of their little luxuries, like a pair of shoes or a new toy, OR EVEN THE LOSS OF NECESSITIES, like food or medicine. Since he can no longer drive his car, he loses his job. THIS TYPE OF SITUATION, which I have just described to you happens thousands of times every day in America. THIS TYPE OF SITUATION, which I have just described to you, EXPLAINS the violent crime rate in America. The HORRIBLE INJUSTICE OF IT ALL destroys a mans "faith in the system" and his "respect for the government", so that in agony, revenge, and desperation, he becomes a drug dealer or commits a robbery. THIS TYPE OF SITUATION, which I have just described to you, and which, under a hundred different forms, happens to the lower classes every day, also breaks up families. The MAN, only able to bear up under "so much" shame and humiliation in front of his wife, and his babies, runs off to leave them to the care of the STATE. BUT, what do you care? And certainly, our CAUSE CRUSADER doesn't care. WHY? Everyone knows that you "can't fight city hall" (the ticket). AND, none of these CAUSE CRUSADERS would dare martial a campaign against THE INSURANCE COMPANIES. Anyway, at the end of our story, the poor man's insurance rate goes up because he got a ticket. I can't begin to tell you how angry I am, that this EXAMPLE that I have given you, probably does little to awaken you to the REAL PROBLEMS in our society. O PERMIT ME! Let me "rant on" just a little longer. EXAMPLE: A man with his wife and children, buy, improve, and live in the same house for 10 years. The factory closes, he loses the job, THEY FORECLOSE ON, AND TAKE THE HOUSE. His 10 Years of payments? His improvements? HIS FAMILY? Do you think that our little self righteous and hypocritical CAUSE CRUSADER is going to start a campaign against the BANKS AND MORTGAGE COMPANIES? The REAL SOCIAL INJUSTICE in our society; those "practices and policies" that are the MAJOR CAUSE of bitterness, dismay, suicide, and crime; are UTTERLY OVERLOOKED by these CAUSE CRUSADERS. They end up picking on the victims of the situation instead of the PERPETRATORS. They make me sick, and in my opinion, contribute the least to the expansion and security of THE KINGDOM OF THE HEAVENS. | ||
| HUCKSTERS: This class of HIRELINGS is composed of entertainers, sports heros, business leaders, and politicians. Their service to Christendom is largely to make "appearances" in behalf of "Christian" charities and social causes, and to lend a little glamour to "Christian" television. They "lend" some public credibility to Christianity by their presence, and demonstrate how that 'That which is highly esteemed among men' (Luke 16:15) is appreciated in the Church as well. This is just another way in which the Wisdom of God keeps the world in the dark about the REAL AGENDA of the Christian faith, and helps secure contributions from the Godless to bankroll the EMPIRE. In the case of the entertainers who become HIRELING HUCKSTERS, it is especially obvious that they are almost always people whose careers are washed up, and whose time in the limelight is about over. Christendom provides them at least for a while with a fresh audience to entertain. They especially like to be interviewed on "Christian" talk shows, where "the host" will always acknowledge "how blessed we are" to have "such a significant person" on "our side". | ||
| PROPHETS: Of course, anyone who qualifies to be called a HIRELING PROPHET will turn out to be a FALSE PROPHET; but that does not mean that EVERYTHING he says is false; and it does not mean that he NEVER speaks for God. EXAMPLE: In the Book of Numbers, chapters 22-24 we find the story of a man named Balaam. This man is mentioned many times in the Bible, and never is there anything good said about him. In the New Testament, he is mentioned 3 times (2 Pet. 2:15, Jude 11, Rev. 2:14). In every case, Balaam is described as an evil man, a teacher of lies, and a deceiver of the people. Furthermore, his name; BALAAM; is a compound word that means LORD OF THE PEOPLES. The first part of his name, BAL, is just our English spelling of BAAL. BAAL means [lord, boss, or master], and is the name of THE PRINCIPAL FALSE GOD that competes with JEHOVAH GOD in the Old Testament. There were 2 "Lords" competing for the worship and service of the people of Israel. Jezebel, the wife of Ahab, who I mentioned earlier, was a worshipper of BAAL. Jehu, who I mentioned earlier, slew the worshippers of BAAL (2 Kings 10:21- 28). This BAAL, was the name of the God of Babylon (Jer. 51:44) (BEL is the Aramaic spelling for BAAL). YOU MUST UNDERSTAND THIS. Every time you see the name BAAL in the Old Testament, you can say "The Lord" instead; and you would be saying EXACTLY WHAT WAS UNDERSTOOD by the people in that day by the word BAAL. The Hebrew word for LORD that Jehovah God used to designate himself is ADONAI. ADONAI means LORD in the regal, or royal sense, and denotes a personal, or even an affectionate relationship. BAAL simply means BOSS, and suggests a servile relationship. The people of Israel went back and forth between ADONAI (the nice boss); and BAAL (the harsh boss). Even the word BOSS is a derivative of the Eurasian word BAAS, which means [a person in authority] of a lower order, while BAAL means [the top boss]. When you consider that the main false god of the Old Testament was called THE BOSS, you can see that this "Lord" is none other than THE DEVIL HIMSELF. The Devil is called, after all; The God of this world (2 Cor.4:4). | ||
| Now, if you will read Numbers 22-24 you will see that Jehovah God definitely spoke to BALAAM, and more than once; AND IN A RATHER FAMILIAR WAY, too. What's even more interesting, is that God also SPOKE THROUGH A DONKEY (Num. 24:1), which makes it all the more OBVIOUS that God will speak to, and through ANYONE or ANYTHING that suits His purpose. YOU MUST UNDERSTAND THIS. Now Balaam was "hired" by Balak (Deut. 23:4-5, Neh. 13:2). Let us go on now, to see why and how God "HIRES" unsaved religious professors to serve as "prophets" in the KINGDOM OF THE HEAVENS; which is Christendom. | ||
| The public, common understanding of what a PROPHET is, is quite correct. The PROPHET is a man that speaks a TIMELY TRUTH. Either he issues a "judgement" on something that turns out to be true, or he predicts the future correctly. | ||
| Jer.28:8 | The prophets that have been before me and before thee of old, prophesied both against many countries, and against great kingdoms, of war, and of evil, and of pestilence. | |
| 9. | The prophet which prophesieth of peace, when the word of the prophet shall come to pass, even then shall the prophet be known, that the Lord hath truly sent him. | |
| Sometimes the PROPHET is sent to an individual, and in that case, only THAT INDIVIDUAL needs to know what the PROPHET says (Acts 21:10-11). By the way, the story of AGABUS THE PROPHET proves that there are still prophets in the Church Age. However, if the message of the prophet is to "nations, and kingdoms", there is little point in God giving that message to someone who does not have THE RIGHT AUDIENCE. In these cases, God will often use a man as a prophet JUST BECAUSE HE HAS THE RIGHT AUDIENCE. | ||
| John.11:49 | And one of them, named Caiaphus, being the high priest that same year, said unto them, Ye know nothing at all, | |
| 50. | Nor consider that it is expedient for us, that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not. | |
| 51. | And this he spake NOT OF HIMSELF: but being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus should die for that nation. | |
| Caiaphus was definitely the enemy of Our Lord Jesus Christ, BUT GOD USED HIM ANYWAY, and that because Caiaphus HAD THE RIGHT AUDIENCE, and was in a position of great influence; so that his words would be remembered and repeated. Now Caiaphus was not a HIRELING PROPHET in the sense that I am presenting to you, because he made no claim to speak for the "God of the Christians". Caiaphus was what I call an "accidental prophet", in that he HAD NO IDEA that he was predicting that Jesus would "die for the people". The HIRELING PROPHETS are those that are going to say, Lord, Lord, Have we not prophesied IN THY NAME? (Matt. 7:22), just before they are banished to perdition (hell). THINK ABOUT IT. | ||
| That there are many such HIRELING PROPHETS in Christendom ought to be very obvious to you. Even the most arrogant, boastful, money hungry, licentious, and hypocritical RELIGIOUS BIG-SHOTS in Christendom today HAVE SPOKEN THE WORD OF GOD FOR GOD; and that correctly. This simply cannot be denied. In recent years, two of the most well known figures in Christendom have been exposed for some PRETTY UGLY DOINGS. The one guy, who "tattled" on the other guy, turned out to be GUILTY OF THE SAME THING! Both of these men were discredited; BUT THAT DOES NOT MEAN that NO ONE that followed them got saved. THAT DOES NOT MEAN that NO ONE they prayed for got healed. AND, THAT DOES NOT MEAN that none of their "predictions" are going to come to pass. RIGHT?. . . . . . .RIGHT? I want to grab you, reader, shake you, and FORCE AN ANSWER OUT OF YOU. Many a man has been converted under the preaching of a CHARLATAN: you may have been, yourself. | ||
| The reason that one may be converted under the preaching of an unsaved HIRELING PROPHET is that; THEY SPEAK OF JESUS, and THEY QUOTE THE BIBLE. It pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe (1 Cor. 1:21). The power to "convert a man" is not in the "holiness" or the "truthfulness" of the preacher; but in THE MESSAGE OF CHRIST. A parrot that was trained to quote John 3:16 over and over again could provoke a man to be saved. Many a man has been converted through a gospel tract that he found in a public restroom, or a telephone booth. RIGHT? | ||
| Our Lord Jesus Christ said that few (Matt. 7:14, Luke 13:23- 24) would be saved. This means that the MAJORITY of those "ONE BILLION" ARE NOT SAVED. This MAJORITY are "tares", (children of the wicked one, Matt. 13:38). If they knew the REAL CHILDREN OF GOD, they would hate them (John 15:18, 1 John 3:13). But they knoweth us not (1 John 3:1). They love their own (John 15:19), and exalt them to places of prominence in the Church. There, from their "place of prominence" they have a HUGE AUDIENCE, and because they are BIG-SHOTS in the world, and SUCCESSFUL, even the non- religious people will give them an ear. They are in the RIGHT PLACE, they have the RIGHT AUDIENCE: they are HIRELING PROPHETS. God uses them now, but will repudiate and condemn them later. These are the "ministers" that the Godless world will tolerate, and even honor. These are the "properly licensed, certified and ordained" servile hucksters of Organized Religion: and MOST of the PUBLICLY ACKNOWLEDGED clergy of our time are HIRELING PROPHETS. By the way. . . .This answers one of those "QUESTIONS", that everyone in Christendom likes to ask, BUT NO ONE WANTS TO BE ANSWERED. God will have His Gospel preached; that no man may make an excuse; and God always finds THE RIGHT MAN FOR EVERY JOB. | ||
| PHILISTINES: This is the largest group of HIRELINGS in Christendom. They provide the impressive "head count", and conceal the TRUE SAINTS by their great numbers. I have decided to call these people PHILISTINES because of the definition for the slang usage of "Philistine" in Webster's New World Dictionary. | ||
| PHILISTINE: a person regarded as smugly narrow and conventional in his views and tastes, lacking in and indifferent to cultural and aesthetic values; SMUGLY CONVENTIONAL. | ||
| These are the great multitudes that just "go to church" and "call themselves Christians". Whatever church they happen to be in is either the "only one", or it's "good enough". If they move to a new area they will fit in at the Methodist Church just as well as they did at the Baptist Church. If they marry a Catholic, they'll probably fit in at the Catholic Church just as well. They leave the theology to the "theologians", and they leave the preaching to the "preacher". They don't pay all that much attention to what's being said anyway, and if pressed to give an account for their current "brand" of Christianity, they dissemble, and say: "I'm just a simple believer. I live a simple life. I'm not called to be a theologian". They dress just like everyone else. They "go along" with whatever the latest "church program" is. They don't rock the boat. They go from their job to "Grandma's house", from "Grandma's" to the ball game, from the ball game to the PTA meeting, from the PTA meeting to church, from church to the picnic, from the picnic to the drug store, and from the drug store back to their house, where they mow the lawn. It's all one thing. This is their life. Church is part of it; it provides them with a social life among "safe" people; it gives them a cultural identity; it teaches their children to be moral and responsible. They rarely have any kind of religious crisis. They are the "lemmings" of the EMPIRE; they are the majority of the TEMPLE TAX PAYERS. Wave after wave of them come into the world, fill the pews, bankroll the EMPIRE, and die: like ants, they pass by; by the millions; INDISTINGUISHABLE. They live as if in a DREAM; they rarely struggle with unanswered questions about God, the Bible, or doctrine because they don't really care about "theology". What's left of the TRUE CHILDREN OF GOD in Organized Religion are concealed within their ranks. They are HIRELINGS, and their "pay" for their services is a relatively stable life. These are represented by the virgins in Matt. 25:1-12. When they get to the DAY OF JUDGEMENT, they are in trouble because of something THEY DON'T HAVE. They have a "form" or a "creed" of faith but they lack that "something" that makes it a living faith. To them, "faith" means "pretend": they have no REALITY OF GOD. If they were born into an Islamic family, they would be Mohammedans for the same reasons they now profess Christianity. | ||
| EXTRAS: This group of HIRELINGS probably has the highest "percentage" of the TRUE CHILDREN OF GOD among them. They go to church for a few years, then they don't go for a few years. They are always "trying" to get a dose of "true religion". They "get saved" over and over again, hoping that something real will finally happen. They are usually the poorest, or the most unfortunate in the church. The rest of them are the "weirdos" and the non- conformists, who, unable to make any "friends", drop in and out of various churches trying to find someone who will "appreciate" them. This group is very important for the security of the TRUE SAINTS. They break up the "Philistine" sameness, that otherwise prevailing, would make the TRUE SAINTS stick out. They also "make trouble" for the pastor or the elders every now and then. This also conceals the TRUE SAINTS, who are likely to raise objections of their own from time to time. I call them "EXTRAS", for like the EXTRAS on the movie set, they have little to do with the "story" (the goings on in the church). They are usually treated as "amusing", "pitiful", or as "minor annoyances". There are enough of them for the TRUE SAINTS; who, for the agony of their souls, will raise a ruckus every now and then; to escape detection. I believe that there are a lot of TRUE BELIEVERS concealed among the EXTRAS. They are continually in spiritual agony because the religion that they are taught isn't working for them. They fear to become "judgmental", so they are endlessly accusing and chastising themselves for the suspicions in their hearts that just WON'T GO AWAY. I spent some years feeling like an EXTRA myself, so I understand. | ||
| SCRIBES: These are the "professional Bible scholars" of Christendom, who are ever trying to outdo each other by writing new expositions, commentaries, and reference works; which they hope will displace the works of those who went before them. Wishing to show themselves as "inspired", or as "original thinkers"; they find it necessary to depart from the formulas and expressions of their predecessors, even though they are careful to remain within the doctrinal parameters of their target audience. For example: Martin Luther wrote a commentary on the Book of Galatians. It is, indeed, a wondrous work: embodying all the power and passion that provoked The Reformation. Anyone who wishes to review a classic Protestant perspective on Galatians is well advised to read it. So, what motivates a man to write a NEW COMMENTARY on Galatians, if all he is going to do, is find a different way to say the same things that Luther did? Perhaps he thinks that he can "say it better" than the man, who by "saying it", turned the whole world upside down during his own lifetime? BUT, if this ambitious author ends up simply harmonizing the words of Luther, What has he added of any significance? But if he departs radically from the viewpoint of Martin Luther, he will alienate his audience: for Protestantism is essentially the product of Luther's exposition of the New Testament. Again, let me ask you: What motivates a man to draw attention away from those teachers and scholars that were able to change the world by their preaching? I do not deny, that someone may have something ELSE to say about Galatians that we need to hear; but then, he could simply annotate Luther's commentary and present that. No, this won't do: for these HIRELING SCRIBES are not interested in the welfare of the Church, nor in the triumph of the Truth; but rather, are trying to make a name FOR THEMSELVES, and would be pleased to see their commentary on Galatians displace Luther's as the best known and most renowned. | ||
| Ah, but I have already anticipated the machinations of my critics; who are feeling brave right now, for they think they "have got me". They want to say, "Why then, do YOU wish to add your opinions to the public discussion?", and, "Aren't you yourself now doing what you have just denounced?" No, I am not. THE HIRELINGS is not a rewrite of any other work that I know of. You have never read anything like this before, AND YOU KNOW IT. I have indeed taken cues from other writers, but they were either unable or unwilling to pursue their own reasonings to their necessary conclusions. Those of you who have some respect for Scofield will see in his annotations, the seeds of much of what you have read here; it does seem like he is in agreement with me. But, Scofield stops short of the necessary conclusions of his own reasonings. And, you should know that I only learned of Scofield's confirmatory annotations about The Great Falling Away (2 Thess.2:3) and THE HIRELINGS (see Scofield's note on 2 Peter 2:15), after I had already completely finished the first draft of this book. We just happen to agree on some things. | ||
| The HIRELING SCRIBES, by their endless wranglings, and by their willingness to flood the world with millions of contradictory assertions, provide 'cover' for the True Saints, who are likely to disagree with popular religious opinion. They also draw attention to the Bible and to Jesus Christ, by provoking controversies and public disputes about what constitutes a "True Christian Religion". And, many of these HIRELING SCRIBES have indeed been agents for Truth, because in the attempt to distinguish themselves from the other SCRIBES, they seek for academic justification to say something new or different. Their pursuit of academic evidence that was overlooked or ignored by others prevents the Real Truth from being buried under popular opinion. They are often willing to say something that contradicts or denounces popular opinion as long as they can produce irrefutable historic evidence to support it. They may have no more interest in their "startling discovery" than to use it to gain attention and notoriety for themselves: but they have still given The Truth a public mention, and God will hold both them and their hearers responsible for it. The HIRELING SCRIBES of Christendom will be among those who say, Lord, Lord, Have we not prophesied in Thy name? | ||
| THIS LIST IS NOT COMPLETE; but I am going to stop here. I am sure you "get the drift". HIRELINGS are those unsaved religious professors who find sufficient personal reasons to participate in and support Christendom. They provide most of the money. They do most of the preaching. They prophesy, cast out demons, do wonderful works, call Jesus "Lord", and, they are not, and never were saved. What keeps them going? Why do they do it? If they haven't really found God, why do they keep on handing over their time and their money? GOOD QUESTION. They are the children of a lesser covenant. | ||
CHILDREN OF A LESSER COVENANT | ||
| Now, I would never say that these HIRELINGS haven't "found God", and you could NEVER convince one of them that they haven't "found God". What they haven't found, is A GOD WHO SAVES THEM. They "found God" alright, but they found God through a LESSER COVENANT. That such a thing is possible, was expressed by Our Lord Jesus Christ Himself in the 14th chapter of Luke. | ||
| Luke.14:31 | Or what king, going to make war against another king, sitteth not down first, and consulteth whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand? | |
| 32. | Or else, while the other is yet a great way off, he sendeth an ambassage, and desireth conditions of peace. | |
| This statement sits right in the middle of an address by Our Lord about the COST OF DISCIPLESHIP. Jesus warns us to count the cost (Luke 14:28), and tells us that the cost is everything (Luke 14:33). In between these 2 statements, Our Lord inserts this "strange tale" about a man who faces an adversary that is "bigger than he is", and unwilling to risk the battle, the man "makes a deal". This is that LESSER COVENANT. The man sees that God is "bigger than he is", but he doesn't appreciate just how much bigger or he would give in immediately. To these CHILDREN OF A LESSER COVENANT, God is just "bigger", not INFINITELY BIGGER. They have a "God problem" to solve, so they solve it by MAKING CONCESSIONS. They concede to be moral, or generous, or to attend and support some church. They concede to call Him "Lord". They concede that the Bible is the Word of God. They "CONCEDE" to all sorts of things. God takes the deal, every time. They get HIRED by God to render "services" to THE KINGDOM OF THE HEAVENS; and they GET PAID. | ||
| Matt.10:42 | And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward. | |
| This clearly states that ANYONE who is generous to the Cause of Christ is going to get a reward. The words in the name of a disciple allow for the fact that some of the "recipients" may not really be disciples. The fact that one gives to someone who is a disciple "in name only" is sufficient "service" in Christ's eyes to receive a reward. You may remember, that I told you earlier, that God ENCOURAGES these tares to "get involved" with "the program" on whatever level they will. You can never tell one of these HIRELINGS that God hasn't responded to his "service", for you would be wrong. God has responded. He pays His HIRELINGS something that is commensurate with their "service". The MONEY HANDLER gets more money. The MODERATOR gets to mix with the big-shots. The MORALIZER gets to be a model citizen. The PHILISTINE gets a relatively stable life. The PROPHET gets to be honored, (and usually gets some money, too). ETC. | ||
| THINK ABOUT IT. Christianity is a very "moral" religion. The standards for moral purity and honesty are extremely, even infinitely high. When a man obliges himself to these standards, he obliges himself to a life of "relative safety". A man who doesn't commit adultery is not likely to get venereal disease or get shot by a jealous husband. A man who doesn't steal won't go to jail for theft. A man who will "turn the other cheek", or refuse to avenge himself is likely to stay out of violent conflict. Much of what constitutes "Christian living" has BUILT IN REWARDS. Both the TRUE BELIEVER and the HIRELING receive these "rewards" if they 'live right', for there is no respect of persons with God (Rom.2:7-11). THINK ABOUT IT. Church attendance has BUILT IN REWARDS. You are likely to find a "safer" crowd in the church, who are also willing to help you out in times of trouble. The people in the church all act as "morals police" to each other, and as I mentioned earlier, the "MORALITY" of public religion is good for keeping your children out of trouble. These CHILDREN OF A LESSER COVENANT have a "deal" with God like that of the Old Testament. Some of the "terms of the deal" are changed, in that they don't offer animal sacrifices: BUT, it's still a deal of the same character. The HIRELINGS live "under the Law"; a somewhat MODIFIED VERSION of the Law, YES: but still THE LAW. This "living according to the Law" gives them a "relatively better" righteousness then the irreligious and licentious person; but not one that will stand the DAY OF JUDGEMENT, where only the PERFECT RIGHTEOUSNESS of Christ will save us. | ||
| The HIRELING will claim that God answers his prayers; AND HE IS RIGHT. God will definitely answer SOME OF his prayers, just as He has answered SOME OF your prayers and my prayers. It all depends on what he is asking for. Jesus spake a parable. . .to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint (Luke 18:1-7). In this parable, Our Lord likens God to AN UNJUST JUDGE, who can be prevailed upon by persistent prayer! Once again, you must take heed HOW you hear. There is an implied distinction, between the men of verse 1, and the elect of verse 7. If God will answer EVEN the prayer of the one who approaches Him as an UNJUST JUDGE, how much MORE willing is He to answer the elect! There are people that have even received MIRACLES of healing FROM GOD that will go to hell in the end. He healed them all (Matt. 12:15), but there is nothing here to suggest that all that He healed became His disciples. God does not offer a "BRASS HEAVEN" to His HIRELINGS, for He will keep them "on the job". | ||
| The HIRELING may have REAL SPIRITUAL EXPERIENCES, but in his case, they do not accompany salvation (Heb. 6:4-9). | ||
The HIRELING may have the MIRACLE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT | ||
.......................DON'T SAY IT CAN'T BE SO! | ||
| Matt.10:1 | And when He had called unto Him His twelve (Including Judas Iscariot), He gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease. | |
| This is the man that Jesus called the son of perdition (John 17:12). Jesus knew from the beginning. . . .who should betray Him (John 6:64). Jesus ALWAYS knew what Judas was up to, yet Peter says about Judas, He was numbered with us, and had obtained part of this ministry (Acts 1:17). Judas worked miracles and healed the sick too. YET, he was NEVER SAVED. If Judas didn't work any miracles, Peter wouldn't say he was numbered with us. This term means 'counted as an equal'. | ||
| IN THE END, MY FRIEND, there is not a SINGLE visible ACT OF PIETY or SERVICE OF MINISTRY that a HIRELING cannot do; or at least APPEAR TO DO. None of these things are "proof" that one is saved. And if a HIRELING "prophesies", and speaks the Word of God for God, GOD WILL BACK UP THAT WORD; but in the end, the HIRELING is saying, . . . Lord! Lord! Have we not prophesied in Thy name? and in Thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? and Jesus says to them. . . I NEVER knew you, DEPART FROM ME, ye that work iniquity (Matt. 7:22-23). | ||
| Certainly, BY NOW, you have seen the answer to that QUESTION, that everyone in Christendom likes to ask, BUT NOBODY WANTS TO BE ANSWERED. | ||
JESUS TALKS ABOUT THE HIRELINGS | ||
| One should suppose, that if these HIRELINGS were to play such a far reaching and important role in THE KINGDOM OF THE HEAVENS, that Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ would actually mention them. Well, Jesus not only mentions them, but He discusses them in great detail, and in more than one place. | ||
| Matt.10:37 | Then saith Jesus unto His disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few; | |
| 38. | Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that He will send forth laborers into His harvest. | |
| Now why, Dear Reader, would the Lord admonish us to pray that He send forth laborers into His harvest, if His true disciples would number in the multi-millions? Are we not all, every one of us who claims to be a Christian, commanded to help evangelize the world? Why aren't we commanded to pray that we will be able to gather in this harvest? It's because there won't be enough of us! And so, we are to ask God to provide us with some HIRELINGS to go out and get the work done. | ||
| John.15:15 | Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what His Lord doeth: but I have called you friends: for all things I have heard of My Father I have made known to you. | |
| THIS IS JUST TOO EASY. The word servants here means HIRED SERVANTS, and is the direct equivalent to our modern word EMPLOYEE. These servants, says Jesus, don't know what their Lord is doing. The HIRELINGS are "in the house", they participate in the "affairs of the house", but the true goals and plans of the Lord of the house are concealed from them. The HIRELINGS are ignorant of the "real agenda" of the Christian faith. They see a more limited and worldly agenda, such as an "orderly society" or a "healthy life style" or "consolation for the suffering". They know nothing of the Jesus Who said, Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword (Matt. 10:34). When they read something like this, they scratch their heads and sigh something about "needing wisdom" or "interpretations". As HIRELINGS, they DO NOT KNOW WHAT THEIR LORD IS DOING. This, and many other similarly outrageous statements made by Our Lord Jesus Christ simply EVADE THEM. | ||
| John.8:34 | Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin. | |
| 35. | And the servant abideth not in the house forever: but the Son abideth forever. | |
| 36. | If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed. | |
| Now, some translations will NOT capitalize the word "Son" in verse 35, in order to make the house into "the house of sin". In this "understanding" the servant of sin will eventually get "out of" the "house of sin", while the "son of the house of sin" will remain in the "house of sin". But, it simply cannot be that the Son in verse 35 is not the same Son as in verse 36! Nothing could be more ridiculous than to suggest that "being a servant of sin" automatically means that one will be made free. UNLESS, of course, you want to go the WHOLE WAY into insanity and have "the son of the house of sin" making you free in verse 36. I AM AMUSED, at the lengths that some people will go to in order to escape the fact that the house is God's house, the Son who can make you free is Jesus Christ, and that the servant of sin can be a servant in God's house! But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour (2 Tim.2:20). NO, I'm afraid you just have to admit it: The SERVANT OF SIN may be in the HOUSEHOLD OF GOD, but he will not remain there forever. AND, while he is in the HOUSEHOLD OF GOD, he is a servant, a HIRELING in the house. Even if you take the word Son, meaning Jesus; and make it son, meaning some other man; you still have the same result. The TRUE SON of the HOUSEHOLD OF GOD will remain forever. The HIRELING in the HOUSEHOLD OF GOD will not. As an unsaved religious professor in Christendom the HIRELING has his place in the KINGDOM OF THE HEAVENS on earth until that day, when the net is drawn to shore, and the good fish are separated from the bad fish. At that point, the angels will sever the wicked from among the just (Matt. 13:47- 49). They will be removed from His Kingdom (Matt. 13:41) And will want to re-enter, saying Lord! Lord! Open to us! But Jesus will say, I know you not. (Matt. 25:11-12). No, there is no other explanation for these verses. God has His HIRELINGS in the house for now, but they won't abide forever. Let's go now to check out these HIRELINGS in their daily "work". | ||
| Matt.20:1-16 | For the Kingdom of the Heavens is like unto a Man that is an Householder, which went out early in the morning to hire laborers into His vineyard. | |
| Well, well, here we have the Householder HIRING Himself some labourers to work in His vineyard. Jesus said, I am the vine, ye are the branches (John 15:5). The VINEYARD is the visible Church, which is Christendom, which is THE KINGDOM OF THE HEAVENS. Everybody gets paid a penny a day (20:2). The word penny is DENARIUS; a DENARIUS was considered "survival wages" for one day's work. This is not good pay, just survival pay. The penny a day represents "just one more day of survival". Not all the men end up doing the same amount of work for their penny (20:3-10). At the end of the day (20:8) when they all get paid, the ones who worked the longest and the hardest murmur (complain) against the goodman of the house (20:11). The goodman (the Lord) tells them that they AGREED to this wage, and so they shouldn't complain (20:13). Their eye is evil against the goodman of the house (20:15); AND, Jesus tops the whole thing off by saying: | ||
| Matt.20:16 | So, the last shall be first, and the first last: For many be called, but few chosen. | |
| THIS IS TOO EASY! First of all, we are talking about the END OF ONE DAY in the lives of these HIRELINGS, not the end of their lives. They are only getting paid enough to live ONE MORE DAY, not FOREVER. Can you actually picture the SAINTS OF GOD standing around grumbling on the day they finally meet their Lord? Can you actually see them saying, "HEY! I worked harder than he did! How come I ain't getting paid more?" Do you actually think, that those GREAT SAINTS that labored the longest and the hardest for their Lord in this life will be the ones to complain the loudest? COME ON, WAKE UP SOMEBODY! On THAT GLORIOUS DAY, when we finally meet Jesus in the flesh, will SOME OF US have an evil eye against Him? | ||
| NO MY FRIEND, these are all HIRELINGS, who are DAILY grumbling at God and competing with EACH OTHER. God lets some of them "work a little harder" than the others, but all they get from him for their service is what they agreed on; WHAT THEY WANTED; and all they wanted, was the power to maintain their earthly lives for a while longer; and that's what they get. But the CLINCHER, is this last line: few are chosen. Our Lord Jesus Christ said: I know whom I have chosen (John 13:18). These HIRELINGS were all "called" to the "work", but THEY ARE NOT CHOSEN. Take heed HOW ye hear! The difference here is between NATURAL HUMAN LIFE, and ETERNAL LIFE. | ||
| You know, I could go on and on and on with references that Our Lord made to these HIRELINGS, for the Gospels are FULL of such references. BUT, I will forbear. If I haven't proved this to you by now, or if you dare to PRETEND that you don't understand this: WELL, we both know what YOU ARE DOING, don't we? | ||
| So, I will leave you to re-read the teachings, and especially all of the Kingdom Parables of Our Lord Jesus Christ; and see for yourself. | ||
HIRELINGS AT THE END OF THE AGE | ||
| Acts.2:17 | And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon ALL flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams: | |
| 18. | And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy: | |
| Now even though the Apostle Peter claims that the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the believers in the Upper Room was a fulfillment of this prophecy by Joel (Joel 2:28-32), we all know that there yet remains some part of this prophecy to be fulfilled; for both Peter and Joel assert that THIS pouring out of the Spirit is a sign that The Day of The Lord (Acts 2:20) is about to dawn. | ||
| The question is, then: whether this pouring out of the Spirit ONLY signifies a "great revival" of True Christianity, OR, does it also refer to the strong delusion that God shall send those who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness at The End of This Age (2 Thess.2:11-12). There may well be (and there is) a revival of the faith once delivered unto the saints (Jude 3); but THAT revival is not what the leaders of Christendom are crowing about. They are pushing a "revival" alright: a revival of a "Christianity" that fails to focus on the teachings of Jesus Himself; a "revival" that discards as irrelevant anything in the Bible can't be used to swell the crowds or get more money; a "revival" that ignores the fact that the last days (2 Tim.3:1) of Christendom are predicted to be days of APOSTASY (2 Thess.2:3). Jesus said, The Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in My name...shall...bring to your remembrance WHATSOEVER I HAVE SAID UNTO YOU (John 14:26). This "great revival" that the leaders of Christendom are talking about does not focus on the teachings of Jesus, but only on the manifestation of power and signs and lying wonders (2 Thess.2:9). Please let me draw your attention to EXACTLY what Peter says shall take place before that great and notable day of the Lord come: God will pour out of His Spirit upon ALL flesh: NOT JUST THE CHURCH! This "great revival" of their's will give them more than sufficient cause to proclaim, Peace and safety; until sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and THEY SHALL NOT ESCAPE (1 Thess.5:3). | ||
HOW TO SPOT A HIRELING | ||
| Well now, HERE WE ARE. When I started out to write this article (and it seems now like a hundred years ago), I knew I would eventually get to this place; and I would have to decide whether or not I should actually TELL YOU exactly how to "SPOT" a HIRELING. It might take me another 5 or 6 pages; but I could do it. But then, really, all you have to do is read 1 John, to find out who the HIRELINGS are. | ||
| I asked myself before I started on this: WHAT GOOD WILL IT DO? And you know, I still don't have an answer. I guess Our Lord Jesus Christ deemed it necessary for someone, somewhere, sometime, to write about the HIRELINGS. I was willing. | ||
| The reason that God CONCEALED the message about the HIRELINGS was because He wanted to "keep them on the job": so He HID it, in parables, allusions, and carefully crafted language. It has been continuously on my mind, that WHEN YOU TAKE AWAY A MAN'S MASK OF DIGNITY, HE SOURS AT HIS POST. If I go on now to tell you EXACTLY how to "SPOT" a HIRELING; you are likely to go around ripping off their masks: and then, they'll either "quit their post", or they'll find some way to get rid of you, in order to preserve their appearance of "dignity". | ||
| So, I have decided to end it here. | ||
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