The Lord’s Return – In the age of deception.
One of the greatest fears that confronts human beings of all ages is that of the future [unknown]. We want to know what would happen to us tomorrow; how the end of age will come about. Would that be the Lord’s return! When is it going to be? Many enquire whether the dude they are dating would be a good choice and a responsible spouse. Others want to know whether the business they intend to start will be viable. Some want to know what has happened to their deceased parents. Are they happy where they are? Are there things they would have done differently if they were still a life? In panic and confusion some engaged palm and tarot readers to foresee their future; other consult Psychologist and Mind Readers to foretell whether they shall meet their destinies and so on. Christians consult Prophets and Seers to predict their future wellbeing. Many Christians are troubled and divided over the Lord’s return. Some religious sects had theorized and chosen date for the Lord’s return that turned out to be false and not realizable. As against all the other books and source of information, the bible appears the most authentic reference book for this concern.
As the world witness global wars and the occurrences of natural calamities and tragedies in our age and time, many begin to wonder whether this is the sign of the end. The world is looking for answers; unfortunately even the religious world is divided in their understanding and exposition of the end of time. While some religious sects and institutions have chosen dates of the Lord’s return based on the emerging events on earth; in so doing they are blind to Jesus response in Saint Matthews Gospel, chapter 24. Unfortunately if we go by history, some of these happenings are neither new nor strange; there have been reoccurring and yet the end has not come.
The issue of the end of time was so disturbing to the disciples of Jesus that they went to Him in private at Mount of Olives. They asked Him, “Tell us when this will happen? And what will be the sign of His coming? What will be the sign of the end of the world? Jesus answered, “Take heed! Let no man deceive or fool you. Many will come in my name. They will claim ‘I am the Christ!’ They will fool many people” [Matthews 24:3-5]. The age and the time we live in, are characterize by growing confusion and deception; and Jesus’ warnings appear more important now than when He first issued them. “Deception has been described as the pervasive threat that drenches human minds, turning people away from the unseen spiritual kingdom and towards reliance upon what can be seen and touched in the material world.”
Ray Stedman’s in his book: ‘What on earth is happening’ wrote, “At every stage of the Christian era, there has been much confusion over the time of the Lord’s return. This confusion continues in our own age. But you and I don’t have to be confused by the times or deceived by false, misguided or self-serving religious leaders. Jesus has given us the truth of His coming……..No, He didn’t pinpoint a day and the hour – but He did give us all information we ever need to live wisely and faithfully as we await His return.” In this era of great deception and confusion, many people are easily misled while others live in illusion, having their minds filled with wrong stuff. Are there not many deceivers, scorners and deflectors! Are they not claiming to be the messiah? These are people who call the name of God for nothing other than personal gains, power and ego. Also in his book, Earth’s Final hour, E D Hindson said, “Jesus warned his followers not to be deceived by the host of false prophets and false messiahs who would follow in a long parade throughout the Church age. He also warned of “wars and rumors of wars” that would follow throughout the present era and that have continually marked the “age of the Gentiles.” These are only the beginning of birth pains [Matthews 24:8]; …. But they do not in themselves prove that final fulfillment is about to be delivered.”
In this age of deception, many people cannot distinguish between the truth and near truth; the near truth is seasoned to look and sound like the truth but there are not. There are played and repeated severally that those who are not grounded in the truth are easily confused and deceived into believing in them. The recent incident of Texas Ranch is not going to be the end. Before that, we have many false Christ that include the originators and propagators of all the false cults. These groups could speak highly of Christ but alter and twist His message; they are addressed as ‘church’ and have some Christian flavor in their doctrine but deny or downgrade the virgin birth and deity of Christ, His sonship and sinless death on the cross. Some Christian denominations have resolved to address God as SHE instead of HE and that Christ is only a way not the only WAY.
As we approach the turn of the century, many people are speculating that the time is now. Historians and propagators of biblical prophesy have made wild and ridiculous speculations that have failed to materialize and create doubts in people’s mind about bible prophesies in our time. E. D. Hindson’s book: Earth’s Final Hour named some favorite examples to include: William Miller and The Adventist predicted the return of Christ in 1843 [later revised in 1844]. Charles Russell, founder of Jehovah’s Witnesses predicted the return of Christ in 1914 to establish His kingdom on earth. Herbert W. Armstrong then leader of the worldwide Church of God, predicted the second – coming of Christ in 1972, just to mention but few. We have had those who had impersonalized the Christ: the Gurumaragi, Jesus of Oyigbo, the Synagogue and other alikes. These people had proclaimed themselves Messiahs yet the end is not in sight. They were mistaken and their predictions did and would never come true. Following these and other erroneous predictions, an evangelical historian Mark Noll had warned, “The verdict of history seems clear. Great spiritual gain comes from living under the expectation of Christ’s return. But wisdom and restraint are also in order. At the very least, it would be made for those in our age who predict details and dates for the end to remember how many before them have misread the signs of the times.” Those who went ahead to set dates or suggest dates, run contrary to the fact of the scripture that set no date for the rapture or second coming of Christ. This has left many guessing in false predictions.
In this age, we have many false prophets that deceive many people with mundane doctrines; even the doctrine of Antichrist – hypnotize, brain wash and cheerful deceit, etc. For this reason Apostle John wrote, “Even now many antichrists have come….they went out from us but they did not really belong to us [1 John 2:18-19]. An Antichrist is a person who subtly undermines true Christianity by substituting a false and deceptive ‘Christianity.’ He is a counterfeit Christ, a false Messiah. It’s these things that cause the prediction of Apostle Peter saying, “Just as these false prophets, there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, teachings that will destroy human beings. Many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of [2 Peter 2:1-2]. They will turn against Christ, the Lord and master who died to save them.
These false prophet and antichrist include individuals and organizations that purport to be Christian but do not present the Gospel truth accurately in complete sense. They come in the name of God but present doctrines and culture of witchcraft. They introduce Old Testament doctrines as if the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ was for nothing. For example: some ask worshipers to bring 12 stones representing the 12 tribes of Israel and place meaningful dollars offering, each to receive uncommon blessings. Others asked for coins to pray for people and ask them to through them into a running stream. Some also make a mixture of anointing oil, salt and honey and ask you to rub on your face or place your feet on it as a means of stepping into luxury and financial freedom. Yet others ask people to dance in circles around them in the centre while sowing significant dollar seed into prosperity and dance away sorrows and bad luck. Brethren don’t forget Jesus warning: do not be deceived by anyone.
Some antichrist form social movements, charitable organizations, some purported faith based movements that claim to pursue some cause of some sort from environmental, feeding the hungry and provision of social and medical needs, etc. Others answer ministries of some sort in pursuit of personal enterprise: meeting human needs. Provisions of social needs are Christian’s obligations commendable in the scripture but social need and charity does not replace or being substituted for faith in Christ and salvation of mankind that Jesus bought with His blood on the cross. Jesus continued, “You will hear about wars…….people talking about future wars. Don’t be alarmed. Those things must happen but the end still isn’t here [Matthews 24:6]. Many commentators teach that the wars and rumors of wars are signs of the end of time. But Jesus warned: do not be alarmed because these events do not signal the end of time; don’t be gullible and loose in mind but be vigilant and be alert and test whoever claim to speak for God. Sip their teachings and be guided by the true gospel. By so doing you will keep yourself from falling prey of these merchants cloth in Church aprons. Again study the scripture to obtain authentic information that will liberate you from ignorance and deception; be approved workman that will defend the truth of the gospel. Brethren, beware of deception.
Reach: Evangelist Ogbonnaya, Godswill at: weefreeministries@yahoo.com or Box 720035, Houston, Texas, 77272