If you work in the welfare sector you will be faced with the drug issue in our fallen world. People try to find escape through substances as the high offers temporary escape from their nightmare. The nightmare is always associated with no hope, no peace and no security. It manifests in different ways but a human life disconnected to its Creator is always at the centre of the problem. The enemy is having a field day locking people in prisons of addiction. On the way to hard addiction a person will engage 'gateway drugs.' These are seemingly less dangerous yet can lead to the life consuming 'top-shelf' drugs. Drugs alter the senses while slowly killing the core of the person. We have a problem and the answer is Jesus.
I was recently challenged on my firm stance to not tolerate even a hint of false teaching. It is largely based on Jesus' instruction, 'do not be deceived.' I have a Red / Amber / Green system for the teachers that are visible in our media. Red is obviously danger, and there are a lot of bible Teachers in there. Amber is where there is a nudge of caution and Green is where the differences are minor and they generally have a good articulation of the Whole Council of God. There are plenty of people in Green so there's no reason to have anything to do with the Red or Amber designations. Too harsh a system? I have to stand alongside the writers of the Prophets and Apostles who, in the name of God, slammed false teachers and all kinds of falseness. With this in view, I'd like to outline something that is occurring spiritually all over the world.
It seems to be a distinctive that every Mega Church organisation has a music ministry aspiration. It also seems that those who, like us, are wanting a pure declaration of God's word, see no (need for?) big music ministry. It could just be that the aspiring Mega Church outfit wants to gain more resource by selling albums and see it as a business model. But I see something that looks like the drug problem in society. The Churches that are peddling false teaching tend to have a music ministry that is very organised, highly produced and distributed widely. It looks good, sounds good and draws people to a close walk, when it isn't worshipping worship, that is. Can it be that the music is a sensual hook that is being used to have people lock into a certain church? Could it be that once people are seduced by the worship they won't question the teaching? I mean, 'how can something so beautiful and Jesus-orientated be false teaching?' But this happens all the time! Is this music the 'gateway drug for false teaching?'
We have come across people who are worship addicts. They stay in churches who falsely teach because they can't do without the worship experience. They seem to lift the experience of worship over the Lord Jesus Christ. When it is pointed out there is false teaching they weigh it against the worship experience or kudos with being part of 'what's working.' The New Testament teaches that the last days would be an increase and concentration of people living off natural instincts, sensuality, and not living in step with the Spirit of God. Music is just a vehicle by which a heart of worship can express itself. For many years we have rightly called out Christian music for its style. Now, I believe, we need to call it out for its production that is aiming to be 'of this world.' For some time people have asked me what I think of 'such-a-body.' This is a comment on style and production. The truth is I don't think about them.
The irony is that much of the mainstream worship music celebrates being triumphant over this world while leading a person to dependency. Once that happens, a person will reduce the importance of sound doctrine to get a 'fix.' Of course there are people who are fixing their eyes on Jesus and are aware of the sensuality and potential seduction in world around them. The corruption of music and messages coming from churches are well known to them. I would just caution that the gateway drugs to false teaching are subtle and crafted by that serpent, the deceiver. Be discerning.
Gary Ward
Friday 28 July 2017
Thursday 27 July 2017
Is Rev ch's 2 and 3 the church age?
The seven churches of Revelation Chapters 2 and 3 are real churches that were on earth at the time of John's exile. A fascinating study is to examine whether they are a chronological overview of the church age from Pentecost to the harpazo, or 'rapture.' An examination of each church corresponds to seven distinctives of church history we can look back on. It is really compelling data, but what seals the whole deal and say's 'this IS a chronological overview of church history given before it happened?'
Firstly, the seven churches correspond to real eras in the near 2000 years of church history. Some have outlined how freakishly accurate the journey of the church has been whilst tracking the seven churches in their order of appearance in Revelation 2 and 3. It isn't so surprising though, seeing as the book of Daniel outlined the great empires of the gentile world history, including our times of fragmented unions and incompatible politics. If Daniel is the heralding of the first coming of Jesus it stands to reason that God would unveil the events around the second coming of Jesus.
Secondly, in Daniel chapter 4, The Babylonian king has a dream interpreted where it appears to tell the story of a tree that gets cut down, leaves stripped and fruit scattered. This seems to be a 'remez,' or a hint of something else that is being said. The tree is locked down for seven seasons and after is restored. In a few places the journey of Israel is outlined and emerges through something that is not associated at first glance. The Jews are scattered through out the world only to be restored eventually. The King represents that state of unbelievers in a time when grace has been extended. After 7 years he turns to God-an instruction for all who are in rebellion against Him. What is important here is the use of seven seasons or 'times.' Let's not forget that this is contextually a gentile history, very significant!
Thirdly, Jesus outlines what we are supposed to do with the text. In Chapter 1 verse 19 John is told to write what he has seen. So John writes about the risen and glorified Jesus in Chapter 1. The he is told to write 'what is.' What is, at the time of writing was the church age. With this in view he writes to the seven churches. At the beginning of chapter 4 he writes 'what must come after these things.' If the only intent was to deliver the writing to the seven churches that existed then logically the things from chapter 4 onwards should have occurred on delivery of the letters. They obviously didn't, so we must ask what the 'after these things' actually means. Revelation goes on to describe the seven lamp stands (churches) being in heaven, having previously been on earth. So 'after these things' the churches are in heaven... snatched away as the Bible teaches.
Lastly, we have to examine the way the seven churches are written. The last 4 churches have a slight adjustment in how they sign off. It is easy to dismiss this, but if we assume the seven churches are times of church history, we find something interesting. Thyatira seems to be the journey of the Roman Catholic church, Sardis the protestant reformation churches, Philadelphia - the non affiliated faithful church and Laodicea the prosperity gospel church. All 4 of these have some reference to the Lord's return meaning they are all on the earth at His return. This is what we see on earth today!
There is another amazing structure in the way the last four churches were written. In Thyatira and Sardis Jesus instructs them to wait for his coming, indicating it isn't for a while. In Philadelphia the Lord is 'coming soon!' When we see Laodicea we have to deal with a word 'idou' in greek. This word has a few renderings because it is hard to articulate in English. It carries the idea of, 'something needs to get your attention because it is special.' So we see 'behold!' We also have, 'see!' or 'listen!' In Revelation 3:20 we find idou and the Hebrew Bible have paired it with the Hebrew word 'hineni' which means 'here I am!' The NIV also does this with 'idou.'
If we are rendering the seven churches as a historical overview of the church age, the last four churches exist on earth before the Lord's appearing. So if we detach 'idou' from the next statement we find the Lord saying of the last 4 churches:
'1) hold on... 2) hold on... 3) Im coming soon... 4) HERE I AM!
As we can all see, there is a church on Earth that is Laodicean. It teaches that God wants to bless people with worldly things despite Jesus saying He does not give as the world gives. Wealth and material things are valued as evidence for God's authentication of a person, church or movement. The letter to Laodicea exposes this as error and calls for repentance. This church we can see is the one where Jesus says, 'Here I Am!' Even if we place 'idou' with 'I stand at the door and knock' and dismiss it as in indicator of His return, we are still at the last stage of this chronology so we can rejoice.
How amazing is it that we are at the very end of 'the things that are' and could very well be involved in the snatching away of the church from the earth. Come Lord Jesus!
Gary Ward
Firstly, the seven churches correspond to real eras in the near 2000 years of church history. Some have outlined how freakishly accurate the journey of the church has been whilst tracking the seven churches in their order of appearance in Revelation 2 and 3. It isn't so surprising though, seeing as the book of Daniel outlined the great empires of the gentile world history, including our times of fragmented unions and incompatible politics. If Daniel is the heralding of the first coming of Jesus it stands to reason that God would unveil the events around the second coming of Jesus.
Secondly, in Daniel chapter 4, The Babylonian king has a dream interpreted where it appears to tell the story of a tree that gets cut down, leaves stripped and fruit scattered. This seems to be a 'remez,' or a hint of something else that is being said. The tree is locked down for seven seasons and after is restored. In a few places the journey of Israel is outlined and emerges through something that is not associated at first glance. The Jews are scattered through out the world only to be restored eventually. The King represents that state of unbelievers in a time when grace has been extended. After 7 years he turns to God-an instruction for all who are in rebellion against Him. What is important here is the use of seven seasons or 'times.' Let's not forget that this is contextually a gentile history, very significant!
Thirdly, Jesus outlines what we are supposed to do with the text. In Chapter 1 verse 19 John is told to write what he has seen. So John writes about the risen and glorified Jesus in Chapter 1. The he is told to write 'what is.' What is, at the time of writing was the church age. With this in view he writes to the seven churches. At the beginning of chapter 4 he writes 'what must come after these things.' If the only intent was to deliver the writing to the seven churches that existed then logically the things from chapter 4 onwards should have occurred on delivery of the letters. They obviously didn't, so we must ask what the 'after these things' actually means. Revelation goes on to describe the seven lamp stands (churches) being in heaven, having previously been on earth. So 'after these things' the churches are in heaven... snatched away as the Bible teaches.
Lastly, we have to examine the way the seven churches are written. The last 4 churches have a slight adjustment in how they sign off. It is easy to dismiss this, but if we assume the seven churches are times of church history, we find something interesting. Thyatira seems to be the journey of the Roman Catholic church, Sardis the protestant reformation churches, Philadelphia - the non affiliated faithful church and Laodicea the prosperity gospel church. All 4 of these have some reference to the Lord's return meaning they are all on the earth at His return. This is what we see on earth today!
There is another amazing structure in the way the last four churches were written. In Thyatira and Sardis Jesus instructs them to wait for his coming, indicating it isn't for a while. In Philadelphia the Lord is 'coming soon!' When we see Laodicea we have to deal with a word 'idou' in greek. This word has a few renderings because it is hard to articulate in English. It carries the idea of, 'something needs to get your attention because it is special.' So we see 'behold!' We also have, 'see!' or 'listen!' In Revelation 3:20 we find idou and the Hebrew Bible have paired it with the Hebrew word 'hineni' which means 'here I am!' The NIV also does this with 'idou.'
If we are rendering the seven churches as a historical overview of the church age, the last four churches exist on earth before the Lord's appearing. So if we detach 'idou' from the next statement we find the Lord saying of the last 4 churches:
'1) hold on... 2) hold on... 3) Im coming soon... 4) HERE I AM!
As we can all see, there is a church on Earth that is Laodicean. It teaches that God wants to bless people with worldly things despite Jesus saying He does not give as the world gives. Wealth and material things are valued as evidence for God's authentication of a person, church or movement. The letter to Laodicea exposes this as error and calls for repentance. This church we can see is the one where Jesus says, 'Here I Am!' Even if we place 'idou' with 'I stand at the door and knock' and dismiss it as in indicator of His return, we are still at the last stage of this chronology so we can rejoice.
How amazing is it that we are at the very end of 'the things that are' and could very well be involved in the snatching away of the church from the earth. Come Lord Jesus!
Gary Ward
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