THE NEW APOSTASY, PRE-APOSTASY SIGNS vs POST APOSTASY SIGNS
THE SPEED AT WHICH THE END IS APPROACHING HAS REACHED INDESCRIBABLE PROPORTIONS. All of the Biblical signs have been fulfilled, at least to a highly discernable level. The apparent signs were complete years ago and most Bible believing Christians of 30-40 years prior were sure that Jesus would come before the 1970’s or 1980’s were over. What most of us did not perceive was a whole new level of signs that our experiences and Bible understanding had not prepared us to receive. These new signs are very different, even imperceptible to anyone already caught up in the present apostasy. This second level of signs I will call the post-apostasy ones.
Let’s get a picture of what we are talking about. This great truth came like a rushing storm to my heart. The Holy Spirit filled my study and I knew He was giving me a beautiful and Biblically sound revelation. There are two levels of end time signs in the Holy Scripture. The first level we will identify as the pre-apostasy signs and the second as the post-apostasy signs. What is the difference?
Pre-apostasy signs are very clear even to the lukewarm or the non-Christian. For thirty (30) to forty (40) years much of the church world and a large amount of the non-church have seen and understood these Biblical proofs of His soon returning. Books like Hal Lindsey’s The Late Great Planet Earth have sold millions and were filled with these simple signs of Christ’s coming.
Post-apostasy signs are of a totally different style and cannot be understood by an unbelieving world. They are signs that have a deep Biblical significance and will not be readily acceptable to a church world already seduced by the lies of the Apostate Leaders. It’s easy to see the difference of the signs before apostasy is dominant and those signs after apostasy is in great sway. We are now experiencing the last level of end time evidence. This is the post-apostasy period.
A penetrating scripture is recorded in II Peter 3:3-4. It states, “Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.” (2 Peter 3:3-4) We hear these kinds of remarks everywhere. There is a great departing from the once loved “Hope of His Imminent Appearance.”
Please note that this scripture is in reference to the last of the last times before the Son of God returns. The word last in this usage means remote times. Scoffers are not just critics but, “false prophets who jeer at such truth as the great return of Jesus for His chosen Bride.” These are religious leaders who find their pleasure in the lifestyle clearly evidenced by today’s television evangelists and empire building idols. They are not prophets of God because they would live like a prophet if they were. (Remember how Elijah refused the money of Naaman to perform religious activities.) Prophets scorn the world, not embrace it.
Pre-Apostasy Signs. These are the signs that excited the church world for an entire generation. I have personally been shouting over these signs for 60 years this past March. Now, nobody wants to hear them. They are actually scorned. Let’s list a few of them:
1. The nation of Israel that was born after almost 2000 years of exile: From the far corners of the globe they have returned to their promised land. Since the flag featuring the Star of David was hoisted in 1948, they have proved invincible to a myriad of enemies. This fact alone is like a time clock of certainty.
2. Signs in the elements: The natural world is reeling under a strange but escalating sense of destiny. Earthquakes are at a level of frequency unknown to history. Famines are scourging one geographic area while waste and plenty exist in another. The weather is quirky and unpredictable. Infectious diseases are rampant while wars and rumors of wars are clearly out of control. The elements of nature witness to impending judgment.
3. Growing worldliness in the church: What we used to call worldliness has now given way to apostasy. Worldliness is love for the world that draws away the person with a waning love. In the past they were easily convicted and would usually repent and change course when periods of revival came. Now they thumb their noses at holiness preaching and move to a more comfortable church setting. We’ve got plenty of preachers ready to make them satisfied in their sins.
The difference in worldliness and apostasy is two-fold. First, apostasy means to depart from the faith to another gospel. There is much evidence of such today. The gospel of soft love and self esteem, prosperity and positive confession, entertainment and feel-good theology is the antithesis of Christ’s message of crucifixion, self-denial, cross-bearing and sacrificial service. The second expression of apostasy is, “to sin without grief and to be worldly without conviction.”
There are certainly many other early signs of Christ returning but these suffice for this message. There was a time you could preach these overwhelming evidences and witness a harvest of conversions. They stir little interest today. Add to them the much evidence of a pending one world government, the United Nations of Europe, computer readiness to control the masses and the growing New Age movement and “Let him who heareth understand what the spirit is saying unto the churches.” (Revelation 2 and 3) Its time to believe the Holy Book and that it is infallible.
Post-Apostasy Signs. The post-apostasy signs move us into an entirely new and different mindset. These signs are mostly religious in nature and have an air of intellectualism. They are clearly designed to deceive people who are highly cultured and educated. Their religious nature makes them emotionally exciting and mentally captivating. “For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.” (Matthew 24:24)
It is important that you understand the distinction between false Christ and antichrist. The two words are very different. One is antichristos and the other is pseudochristos. This post-apostasy period is witnessing the overwhelming effect of a pseudochristos presence. It is Christ with a little c, or Christ reduced to the control of man without His sovereignty and stripped of His blinding Holiness. The present church as a whole is a perfect picture of a Santa Claus mentality with lots of gifts but absolutely no responsibility for purity. It will be rejected.
1. One of the first signs of the post-apostasy period is anti-Semitism spreading in the church. There is a growing distaste for national Israel among religious leaders. The unbelieving Jew is still an enemy for the gospel’s sake, but he is beloved for the Father’s sake. (Romans 11:28) Earl Paulk, Jr., of Atlanta, GA, writes “Some of the strongest fundamental churches still preach that Christ will return to gather national Israel unto Himself, and I say that is deception and will keep the Kingdom of God from coming to pass!” (Earl Paulk, The Handwriting on the Wall) “When Israel gets pushed into the sea, or converted to Christ, Scofieldism dies a fast death. Rest assured, I have a manuscript ready to go when either of these events happens.” (Letter dated April 30, 1987 to Peter Lalonde) This dear man was the International Radio Minister for the Church of God and the son of one of the great leaders in that denomination. I knew him personally. What could have turned him from this truth? One thing, SIN!
2. The second sign is the utopia/prosperity/pleasure preaching of our generation. A message of good times ahead is heard today only from the pulpit and in an election campaign. Every other messenger knows better. From the scientists to the environmentalists, we hear the warning but the feel-good theology of the church won’t allow the preachers to tell it like it is. One leading Church of God pastor wrote in a church bulletin that we are about to enter the New Age of prosperity. (Dr. Paul Leverne Walker, Atlanta, GA) Another said, “Praise God the tabernacle is being restored!” (Lifelines, Randall D. Worley, Charlotte, NC) The last statement was made in an article announcing “guru” dancing in the church. I know both of these ministers well and they are not bad men, but lead astray by the new mindset in the church world.
3. The loss of Biblical convictions and the uncommon lifestyle is one of the most disturbing signs. A recent confidential survey of ministries reported 50% admitted extramarital affairs. It was documented that 80% of all registered attendees at the 1988 Religious Broadcasters Convention in Washington, D.C., ordered X-rated movies into their rooms. It is now acceptable (to the apostate church) for a minister or laity to divorce, remarry and continue in leadership and even to be applauded as examples. If God doesn’t judge the church (He will), He would have to apologize to Sodom and Gomorrah.
4. The New Age has entered the church. Choreographed tongues and dance is only the outward evidence. When ritualistic schemes replace the freedom and beauty of Christ-centered, Holy Spirit led worship you can change from Jesus Christ to a guru and never alter your program. New Testament worship cannot be choreographed. The Holy Spirit will not yield to manipulation. He is sovereign and His gifts are divided severally as He will every time they are manifested.
5. The last post-apostasy sign that I will mention in this article is concerning the new gospel being preached in our pulpits. Self-love and self-esteem with Jesus Christ will radically change a person’s life and with that alter their image of themselves. We become children of God in a redemptive sense and heirs of every appropriate promise in the Bible. But it doesn’t begin with self-love, but with conviction and disgust for our sinful self.
To preach self-love or self-esteem as a premier message is totally deceptive. It makes the individuals satisfied with themselves; it raises their human potential alright, but at the expense of truly changing the evil heart. This new individual refuses to accept Biblical instruction that convicts them of unholy lifestyles. To think negative even of one’s sins is contrary to this mindset. These individuals sweep the garbage under the rug where it will gather until an overload comes; and come it will.
The masquerading spirits of this hour are so evident in promoting this new religious thinking that the obedient Bible-believing Christian or minister feels himself under siege. The remnant who refuse to bow to such thinking will not be the most loved. Expect to be persecuted in an escalating manner.
When you view the pre-apostasy and post-apostasy signs from a Biblical perspective it becomes clear that we are at the crisis hour. Seeing these signs from the two different angles helps to understand the neglect of Bible Prophecy in most churches. When a Christian college or university has one department teaching psychology and another teaching theology, one or the other is out of place. The basic departure in our Biblical teaching is the result of the new marriage of these two competing ideas.
An article in the American Psychologist (August 1988) entitled “Psychology’s Mentalist Paradigm and the Religious/Science Tension” documents this wedding. Its author, R.W. Sherry, tells us that this convergence between science and religion has paved the way for the new man and his new world. The above statement sums up his paradigm. “Perhaps no idea is of more critical practical concern than the potential application of this paradigm in an ideology for world government.”
The new world and new ideology is unquestionably the soon-coming World Kingdom of the Antichrist. Who would have believed that Pentecostals, Evangelicals and Charismatics would succumb to this deception and be spokesmen for the man of sin? It is happening and many church members are being sucked unwittingly into its confusion. Before that Kingdom of Evil can experience its short but violent life, Jesus is coming for those who are overcomers. No wonder Revelation chapters two and three emphasize the fact that only the overcomers will escape this horrible hour! Jesus spoke these last words by the lips and hand of John in Revelation 3:10: “Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.” Only the patient (those who don’t bend when the heat is on) and the overcomers will escape the last fling of Satan’s vengeance and the wrath of God’s offended holiness.
SL
If you’re going to write about apostasy it might be helpful if you’d learn how to spell it correctly.
My dear Friend,
We checked the internet before we published and found both spellings correct, Apostasy or Apostacy.
Joseph
Sandra Hendricks
This deception has sure continued since Adam and Eve! But the churches need to “hear” what the Spirit is saying to them! May God have mercy on us. May they come back to their first love! This world is ‘naturally’ headed for destruction…but He who is in US (the Church) is greater than he that is in the world! The Church has salvation from soul destruction! Pastor Youssef is preaching right now on the radio of this GLORIOUS salvation! We should shout from where we are, “I’m Saved!! I’m Saved! I’m Saved!” Praise God, no one can take that away from us! It’ll be a hard fall for those who will not. Keep on warning Pastor Chambers…
Sheree D. Price
Excellent article Pastor Chambers!!! Thank you for your diligence, your research and for
making it so pure, plain and simple that even a child can understand and grasp the
importance and the seriousness of the hour in which we are living.
I am so excited and am so longing for His appearing that I can hardly contain myself!!
What a day it’s gonna be, and to think we are really gonna be “caught up to
meet The Lord in the air”… No more sorrow, crying, heartaches, pain, suffering,
filth, sin, perversions, war, famine, earthquakes, floods, tornadoes, tsunamis, aids
and all the other horrors this old world has given us through satan and his demons.
Who in their right mind wouldn’t choose Jesus and the life He offers to any and all
who will just come to Him, turn from their sins and trust Him, and live for Him for
time and eternity. I thank God for His mercy, that one day, He reached down His
Hand to me, and gave me a revelation of what my sins did to His Son Jesus!!! Allowed
me to see the exceeding sinfulness of my sins and call on the Name of The Lord!
Saved my soul and gave me a brand new life! And now I get heaven, too?
I praise His Holy, Wonderful, Glorious Name…
Thanks again Pastor Chambers, our God is using you beautifully. God’s
continued blessings to you and your precious wife and family!
I love you in Christ, Mrs Sheree Price
Ed Wood
This was an excellent presentation on a topic I hadn’t thought about before – that of two sets of signs. It seems to me that in some respects, characterisitics of the pre- and post-apostasy signs might even co-exist right now.
For example, the growing extremes in weather around the world is pretty much “in your face,” and impossible to ignore. But the invasion of false doctrine into most of the modern church has been a lot more subtle and insidious – in fact, most denominations today willingly embrace such things such as Jesus not being the one and only way of salvation, homosexual lifestlyes being accepted and blessed, even among the clergy. All of which springs from the slow abandonment of the Bible as the final authority.
Paul once said that if the Gospel is hid, it is hid from those who are perishing (2 Corinthians 4:3-4). Hosea, who lived around 735 B.C., spoke of a time when even God’s people, the Israelites of that time, would be destroyed due to a willful lack of knowledge about him (Hosea 4:6).
In a chilling manner, the modern church has replicated the state of Israel when Hosea wrote those words and no doubt will share similar consequences to those ancient people – and, just like them, it can’t even see that it has fallen, just as Jesus predicted when he described the church of Laodicea and its fate (Revelation 3:14-22).
It seems unlikely that God will permit this kind of disintegration to go on much longer because with most of the church failing to carry out the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20), the light of the gospel is being passed on less and less all the time.
I just don’t see this reaching a point where God allows this light to go out altogether because Jesus himself said the gates of hell would not prevail against the true church (Matthew 16:18). However, judging from the state of today’s “church,” there may be relatively few of us left before he returns to call his own home.
TiffanyD
Dear brother
I have also noticed and encountered new and stronger levels of persecution toward “Bible believing” Christians.
jaimie
Dear Pastor
You hit the nail on the head, we were just discussing up here with Christian friends whether or not the Apostasy was fulfilled! Yes i agree the apostasy is nearly complete. They felt there was still a little to go. The spirit of Laodacia is one that is niether Hot nor Cold for Jesus. If some one comes in another name they will (and are) following him or her.
Laodicea = Peoples Opinions
Hence, it can be reduced to this simple structure; its our way, GOD’s way or no way
Dear Pastor i still pray for you everyday.
God Bless
jaimie
Willie
TIME CLOCK OF CERTAINTY
There’s a time clock of certainty
Of the approaching tomorrow
A death rattle of warning
Of the chains of sorrow
A soft selling of self
With the feel good antithesis
Fiscal cliff’s but a pebble
Before the looming abyss
Absolutions unauthorized
No responsibility for purity
Trading away lost potential
For a last bit of security
Fundamentals ignored
The plan’s in a vacuum
Just one more warning
It’ll be over soon.
There’s a time clock of certainty
1/16/13 Willie
Sean
Joseph did a stem-winder today!
Problem is, its the same message as Marcion in the 2nd century, the Millinnarians in the mediccal era, the Millerites in the 1830s and the Jehovah’s Witlesses all during the first 3/4 of the 20th century.
While Joseph includes a few quotes from the OT and the Gospels, he’s missed the message, even as he quotes them.
Jesus will come as a thief in the night “You know not the day nor the hour.” St Paul says that Israel SHALL accept Jesus as Messiah before the end.
And Jesus said to pay no attention to the signs in nature “these are just the birth pangs of the end.”
I refute Joseph’s attempts to scare people in this manner. The REAL end of the world for all of us is when we die. That’s certain.
Now. I plan to go with Holy Viaticum, the Sacred Host on my tongue, so Jesus Himself will be with me as I travel to His tribunal, in sincere hope of finding mercy for the sins I’ve committed and to hear the Lord call out, “Come, thou good and faithful servant,for you gave Me food when I was hungry, gave Me drink when I was thirsty, clothed Me when I was naked, and visted Me when I was sick or in prison.”
I have Jesus’ promise that whatever I did to the least of His brothers, I did it to Him.
Faith will get me to the gates of heaven – love, shown by my good works in the Name of Jesus will get me in.
So, get off of the Revelation – you’ve hammered it too much, Joseph. Now go back to the Gospel and beg people to show the love of Jesus by acting with love in His Name.
Marianne Lordi
@Sean, you are deceived, my friend. Jesus said you won’t know the day or the hour but he gave us the signs to watch for so that we would know the timing of his coming! He did not say to pay no attention when the birth pangs begin. In fact we are to take note of it. He said that they must happen first! You need to read your bible again. Good works will NOT get you into heaven.
Pastor Chambers,
You are right on in pointing out the signs of the times. Christ is indeed at the door and he will be coming soon. We need only keep our eyes on Israel to see how close we are to Christ’s coming. Revelation says that a time will come when Israel stands alone. That means that America is not going to stand with her in the end times and we see signs of that happening now! How sad that we who were blessed among nations because we stood with Israel and now will soon be like the rest of the nations and abandon her.
Bill Andrews
So Sean, you think Jesus told us not to pay attention to the signs he gave us in His Olivet Discourse ? Then why did He give them to begin with ? You have some serious brain damage and need to study your Bible (if you have one). You also need to be knocked down off your high horse.
You’ve proven through your insecure ravings that you are doctrinally unsound. Go play in your apostate catholic cult and quit disturbing those who come to this site for God’s message delivered by Pastor Chambers.
Thank you Pastor Chambers and Ed Wood as well.
Keith Black
THE CHURCHES COLLAPSED IN THE GREAT CRASH – SPIRITUAL GREAT DEPRESSION
Dear Joe Chambers,
It is now official: THE CHURCHES HAVE COLLAPSED SPIRITUALLY. THE CRASHED IS THE GREAT SPIRITUAL DEPRESSION. Much like a TOTAL STOCK MARKET CRASH where stocks fall all the way down from 15’000 to zero, the SPIRITUAL STOCK MARKET HAS CRASHED TOO. THE CHURCHES ARE MORALLY AND SPIRITUALLY BANKRUPT. APOSTASY is really where the churches collapse spiritually. FALLING AWAY is very much like a stock market slide to the bottom. Except Wall St is a FINANCIAL FALLING AWAY, and the churches are in a spiritual crash. THE SPIRITUAL STOCK MARKET CRASHED TOO. What caused this GREAT CRASH AND SPIRITUAL GREAT DEPRESSION? It is PORK-BARREL PREACHING where the preachers promise that God will MULTIPLY YOUR INCOME 100-FOLD if you support them. The promise PROSPERITY AND BENEFITS to those that support them. They sound EXACTLY LIKE THE POLITICIANS IN WASHINGTON, that promise benefits to their supporters. This led church members to GET CARELESS WITH THEIR FINANCES AND THEY RAN UP THEIR CREDIT CARDS AND GOUT BIGGER HOUSES THAN THEY COULD AFFORD. Now these houses are being FORECLOSED BY THE BANKS, and we are in an ECONOMIC DEPRESSION TOO, because the PORK-BARREL PREACHERS BROUGHT THE SPIRITUAL DEPRESSION (APOSTASY) WITH THEIR PORK-BARREL PREACHING. They are no different than VOTE-BUYING POLITICIANS. Guess who all these LOOT-WARM LAODICEAN APOSTATE CHURCH MEMBERS VOTED FOR: THEY VOTED FOR OBAMA. If it was not for the SPIRITUAL CRASH IN OUR CHURCHES, OBAMA WOULD HAVE NEVER BEEN ELECTED AS PRESIDENT. IT WAS THE LOOT-WARM LAODICANS THAT VOTED FOR HIM. Our once Christian Denominations are GONE SPIRITUALLY, they are not coming back. They are wiped out, and rotten. Leave the broken denominations at once.
SIncerely,
Keith Black
WAYNE
you are so correct… none want it… they love the world and the things thereof… so the love of the Father is “not” in them. self, self, self,,, we are loking straight in the face of: THE “ABOMINATION” THAT “DESOLATES”! THE GREAT SEAL ON THE DOLLAR BILL, THE UNATTACHED CAPTSTONE, SETTING THE “FINAL” ANTICHRIST, THE “MAN” OF SIN, “SON” OF PERDITION, (PONTIFEX MAXIMUS) AND HIS COUNTERFEIT ABOMINABLE EMPIRE IN GOD’S HOLY CITY JERUSALEM!
THIS IS ALL LUCIFER “SUN” WORSHIP / BABYLON “MYSTERY” RELIGION / 666
MATTHEW 24:15-22, DANIEL 11:45, DANIEL 12:1, DANIEL 12:6-7, EZEKIEL 8:14-18, REVELATION 13:3,8; DANIEL 7:23.
http://Avenueoflight.com http://xanga.com/Avenueoflight
Mark Gabrielson
Pastor Chambers,
Please pardon my correction but it was Elisha the refused the payment.
God bless you,
Mark
You are right my Brother!!!!
Joseph
Bernard van Niekerk
Hi Pastor,
sadly you are right re apostasy in the “church”. The ‘word of faith” movement seems to be at the forefront of this. I have a brother who, with his family, are AOG members and a sister who belongs to a C3 church; both churches heavily into the prosperity teachings.
In regards to the “nation of Israel” today I agree that God has been watching over it and, as a Christian, I pray for Israel’s spiritual salvation. However it seems questionable whether this “physical nation of Israel” as a whole is really following God in a spiritual sense?
(John 8:31 to 43): Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, “If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;
32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”
33 They answered him, We be Abraham’s seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free?
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 for ever: but the Son abideth ever.
36 If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.
37 I know that ye are Abraham’s seed; but ye seek to kill me, because my word hath no place in you.
38 I speak that which I have seen with my Father: and ye do that which ye have seen with your father.”
39 They answered and said unto him, Abraham is our father. Jesus saith unto them, “If ye were Abraham’s children, ye would do the works of Abraham.
40 But now ye seek to kill me, a man that hath told you the truth, which I have heard of God: this did not Abraham.
41 Ye do the deeds of your father.” Then said they to him, We be not born of fornication; we have one Father, even God.
42 Jesus said unto them, “If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me.
43 Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word.”
As Jesus said to Pontius Pilate (John 18:36):
Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, then My servants would be fighting so that I would not be handed over to the Jews; but as it is, My kingdom is not of this realm.”
Today some say that the earthly temple must be rebuilt on the Temple Mount, but I wonder whether we are not still seeing the same tension between earthly ambitions and the heavenly kingdom that Jesus was referring to.
Pixie Lott
Good post. I’ve been searching on this. Looking forward to your next post!!!