How Long Has the Apostate Church Been Growing?

40 years ago I heard two statements from former retired missionaries that left me with a sick feeling. These statements were that "we should compromise the gospel for the sake of unity" and the second statement was that "if we are too heavenly minded we can be no earthly good." Both of these statements were lies that flew in the face of God, teaching compromise and false principles while claiming they were from God.

This missionary couple were on the field for over 40 years and didn't understand the basic principle that Christ always comes before people and that compromising His gospel so that people get along was blatantly against God's Word.

The second statement denied that the more heavenly-minded we are the more we will carry out God's purpose for us on earth.

This encounter with these very old missionaries left me wondering how many missionaries have been on the mission field speaking things God never said and making friends with heathens just to be accepted and admired by them.

When missionaries bring a false gospel to the people they serve they are creating false converts. There may be a few people who come to the Lord in spite of the lies these missionaries tell, but many will believe them and follow them instead of Christ.

Is it any wonder "Christianity" has taken a turn toward apostasy in the past century? Many false practices and false beliefs have been in play, inching toward the apostasy we see today.

2 Timothy 4:2-4 "…2 Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and encourage with every form of patient instruction. 3 For the time will come when men will not tolerate sound doctrine, but with itching ears they will gather around themselves teachers to suit their own desires. 4 So they will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths."

We have more subtle lies that are moving through the churches, such as "we should say things in a way they will be received." This statement makes the delivery of a human being more important than the working of the Holy Spirit within the believer as the messenger.

We do not have to figure out how to speak to people when we are trusting the Holy Spirit. If we know the Word of God well we can speak what God said and the Holy Spirit will deliver it to the hearer.

Matthew 10:19-20 "…19 But when they hand you over, do not worry about how to respond or what to say. In that hour you will be given what to say. 20 For it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you."

No matter what situation we are in the Holy Spirit is the One Who should be speaking through us. We don't have to be "careful" how we say something. Someone may need a gentle delivery and others may need a strong one. The Holy Spirit knows better than us what is needed for each individual. Anyone who teaches human formulas for anything is not trusting the Holy Spirit.

The idea that we are to use a generic response devised by man is not Biblical and only intimidates most believers into silence. Since many believers do not know the word of God and they have been taught to be very careful how they say something they worry more about the delivery than they depend on the Holy Spirit.

It has been my experience with most Christians that they do not understand the working of the Holy Spirit, do not trust Him and even seem embarrassed at the mention of Him. In other words, they do not depend on the Holy Spirit.

Exodus 4:12

"Now go! I will help you as you speak, and I will teach you what to say."

Luke 12:12

"For at that time the Holy Spirit will teach you what you should say."

Acts 13:9

"Then Saul, who was also called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked directly at Elymas"

The Holy Spirit lives in every born-again believer, we have no need to trust in our own devices or human ideas about delivery or specific words. God's word should flow from us without worry or reservation.

John 14:26

"But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you."

Depend on the Holy Spirit and study to know God's Word well and you will not have to worry about the delivery.

John 16:13

"When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come."