All three have an example in the history of Israel.
1) Broken Cisterns - Jeremiah complained about the apostasy of Judah by saying,
Hath a nation changed their gods, which are yet no gods?
but my people have changed their glory for [that which] doth not profit. Be astonished, O ye heavens, at this, and be horribly afraid, be ye very desolate, saith the LORD. For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water.
Jeremiah 2:11-13
Today, Darwinian physical science has given the world something I call "Declaration over Exploration." Sadly, many Churches are promoting "Theistic Evolution" as a needless compromise with the disastrous result of the killing of God the Creator.
Freudian mental science has given the world an "escape from sin" where everyone is a victim. Here, too many in the Church promote these unbiblical ideas and thereby kill God the Judge.
Biblical "Higher Criticism" and "Lower Criticism" from the 19th-20th Centuries11 gave the world spiritual doubt. The result? The absence of personal discernment as the Church promotes its own self-criticism. All three of these secular practices are like the "broken cisterns" spoken of by Jeremiah.
2) Alliances of Weakness.
Hosea helps us draw a historical parallel here. He observes that "Ephraim, he hath mixed himself among the people; Ephraim is a cake not turned. Strangers have devoured his strength, and he knoweth [it] not: yea, gray hairs are here and there upon him, yet he knoweth not."12 He was warning against the infiltration, integration, and influence of evil.
The best example of this kind of compromise is King Solomon himself. The writer of 1 Kings reminds us in 1 Kings 11:1-4.
The Worldwide Ecumenical Movement demonstrates this dangerous paradigm shift among some churches today, which results in pragmatic political positioning that dilutes and dims the "Salt and Light effect of the true followers of Jesus Christ.
Sheep Without Shepherds - Again, Hosea gives us the historic parallel the will help us understand the sad spiritual state of Israel at the time of their falling away. Concerning the backsliding of the northern nation of Israel He complains, "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.
Jeremiah tells us that this is caused by the wayward spiritual leaders that have, "led them astray. He warns, "'Woe be unto the pastors that destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture!' saith the LORD. Therefore thus saith the LORD God of Israel against the pastors that feed my people; Ye have scattered my flock, and driven them away, and have not visited them: behold, I will visit upon you the evil of your doings, saith the LORD.
False teachers in the end times are predicted by Jesus, by Paul, and Peter. The Letter of Jude describes in detail the characteristics of these false teachers. These apostates will use lying signs, wonders and covetousness and produce a strong deception to draw people into apostasy. Paul warned that the allurement into apostasy will come because "they will not endure sound doctrine.
Paul warns the Corinthian Church in 2 Corinthians 11:3-4 one that offers "another Jesus, another Spirit, and another gospel."
Mathew 13:24-30 gives us a clue how this is done.
Paul describes to his disciple Timothy, that they are, "Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.
Hosea gives us a parallel that will help us understand the sad spiritual state of Israel at the time of their falling away.
Concerning the backsliding of the northern nation of Israel He complains, My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.
False Teachers has led them astray.
He warns, "'Woe be unto the pastors that destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture!' saith the Lord. Therefore thus saith the Lord God of Israel against the pastors that feed my people; Ye have scattered my flock, and driven them away, and have not visited them: behold, I will visit upon you the evil of your doings, saith the LORD.
False teachers in the end times are predicted by Jesus, by Paul, and Peter.
The Letter of Jude describes in detail the characteristics of these false teachers.
These apostates will use lying signs, wonders and covetousness and produce a strong deception to draw people into apostasy. Paul warned that the allurement into apostasy will come because "they will not endure sound doctrine.
Part 1.
Examining three causes of Apostasy,
All three have an example in the history of Israel.
1) Broken Cisterns - Jeremiah complained about the apostasy of Judah by saying,
Hath a nation changed their gods, which are yet no gods?
but my people have changed their glory for [that which] doth not profit. Be astonished, O ye heavens, at this, and be horribly afraid, be ye very desolate, saith the LORD. For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water.
Jeremiah 2:11-13
Today, Darwinian physical science has given the world something I call "Declaration over Exploration." Sadly, many Churches are promoting "Theistic Evolution" as a needless compromise with the disastrous result of the killing of God the Creator.
Freudian mental science has given the world an "escape from sin" where everyone is a victim. Here, too many in the Church promote these unbiblical ideas and thereby kill God the Judge.
Biblical "Higher Criticism" and "Lower Criticism" from the 19th-20th Centuries11 gave the world spiritual doubt. The result? The absence of personal discernment as the Church promotes its own self-criticism. All three of these secular practices are like the "broken cisterns" spoken of by Jeremiah.
2) Alliances of Weakness.
Hosea helps us draw a historical parallel here. He observes that "Ephraim, he hath mixed himself among the people; Ephraim is a cake not turned. Strangers have devoured his strength, and he knoweth [it] not: yea, gray hairs are here and there upon him, yet he knoweth not."12 He was warning against the infiltration, integration, and influence of evil.
The best example of this kind of compromise is King Solomon himself. The writer of 1 Kings reminds us in 1 Kings 11:1-4.
See part 2.
Part 2.
The Worldwide Ecumenical Movement demonstrates this dangerous paradigm shift among some churches today, which results in pragmatic political positioning that dilutes and dims the "Salt and Light effect of the true followers of Jesus Christ.
Sheep Without Shepherds - Again, Hosea gives us the historic parallel the will help us understand the sad spiritual state of Israel at the time of their falling away. Concerning the backsliding of the northern nation of Israel He complains, "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.
Jeremiah tells us that this is caused by the wayward spiritual leaders that have, "led them astray. He warns, "'Woe be unto the pastors that destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture!' saith the LORD. Therefore thus saith the LORD God of Israel against the pastors that feed my people; Ye have scattered my flock, and driven them away, and have not visited them: behold, I will visit upon you the evil of your doings, saith the LORD.
False teachers in the end times are predicted by Jesus, by Paul, and Peter. The Letter of Jude describes in detail the characteristics of these false teachers. These apostates will use lying signs, wonders and covetousness and produce a strong deception to draw people into apostasy. Paul warned that the allurement into apostasy will come because "they will not endure sound doctrine.
Paul warns the Corinthian Church in 2 Corinthians 11:3-4 one that offers "another Jesus, another Spirit, and another gospel."
Mathew 13:24-30 gives us a clue how this is done.
Paul describes to his disciple Timothy, that they are, "Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.
These are perilous times we live in.
GB.
Part 3.
Sheep Without Shepherds.
Hosea gives us a parallel that will help us understand the sad spiritual state of Israel at the time of their falling away.
Concerning the backsliding of the northern nation of Israel He complains, My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.
False Teachers has led them astray.
He warns, "'Woe be unto the pastors that destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture!' saith the Lord. Therefore thus saith the Lord God of Israel against the pastors that feed my people; Ye have scattered my flock, and driven them away, and have not visited them: behold, I will visit upon you the evil of your doings, saith the LORD.
False teachers in the end times are predicted by Jesus, by Paul, and Peter.
The Letter of Jude describes in detail the characteristics of these false teachers.
These apostates will use lying signs, wonders and covetousness and produce a strong deception to draw people into apostasy. Paul warned that the allurement into apostasy will come because "they will not endure sound doctrine.
God bless.
This comment thread is locked. Please enter a new comment below to start a new comment thread.
Note: Comment threads older than 2 months are automatically locked.
Do you have a Bible comment or question?
Please Sign In or Register to post comments...
Report Comment
Which best represents the problem with the comment?