The Church in
the Last Days:
Evidence of the
Apostate, and
the Remnant
revealed.
God’s Word gives
us a clear
description of
the church in
the last days in
Christ’s letters
to the seven
churches in His
Revelation,
chapters 2 & 3.
These are seven
churches that
existed in Asia
Minor at the
time of the
writing of the
Revelation. The
seven churches
are
representative
of the church
throughout
history, and yet
there are
characteristics
of each of these
churches evident
in “the Church”
today.
Unfortunately
most of these
characteristics
are not
desirable.
However, there
is evidence of a
remnant group in
these two
chapters who
stand fast in
the faith in the
end times.
Five problems
with the church
in the last
days.
Christ
prophesied in
Matthew 24 that
in the last days
false Christ’s
or Anti-Christ’s
would appear to
deceive many
Matthew 24:4&5
And Jesus
answered and
said unto them:
“Take heed that
no man deceive
you. For many
shall come in My
name, saying, ‘I
am Christ,’ and
shall deceive
many”.
We find evidence
of this today in
the various
cults and false
Christianities
in the world
today. Jesus
also prophesied
in
Matthew 24:11&12
“And many false
prophets shall
rise, and shall
deceive many.
And because
iniquity shall
abound, the love
of many shall
wax cold”.
Here Jesus warns
of false
prophets within
the church
itself, and the
resulting
confusion they
cause. This is
Doctrinal error
they bring into
the church
resulting in
powerless,
worldly
congregations
that tolerate
and even embrace
sin, which
eventually
causes them to
wax cold, fall
away, become
apostate.
These prophecies
are born out in
the letters to
the seven
churches in
Revelation
chapters 2 and
3. In these
letters to the
seven Churches
we find five
distinct
problems that
turn the church
away from
Christ, five
things that
Satan uses to
destroy the
church by making
it
un-impassioned,
irrelevant,
institutional,
spiritually
insolvent and
ineffective.
Four of these
churches are
addressed in
chapter 2 and
the remaining
three in chapter
3. The first
church is the
church at
Ephesus, and
while the church
is commended for
its ability to
discern who are
or are not true
messengers of
the gospel, and
the fact that
they hate the
deeds of the
Nicolaitans (the
Nicolaitans
wanted to
establish a
priestly order
placing the
power of the
church in the
hands of priests
and bishops and
even a high
priest; but the
New Testament
teaches the
priesthood of
all believers),
still there is a
problem with
this church.
In
Revelation 2: 4
Christ tells
them
“you left your
first love”.
This isn’t just
sad, it’s
shattering. This
church where
Paul had labored
for three years
establishing
their faith,
where Timothy
had instructed
them in sound
doctrine, and
were John
himself had been
their teacher,
was no longer
passionate in
their love for
Christ.
Somewhere along
the line their
joy was gone and
with it their
pure love for
Christ. Their
hearts had grown
cold and what
was left was
legalistic
religion. So
this is the
first problem
that arises, the
people who are
the church lose
the joy of their
salvation. They
just don’t love
Jesus like they
once did,
they’re not
talking to him
in prayer,
they’re not
listening to him
by studying his
word, there’s no
worship there
anymore, just a
broken
relationship and
unless there is
true repentance
the church has
begun a steady
decline into
apostasy.
In
Revelation 2:
12-17 we
find the letter
to the church at
Pergamos. This
is actually the
third of the
letters to the
churches and in
it is described
the second
problem embraced
by the church.
Christ tells
them,
“I
know thy works,
and where thou
dwellest, even
where Satan's
seat is: and
thou holdest
fast my name.”
So they are
still
identifying
themselves as
Christians, but
he says
“But
I have a few
things against
thee, because
thou hast there
them that hold
the doctrine of
Balaam, who
taught Balac to
cast a
stumblingblock
before the
children of
Israel, to eat
things
sacrificed unto
idols, and to
commit
fornication.
So hast
thou also them
that hold the
doctrine of the
Nicolaitans,
which thing I
hate.”
So what is the
doctrine of
Balaam? Very
simply it is
compromise.
Balac allowed
the children of
Israel to
participate in
pagan parties
and rituals
which caused
them to fall
into immorality
and idol
worship, they
intermarried
with the women
of Moab
destroying the
separation God
had established,
and they
disregarded
God’s laws and
did what was
right in their
own eyes. This
then is a
picture of what
happened to the
church at
Pergamos, they
compromised,
they let the
world in, and
they quit
preaching
against
immorality, they
began to let
things become
idols in their
lives. And of
course, what was
once pure faith
became
religiosity and
rote worship in
an
institutionalized
church.
So this is how
it happens, when
you quit loving
Jesus Christ
with all your
heart and mind
and soul, you
allow worldly
things to come
into your life,
you’re not
really separated
from the world
anymore, what
you believe
becomes
compromised, and
the next thing
you know, your
following those
who teach
another gospel.
This then brings
us to the third
problem found
within the
church in the
last days, false
prophets
teaching false
doctrine. In
Revelation 2:
18-29 we
find the letter
written to the
church in
Thyatira. While
verse 19 speaks
of good things
about this
church,
Revelation 2: 20
says
“Notwithstanding,
I have a few
things against
thee, because
thou allowest
that woman
Jezebel, who
calleth herself
a prophetess, to
teach and to
seduce my
servants to
commit
fornication, and
to eat things
sacrificed unto
idols. ”
Once again we
see a church
caught up in
false doctrine,
but worse yet,
the false
doctrine is
being taught
from within the
church. This
Jezebel is
allowed to
teach, but she’s
not preaching
the gospel,
instead she’s
teaching
seduction. You
know this
message, the
apostle Paul
said it was for
“itching ears”
in
2 Timothy 4:3 &4
and “they
shall turn away
their ears from
the truth, and
shall be turned
unto fables.”
We see this
in the church
today, where the
Gospel of Grace
through the shed
blood of Jesus
Christ at
Calvary, the
Gospel that
tells us that
the blood is the
only thing that
will wash away
our sins, the
Gospel that
tells us that
Jesus is the way
the truth and
the life and
that no one
comes to the
Father except
through Him, has
been replaced by
false doctrines.
The true Gospel
has been
replaced by a
self-help gospel
laced with
secular humanism
which teaches
that man has the
power and
authority to
change and
elevate his own
life, that true
happiness comes
from within man
himself; the
true Gospel has
been replaced by
a prosperity
gospel which
teaches the God
wants you to be
wealthy and that
you can have
anything you
want, that all
you have to do
is to name it
and claim it in
Jesus name, it
is a gospel
centered on the
base desires of
man rather than
the reality of
God’s will. The
true Gospel has
been replaced by
an emergent
gospel which
takes away the
need for
repentance
because the god
of the emergent
gospel loves you
so much that no
matter who you
are or how you
live he would
never condemn
you, it is a
gospel devoid of
faith, devoid of
responsibility,
and devoid of
judgment. The
true Gospel has
been replaced in
these last days
by a false
gospel which
teaches that the
church has
replaced God’s
chosen people
Israel, that the
church has
become
“spiritual”
Israel and that
Israel’s
blessings have
become the
church’s
blessings. This
false gospel
denies prophetic
Scripture as
allegory and
denies the
future second
coming of Jesus
Christ.
Unfortunately,
there is much
more on the
subject of false
doctrine. In
speaking of
false doctrines,
the apostle Paul
used even
stronger
language in1
Timothy 4:1
“that in the
latter times
some shall
depart from the
faith, giving
heed to seducing
spirits, and
doctrines of
devils.”
Today the world
is awash in
cultic teaching,
from the
blasphemy of
Mormonism which
teaches the
Jesus Christ is
the brother of
Lucifer, to the
Jehovah’s
Witnesses and
their blasphemy
which teaches
that Jesus
Christ and the
Archangel
Michael are one
and the same, to
Christian
science which is
neither
Christian nor
science, to
Scientology,
Catholicism,
Chrislam,
Universalism,
Shamanism,
Spiritualism,
and countless
other “ism’s”
which all deny
or denigrate the
deity of Jesus
Christ.
All of these
false Gospels,
false doctrines,
cultic
religions, are
stealing the
souls of men,
and one of the
greatest reasons
for this is that
the church of
Jesus Christ has
strayed from the
true Gospel,
from the Word of
God, we’ve lost
our first love.
This brings us
to
Revelation 3:
1-6 and the
fourth problem
associated with
the church in
the last days.
In verse one
Christ tells
this church in
Sardis,
“I know thy
works, that thou
hast a name that
thou livest, and
art dead.”
He has nothing
good to say to
this church,
they think they
are alive, they
still open the
doors,
unfortunately
Ichabod (the
Glory has
departed) is
written above
them. They are
dead, their
works show no
fruit, they are
marked by
evidence of all
of the previous
three problems,
they deny the
love of Christ,
deny morality,
deny separation
from the world,
they deny sound
doctrine, deny
saving faith,
deny the power
of the cross,
deny the power
in the blood,
deny the second
coming of
Christ, in fact
they deny the
authority of
God, His son
Jesus Christ,
and His Holy
Spirit. And so,
they are dead,
and dead
churches become
apostate.
This brings us
to the fifth
problem in the
church in the
last days;
Apostasy.
Corrupted and
compromised by
worldliness it
will be devoid
of the presence
of God.
Somewhere along
the line it
abandoned all
pretense of
Biblical
Doctrine, it
renounced the
authority of the
Scriptures, it
ridicules Bible
Prophecy, it
denies the
Second Coming,
and denies God’s
covenant
relationship
with His chosen
people Israel.
The church at
Laodicea in the
Revelation is
representative
of the Apostate
church.
In the letter to
the church at
Laodicea in
Revelation 3:
15- 20,
Christ says
“I know thy
works, that thou
art neither cold
nor hot; I would
thou wert cold
or hot. So,
then, because
thou art
lukewarm, and
neither cold nor
hot, I will spew
thee out of my
mouth. Because
thou sayist, I
am rich, and
increased with
goods, and have
need of nothing,
and knowest not
that thou art
wretched, and
miserable, and
poor, and blind,
and naked, I
counsel thee to
buy of me gold
tried in the
fire, that thou
mayest to be
rich; and white
raiment, that
thou mayest be
clothed, and
that the shame
of thy nakedness
do not appear;
and anoint thine
eyes with
eyesalve, that
thou mayest see.
As many as I
love, I rebuke
and chasten; be
zealous,
therefore, and
repent. Behold,
I stand at the
door, and knock;
if any man hear
my voice, and
open the door, I
will come in to
him, and will
sup with him,
and he with me.”
There isn’t any
mention of even
one person in
this church that
has remained
faithful to God.
Not one, and in
fact, we find
Christ on the
outside of this
church knocking
at the door.
Christ hasn’t
even been
invited into
this church. So
I ask you, can
it really be a
church at all
without the
presence of
Christ? Christ
says if any man
hears my voice
and opens the
door then I will
come in and sup
with him and he
with me, it only
takes one, just
one person to
desire
fellowship with
Jesus Christ.
Yet there is no
one within the
walls of this
church that
desires a
relationship
with Jesus
Christ. Christ
says they are
neither cold nor
hot, he says
they are
lukewarm. The
picture here is
of water. Cold
water is
refreshing, and
hot water has
the ability to
cleanse, but
lukewarm water
is neither. It’s
tepid, stagnant;
it has no
quality to be
desired. Christ
says because of
this, he will
vomit them out
of his mouth.
This isn’t a
church; it’s a
country club, a
social club,
some sort of
charitable
organization,
perhaps some
sort of a
political
organization,
whatever it is
it has no
resemblance to
the church in
Acts.
This so called
church is
apathetic, they
have become
worldly, they
are completely
focused on
temporal things
and so declare,
"I am rich, and
have become
wealthy, and
have need of
nothing”, but
Christ says that
they don’t
realize that
they are
wretched,
miserable, poor,
blind, and
naked. These
people may still
call themselves
“Christian”, but
they don’t have
a personal
relationship
with Jesus
Christ. They
believe in a
“Higher Power”,
or may even say
they believe in
God (even the
demons believe,
James2:19),
but all that is
left here is a
form of
godliness as
described in
2Timothy 3:1-5.
This
“church” is
filled with
people who are
only interested
in wealth,
power, health,
and self
promotion. Many
of these
“churches” are
sincere in their
desire to
improve the
lives of people
by what they
teach, but they
teach tolerance
and inclusion of
all religions
and moralities,
saying there are
many paths to
God, yet Jesus
said
“I am the way,
the truth and
the life: no man
cometh unto the
Father but by
Me"
John 14:6.
The message of
the Cross, the
sacrificial shed
blood of Christ,
and repentance
of sin, are
offensive to
them. And so
however sincere
they may be,
they are
sincerely wrong,
and are
sincerely
leading people
down the broad
path of
destruction
which at the
very least will
usher them into
the Tribulation
and at worst, to
Hell.
So here is the
progression of
problems evident
in the church
down through
history, leading
us to where we
find the
majority of
“churches”
today.
First,
they leave their
first love, the
beauty of an
intimate
relationship
with Jesus
Christ.
Second, they
compromise, let
the world in,
they tolerate
sin.
Third, they
tolerate and
follow false
prophets and
false doctrine.
Fourth, they
die, the glory
of God has
departed, and
they become
Spiritually
Dead.
Fifth, they are
Apostate centers
of religiosity
that may look
like a church,
they may have a
form of
godliness, but
they are
powerless
because they
don’t have the
presence of the
Holy Spirit.
However, there
is still hope in
these last days,
for Christ still
is at work in
the world
through His Holy
Spirit. And
there is a
remnant of
believers
empowered by the
Holy Spirit of
Christ, who are
alive in Christ,
who refute false
prophets and
false doctrine,
who refuse to
compromise with
the world, and
who have a
vibrant,
growing, and
intimate,
relationship
with their Lord
and Savior,
Jesus Christ.
This is the
Remnant Church
that Loves Him
and is awaiting
His return.
The Remnant
In Revelation
chapters 2&3, we
find within the
Letters to the
seven churches,
evidence of a
remnant of
believers who
are true to
Jesus Christ and
His call. This
group represents
what I believe
to be the
Remnant Church
of the last
days. We find
them in four
passages in
chapters 2 & 3
of the
Revelation.
In
Revelation 2:
8-11 we read
the letter to
the church at
Smyrna,
“And
unto the angel
of the church in
Smyrna write;
These things
saith the first
and the last,
which was dead,
and is alive;
I know thy
works, and
tribulation, and
poverty, (but
thou art rich)
and I know the
blasphemy of
them which say
they are Jews,
and are not, but
are the
synagogue of
Satan. Fear none
of those things
which thou shalt
suffer: behold,
the devil shall
cast some of you
into prison,
that ye may be
tried; and ye
shall have
tribulation ten
days: be thou
faithful unto
death, and I
will give thee a
crown of life.
He that
hath an ear, let
him hear what
the Spirit saith
unto the
churches; He
that overcometh
shall not be
hurt of the
second death.”
This group of
believers, this
church is a
church under
persecution, a
church that has
suffered for the
stand that they
have made for
Christ. They are
told to be a
fearless church.
And while
outwardly they
look to be poor,
Christ tells
them they are
rich. This
church is
promised a crown
of life for
being faithful
all their life…
right up to the
time of their
death. Notice
Christ has no
rebuke for this
church?
Persecution has
a way of
purifying a
church.
Suffering causes
us to rely on
our Savior, and
we are promised
in1
Peter 3:13-16
“And
who is he that
will harm you,
if ye be
followers of
that which is
good?
But and if ye
suffer for
righteousness'
sake, happy are
ye: and be not
afraid of their
terror, neither
be troubled; But
sanctify the
Lord God in your
hearts: and be
ready always to
give an answer
to every man
that asketh you
a reason of the
hope that is in
you with
meekness and
fear:
Having a good
conscience;
that, whereas
they speak evil
of you, as of
evildoers, they
may be ashamed
that falsely
accuse your good
conversation in
Christ.”
It doesn’t
matter where the
persecution
comes from, we
are to rely on
the strength of
our Savior, and
testify of His
provision for
us, His
protection of
us, and His
promises to us.
The Remnant
Church will be a
persecuted
church.
(We will discuss
the Persecution
and Suffering of
the Remnant
Church in more
depth in part
four of this
series of
articles.)
Now then, if we
look back in
Revelation
chapter 2 at the
letter to the
church at
Thyatira, the
church that
allowed false
prophets to
teach false
doctrine, we
find something
interesting in
this letter.
Rev 2:24-26
“Now to you I
say, and to the
rest in
Thyatira, as
many as do not
have this
doctrine, who
have not known
the depths of
Satan, as they
say, I will put
on you no other
burden. But hold
fast what you
have till I
come. And he who
overcomes, and
keeps My works
until the end,
to him I will
give power over
the nations”
It appears that
here in these
verses we find
evidence of a
few in this
church who made
a stand for
Sound Doctrine
and Spiritual
Truth. And, the
promise to them
for their
faithfulness is
to not be cast
into
tribulation, but
be given a
position of
power in His
kingdom. These
few faithful are
more evidence of
the Remnant
Church in the
last days.
Christ tells
them to
“hold fast what
you have till I
come”. This
is instructive
because of
Paul’s first
letter to the
church at
Thessalonica.
1 Thessalonians
5: 16-24 “Rejoice
evermore.
Pray without
ceasing. In
every thing give
thanks: for this
is the will of
God in Christ
Jesus concerning
you. Quench not
the Spirit.
Despise not
prophesyings.
Prove all
things; hold
fast that which
is good. Abstain
from all
appearance of
evil. And the
very God of
peace sanctify
you wholly; and
I pray God your
whole spirit and
soul and body be
preserved
blameless unto
the coming of
our Lord Jesus
Christ. Faithful
is he that
calleth you, who
also will do
it.”
This is a primer
for Christian
service, with a
promise that if
these
instructions are
followed, God
Himself will
preserve the
believer until
Christ’s return.
(We will discuss
further the
Responsibilities
of the Remnant
Church in part
three of this
series of
articles.)
In the letter to
the church at
Sardis, the dead
church, in
Revelation
chapter 3, we
find evidence of
a few who are
still
spiritually
alive.
Rev. 3: 4 &5
“You
have a few names
even in Sardis
who have not
defiled their
garments; and
they shall walk
with Me in
white, for they
are worthy. He
who overcomes
shall be clothed
in white
garments, and I
will not blot
out his name
from the Book of
Life; but I will
confess his name
before My Father
and before His
angels.”
In these verses
we see more of
the Remnant
Church, those
who have not “defiled
their garments”.
This passage
says these are
worthy and their
name remains in
the Book of
Life… they are
heaven bound, we
see them again
in
Revelation 4:4
around the
throne, and in
Revelation 19:14
mounted on white
horses following
Christ the
Warrior King
into battle. The
first recording
of Christ’s
promise to
confess the name
of the faithful
servant before
His Father is
found in the
Gospels of
Matthew and
Luke. Matthew
10:32
“Whosoever
therefore shall
confess
me before men,
him will I
confess
also before my
Father which is
in heaven.”
This
is an honor in
recognition of
their faithful
service in
fulfilling the
responsibilities
they were given
as a part of the
Body of Christ.
The fourth
passage in
Revelation
chapters 2 & 3
relating to the
Remnant Church
is found in the
letter to the
church at
Philadelphia in
Revelation
3:8-12
“I know your
works. See, I
have set before
you an open
door, and no one
can shut it; for
you have a
little strength,
have kept My
word, and have
not denied My
name. Indeed I
will make
those of
the synagogue of
Satan, who say
they are Jews
and are not, but
lie—indeed I
will make them
come and worship
before your
feet, and to
know that I have
loved you.
Because you have
kept My command
to persevere, I
also will keep
you from the
hour of trial
which shall come
upon the whole
world, to test
those who dwell
on the earth.
Behold, I am
coming quickly!
Hold fast what
you have, that
no one may take
your crown. He
who overcomes, I
will make him a
pillar in the
temple of My
God, and he
shall go out no
more. I will
write on him the
name of My God
and the name of
the city of My
God, the New
Jerusalem, which
comes down out
of heaven from
My God. And
I will write on
him My
new name.”
This church is
recognized as
having
“a little
strength”
and
“have kept My
word” which
tells us they
are growing
spiritually
because they are
students of the
Scripture, which
in turn has
given them the
strength to
Stand and Hold
Fast for Christ.
And, while they
too are a
persecuted
church, they
persevered and
so Christ
promises to keep
them “from
the hour of
trial which
shall come upon
the whole world,
to test those
who dwell on the
earth.”
This is evidence
of the Pre-Trib
Rapture in this
passage, because
the
“hour of trial”
is a reference
to the
Tribulation.
Again, like the
remnant at
Thyatira they
are told to
“Hold fast”,
there is yet a
little work to
do, a need to
persevere a
little longer,
there are still
some that need
to be reached in
these last days.
Jude 22&23 “And
of some have
compassion,
making a
difference:
And others save
with fear,
pulling them out
of the fire;
hating even the
garment spotted
by the flesh.”
In these Last
Days, God is
calling out His
Remnant Church,
those who are
and will be
faithful. He
began by
building His
church as
recorded in the
Book of the Acts
of the Apostles,
and those who
are faithful to
the message of
that church are
those who are
the Remnant
Church today. He
has preserved
this witness for
the past 2000
years, for He
has not left
Himself without
a witness, ever.
At times,
throughout these
intervening
years, the
Remnant may have
appeared to be
very poor, and
even frail; but
the Lord Himself
chose them to
carry His
message and to
do His will. The
strength within
the Remnant
Church is the
Power of the
Cross, through
the shed Blood
of her Savior
Jesus Christ.
When Christ
calls His Bride
to join Him in
the Fathers
House, there
still will be a
remnant, 144,000
sealed believers
from the
children of
Israel, two Old
Testament
prophets, and
countless
numbers who will
heed their
message of
Salvation
through the
coming King of
Kings.
Where do you
stand today? Are
you a part of
the Remnant
Church?
Even So Come!