Home I Contact us I Back
Signs of Decay and Apostasy
Nobody who is what the Scriptures call “sober” can deny that there is something wrong in modern day Christianity. The signs are all over of decay and apostasy. We read of such a state in Israel and Ephraim in the days of the prophet Hosea.
“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. And the pride of Israel testifieth to his face: and they do not return to the LORD their God, nor seek him for all this. Ephraim also is like a silly dove without heart: they call to Egypt, they go to Assyria. When they shall go, I will spread my net upon them; I will bring them down as the fowls of the heaven; I will chastise them, as their congregation hath heard. Woe unto them! for they have fled from me: destruction unto them! because they have transgressed against me: though I have redeemed them, yet they have spoken lies against me. And they have not cried unto me with their heart, when they howled upon their beds: they assemble themselves for corn and wine, and they rebel against me. Though I have bound and strengthened their arms, yet do they imagine mischief against me. They return, but not to the most High: they are like a deceitful bow: their princes shall fall by the sword for the rage of their tongue: this shall be their derision in the land of Egypt.” (Hosea 7:8-16)
“He is a cake not turned.” This description is something true of our very condition, a “cake not turned!” One side burned the other side uncooked! There are many saying going around today about the refining fire of God and He sitting at the fire to purify us. This is true, there is such a work of God portrayed throughout Scripture! But that’s not a comfort for fleshly carnal people who fancy them to be right with God and their difficulties as if all is well! What we have here is one of the most staggering pictures of something that was prepared up to the point to become useful and then loose its usefulness because there was an unbalanced life. There was an over emphasis of some things while the other things were totally neglected and discarded! This led to rejection by God, and such that God could not use them for anything good, they’ve lost their usefulness! Oh how we should tremble and have great fear in our hearts that we may not become useless in God’s hand! We loose our usefulness if we do not give heed to everything God has spoken. Now, consider this for a moment: The cake was put together with all the ingredients until it was ready for the final phase by which it would become enjoyable! All the preparation depended on this last aspect. And oh, there was carelessness in this very aspect! No attention was given to the whole matter. Something’s were overdone and some things underdone. We have this in the church today! Some doctrines overdone and some underdone. Some over emphasize at the cost of other things! Some aspects of Christ more emphasis than other things. You find this all over the scope. Some has more emphasis on baptism, others on holiness, still others on revival, others on apologetics, and others on the eschatology, etc, etc. Notice also that God said that Ephraim is like that! An unbalanced life! Some areas just great, other areas overdone and still other areas totally undone! That’s one picture of our modern day Christian. Some areas great evangelists but poor husbands, others terrible at their anger management but great at hospitality while others know to much of certain things at the cost of true sacrifice and love to God!
There is more emphasis today on some things than the whole. It happens all over the place. Even in evangelism there are over emphasis on some points and under emphasis on other points. Today, there is no more balanced life’s. Something of the heat all over the place, every part open to the penetration of the heat, a openness to all areas or all areas are expose to this heat that brings completion and usefulness!
What follows is even more frightening! “Strangers have devoured his strength, and he knoweth it not: yea, gray hairs are here and there upon him, yet he knoweth not.” The word we have here for “strangers” is this: “to be a foreigner, strange, profane; specifically (active participle) to commit adultery: - (come from) another (man, place)! Profane things, strange doctrines, things that are foreign (as is the modern meaning – as Ephraim was mixing with the nations, “foreign blood” came into the nation and by them strange practices by which they lost their strength and abilities to be a peculiar people!) to New Testament teaching and doctrine! This is truly noteworthy. It was not merely unknown things, but things that were mixed with true things so that it profanes the whole! Paul speak about this to the Church at Corinth when he said”
“Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump? “ (1Cor 5:6)
Profane things, mixed up things, strange doctrines have slowly penetrated and it has DEVOURED his strength!
The word
devours means to eat up or to consume. So have these strange fires and profane
things little by little devoured our strength! It has bit by bit craw out the
very things that enabled the church to be strong in the Lord and in the
strength of He’s might. It was not a one consuming way, no, it was a little by
little consumed until there was little strength or in some no strength left to
live and be victorious! The word strength refers to their standing firm and the
ability and their means. Strange things have come in that have eaten the very
things by which they obtain their strength and power (ability)! What we know
through Scripture already is that the grace of God that gives us ability to be
what we never could! So it has to do with grace and the way we truly obtain
grace with God. So in effect these strange things neutralize the very cross of
Christ, the true gospel by which we gain grace and firmness in God’s presence!
Now, let’s look at the frightening thing: “… and he knoweth it not!” This is frightening,
don’t you agree! Doesn’t it frighten you when you read these words? It should! Why?
For one, you and I can be like them! We may be so busy with strange and profane
things that devour our very strength and vigor that we are not even aware of
this! If only they were aware! If only they were in some way alerted by these
very things but they were totally – totally unawares of things in their lives
that was eating up their strength and saps their life’s grace right out of
them! Staggering thought! They may begin to experience powerlessness, they may
be so full of their own devices but they were unawares of these very things
draining grace out of them, draining Christ out of them! Oh the tragic! “but
they knew it not!” This is such a subtle condition, that we ought to shake at
the very foundations of our hearts and waken to its realty that although we are
not aware of many things draining our strength in Christ, it is no proof that
we are healthy and true! Let me ask you today: do you experience powerlessness
in prayer, in your testimony before men? Are you aware of things that are
draining your life’s grace out of you, bit by bit?
Now, look at this, “gray hairs are here and there upon him, yet he knoweth not” Although gray hairs are a sign in Scripture for wisdom, or for full maturity, at a young age it is not so great thing. It speaks of decay and a going backwards not of healthy things. Decay have started to set in, not only have they lost their strength, but decay have started to appear! Again what you need to see is the seriousness of these things. Gray hairs “here and there and they don’t even know it!” Signs of decompose and decay, evident in some places, here one, there one but totally unsuspecting! No one that see! Blinded, no deeper study, no searching out for these very things that are busy setting in! This was their condition and this is the condition of Christianity today. So many are unawares of the signs of decay and apostasy that few even recognize this. Do you see them around you? Do you see it closer at home, in your church or fellowship? Still closer, do you see this in your friends and family? Still closer, do you see the gray in your own life? Are you aware of even the possibility that they are there? Are you open to the fact that you may be the one God is speaking of? DO you get a hence maybe it can be true of me? Or do you only see that in others, others worship, others ways etc? Are you unaware that you may be a cake unturned? On some areas of your life you are well prepared, under areas undone and still others overdone? What is frightening is God’s statement “and they know it not!”
Let me speak about this matter for a little more. There exists today a partial blindness I like to refer to as the blind spot dilemma. There is something in every man that has to be dealt with by God in order to overcome this “blind spot” matter. If you are using the roads often in your vehicle it is important to notice this matter. There is a certain point that you when looking in the mirror cannot see, a certain area that you totally miss. In most cases that are the critical spot because if you should move into that area there may be another vehicle you didn’t saw by natural observation so that it may result in a major collision. In the Christian church today and all over the spectrum of men, this “blind spot occurs. What is frightening is that few are aware of this spiritual blind spot. Let me give you an example from a pamphlet of Ken Ham:
You may
probably discern what it’s all about? Some things are so clear while other
things are blind spots. Many talk about Jesus and the gospel, but then they are
involved in things that totally contradict the very things they believe in! How
can we be so blind? We have a blind spot and unless God deals with this partial
blindness and we face its personal reality IN YOURSELF we will go through life
with it and may have a major collision up ahead with the righteousness and
“severity” of God! (See proverbs 30:5-6; Revelation 22:18-19)
“Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shall be cut off.” (Romans 11:22)
Goodness and severity! Now please consider this. The word "cognitive dissonance" are very relevant to describe this point under discussion. In many instances we support two totally contradictory doctrines at the same time.
I like to call it the blind spot: how people can equally embrace two opposing ideas, concepts that cannot both be true at the same time and yet they embrace both! This is called “cognitive dissonance.”
I still wonder how we could believe one thing while noting that reality showed something vastly different. How could we simultaneously hold two radically conflicting ideas in our minds? Why do we not see the obvious contradictions?
The Bible speaks about false brethren, false apostles, false prophets, false teachers and a FALSE CONVERSION… Are yours Real? What verification do you have?
For
example, smokers are told on every pack that cigarettes may endanger their
lives. They light up and smoke. How do they resolve the tension between this
information and their actions? They could quit smoking, but it may be easier to
convince themselves that smoking is not really so dangerous. To do this, they
will seek examples of people who have lived long lives as heavy smokers, and
will associate with other smokers who support this attitude. They will also
avoid information concerning the link between smoking and cancer. Cognitive
dissonance theory also suggests that people tend to reject new information that
contradicts ideas they already hold, in a sort of "don’t bother me with
the facts, my mind is made up" approach.
So here’s the thing, God says there are things in our life’s sometimes so opposite to each other that we doesn’t even perceive or know it in our own life’s. We may perceive it in others but we have a blind spot that results in many things in us that go unchecked, not only doctrinal things that oppose each other but things that blinds us for the true and real things of this life and of the life to come. It blinds us for our very condition and position before God Almighty!
For most of our life’s we cruise along with contradictions elbowing each other in our minds, yet without ever suspecting their constant warfare. I see this as a infection that continues to enslave so many today. Until someone sits down with them and starts examining and critiquing their clashing ideas, they will likely remain just as ignorant to them. So we need to be challenged and to challenge others. If your view and believe cannot be challenged and it upsets you if someone points some blindness to you, then you are in a danger spot. But what does the LORD says about the attitude of a people in such a condition:
“And the pride of Israel testifies to his face: and they do not return to the LORD their God, nor seek him for all this.”
They are arrogant and overconfident! They strive over their condition! This is frightening! They do not want to be reproved about their condition and even about the possibility that such things are true in many lives!
“Yet let no man strive, nor reprove another: for thy people are as they that strive with the priest.” (Hosea 4:4)
The word translated here for “strive” means to have a controversy with, or to contend, it is use in a legal sense as someone who present a case, yet they don’t want to hear about anything although everything shows to it and although all the evidences proves the obvious! The word is also use in Proverbs 25:9, Isaiah 27:8 as “debate” to discuss something in depth! The condition? They don’t want to discuss anything with you if they are brought to the clear facts and evidences. This is a mark of decay and apostasy. When someone is no longer open to “strive” or contend as Jude puts it in Jude 1:3 to “contend for the faith that was once delivered unto us”, they don’t want anything to do with the things that were delivered to us – they are like those who “strive with the priest”, they know better, they also have knowledge although everything is conflicting the things once delivered to us, or opposing their lives they don’t want to face the facts! Talk to them about anything else but don’t talk to them about the issues!
How is it that one can look at all the evidences and yet fail to see this? The blind spot! How can some like Rick Joyner say that a prophet need only to be 66% correct and can still be one that means one can be wrong 1 out of 3 times and still be a prophet? How is it that in spite this contradiction, thousands still gives head to their prophecies although they were proven false prophets according to Scripture? Did God change or is there a blind spot? How is it that in spite of many false prophecies among the seventh day Adventists by Whyte and others and the Russellites, many still follow their teachings? Let us be sober about this issue. There is a lot of arrogance today among Christians. They are like those that have a controversy with the priest – those revealed servants of God, with the Word of God, the ways of God and the very nature of God’s revelation. They are striving against man, they are striving against God!
Again the word “reproves” means to convince or here’s that word that people use without knowing its meaning JUDGE! Don’t judge me, you are judging me! I had a few nights ago having talked to a very hostile young man on the street about his eternal salvation, said to me: “who are you to judge me?” after only started to talk to him about sin etc. I ask him how did I judge you? He said “who am I to just walk up to him and talk to him about God?” I only asked him a few questions after I had asked him if I could share some important things with him! He did all the confessing of his own sin! I merely asked a few questions about what he said were true in his life! Let no one judge or try to examine my life! We love it if everyone talks like we do. We like it when someone say good things to us and about us and our children. We hate it if someone reprove or corrects us, who do they think they are!
Please bear with me a little longer. Look at this: “they do not return to the
LORD their God, nor seek him for all this.” Few are aware of the blind spots.
Few seek truly after God and return to God. David at some time had this blind
spot in his worship and view of God. Let me just cite, you can go and read it
in 1 Samuel, 2 Samuel and 1 Chronicles. In one of the most tragic events in
Scripture when the priesthood were in such apostasy God brought judgment upon
them and defeat to the 
whole nation of Israel. The
ark was being captured and a son was born whose name was Ichabod to testify to
a state where the glory of God has departed from His dwelling place. The
Philistines put the ark in their temple with Dagon their god. Dagon was destroyed
and they soon send the ark back to Israel. Then David went out with his men to
bring it back to the holy city. They worshiped and danced with all their might
before the ark, unaware of the blind spot that were in their mists! They have
missed something! God! That day forward something changed for David when he
became aware of the blind spot he had. He did not dealt with the real issues
about who God is and how He must be worshipped. He is the Lord of glory e did
not just said worshipped Me but He also described how, there was a regulative
principle involved that David knew nothing about! What happened? David send God
away and went home trying to figure it out. In the space of about 3 months
David began to see what he had missed before! How? He searched out and turned
to God! He became aware of something’s God have said! He became aware that God
is not worship according to our own feelings or traditions or to the customs of
the nations. No, He is Holy. There is a prescribed way and David was unaware of
that. It took the death of Uzzah and 70 others before David’s blind spot was
being dealt with! That change David’s whole view of God and his whole life
afterwards.
We say we worship Christ. We talk about the gospel being furthered. We believe that without Christ men will be eternally lost in condemnation in hell! But at the same time we pass by hundreds without even reaching out to them with the only change and cure they have! We say that He is Lord and the High and Glorious one and that everything must worship and exalts and glorifies Him, yet we live as if He doesn’t exists!
These are marks of decay and signs of apostasy. In every one of us there is not only the capacity to have the blind spot but the certainty. It is there until it is being dealt with. This is not an unconscious dealing, it is a conscious one! When the smoker becomes conscience of what is truly going on (sometimes to late) only then will he deal with what he is faced with. The same way only when we begin to acknowledge that it is not only possible but evident then that partial blindness will be dealt with. God wants us to be full of light with eyes within and without! We need to look deep into the perfect law of liberty, to search out the Scriptures, examine, judge, tests and be dealt with by God so that we may learn how to avoid the blind spot!
“That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know…” (Ephesians 1:18)
“Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law.” (Psalm 119:18)
“Consider what I say; and the Lord gives thee understanding in all things.” (2 Timothy 2:7) May I implore you only to this much to start to consider what I have spoken about here and I know that true godly understanding will come to you, God bless!