The Great Apostasy

292 - Today's Prime Time Devo comes from 2Ti 4:3,4) For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; 4 and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. (2 Tim 4:3,4) “The time will come.” What a prophetic warning from Paul to Timothy and to all who will follow in Timothy's shoes. There will be a defining moment of apostasy in the church of Jesus Christ when healthy doctrine will not be endured by professing Christians. This time of apostasy is as necessary as the preaching of the gospel throughout the entire world before the Lord Jesus returns. It is as Jesus said in Mt 24:11 "Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. 12 "And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. 13 "But he who endures to the end shall be saved. 14 "And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come. Paul spoke of this apostasy in his second letter to the Thessalonians: 2Th 2:1-3, “Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, we ask you, 2 not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us, as though the day of Christ had come. 3 Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, Some say this apostasy has already occurred, prompting the reformation, others say it is still to come. No matter what you believe about this time of apostasy, it's most frightening aspect is the sheer numbers of people that will be or have been taken in! The apostasy that Paul spoke of would or will be a cataclysmic event in world history. But ANY falling away by an individual to the wiles of false teaching is cataclysmic to the individual soul. That's why it is so important to guard against false teaching. Beware of those teachers who cater to the flesh by adding works to salvation (legalism) or who promote an an anything goes lifestyle of cheap grace. These are two things that have a strong attraction to our flesh, and we have seen it to varying degrees in the history of the church, and yes, don't fool yourself, we see it even now. This is why it is vital that we sit under the teaching of pastors who rightly proclaim the full counsel of God, as found in His God-breathed Scripture!