Today, Day #29 in Counting the Omer, it is clear from scripture that "departures" can be evil, transitional or moral. One departure we never want to have is the departure from biblical Truth. Lately, there has been a disturbing rise of interest in modern churches regarding two heretical doctrines which depart from the Truth: Preterism and Dominionism. Here are the definitions:
Preterism: Preterism is a Christian eschatological view which believes that SOME (Partial Preterism) or ALL (Full Preterism) Bible prophecy has already taken place, including all of the Book of Revelation.
Dominionism: Also known as "Kingdom Now," this theology states that Christians are destined to take back 7 Cultural Mountains of power and influence from Satan. These so-called 7 Mountains are:
And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found.
~ Revelation 16:20
~ John 18:36 (emphasis added).
The very phrase "Kingdom NOW" should be a red flag to Truth-based Christians. The Bible tells us that the Christian road is narrow, tight, and constrictive. There will be tribulation, persecution and for some prison and death. The scripture teaches nothing about us scaling all the "Cultural Mountains" so we can become "Kings of the Mountain." This sounds more like some childhood game gone berserk on a grand scale.
In a toxic mixture of these two heresies, some factions of Christianity are now slowly beginning to teach that Christ has fully been embodied in us. They are declaring that the transformation, which is supposed to occur at the last trumpet in a twinkling of an eye, is now fully complete. Yet, scripture clearly says "the Lord Himself" will return and that He will NOT be found in the inner rooms or desert. He warned us in advance not to believe it when many say they are the Christ.
For the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God
~ 1 Thess 4:16 (KJV)
So if they tell you, 'There He is in the wilderness,' do not go out; or, 'Here He is in the inner rooms,' do not believe it.
~ Matthew 24:26
"And he said, Take heed that ye be not deceived: for many shall come in My name, saying, I AM CHRIST: and the time draweth near: go ye not therefore after them."
~Luke 21:8
As if the proliferation of these two heresies wasn't damaging enough, there is a third and final heresy underway that mirror's Satan's final rush at the Throne of God. It is an offshoot of these two bad doctrines. While Preterism attempts to destroy our blessed hope in Christ's return and Dominionism attempts to tell us that we don't NEED Christ to return...Mix these two toxic doctrines together and you get Lucifer's desire before the Fall:
"I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God, and I will sit on the Mount of Assembly in the recesses of the North. I will ascend the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High."
~ Isaiah 14:13-14
This heresy will try to teach that Jesus' Second Coming is us! We will slowly begin hearing a rising clamor of false teaching that we are the Second Coming! I don't know what they will eventually call this, however, may I be so bold as to suggest a few titles for this final apostasy?
"The Second Coming Soft Landing"
or perhaps
"Second Coming-Lite"?
It is the ultimate final audacity...the one that gets us booted in the backside because, in the spiritual world, it is the equivalent of "rushing at the Throne" with an attempt to unseat God Almighty and scale His Mountain. Of course this will never happen and can never happen but the spiritual implications will be literally earth shaking.
This is the obvious expected ending to the spirit of narcissism which has pervaded many churches today. It is the logical conclusion of the "best life now" mega-church teachings. There's a very fine line between knowing who we are in Christ and thinking we are God. It's the selfsame final "line crossing" that got Lucifer booted out of Heaven!
"Nevertheless you will be thrust down to Sheol, to the recesses of the pit."
~Isaiah 14:15
Thus, Preterists, Dominionists, and false Christs will both ultimately fail for one very good reason: THEY DESIRE TO USURP THE THRONE OF GOD. We already know how that story ends. Preterism, Dominionism and the new heresy of declaring that we are God is simply man itching to grasp global power.
He will oppose and exalt himself above every so-called god or object of worship. So he will seat himself in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God.
~ 2 Thessalonians 2:4
This is the "botch of Egypt" described in Deuteronomy 28:27. It will prosper for a season as all sin does.
For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires and will turn away their ears from the Truth and turn aside to myths.
~ 2 Timothy 4:3-4
This "tickling," according to the verse in 2 Timothy, is likened to those desirous of having their ears scratched like a dog or cat purring contentedly as they get petted. They want THE APPROVAL OF MANKIND WORLDWIDE or a mega-"pat on the head." The Greek word in this scripture is not translated best as "tickle" but more closely as a desire to have an itch scratched. When we research Bible verses for the word "itch" in Strong's Concordance, there is only one verse. It is listed among the curses in Deuteronomy for disobedience.
The Lord will smite thee with the botch of Egypt, and with emerods, and with the scab and with the ITCH whereof thou canst not be healed.
~ Deuteronomy 28:27
The word "Emerods" here translates to "hemorrhoids." Ouch.
Instead, God says he's going to give them an itch somewhere else. "The botch of Egypt" is located somewhere in the lower nether regions deep within the bowels. I humbly believe that the explosion of the homosexual agenda is a spiritual sin condition that mimics this insatiable backside itch. Sadly the next verse says:
WHEROF THOU CANST NOT BE HEALED.
Let us repent and ask the Lord to help keep us alert through His Holy Word. These heresies can be dangerous to our spiritual health. As Christ's Bride, we must keep oil in our lamps and not get...
TICKLED TO DEATH
Because of rebellion, the Lord's people and the daily sacrifice [prayers of repentance?] were given over to it. It prospered in everything it did, and Truth was thrown to the ground.
~ Daniel 8:12
Prayer:
