I've been in the Gospel ministry now for seventeen years. That's enough time to have seen a few things. And boy do I have some stories to tell!
Surely, the Bible is true when it says we are in a day and age of APOSTASY! And I can readily attest to that fact, as I have seen it up close and personal. It's not some distant thing which we fear may someday enter into our Independent Baptist churches, rather it is already there, and it has gained a strong foothold!
Apostasy never enters with trumpet blow, pomp, and circumstance. It always enters in quietly and over time. It's like the frog in the pot syndrome. You can throw a frog in boiling water, and it will immediately jump out! But you put him in luke warm water and slowly bring it to a boil, he'll happily swim around in circles until he dies.
So it is with Apostasy. If you introduce it all at once, people will immediately reject it, becoming boiling mad. But if you allow it to enter in slowly, it will eventually gain a following as it sneaks into the pews, and eventually into the pulpits.
As I travel and preach throughout the land, I always hope to find others like myself who desipe apostasy as much as I do and stand against it. But instead of finding brothers and sisters who hate apostasy and seek to route it out, I'm finding many churches, pastors, and christians who love it and openly embrace it! Instead of loving the truth, they are actively hostile towards it, and don't want anyone to "rock the boat" in preaching against their anti-biblical apostate doctrines. They are happy in their deception and don't want to know they are deceived. They enjoy playing religion instead of practicing righteousness.
Sadly, I sometimes feel I've come to the point in my Christian life, where I've almost preached myself out of the ministry. Why? Because so many Christians have changed what they used to believe and preach, and have compromised in order to get along with the world. Because of this, I can no longer fellowship with them, and/or get along with them. It just vexes my spirit to be around them and hear them preaching man's doctrines instead of God's, and doing things man's way instead of God's way.
When they catch wind of my downtrodden spirit and realize I'm no compromiser, it usually makes them angry! They immediately label me a "legalist" or a "Pharisee" for not going along with them in their error, and I'm not only ostrasized, but preached against in their groups and circles. This doesn't bother me though, because I've learned over the years that when someone calls you a "Legalist" it is because they themselves are "Liberals!" And when someone says you are a "Pharisee," it is because they themselves have become "Apostates!"
Sometimes I feel like I'm in the middle of a raging river. The current is trying to push me down stream, but I find a nice big rock (i.e. My Lord Jesus Christ), and I stand on it. It keeps me dry and keeps me from going downstream. But as I look around me, there are countless others who claim to be Christians who are rapidly zooming past me as they head downstream. As they pass, I yell, "Stop! That's the wrong way! There's a water fall down there! You're headed the wrong way!"
But, Instead of grabbing my outstretched hand and getting up on the Rock with me, they only respond, "Thanks anyway, I'm having too much fun! This is a blast! Why do I need to STAND when I can RIDE!"
They are riding alright. They are riding down the path to destruction. Yet I'm the "fuddy duddy" for not going with them. At least I'm not all wet like they are. And at least I've got a firm foundation!
Something I've learned as I've watched other pastors, missionaries, and evangelists is that there comes a time in a man's life in his ministry when he reaches what I like to call "THE CROSSROADS." He comes to a time when he is faced with a huge decision: JUST GIVE UP AND GO WITH THE CROWD AND SET ASIDE HIS CONVICTIONS IN ORDER TO GET ALONG WITH OTHERS AND GAIN FAME AND PRESTIGE or STAND TALL AND BREAK FELLOWSHIP WITH OTHERS TO STAND FOR WHAT HE TRULY BELIEVES IN AND SERVE GOD WITH A PURE CONSCIENCE.
Time and again I've seen preachers come to this "Y" in the road and have to make a decision. Very few have chosen the path of suffering, ridicule, and being ostracized by others for standing for what they know is right. It's always been the majority that's chosen the easy path of apostasy, which leads to prosperity, popularity, and prestige.
Instead of following the Lord Jesus Christ, they choose to follow men, movements, and methods. And instead of standing on the foundation of truth, they choose compromise as they seek fame and fortune.
This is why I've called my ministry TRUTH STANDS ALONE MINISTRIES. As I read my Bible and preach the great truths therein, I find I'm not at all popular, but I don't care. All I want to do is STAND. Nothing more.
The more I preach against sin, the more I'm preached against. The more books I write about sound bible truth, the more people write against me. The more I stand for a pure Spanish Bible, the right Plan of Salvation, and God's way of living a Holy and Spirit-filled Life, the more people ridicule me and cry against me.
I think I've figured it out. It's because I provoke them to thought, and make them think that they just might be wrong!
For example, on the subject of SALVATION, I've always been against the anti-biblical gospel of "ASK JESUS INTO YOUR HEART!" Yet I've met a lot of men in the ministry who preach this everywhere they go. Why? It's not in the Bible! In the Bible salvation is through BLOOD ATONEMENT, and to be saved you must TRUST THE BLOOD. Why don't men preach this anymore? They used to, and I have many quotes, tapes, and other media to prove it. But now they are guilty of preaching "another gospel" just to get along with others who do the same.
And what about the SCRIPTURES? There are many in English who used to be KING JAMES ONLY who have changed to modern perversions just to get along with others, and to build their churches quicker. But why leave off the right Bible for modern versions which take out whole verses?
And when it comes to the Spanish Bible, many use versions riddled with problems like the 1865, 1909, 1960, and even the modernistic "stop-gap" translation known as the Gomez. If people would just study, they would see the Valera 1602 Purified is the best Spanish Bible. Sadly, they'd rather follow what Bro. So and So says about which version is right, rather than study the issue out for themselves. They are followers of men instead of followers of facts.
And what about "SANTIFICATION?" That is to say, what about HOLY LIVING to please God? Very few who claim to be Christians nowadays desire to live a holy life. They enjoy the things of the world, and don't want anyone to preach against their sin. They just can't take it! Thus, good, hard preaching against SIN is hard to find in our pulpits.
How about you? Are you at the CROSSROADS? If so, why not choose the path of righteousness. I must warn you though. It's a lonely road.
Or have you already gone down the path of apostasy? It's not too late to turn around and go back. Thank God the Lord always gives us a chance to repent and get right. As long as you are still breathing, there's still an opportunity to get right with God! It might not be popular to preach the truth, and you might lose fellowship with others for it. But don't quit! This whole thing is almost over, and if you STAND you will be rewarded for it! Isn't what God thinks about you more important than what men think about you?
For an example of the apostasy in our ranks, why not read my book: "Why I'm More than Just a Fundamentalist." It can be found at:
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