We preached the streets of New Roads, LA this past Tuesday, Mardi Gras i.e. “Fat Tuesday”. (February 5, 2008)

As usual the pagans have demonstrated their love of and indulgence in their reveling.  But who is a pagan you may ask. I would say anyone who participates in pagan rituals, including their festivals and parties.

Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.   Romans 1:32 

Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,  Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.  Galatians 5:19-21 

All of these works of the flesh were manifest at Mardi Gras 2008

The Romanists devised Mardi Gras as a blasphemous ritual of licentious indulgence before their supposed “sacrificial self-denial” (I think I’ll give up potato chips for 40 days. L.  Ooooh what a bold declaration of faith!) during their laughable period of lent which begins on Ash Wednesday.  This is the day where they spread ashes on their foreheads as a symbol of mourning over their sinful indulgences of the day before, etc, etc.  Anyone with any discernment is not fooled, and neither is God. Once again the Roman Catholic Church is at the core of perversion.  And oh so many others rush to the polluted back yard of Catholic paganism to play with the popish toys.  After all who better to join hand in hand with when your feet desire to run to mischief than the hellish cult of Romanism?   

Despite the best efforts of the wicked the Gospel of Jesus Christ was declared.  May He be praised for He is worthy “to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.” (Rev.4:11)

Needless to say the pagans didn’t appreciate the love and mercy God extended toward them on Tuesday.  We were pelted with everything from plastic pagan worship beads to full plates of jambalaya, from being splashed with bottled water, to the spittle of irate idolaters screaming in our faces.  But the most appalling thing I observed all day was the frequency at which the children emulated their parents. As we preached, even the smallest of children were hurling handfuls of their precious plastic beads at us and screaming, “Everybody sins!” and “You’re judging us!”  We have even heard on occasion that “Thou Shalt Not Judge” is one of the 10 Commandments. Imagine a 5, 6, 7 yr old screaming such a thing.  (Encouraged by their parents I might add.) 

One moment laughing at us, the next screaming in our faces, one moment mocking at how “stupid” we were, the next threatening to beat us. Obviously quite confused.  When I witness such things on the streets I can only think of the incident of Elijah on Mt Carmel and the reaction of the prophets of Baal, crying aloud and cutting themselves.  (On another occasion I have actually seen grown men completely rational one moment and the next stooping down and throwing handfuls of dirt into the air in their rage.)

For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.   Hebrews 4:12 

Amazing!

We expounded the truth that according to the Bible no one involved in the pagan festival of Mardi Gras could possibly love God.  (For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous. 1 John 5:3)  Soon from the balcony across the street, emerged a quickly produced hand-scribbled banner of colored construction paper taped together which said, “We love Jesus and we ♥ to party too!”  Well it is obvious where their hearts are and how that heart has deceived them into thinking they love Jesus. (Jer 17:9).  But then again maybe they do love “Jesus”.  The Bible is quite clear that there is another Jesus, another Gospel, and another Spirit.  The problem is that the “Jesus” they love is diametrically opposed to the Jesus of the Bible.  The “Jesus” they love is in fact the enemy of Truth.

While the heathen did rage and take part in their vain imaginings, only one was so infuriated that he followed us away from his pagan festival to confront us as we returned to our vehicle.  He is described in Psalm 10 (v. 7  His mouth is full of cursing and deceit and fraud: under his tongue is mischief and vanity.) and in Romans 3.  (Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips:  14  Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness:  15  Their feet are swift to shed blood: Romans 3:13-15) While his feet were swift to shed blood his hands weren’t quite up to the task.  He was full of threatening but he hadn’t enough faith in his mockery to follow through.  When again presented Jesus, he fled back to his festival, cursing and blaspheming. 

The day was profitable.  Christ was lifted up.  Men were drawn unto Him rather they liked it or not.  Some few were humbled, most in their pride resisted God.  How tragic that the remedy to their dilemma was offered unto them and the hand that would feed was slapped away.  I pray for the conviction of the Holy Ghost in everyone that heard.  They have to face themselves, many will marvel at their reaction to a handful of “legalistic” preachers.

His Word will not return unto Him void!  

Glory be to God!

Halleluiah!

What Happened To Christianity?

As we observe the landscape of modern religion it is easily discernable that what calls itself Christianity today is a far cry from the New Testament model.  Has God evolved?  Has His revelation adapted itself into a progeny which is an unrecognizable protégé of the original?  Hardly an expression of what He has claimed of Himself.

For I am the LORD, I change not;

Malachi 3:6a

Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.

Hebrews 13:8

So what happened?  If this modern church of licentiousness is really Christianity, we’ve a great controversy with this God.  Because he would be a liar, or either too incompetent to maintain a truth he is supposed to be and is utterly responsible for; and therefore in either case negate himself from being the God of the Bible.

In order to really observe the nuances of this departure from the true faith we must turn the clocks back, we must retrace the history of Christianity nearly to its birth on the day of Pentecost.  The Apostle Paul told us in 2 Thessalonians chapter 2 that the Mystery of Iniquity was already then at work and to those at Ephesus he warned of grievous wolves which were to enter in not sparing the flock (Acts 20:29).

And John warned before the close of the first century that the spirit of antichrist “even now already is it in the world.”

And the Apostle Paul again:

Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron; Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth.

1 Timothy 4:1-3

With these warnings the early church for the most part kept itself.  (Be assured there has always been a remnant of true believers.)  For the next two centuries Christians were hated and despised, persecuted and martyred.  This is the promised fate of all true believers. 

If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also. But all these things will they do unto you for my name's sake, because they know not him that sent me.

John 15:18-21

This is the norm for followers of Christ.

Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified.

1 Peter 4:12-14

So what happened to Christianity?

Fast forward to the late 4^th century. 

Enter Constantine.  A convert to Christianity. 

Really??  That is the secular history of the matter and it is also the crux of the same matter. 

While the true Church remained underground, the Romanist abomination, with the help of its father the devil, slipped its pagan foot into the door and stole away with the title of those who were first called Christians at Antioch.  When Constantine made the idioms of Christianity acceptable by blending them with the pagan idioms of the culture a great and subtle paradigm shift took place.  Don’t be deceived by the fact that Constantine apparently outlawed paganism.  No, no.  All he did was pagan-ize Christianity and thus created his own humanistic system. (We will discuss Constantine’s apparent conversion, his vision, and the Battle of Milvian Bridge another time.)  Suddenly “Christianity” became acceptable by the powers that be and the world embraced it with open arms, whether for their own gain as prompted by the emperor or out of necessity.  As Julian the Apostate would soon discover this new “Christian” empire was difficult to defy.  Constantine’s religion, which would be declared as the official religion of the empire by one of his successors, was indeed one and united with the world system.

This is something that the Bible promises would never happen to the true Church. “Straight is the gate and narrow is the way and few there be that find it.”  But then, as now, very few believed what the Word of God says.  Jesus declared that the world hates Him.  He also confirmed that His followers, i.e. Christians, would be hated by the world, NOT embraced by it.  James tells us that the friend of the world is the enemy of God (James 4:4).  And reciprocated; true Christians are not to embrace this worldly system. 

Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.

1 John 2:15-17

Look around.  Is this the case in this hour, or has the so-called church done everything in its power to embrace this dark world and thereby obfuscate the Truth by denying in practice that which they claim to believe, i.e. the Word of God.  While the Romanist whore is luring the world back under its corrupt umbrella of religion, the effect is as in the days of Constantine.  True Christianity is obfuscated by the plethora of false teachers tickling itching ears.  Many are made to stumble.  The deception is so intense that the very elect are warned, WATCH AND PRAY!

Like Bro. Britt has said, “The Church thinks it is winning the world to Christ, when the world has won the church to the devil!”

So what happened to Christianity?

CONTINUE TO APPREHEND TRUTH!

Buy the truth, and sell it not; also wisdom, and instruction, and understanding.  ~ Proverbs 23:23