1. defection from truth (properly, the state).
2. “apostasy.”
KJV: falling away, forsake
It may be argued that ever since Jesus ascended that we are in the last days and therefore Christ’ coming could be at anytime, but that is not the case, the any time can only happen after 2 events happen, first the falling away apostasia and the man of sin (son of perdition) is made known.
Quick over view of Matt 25
We are reminded by Jesus in Matt 25:1-13 that there where 10 virgins waiting the Lords return. Unfortunately 5 where not wise as they hadn’t expected to be waiting so long and their oil ran out. Verses 14 to 30 tells us of what happens when the traveler leaves his servants behind with measures of talents (tasks to carry out to a particular measure according to what each was given). The unprofitable servant was cast out. Then we read verses 31-46 the comparison between the works of the righteous faithful and unfaithful servants.
Our vessels must remain full, we need the Holy Spirit today.
John 14
1 “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me.2 “In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.3 “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.4 “And where I go you know, and the way you know.”5
Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way?”
6 Jesus said to him,
“I am the way,
the truth,
and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.
7 “If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; and from now on you know Him and have seen Him.”
8 Philip said to Him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is sufficient for us.”9 Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?10 “Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works.11 “Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me, or else believe Me for the sake of the works themselves.12
“Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father.
13 “And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.14 “If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.15 “If you love Me, keep My commandments.16 “And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever–17 “the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.
The Conditional words of Christ.
In verse 13-14 there is a condition being made by the Lord He says “IF YOU ASK anything in my name I will do it. This is not our right of passage to asking for your bucket list. Because Jesus goes onto say firstly that our love is proved by doing what Jesus says. He now gives another condition “if you love me keep my commandments” and I. They must do what Jesus says then He will pray to the Father. For who? Who will Jesus ask the Father for? The helper-the Spirit of truth. IS the Spirit of truth there for just anyone, I.e the world
NO. Because we read that “the world cannot receive, (Him) because it neither sees Him nor knows Him.
How many christian events take place with unbelievers being invited to come an join in a so called worship gathering (which is just a platform for ego and self ) which then leads to an emotional experience which in turn leads to various manifestation and hysteria that those attending are told is the holy spirit.
Haven't we have just read that “The world can not receive Him, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him”
So what then are these unbelievers receiving?
Firstly Jesus said in John 12: 27 “Now My soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save Me from this hour’? But for this purpose I came to this hour. 28 “Father, glorify Your name.” Then a voice came from heaven, saying, “I have both glorified it and will glorify it again.” 29 Therefore the people who stood by and heard it said that it had thundered. Others said, “An angel has spoken to Him.”
30 Jesus answered and said, “This voice did not come because of Me, but for your sake. 31 “Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out. 32 “And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself.” 33 This He said, signifying by what death He would die.
Secondly Jesus said in John 16:5-11
5 “But now I go away to Him who sent Me, and none of you asks Me, ‘Where are You going?’6 “But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart.7 “Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you.8 “And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:9 “of sin, because they do not believe in Me;10 “of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more; 11 “of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.
When Jesus ascended after (His resurrection) The Holy Spirit apart from being sent to enable and empower the church to further and complete the work of Christ until His return but also to convict the world of sin.
Jesus specifically says here that the Holy Spirit would convict the world of sin“ because they do not believe in Me.
Going back to the ‘Christian event’ (where unbelievers are manifesting all kinds of things) we would have to ask if they are being convicted of sin for not believing in Jesus? But I would say from I see on youtube videos of these meetings that it’s all about an experience.
Of course we would obviously have to have asked ourselves what the unbeliever is doing there in the first place? If this event was specifically for reaching the lost then a preacher of the gospel would be all that was required, those responding and believing unto salvation would of course be added to the church and a new life begins. Discipleship of cause is not to be set aside as the Lord did say that disciples where to be made as those sent went forth with the good news, baptizing the believers in the name of the Father , Son and Holy Spirit. Sorry to simplify things but I am trying to make a point.
Our next question would have to be what are the ‘Christians doing there? If they are also there for the experience rather than having a mind set to serve and edify the body then one would have to challenge their motives. But I blame church leadership, who allow their flock to go to these mixed gatherings, where we see that same old same old going on. That includes the band, (who of course have a worship leader) the so called apostle who is sure to have the latest new revelation from God that’s not found in scripture and the prophet who would have the participants believe that God is going another new thing.
What is our worship then?
Well as Jesus said to the Samaritan women in John 4:21-24 “Woman, believe Me, the hour is coming when you will neither on this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, worship the Father. “You worship what you do not know; we know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews. “But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. “God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”
Romans 12:1-2 (ESV) says 1 I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. 2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
So what happened to the rock band? And the hymns ,psalms and spiritual songs. Maybe I will come back to this latter. But now lets move on in John 14 Jesus is telling His disciples He’s going to go away, to the Father.
18 “I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.19 “A little while longer and the world will see Me no more, but you will see Me. Because I live, you will live also.20 “At that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you.
More conditions
21 “He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him.”
Has Jesus (the word of God) commanded us what to do? If He has and we keep them, then that person Loves Jesus. As a result the Father and Jesus the son will love that individual in return.
22 Judas (not Iscariot) said to Him, “Lord, how is it that You will manifest Yourself to us, and not to the world?”23 Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him.24 “He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine but the Father’s who sent Me.
The Holy Spirit sent to remind the disciples what He had taught them.
25 “These things I have spoken to you while being present with you.26 “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.
27 “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.28 “You have heard Me say to you, ‘I am going away and coming back to you.’ If you loved Me, you would rejoice because I said, ‘I am going to the Father,’ for My Father is greater than I.29 “And now I have told you before it comes, that when it does come to pass, you may believe.30 “I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming, and he has nothing in Me.31 “But that the world may know that I love the Father, and as the Father gave Me commandment, so I do. Arise, let us go from here.
Luke 11:1-13
Luke 1 Now it came to pass, as He was praying in a certain place, when He ceased, that one of His disciples said to Him, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples.”2 So He said to them, “When you pray, say: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven.3 Give us day by day our daily bread.4 And forgive us our sins, For we also forgive everyone who is indebted to us. And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one.”5 And He said to them, “Which of you shall have a friend, and go to him at midnight and say to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves;6 ‘for a friend of mine has come to me on his journey, and I have nothing to set before him’;7 “and he will answer from within and say, ‘Do not trouble me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give to you’?8 “I say to you, though he will not rise and give to him because he is his friend, yet because of his persistence he will rise and give him as many as he needs.9 “So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.10 “For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.11 “If a son asks for bread from any father among you, will he give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent instead of a fish?12 “Or if he asks for an egg, will he offer him a scorpion?13 “If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!”
The context
The Lord is teaching the disciples how they should pray.
After (what some call the the Lords prayer) Jesus now goes on to say;
The Lord concludes “I say to you, though he will not rise and give to him because he is his friend, yet because of his persistence ( meaning because he is without bashfullness) he will rise and give him as many as he needs.”
What does this persistence look like?
9 “So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you;
seek, and you will find;
knock, and it will be opened to you.
10 “For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.11 “If a son asks for bread from any father among you, will he give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent instead of a fish?12 “Or if he asks for an egg, will he offer him a scorpion?13 “If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!”
l Remember obeying Jesus’ commands = Jesus will pray to ask the Father for the Holy Spirit.
l The holy Spirit acts for believers in Jesus name
l The holy spirit is not known by the world for it neither sees Him or knows Him infact He comes to convict the world of sin, for not believing in Jesus.
to be continued...