It is my belief and observation that we are in the midst of The Great Apostasy predicted by The Holy Bible for the last days. Let's take a look at what 'apostasy' is and a brief peek at the Biblical prediction of it.
Apostasy - (noun)
1. The act of abandoning a party or cause.
2. The state of having rejected your religious beliefs, political party, cause or sports team in favor of opposing beliefs, causes or teams.
3. A defection, renunciation, disaffiliation, abandonment or revolt from a previous association.
4. (Islamic definition) Rejection in word or deed of one's former religion.
5. (Christian definition) To fall away from the truth.
- - - - - -
"for it will not be, except the falling away come first, and the man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition,
2 Thess. 2:3 (KJV)
"Let no one in any way deceive you, for it [Jesus' return] will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction,"
2 Thess. 2:3, (NASB)
"And to the angel of the church in Laodicea write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God: I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So because thou art lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spew thee out of my mouth."
Revelation 3:14-19
For a more current observation of the global religious climate consider the following;
" During the weekend of November 13, many Christian churches across the United States began a series of sermons aimed at bringing about reconciliation between Muslims and Christians. These misguided Presbyterian ministers are trying to focus on a relationship between the Holy Bible and the Koran they call "Chrislam." They are saying that because the Koran mentions Jesus that there is common ground with Christianity.
To prove their point, they are placing Korans along side the Holy Bible in their pews. And they are teaching that you can be a follower of Christ without necessarily believing that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, who died for our sins offering the gift of eternal salvation."
www.thetreeofliberty.com
Here are some specific items to add to the argument;
* President George Bush worshipped in a Japanese Shinto shrine & hosted Islamic services in the White House
* "Jews, Muslims, and pagans without a knowledge of Christ can still go to heaven." Billy Graham
* "We are little gods." Paul Crouch (Head of Trinity Broadcasting Network)
* Pope Benedict XVI kissed the Qur'an and welcomed all religions as one.
* The rise of the Chrislam movement.
Commentator Paul Williams states, "The Chrislam movement has gained impetus by statements from President George W. Bush and that Christians, Jews, and Muslims all worship the same God and by Rick Warren's reference to Isa (the Muslim name for Jesus) in his prayer at the inauguration of President Barack Obama." Williams points out that Jesus in the Koran is not the only-begotten Son of God nor the Messiah. Williams says, "He is rather viewed as a prophet who was appointed by Allah to prepare mankind for the coming of Mohammad." In the Koran, Williams reminds readers, "The victim at Calvary, Islam teaches, was either Simon of Cyrene or Judas Iscariot."
Apostasy - (noun)
1. The act of abandoning a party or cause.
2. The state of having rejected your religious beliefs, political party, cause or sports team in favor of opposing beliefs, causes or teams.
3. A defection, renunciation, disaffiliation, abandonment or revolt from a previous association.
4. (Islamic definition) Rejection in word or deed of one's former religion.
5. (Christian definition) To fall away from the truth.
- - - - - -
"for it will not be, except the falling away come first, and the man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition,
2 Thess. 2:3 (KJV)
"Let no one in any way deceive you, for it [Jesus' return] will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction,"
2 Thess. 2:3, (NASB)
"And to the angel of the church in Laodicea write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God: I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So because thou art lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spew thee out of my mouth."
Revelation 3:14-19
For a more current observation of the global religious climate consider the following;
" During the weekend of November 13, many Christian churches across the United States began a series of sermons aimed at bringing about reconciliation between Muslims and Christians. These misguided Presbyterian ministers are trying to focus on a relationship between the Holy Bible and the Koran they call "Chrislam." They are saying that because the Koran mentions Jesus that there is common ground with Christianity.
To prove their point, they are placing Korans along side the Holy Bible in their pews. And they are teaching that you can be a follower of Christ without necessarily believing that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, who died for our sins offering the gift of eternal salvation."
www.thetreeofliberty.com
Here are some specific items to add to the argument;
* President George Bush worshipped in a Japanese Shinto shrine & hosted Islamic services in the White House
* "Jews, Muslims, and pagans without a knowledge of Christ can still go to heaven." Billy Graham
* "We are little gods." Paul Crouch (Head of Trinity Broadcasting Network)
* Pope Benedict XVI kissed the Qur'an and welcomed all religions as one.
* The rise of the Chrislam movement.
Commentator Paul Williams states, "The Chrislam movement has gained impetus by statements from President George W. Bush and that Christians, Jews, and Muslims all worship the same God and by Rick Warren's reference to Isa (the Muslim name for Jesus) in his prayer at the inauguration of President Barack Obama." Williams points out that Jesus in the Koran is not the only-begotten Son of God nor the Messiah. Williams says, "He is rather viewed as a prophet who was appointed by Allah to prepare mankind for the coming of Mohammad." In the Koran, Williams reminds readers, "The victim at Calvary, Islam teaches, was either Simon of Cyrene or Judas Iscariot."