Oh for goodness sake Faith....
everybody is apostate but you.
You're the only person that REALLY understands scripture.
God is keeping it hid from the rest of us....
Right.
Dear GodsGrace,
After Paul's departing, the entire church which was made up of "babes" (Early Rain only), was completely devoured by the wolves (Acts 20:29-31). Nothing has changed since that time and it won't change because it is God's "will" for all babes to become apostate.
The teachings of Christ frequently teach about the apostasy that was soon to be coming. However, Christ teaches it in His spiritual language so that a true understanding of the apostasy will remain veiled from new believers (babes).
Consider this verse:
Mat 24:24 For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.
The only reason that the very Elect were not deceived by Satan is because they were converted BEFORE the spirit of anti-Christ came into the world and devoured the church. A converted believer cannot be deceived by Satan.
The scripture in Isaiah teaches about the apostasy, too. You should read it again carefully and really consider the profound message that it teaches.
Isa 28:9 Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts (converted believers/little children). 10 For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little: 11 For with stammering lips and another language (spiritual language) will he speak to this people. 12 But the word of the LORD was unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little; that they (the babes who draw milk) might go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken (by Satan, this is when a babe becomes apostate).
The believers who are weaned from the breasts are converted believers. How do I know this? Because of what Christ says here:
Mat 18:3 And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.
Only the Elect will be converted in this age. They are the First Fruits of Christ's harvest of mankind. For them, Christ will come to them
TWO times.
Hos 6:3 Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the LORD: his going forth is prepared as the morning; and he (Christ) shall come unto us as the RAIN, as the latter and former RAIN unto the earth.
The first time Christ comes as the Rain is when He comes to an unbeliever and gives them the Early Rain of the Spirit. The Early Rain is what
gives a person their faith in Christ. The apostles received the Early Rain of of the Spirit when they walked with Christ. But because the Early Rain of the Spirit leaves a new believer (a babe) spiritually blind, they cannot understand the spiritual teachings of the New Covenant.
Consider what Christ said to the apostles below:
John 16:12 I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now (why? because they are babes who draw milk). 13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth (this is the Latter Rain), is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.
When the Spirit of Truth came to the apostles on the Day of Pentecost, they were converted and went from being spiritually blind babes to being "little children" who can be "guided into all truth".
Mat 18:3 And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.
Luke 22:32 But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.
Consider this: The apostles made a confession of faith and called Jesus "Lord" when they walked with Him. How were they able to do make this confession of faith?
There is only one way a person can make a confession of faith as this verse says:
1Cor 12:3 Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Spirit.
The
only way the apostles were able to make a confession of faith was because the Father gave them the Early Rain of the Spirit.
Christ confirms this truth here:
Mat 16:17 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.
With even just the small amount of the Spirit (the Early Rain), the apostles could understand (see) that Jesus was the Christ and have faith in Him. But because they only had the Early Rain of the Spirit, they were "babes" who could draw the milk of the Word. For that reason, Christ told them in John 16:12 that He had
much more to tell them but that they couldn't "bear" it yet.
Were the apostles saved after they made the confession of faith after having been given the Early Rain of the Spirit?
No, they were not. But they did have the faith which the Early Rain of the Spirit gave them. With this faith, Christ's pathway was made
straight for Christ to "come again" and give them the Spirit of Truth (Latter Rain) and convert them (save them).
After the apostles received the Spirit of Truth (Latter Rain) and were converted, they went from being a babe to being a little child.
This is when they were saved and when they entered the Kingdom of Heaven as Mat 18:3 says.
To be saved, a person MUST be given both the Early and Latter Rains of the Spirit.
Paul understood this truth and that is why He said this:
Heb 9:28 So Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.
After a person is given the Early Rain of the Spirit, they can understand (see) the physical work of Christ that led Him to the cross (Christ and Him crucified). In the spiritual language of Christ, this is when Christ appears/comes to a person "in the flesh":
1John 4:3 And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.
If a person does not have the Early Rain of the Spirit, they cannot "see" Christ's first appearance. This is the reason why a person will remain an unbeliever.
Since "babes" are spiritually blind, they will deny that Christ ever came to them "in the flesh". They believe that He came to them like He did to the 120 Jewish Elect on the Day of Pentecost. This belief is why they deny the existence of the Early Rain of the Spirit which gave them their faith. And since they deny the Early Rain of the Spirit, they take credit for the faith that they have rather than giving credit to Christ who gave it to them with the Early Rain. This is one of the primary signs that a believer has become apostate.
Joe