The Truth Shall Make You Free: Chapter 23 What Does This Mean To You?

published by: 

The Truth Foundation

11 Laurel Court

Freehold Township, New Jersey 07728

1981

Chapter 23   What Does This Mean To You?

(pg. 291) SOMEHOW, IN PERHAPS MIRACULOUS WAYS, GOD WILL USE ALL THE

different groups of true worshippers to proclaim the Gospel. The Worldwide Church should not be written off, as no one can yet tell what the final outcome will be regarding Armstrong and Rader.

Evangelicals, with their love and zeal for Christ, could be the most potent force of all. If only they would see how they are still standing with one foot in Babylon. If the Evangelicals would only come completely out of Babylon, and break from the paganism of Rome, we would see an outpouring of the Holy Spirit not seen since the notable day of Pentecost mentioned in the Book of Acts.

And what does this all mean to you, the reader? When we look at the world situation and all of the turmoil in religion, from the largest organized religious groups to the most weird off-beat cults, we can only conclude that we are truly in the last days. We are near the end of the age, and in the times spoken of by Jesus Christ in the twenty-fourth chapter of Matthew. The ten kings, or what would today be ten nations or groups of nations, spoken of in the seventh chapter of Daniel and the thirteenth chapter of Revelation, are right now forming their prophesied alliance. This is the group of Common Market nations which have now progressed to the point where they have a European Parliament. It will not be long before the European nations will have unified themselves totally, economically and politically. And when they do, Germany will be (pg. 292) the dominant factor in that alliance, as is already quite apparent. Due to their great differences and jealousies, these nations will have to give their power over to a common unifying force, religion. That religion, or religious organization is the "MOTHER OF HARLOTS." It will be this great false religion that will dominate the European union, which will then go out to make war with the nations. This will be the final outcome of the "International Conspiracy," Satan's final attempt to establish his world dictatorship.

 This great false religious leader, according to the thirteenth chapter of Revelation, is referred to as a beast which gives power to another, the first beast, which is identified as the leader of the European empire. This great false religious leader will do great miracles and have great power; and nearly the entire world will be deceived by him. While he represents Satan, he will claim to represent God. He is the one who will require that in order to buy or sell, one must have his mark on their forehead or their hand, and that mark will be his name or the number of his name. That number is recorded as being six hundred, three score and six in Revelation 13:18.

The study of the Greek origin of that phrase in Strong's Concordance will show that the words "six hundred," the words "three score" and the word "six" are from three Greek letters, each one of which is a variation of a cross. This false religious leader, the beast, will occupy the religious office of a great worldwide religious system. That office is identified by three crosses on the vestments. We are in that time just preceding these prophesied events right now.

What this all means is very simple. God provides a way of salvation through Jesus Christ. By repenting of your sins and following Christ completely, keeping His commandments and doing as He says, worshipping in truth according to the Scriptures, rather than following a pagan religious system which masquerades as Christianity, you can be one of those who will be given eternal life at Christ's coming, and reign with Him as an eternal living son of God. Those who are now in the corrupt false religions must come out of Babylon.

If you have never given this much thought before, or have scoffed at what has been written here as so much religious nonsense, why not get out the Bible and read for yourself what the Scriptures have to say? Perhaps you will not see it now, but as time (pg. 293) goes by, you will begin to see that the prophesies of Scripture continue to be fulfilled. Or perhaps you are one of the many millions who have in one way or another accepted Christ as your Savior. If you have, are you doing what He says? Or are you still with one foot in the pagan beliefs that have corrupted the Christian Church? You may be in many ways leading a good Christian life, showing the love of Christ in your daily conduct, but Christ wants more of you than that. Read the second and third chapters of Revelation, and see the various spiritual conditions that Christ asks His people to repent of. He says to the apostle John that many of the seven symbolic churches mentioned, while they worship Him, are nevertheless in various stages of spiritual decay. One of those conditions is the condition of false doctrine and pagan belief. Another quite notable one is a lukewarm condition; a lack of zeal in serving God. And Christ says to repent of this.

Whatever you now think of God, Jesus Christ, religion, the Bible, prophecy, salvation, or whether you are an atheist, an agnostic, a Jew, a Moslem, a nominal mainstream Christian, an Evangelical, a member of the Church of God, a Hindu, etc., etc.,these things are important to you, and you should consider right now what you are going to do about it.

Those in the Church of God, having the knowledge of God's truth, are called by Christ to get busy and be zealous in proclaiming the Gospel of the Kingdom. And those others who feel that they are Christians, are called by Christ to come out of Babylon and put all false beliefs and observances behind, or He will not even accept your calling him Lord. "And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?" (Luke 6:46) And those who have just totally rejected Christ up to this time can prove for themselves that these things are true, and obtain salvation and eternal life through Jesus Christ.

God's plan is so wonderful, His love so great, that He makes it easy for us through Jesus Christ to reject Satan and accept eternal life. As has often been said by many people, "Make me a deal I can't refuse." God has made you a deal that you can't refuse. Yet the decision is up to you.

"Whosoever commiteth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law." (I John 3:4)

"For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." (Romans 3:23)

(pg. 294) "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." (Romans 6:23)

"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not His son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through Him might be saved." (John 3:16 and 17)

"Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost." (Acts 2:38)

"To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in His throne." (Revelation 3:21)

"Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown. Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out; and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name." (Revelation 3:11 and 12)