Mt. 13:38 π Mt. 15:14 π Mk. 13:12 π Jn. 17:23 π Rom. 14:17 π 2 Cor. 6:17 π Eph. 4:13 π Eph. 5:8 π Eph. 5:27 π 1 Pet. 1:15-16 π 1 Pet. 1:23 π Rev. 2:4-5 π Rev. 14:4 π Rev. 16:19 π Rev. 17:4-5 π Rev. 18:4
One of the most unfortunate and unpleasant facts about God’s final reformation is that it must involve the enmity of the “church” against the ekklesia. And equally unfortunately, most people who claim to follow Christ do not know the difference between the “church” and the ekklesia and we are forced to examine just what each of these two opponents are.
One is the bride of Christ – the other is the Great Prostitute Babylon. ( Rev. 17:4-5 ) The one is a kingdom populated with spiritually born again people ( 1 Pet. 1:23 ) who have ceased to be children of disobedience and darkness and have been translated into children of light enabled to obey God ( Eph. 5:8 ), a kingdom characterized by righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit ( Rom. 14:17 ) and a kingdom given its best expression when its citizens lay down their lives for one another in loving service to the King. This is the ekklesia of Christ and God designed to bring believers to the condition of being a “spiritually mature person, conformed to the measure of the stature of the fullness of the Christ.” ( Eph. 4:13; top )
The other is a conglomeration of deceptions built on false religion sustained by rituals and formulas that feed the self-life and carnal nature; built on authoritarian control that exalts one man above the others and exalts those who are his followers above all the others who are too stupid to know to choose the right man to follow; built with manipulation that separates the fools from their cash and keeps the masses quiet and passive in their place at the feet of the spiritual “man of God” who alone knows all the “right answers.” This is the “church” designed by Satan to lure away any who will depart from the Spirit of Christ and God.
Many people will be shocked to read such a clear presentation of the facts – and this is evidence of how diabolically clever the devil has been in enacting his schemes against the people who name the name of Christ.
The enmity between the “church” and the ekklesia comes from the “church” and not from the ekklesia – that is, the ekklesia does not need to seek out anyone from the “church” and do anything toward or against them. Only ignorant and misguided (even if well-meaning) believers feel the need to attack the “church.” Long ago, those who are truly ekklesia have heard and obeyed the call to “Come out and be separate.” ( 2 Cor. 6:17; top ) These have walked with the Lamb and know they are God’s sons and daughters and know how to hear and follow only Him.
When we use the term “reformation,” we must know that we can only use that term in connection with genuine ekklesia. The Prostitute will not be reformed – even if she changes some of the outward actions, any changes will be merely superficial and will not address the core, heart issues. Those who have not repented and submitted all their religious practices to Christ and God in spirit and truth simply are not ekklesia. They are the tares among the wheat. ( Mt. 13:38 ) And again, the ekklesia does not need to seek out the “church” and try to bring reform to those who don’t want to be reformed – nor do we need to expose the tares as frauds and counterfeits. The “church” can just be abandoned and the Lamb can simply be followed wherever He leads. ( Rev. 14:4; top ) But the genuine ekklesia must take great care that all leftover “church” practices are abandoned and Christ is followed only in spirit and truth. Nothing – absolutely nothing – of Babylon will be welcome in New Jerusalem!
Reformation, in the sense of seeking God’s final reformation that completes the transformation of His people into a spotless, blameless bride ready for her Husband ( Eph. 5:27; top ), has another word that carries similar meaning: restoration. In reality, reformation and restoration are simply semantically different terms that both point to our need for greater and complete corporate repentance and purity. Reformation perhaps points more toward structural changes while restoration points more toward the source from which all change comes but the process is so similar and intertwined that the terms are virtually interchangeable.
Restoring the ekklesia to its first love and its first works ( Rev. 2:4-5 ) is the only way for us to press on to being spotless and blameless and, because it is the right way, it is vigorously opposed by the devil and the demonic and the “church.” The “church,” because its love is for itself and its own agendas and its own pleasures, has no “first love for Christ” to return to. But the ekklesia, because it is composed only of those who have had a genuine born again experience, has at least an initial encounter experience with Christ to draw upon. Any individual who has had a genuine born again encounter with Christ who finds himself still ensnared in any “church” practice must come out and be cleansed and purified from the idolatry he has shared in or he will share in the judgments that are reserved for Babylon. ( Rev. 18:4; top )
The idea that attempts and aims to restore the Christian faith to its original and intended practice, purpose and purity is sometimes labeled “restorationist theology.” It is most unwelcome in many “Christian” circles because it disrupts the power base (tight control over spiritually passive, sleeping people) and destroys the clergy’s career base (which requires the system to remain in place so they might have their lucrative paychecks and retirement funds). This is another reason why there is no need or reason to attempt to reform the Prostitute – she will not change. Her participants are too invested and find too much pleasure and security in what she provides for them. Until these can see that stern, even fierce judgment from God is waiting for them ( Rev. 16:19 ), they will see no reason to desire change. Blind leaders of blind followers most often simply do not desire to see until they have hit the bottom of the ditch – and then it is often too late. ( Mt. 15:14; top )
But those who hunger and thirst for the righteousness of God are already discontent with the “church’s” deceptions. Too long they are left sitting hungry at the “church’s” tables unfed, given crumbs and thimbles of juice and made to sit idle for years before (if ever!) being allowed to serve forth the word of God, either in preaching or serving and certainly not in leading or changing the “church”! To any who have this discontent, know that this discontent comes from God! God calls to you, “Get up! Run, do not walk to the nearest exit, and I will guide you to where you will find both rest and good pastures. And I, surely and quickly, will put you to work in My kingdom!”
But that the end times will be characterized by enmity was clearly foretold by Jesus Himself. He said, “Now brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and cause them to be put to death.” ( Mk. 13:12; top ) Those who insist that this verse speaks only of natural-born families do not yet see with spiritual eyes.
The final reformation will be even more bloody than the first reformation because the final fury of Satan will be poured out from both the “church” and the “beasts” that rule the world. “Christianity,” in large part because the “church” in all its abominations and hypocrisies is seen to be the way to follow Christ, has earned the hatred and contempt of practical, thinking men and women the world over. The “church,” because it is based in deception and mythology (even myths about a very real God!) and religion that often creates more problems than it solves, is rightly seen (from a worldly, pragmatic point of view) as an enemy of beneficial progress and change. And since the ekklesia has rarely been seen and certainly not recognized as separate from the “church” when seen, the “church” is all the world has to base its opinion of Christ upon. Is it any wonder that the world wants nothing to do with Christ! (see Jn. 17:23; top )
The “church” will pour out its fury on all those who dare to call their religious and abominable practices into question. This will not be merely in self-defense either – the murderous fury of all the demonic elements will also rise up in them and demand that all the true followers of Christ be crucified and purged from their midst. All manner of abominable sin and wickedness will be tolerated in the name of “love” – but the one who insists that the body of Christ must be holy, righteous and pure as He is pure ( 1 Pet. 1:15-16 , etc.; top) must be removed, even exterminated. This is an integral part of what is coming in the final reformation. Be prepared for it as best you’re able.
Let he who has ears hear.
Part 3 of 7:
Knowledge, Obedience and Overcoming Deception - Neil Girrard - ( in Adobe/pdf format ) Some see the vast difference between the book of Acts and modern churchianity and offer the simple remedy of going out to preach and lay hands on the sick as is found in the book of Acts. Will that be enough?
Part 5 of 7:
The Last Call - Neil Girrard - ( in Adobe/pdf format ) Is it accurate to call the latest move of God in northern Europe “the last reformation”?
- Spectrums: “Church” or Ekklesia - Neil Girrard - ( in Adobe/pdf format ) Any individual, whether the worst kind of evil villain or the best kind of saint or hero, is a combination of both good and bad characteristics – so why are led to believe that an assembly, which is made up of many individuals, must be either merely “good” or “bad” and not some mixture of both?
- The Wiles of the Devil - Neil Girrard - ( in Adobe/pdf format ) Any soldier intending to survive the day’s battle needs to know what weapons his enemy is using and how to counter those weapons.
- Come Out From Among Them - Neil Girrard - ( in Adobe/pdf format ) Why, at the end of His explanation of the parable of the wheat and the tares, did Jesus say, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear”?
- Finish the Reformation! - Neil Girrard Finishing the Reformation truly and simply means that we must all press on to the maturity that is found only in Christ.
- The Mother of Abominations - Neil Girrard - ( in Adobe/pdf format ) “Mystery Babylon” encompasses more than most people realize.
- 7. The Illusion of Restorationism; The Unfinished Reformation - An Analysis - Neil Girrard In this chapter, Morrison exposes his personal bias against “restorationist groups.”
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