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I believe scripture has shown the identity of Babylon the great in the book of Revelation to be “christendom” or “organized religion”.
The question I pose is..How closely should you be involved with christendom if she is indeed “the whore” of revelation?
This stems from a conversation with my wife. She is upset because I have been cutting down on my attendance at traditional religious settings and leaning more towards small groups in private homes and settings.
She says it doesn't matter where you go, as long as you are trying to worship with spirit and truth. I agree…but as I explained to her..if you believe that “christendom” is indeed the “whore” babylon the great…you have to be really careful how involved you get with an organization that our heavenly father so ditests and has condemned to everlasting cutting off..
simply put..since we know “neither the day nor the hour”.. I don't won't to be caught by Christ in the “house of the whore”..
Ok…my friends..tell me your opinions on this..
Dk,
For the most part I agree, I do not believe we are to the point where God has called us out, I believe this will happen when the true believers attending a “traditional church” begin to be persecuted (by the “church”) for their stand and while this may have started in some churches the one I attend is still open.I expect home cells to increase and see them as more in line with how the first century “churches” accomplished their “assembling” themselves together.
Wm
HI DK:
The word “Babylon” means confusion, and that is what we have by virture of the various Christian denominations. I see the “mother of harlots” as the Catholic church because it is from her that these “false doctrines” have come.
The Lord compels his people to come out of her that they might not be partakers of her plagues.
For me that means that I do not join their organization when they say that in order to be a member you have to sign that you agree with their statement of faith which contains doctrines with which I disagree, and it means that I go to them and let them know that although I worship God with them I cannot be a member because if I signed that I agree with their statement of faith I would be lying. I can worship God anywhere, and I can live my life as an example so that they can see the love of God manifest through my life, and I can pray that God would open their eyes so that they may see that their doctrines are not correct.
My advice to you is that you pray and ask God what you should do.
the problem is the definition of “christiandom”… since the word is so nebulous it can come to mean anything you want it to mean….. the same with the phrase “organized religion”…. after all, small groups are a form of organized religion just as much a mainline denominations… its all a matter of perspective. For the JWs, anyone NOT associated with 'them”, is a part of the great whore of Babylon and is part of “organized religion”…. but what they fail to see is that they are a form of “organized religion” as well, they are a religion, and they are very very organized, this at least is part of why they are so successful.
Also, I see the promise in the scripture from God that says the gates of Hell will never prevail against the church, and so the idea that there was no “true” church since Apostolic times is a slap in the face to God and the promise of His protection over His people, ie the church. While it is true that organizations may be apostate, may have faulty creeds and policies etc, there may well be true Christians present in those bodies. Asking the question: “when is it time to leave a church?” is a tough one, but any group that denies the central cardinal tenets of the Christian faith, the Trinity, the virgin birth, the infallibility and inerrant nature of the Scriptures, its fairly safe to say to abandon ship. You may want to read an excellent book on this topic by John Frame called “Evangelical Reunion”, it can be found in its entirety for free, with many other fine books by Frame and Vern Poythress, at http://www.frame-poythress.org/frame_books.htm
blessings,
KenHi E,
I know the trinity idea has found many fans over the last 1800 years
but Jesus never spoke of it and we should rather follow him via the inerrant scriptures.This scripture stays with me constantly..
Hebrews 13:11-14…. 11The high priest carries the blood of animals into the Most Holy Place as a sin offering, but the bodies are burned outside the camp. 12And so Jesus also suffered outside the city gate to make the people holy through his own blood. 13Let us, then, go to him outside the camp, bearing the disgrace he bore. 14For here we do not have an enduring city, but we are looking for the city that is to come.
Quote (epistemaniac @ Sep. 15 2008,13:25) the problem is the definition of “christiandom”… since the word is so nebulous it can come to mean anything you want it to mean….. the same with the phrase “organized religion”…. after all, small groups are a form of organized religion just as much a mainline denominations… its all a matter of perspective. For the JWs, anyone NOT associated with 'them”, is a part of the great whore of Babylon and is part of “organized religion”…. but what they fail to see is that they are a form of “organized religion” as well, they are a religion, and they are very very organized, this at least is part of why they are so successful. Also, I see the promise in the scripture from God that says the gates of Hell will never prevail against the church, and so the idea that there was no “true” church since Apostolic times is a slap in the face to God and the promise of His protection over His people, ie the church. While it is true that organizations may be apostate, may have faulty creeds and policies etc, there may well be true Christians present in those bodies. Asking the question: “when is it time to leave a church?” is a tough one, but any group that denies the central cardinal tenets of the Christian faith, the Trinity, the virgin birth, the infallibility and inerrant nature of the Scriptures, its fairly safe to say to abandon ship. You may want to read an excellent book on this topic by John Frame called “Evangelical Reunion”, it can be found in its entirety for free, with many other fine books by Frame and Vern Poythress, at http://www.frame-poythress.org/frame_books.htm
blessings,
Ken
trinity?I won't even go there
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