It is amazing to me how many preachers and writers of Christian themes are absolutely caving in to the spirit of compromise that abounds today!  Whatever pastor or ministry that is gathering a crowd or whatever author is selling books, many who are envious of their success are following their trendy teachings without much discernment about biblical truth.  We are seeing an outbreak of Hyper-Calvinistic-Charismatic, Catholic based Contemplative Spiritual disciplines as found in the Spiritual Formation/Mysticism movements. These Mystical and unbiblical teachings have infiltrated well known ministries and are leading many into satanic deception and spiritual bondage.  Others also propound the false doctrines of the Word of Faith, Kingdom Now and Replacement Theology heresies as well as many more unbiblical forms of pseudo-Christian  and New Age doctrines which are misleading people everywhere.  How can this be?  I believe we are living in the latter days when, as predicted, there would be “perilous times.” Paul predicted: “But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come:   For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money…” (2 Timothy 3:1a, see context). 

And as many are shying away from teaching sound doctrine and promoting self-fulfillment kinds of teaching, many are, as well, avoiding Bible prophecy and are not teaching the imminent return of Jesus Christ to rapture His church (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18).  There are several reasons for this neglect of sound Bible teaching and of Bible prophecy.  One reason for this is that many do not understand the Bible or  biblical prophecy; another reason is that it may not be as financially profitable for them to simply expound the truths of the Bible and of the coming of Jesus Christ, because that would require a focus on God more than on self-fulfillment.  And still another reason is that they simply do not believe the Bible, but are more enamored with the teachings of man!   All of this has been prophesied, and while it should not surprise us, neither should this sad state of affairs in the latter days church cause us to become apathetic!  God calls all believers and empowers them to stand firm for His truth!  Prophecy student and teacher, David R. Regan states well the need for believers to take a firm stand for biblical truth in these latter days of apostasy when many are pushing the idea that the Church is supposed to establish the kingdom before the return of Christ and to bring in world peace:

     “The truth is that the church was never given the task of conquering the world for Christ or solving all the world’s political and social problems.  We were commanded to preach the gospel and make disciples (Matthew 28:18-20). And yes, we were instructed to stand for righteousness (Matthew 5:13-16).  But the restoration of God’s creation is a task that will be accomplished by Jesus when He returns to reign in glory and majesty from Mount Zion in Jerusalem (Matthew 19:28-29; Acts 3:18-21).

      What’s sad about the apostasy concerning Bible prophecy is that we are living right on the threshold of the Tribulation, when God will pour out His wrath on those who have rejected His grace, mercy, and love.  Satan must be very pleased; because that is a truth he does not want anyone to know.

     One of the greatest events prophesied in Scripture, the rapture of the church, is imminent, and yet apostate teachers are directing people’s attention away from that blessed hope and focusing their eyes instead on the false hope of establishing the kingdom of God on earth without the presence of the King.

     The formidable task we face as believers in God’ prophetic Word is to stand firm and continue to proclaim the truth of the Lord’s soon return to as many people as we can, as quickly as we can.

     There is only one basic defense against the apostasy that is epidemic in the church today, and that is a knowledge of God’s Word.  Unfortunately, public opinion polls show that the average professing Christian today is biblically illiterate, and that conclusion applies also to those who consider themselves to be ‘born again evangelicals.’  (The Popular Handbook on the Rapture, Tim LaHaye, Thomas Ice, Ed Hindson, p. 190)”

Christians today need to begin reading their Bibles for themselves, book by book, chapter by chapter and verse by verse!  The reading, study and preaching of God’s Word, the Bible, is the best hedge against heresy!  To stand firm for biblical Truth begins with yours and my commitment to read and to know God’s Word and to put away and repent of all dependence on the false doctrines of man’s trendy, shallow and misleading teachings.  Needed today are men who are committed to expository teaching and verse by verse preaching of the Bible!