Pilgrims Covenant Church - The Bride Betrayed

These days, any Christian taking a public stand for the Word of God is sure to be the object of scorn and hatred. In this, we should be encouraged to remember the words of our Lord: "If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you" (John 15:18). Surely in this apostate age, those Christians who raise a righteous standard for God's immutable truth will receive regular tongue-lashings from the devil's own. For my part, the ridicule, rage, and rebuke is delivered free of charge to me on a weekly basis by every mode of communication now in common use. Subtracting those diatribes that contain threats of bodily injury, arson, and worse, I would estimate that 90% of the tantrums thrown for my benefit are staged by persons calling themselves Christian. Such individuals assure me that I am a blight upon Christ's Church and name. I am pronounced to be under God's judgment on account of my hate-mongering, cruelty, and intolerance and for wasting precious resources such as the air I breathe. I am told in no uncertain terms that a fiery hell awaits me for misusing the Bible and abusing the world. One "naturist Christian" recently informed me: "It is only the Holy Spirit within me that will not allow me to wish upon you a long and painful demise. Our Lord will extract his due upon you, Ralph."

It would seem, at least in America, that the whole world is claiming Christ as Lord. Not a week goes by that I am not rebuked, literally in the name of Jesus, by "Christian" sodomites, naturists, pro-aborts, or Roman Catholics. Such are the times in which we live. But is it so surprising that the world would play so fast and loose with the gospel and its Author when so many "conservative" Christians do likewise? Many of the latter take a stand against such evils as abortion and homosexuality; but at the same time, they embrace and invigorate ecumenism by yoking in ministry with Roman Catholics. Of course, in reality, conservative Christian is a simile for neo-evangelical; and the hallmark of New Evangelicalism is ecumenism. Nationally known, conservative Christian leaders and preachers are the celebrities of the hour here in America. In the last several decades, the Lord's people have finally awakened to the danger posed to life and Christian liberty by the forces of perversion and death. But by and large, Christians have not turned wholly to the Lord—in repentance where needed—for direction and strength to fight the battle which must be fought. Instead, after gazing deeply into the cruel eyes of our God-hating enemies, they have swooned into the arms of a bevy of high-profile, conservative Christian leaders who have promised to protect them. But those same leaders are working overtime to press the Bride of Christ into the service of that Mother of Harlots which runs her business from Rome. In the name of standing against such evils as homosexuality and abortion, conservative Christian leaders routinely yoke with Roman Catholics in the name of Christ. Led by such luminaries as James Dobson, Jerry Falwell, and D. James Kennedy, the Lord's people are pouring huge amounts of money, prayer, and sweat into ministries and projects which advance the prestige and burnish the "Christian" credentials of the Roman Catholic Church. Simply put, large numbers of American Christians have been seduced to ignorantly do evil in hopes that good may come. In reality, they ought rather to be seeking God's favor through prayer and reformation in their own churches along with the public proclamation and defense of God's Word and name.

The apostle Paul was zealous for the virtue of Christ's bride, the Church. He told the Corinthians, "For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ" (2 Corinthians 11:2). By contrast, the heroes of today's conservative, evangelical church are working overtime to corrupt Christ's espoused bride, the Church. In the defense of "traditional values" and on behalf of a "Christian worldview" which was never once delivered unto the saints, they are wantonly pressing the chaste virgin of whom Paul spoke into the service of Madam Roma. I wonder how those same men would have reacted if their future brides would have been treated in similar fashion? The examples I could give to document the outrageous betrayal of which I have been speaking would fill a large volume. For the sake of brevity, I will content myself with just one illustration. For the purpose of making my point, I will reference a recent television special sponsored by a ministry headed up by a conservative Christian's conservative—D. James Kennedy.

On Sunday, December 26, Coral Ridge Ministries aired a TV documentary titled "What If Jesus Had Never Been Born?" The program was hosted by that ministry's president, D. James Kennedy. Among other dubious characters, it featured a Roman Catholic priest masquerading as a Christian while talking about Jesus. The praises of "Mother" Many-Roads-to-God Teresa were sung on the program due to the nun's "love of Jesus Christ." The televised spectacle was also rife with idolatrous, Romish artwork featuring pictures of "Jesus." Naturally, this evangelistic outreach to the undiscipled masses was paid for by contributions from the Lord's people.

That D. James Kennedy would do this is not surprising. He is the same man who brought us the bizarre, unbiblical "gospel in the stars" teaching. Kennedy has taken a high-profile part in a number of ecumenical endeavors in the past and has allowed his Evangelism Explosion program to be taught by priests in Roman Catholic Churches. Of course, he also passionately promoted the Catholic evangelism film, The Passion of the Christ. But do I hear shrill protests that D. James Kennedy is a stalwart against the humanists, modernists, and sexual perverts, thus placing him above such tawdry criticism as just leveled?

How long will Christians allow themselves to be mesmerized by the obvious enemies arrayed against us and fail to realize that there is no hope or safety to be had by joining in league with an enemy of another sort which is even more dangerous. If we are standing as Christ's own in His name, then we must stand only with those who truly are Christ's or inevitably reap a bitter return on such sinful sowing. How long before the mass of true Christians holds Christian leaders responsible for their betrayal of God's Word, Christ's gospel, and His Church? How long before a general cry for reformation spreads among the churches?

But now I hear someone protest, "You are causing division!" Yes, it is a grievous sin to cause ungodly division, but it is also a grievous sin to fail to separate from those brethren who refuse to repent and make right what they have done wrong. It is sinful for Christian leaders to lead the Lord's flock to yoke with Roman Catholics in the name of Christ, no matter how good the cause being pursued. "Our help is in the name of the LORD, who made heaven and earth" (Psalm 124:8). The scriptures are many which warn against not only yoking with unbelievers under the banner of Christ but also assisting in any way the advance of false doctrine and the cause of antichrists (2 Corinthians 6:14-18, Ephesians 5:11, 2 John 9-11). Further, and relevant to the evangelical leaders about whom we have been talking, there are numerous scriptures which warn us to reprove and separate from any brethren who refuse to repent of such unrighteousness. For instance, Romans 16:17 commands: "Mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them." When those brethren who are teaching false doctrine will not repent and cease from such teaching, Christians who would remain true to their Master must separate from the offenders. In such a situation, the persons contending for the faith once delivered unto the saints are not the cause of division and consequent separation. The cause is the one who will not cease to pervert the right ways of God.

I thank the Lord that I have lived long enough to see an awakening among His churches regarding the necessity of Christians to reprove and resist such unfruitful works of darkness as unborn baby killing and sodomy, but I grieve that the devil has successfully exploited that awakening and converted it into a great gain for his ecumenical cause and his antichrist-led Roman church. That bloodstained Mother of Harlots is a crucial member of a satanic triad which also includes the establishment of a corrupted "bible" and a false gospel featuring a false Christ. The vast majority of the Lord's shepherds, and consequently the Lord's people, are blind to the devil's growing success in marketing all three of those demonic devices. Rather than draw a biblical line and tenaciously fight it out on that line, they are busily doing ecumenical evil under the delusion that good will come. The true shepherds of God had better get busy and protect the flock which Christ "hath purchased with his own blood" (Acts 20:28). The truth in this matter is easily discerned and as unyielding as God's Word. It is not acceptable in the face of that truth to "halt . . . between two opinions" (1 Kings 18:21). Silence at this critical moment is neither righteous nor safe. The Lord's people must be faith contenders and Bible defenders, not fearfully giving into the devil's ecumenical siren song that safety is to be found in numbers rather than in the living God. "Woe to them that go down to Egypt for help; and stay on horses, and trust in chariots, because they are many; and in horsemen, because they are very strong; but they look not unto the Holy One of Israel, neither seek the LORD!" (Isaiah 31:1).

Listen to Pastor Ovadal's sermon The Bride Betrayed.