Will You Avoid the Great Apostasy?

Not long ago I got an email from someone asking if I would know Jesus when I saw Him and how would I be sure it was really Him.  This man believes many Christians will miss Jesus when He comes.  

He believes Jesus will:

• Be cutting edge, awesome, and far beyond what Christians are imagining today.
• Transcend the scriptures as we know them today.
• Be fresh and new and totally with it in regards to everything happening in our modern world.
• Present new ways of interpreting the old scriptures that Christians have scarcely imagined and he will add new scriptures Christians have likewise never imagined.

He believes Jesus’ disciples will dissolve in love in His presence with no need to “test” him.  He recommended these “tests”:

• That Jesus melts your heart into liquid.
• That you find yourself rejoicing in expansive love.
• That He brings perfect peace to your mind.
• That you cannot help singing and dancing and rejoicing in His presence.
• That you cannot resist becoming a part of His global movement to create Heaven on this Earth.

This may sound good to some people but it is really frightening.  Many will go along with this.

We must test those who say they are Christ and know the order of expected end time events to avoid the Great Apostasy.  We can’t rely on our emotions and on miracles.  Rejoicing will take place at the marriage supper of the lamb and not before.

God gave us one primary test to use.  It’s found in Deuteronomy 13:1-4:  “If there arises among you a prophet or a dreamer of dreams, and he gives you a sign or a wonder, 2 and the sign or the wonder comes to pass, of which he spoke to you, saying, ‘Let us go after other gods’ — which you have not known — ‘and let us serve them,’ 3 you shall not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams, for the Lord your God is testing you to know whether you love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul. 4 You shall walk after the Lord your God and fear Him, and keep His commandments and obey His voice; you shall serve Him and hold fast to Him.” NKJV

Jesus passed this test in Matthew 5:17-20:   “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill.  18 For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled.  19 Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.  20 For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.” NKJV

Jesus did not create new commandments.  He taught Torah and properly interpreted them using His own authority and not the authority of previous rabbis.  Torah will not be outdated until after the millennial kingdom is over.

The False Prophet will change times and laws and cause people to abandon God’s original commandments which are written in our hearts (Dan. 7:25; Jer. 31:31-34).  We must remember that the apostle Paul told us the law is holy and good and that we should not abolish the law because of faith.  Instead we should confirm Torah (Rom. 3:31, 7:12).

How will you avoid the Great Apostasy?  Don’t rely on a pre-tribulation rapture.  The separation of mankind will not take place until Christ returns (Rev. 14:18-19).  Those who are taken will be eaten by birds of prey (Luke 17:37).  Those who remain will be gathered for the wedding feast.