Dear Peter (fictitious name);
It has now
been some 5 months since “fellowship” has been broken between us, although in
obedience to the scriptures, and particularly II Thessalonians 3:14 & 15. I
do miss our friendship at times, and by God’s grace count you as a brother to
admonish, and not an enemy. My hope in writing this is that you will be further
admonished, and come finally to a real
saving Christian faith, as shown in God’s Word.
God has
been pleased to bring me understanding into the fallen nature of the visible,
professing church of Christ. My wife and I have been very much a part of this
deception throughout most of our lives. Frankly, I am often overwhelmed that
God would reveal such truth to me, and use me to expose it. I am a terrible
servant, in my own eyes. Still, without this revelation we would be lost. I can
only account that God’s use of me is in keeping with His choice of “base
things” (I Corinthians 1:28) to glorify His name. Please read through
this carefully, and prayerfully: it is meant for the spiritual well-being of
you and your family, that you may stand as you ought to before Christ.
For other foundation can no man lay
than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. I Corinthians 3:11
Most of
those who profess to be Christian today have never been saved by Biblical
standards. Of those who really do come to Christ, they submit themselves to
churches, and so are gradually turned back into what is a works-based salvation: the
error exposed in Galatians. It is another gospel, and is accursed. This
is a grand deception from Satan! On the one hand, the church mentally and
verbally acknowledges that we are saved by grace alone. Yet on the other hand,
they preach and practice a gospel of works. The preaching of the cross has
become foolish, even to professed Christians (the cross represents our sin).
During the
days of Jesus’ flesh, He taught us plainly what it meant to receive Him. Such a
life, given to Christ, will be entirely reborn,
and transformed. Today, the church’s message to the world is that God loves and
accepts them as they already are. There really is a cost to be paid in
coming to Jesus Christ (II Samuel 24:24; Luke 14:26-28).
And thou shalt love the Lord thy God
with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all
thy strength: this is the first commandment. Mark 12:30
The sin of the visible church today begins
with the sin of Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5), who made a pretense of giving their
all to Christ, but withheld. Today’s
“Christians” are just the same, and never really surrender to the Lord in the
way He requires it. Let us start anew in our walk with Christ, founding
our spiritual houses upon the rock of God’s Word (Matthew 7:24,25)…
In seeking
to be justified before God, we must accept ourselves in the way He sees us:
But we are all as an unclean thing, and
all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and
our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away. Isaiah 64:6
As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: There
is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all
gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that
doeth good, no, not one. Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues
they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips: Whose mouth is
full of cursing and bitterness: Their feet are swift to shed blood: Destruction
and misery are in their ways: And the way of peace have they not known: There
is no fear of God before their eyes. Romans 3:10-18
God’s love
is not as our love. God’s love is balanced with favor to His infinite
holiness and perfection. There are no warm, fuzzy, feelings of affection by God
toward mankind prior to one’s repentance for their sins (Judges
10:13-16). God’s real love toward sinful mankind is expressed first and
foremost in the cross of Jesus Christ.
But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were
yet sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8
In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because
that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through
him. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his
Son to be the propitiation for our sins. I John 4:9,10
Jesus said
that there is none good but God, and that only through Him is salvation even
possible (see Matthew 19). We must see ourselves as God sees us! We must stop
preaching church attendance, with worldly wisdom and friendship, and preach
only the cross of Christ (I Corinthians 2:2,5; Galatians 6:14; Colossians
1:19,20).
Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old
things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. II Corinthians 5:17
Jesus emphasized
the need to be totally “sold out” to Him—born
again in the inner man (John 3:3). In making all welcome, the church has promoted the idea that there is some
good in man. Think about it, Peter; have you ever said or thought that in
coming to Christ, the sinner yet has some good talents/abilities that God
appreciates, and can use? I have! Supposed new converts then begin their “new”
walk with Christ, thinking only minor changes will occur. They continue to reap
many benefits of worldly friendship, along with the good religious works they
had done before, thinking that these please God (Galatians 4:9-11).
Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come
after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For
whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life
for my sake shall find it. Matthew 16:24,25
Here begins
the lot of a real disciple of Christ: the denial of self, and daily crucifying
fleshly desires. It means to lose our
lives here on earth. The real
Gospel is about eternal life, not temporal (II Corinthians 4:18). Let’s return
to preaching the truth of God’s Word.
And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and
become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.
Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is
greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 18:3,4
To be
converted, of course, implies repentance for sins (Matthew 4:17; Acts 2:38),
but then we must become as children to enter the kingdom of heaven. Children
must be taught everything, and know nothing by themselves. Truly, real
Christians must become as newborn children before God. Today’s evangelism
teaches that there is already good in
people, and in the world around us; we need only have the obstacle of sin
removed to get to it. This is the same as new
age teaching.
And he spake also a parable unto them; No man putteth a piece
of a new garment upon an old; if otherwise, then both the new maketh a rent,
and the piece that was taken out of the new agreeth not with the old. And no
man putteth new wine into old bottles; else the new wine will burst the
bottles, and be spilled, and the bottles shall perish. But new wine must be put
into new bottles; and both are preserved. No man also having drunk old wine
straightway desireth new: for he saith, The old is better. Luke 5:36-39
This
parable applies well regarding salvation. Only too many are seeking to mend the
“tear” in their soul by applying Jesus as a new “patch”; all the while they do
so, still retaining that comfortable old garment. Jesus has said that this tear
is then made worse (Mark 2:21). Why is it worse? Before the mending attempt,
at least the individual recognized the problem. Now, however, they feel
justified in God, and will repent no more—they see no need of it. See II
Timothy 3:5 for this state.
We also
cannot put the “new wine” of the Holy Spirit into the “old bottle” of our
lives. Only believers that obey God can receive His Holy Spirit
(Acts 5:32). We, in the flesh, naturally like the “old wine” of our lives more than the new! We need to see that
the old man of sin dwells in us, and that man must die daily (Luke 9:23). Why
are we so proud, so determined to maintain the elements of our sinful
lifestyles?
But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for
Christ. Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of
the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all
things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, Philippians 3:7,8
Wherefore Jesus also, that he might
sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate. Let us go
forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach. For here have
we no continuing city, but we seek one to come. Hebrews 13:12-14
♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦
And he beheld them, and said, What is this then that is written,
The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the
corner? Whosoever shall fall upon that stone shall be broken; but on whomsoever
it shall fall, it will grind him to powder. Luke 20:17,18
Jesus is
that chief corner stone, upon whom we “fall” for salvation: the foundation of
our spiritual “house.” To fall upon Him means we will be broken. We have nothing to bring to Christ, but are dependant on
Him for everything (John 15:5).
How could
the visible church ever get to this point, where it so eagerly seeks and
accepts the world’s friendship? If any organized church claims to be Christian,
those “All Welcome” signs have to be discarded. The main contact between
Christians and the unsaved should be evangelism. Incidental relationships,
such as with our neighbors, or in the work place will often occur, but this in
no way implies a real “friendship.” Today’s “Christians” often pride themselves
for their acceptance by/for all. What does scripture state to be a Christian’s
reality?
Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the
ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the
scornful. But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he
meditate day and night. Psalm 1:1,2
Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not
to send peace, but a sword. For I am come to set a man at variance against his
father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against
her mother in law. And a man’s foes shall be they of his own household. Matthew
10:34-36
He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his
life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal. John 12:25
Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what
fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath
light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part
hath he that believeth with an infidel? And what agreement hath the temple of
God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I
will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall
be my people. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the
Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, II Corinthians
6:14-17
Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the
friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a
friend of the world is the enemy of God. James 4:4
Please read
also Matthew 10:24,25,34-36; Luke 6:22,26, 14:26,33; John 15:19; I Corinthians
5, 15:33; II Timothy 3:12, and I John 2:15,16.
So we can
see that most professed believers haven’t really come to Jesus on His terms.
But what about those who start out correctly? They commit themselves to church,
and are seduced back into a fallen state through false teachers. II Peter 2
prophecies of false teachers coming amongst Christian brethren, who will bring
in damnable heresies. It says that many will follow them. See now verses
18-20;
For when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they
allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that were
clean escaped from them who live in error. While they promise them liberty,
they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome,
of the same is he brought in bondage. For if after they have escaped the pollutions
of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they
are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them
than the beginning. II Peter 2:18-20
These false
teachers are basically teaching believers that it is alright to yield to
fleshly appetites (sports, movies, holidays, parties), saying that they are
“free in Christ” to do so (Romans 13:14)! Through this they fall away, back
into sin; all the while believing that they are still really saved. This makes
their latter state worse than the first, because they now do not even know that
they have lost Christ. They have been told that they are “good”, and still do
many good works that Christians do, and are deeply satisfied with themselves.
This is the condition that today’s visible church has come into.
Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter
into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in
heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in
thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many
wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart
from me, ye that work iniquity. Matthew 7:21-23
Read this
again carefully, Peter. Jesus said that MANY
would come before Him in this condition. These were not marginal believers, but
in appearance were exceptionally committed to Christ! Yet Jesus said that they never
knew Him. They died in full spiritual deceit.
The Bible
gives us good descriptive of mankind’s spiritual state in the last days. We
know that there is a great falling away, followed up by strong delusion (II
Thessalonians 2:3-12). We know that the number of Christians left at the end
will be so small, that if Jesus wouldn’t return, no remnant would be left on
earth (Matthew 24:22). I Timothy 4:1,2, tells us men will depart from the
faith, speaking lies, with seared consciences. II Timothy 3:1-8 describes the
last days’ “faith”, telling us that evil men and seducers shall keep getting
worse, deceiving and being deceived (verse 13). By rejection of God’s Word as
authority, men will turn away from the truth, and look to fables (II Timothy
4:3,4). This is the amazing time that we live in: religion is everywhere, but
real Christianity is not known.
God reaches
out to us as sinners because He has to—that is our condition without Christ.
Many, however, upon receiving salvation, then tend to justify the medium though
which God worked to reach them: it’s as if they were doing something good. God’s
infinite ability should never be mistaken for approval of worldly, fleshly
ways. God calls us out, to be separated from corruption.
Another
trap happens within family, and raising children. Christian parents often train
up the children into “good” behavior, church attendance, and the like. But are
we teaching them about their fallen, sinful nature? Usually we don’t, or not
nearly enough. They grow up and believe themselves to be Christian due to their
outward behavior, and superficial knowledge of the truth.
That “All
Welcome” sign really signifies the apostate nature of the supposed Christian
church. God never wanted such an entity. The Lord commissioned His
people to go into the world, to
preach the gospel of repentance, making new converts, and then to observe all of God’s commands (see Matthew, Mark, and Luke,
their last chapters and verses). Beyond this, Christians are not to fellowship
with unbelievers. How can we put away the wicked from amongst us, when we are
inviting untold evil to come and be with us? Can we avoid being unequally yoked
together with unbelief, when we proclaim that anyone is welcome in our church
(see I Corinthians 5, II Corinthians 6:14)? I know that at this late hour in
history we cannot do away with the man-made entity of church; but we can, with repentance, turn and
seek God with His Word as our authority: holding up all things to the light of
scripture (John 3:21). We are almost out of time, completely.
You
personally are at a great disadvantage, with the knowledge that you have; it
has been filtered through the man-made business entity of church. You have a
great need for self crucifixion, to “prove all things, and hold fast to the
good” (I Thessalonians 5:21). You must choose Christ above all others (Matthew
10:34-39, Luke 14:26), for there is truly a great individual cost for any
genuine Christian (II Timothy 3:12). Yet is it not incredibly small, after what
our Savior has done for us? True love for Christ will be shown by keeping His
words (John 14:23, 15:14), and His commandments will not be grievous to us (I
John 5:3).
Hopefully
now you will begin to see how worldly pollutions have taken over our visible
church. It is shown in the “All Welcome” signs; it is shown when we invite the
unsaved to church, and not to Christ directly; it is shown when we teach
friendship, love, and acceptance toward the unsaved, rather than sharing the
true gospel with them. Our Christianity today (U.S.A.) has become a comfortable
religion which has found the acceptance
of the multitudes. This has come due to the abandonment of the preaching of the
cross; the confronting of mankind’s sinfulness.
In all
these evils, I have been a chief offender. Indeed, I am most unworthy to have
had such truth mercifully revealed in my life: my sins are ever before me. How
well it is that God has shown us “the righteous scarcely be saved” (I Peter
4:18), and that it is only of His choice to show mercy, not of our own
efforts (Romans 9:15,16).
Ask the
Lord to show His mercy and truth in your life. Do not assume that you are in
right relationship with God, but humble yourself under His hand (James 4:8-10).
Remember that no one ever sets out to be a hypocrite! It is only by God’s grace
that we will discover our hypocrisy. Remember Matthew 7:21-23.
I know thy works, that thou art neither
cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm,
and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. Because thou
sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest
not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: I
counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and
white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness
do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see. As
many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. Revelation 3:15-19
Sincerely,
Andrew
Schwankl
You may contact via U.S. Mail: Andrew Schwankl 913 Ivy Lane Ephrata, PA 17522
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