Back To The Future (Part I)
(Part I)
In Matthew 24, the disciples asked Jesus what would signal His return and the end of the world. So Jesus began to speak about the future, and over the next few posts we will be taking a look at and going back to the future that Jesus spoke about.
“Jesus told them, ‘Don’t let anyone mislead you, for many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah.’ They will deceive many.’” (Matthew 24:4-5)
For years, I always thought this statement from Jesus was in reference to some sort of Anti-Christ, but when I look closer at what Jesus said and the things that are going on in so-called “new age” or “progressive” Christianity, the anti-Christ theory falls apart. First, Jesus says many will come in His name, claiming to be the Messiah or Christ. Christ is another name or title that meant Messiah. It’s not just one person that will come claiming to be the Messiah—Jesus said many people will claim this title but we know that God gave Jesus, and Jesus alone, the name above all other names.
“Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor and gave him the name above all other names, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Philippians 2:9-11)
There is a movement happening within our Christian faith, one that is splitting away from truth and moving toward this exact warning that Jesus gave. The beliefs of this “new age” movement hinge on a teaching from a book called The Universal Christ by Richard Rohr. This blasphemous ideology teaches that “Christ” is the combination of the spiritual and physical, so because God created all things, everything is the Christ. Rohr writes, “God loves things by becoming them. God loves things by uniting with them, not by excluding them. Through the act of creation, God manifested the eternally outflowing divine presence into the physical and material world. Ordinary matter is the hiding place for the Spirit and thus the very body of God.”
“For a time is coming when people will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching. They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear. They will reject the truth and chase after myths.” (2 Timothy 4:3-4)
Following this teaching has lead pastors, from the pulpit, to say things like: “I am God Almighty,” and to try and explain to their congregations (always to applause) that they are as God is. This is a blasphemous view and a blasphemous teaching and it seems to be exactly what Jesus warned about. This “new age” Christianity is leading people to claim that they are the Messiah, that they are the Christ—the exact thing Jesus said would happen as a sign that His return and the end of the world is coming soon. Notice also that Jesus said these people will deceive many. A lot of these “new age” pastors lead large congregations and indeed many are being deceived. These warnings from Jesus are exactly how we get to a previous warning Jesus gave about the end of time and judgement.
“‘Not everyone who calls out to me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter. On judgment day many will say to me, ‘Lord! Lord! We prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name.’ But I will reply, ‘I never knew you. Get away from me, you who break God’s laws.’” (Matthew 7:21-23)
This is what will happen to those who are deceived, to those who buy into a blasphemous and false teaching, thinking they are on their way to the Kingdom of Heaven. Don’t miss this: there will be those who call out to Jesus on the judgment day and Jesus will say to them, “I never knew you. Get away from me.” C.S. Lewis described this as hell: being cast out of the presence of Him Who is everywhere and out of the knowledge of Him Who knows all. Do not find yourself among that number. Stay on the narrow path and enter through the narrow gate. It does not allow for many fancy teachings. We are living in this future that Jesus warned about. Next time we will take a look at the future Jesus described that is filled with wars, rumors of wars, persecution and the hatred of those who follow Jesus.
*A lot of the source links in this post are videos that we highly recommend you watch to get more information about this dangerous movement.
May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
