ambassadors for the risen Christ ministries

Nolan Guilbeau – Published in The (Opelousas, Louisiana) Daily World
℅ Shawn Brasseaux

Part I
[10 October 2010]

The great Apostle Paul wrote in one of his epistles there would be perilous times in the last days prior to the Second Advent of Jesus Christ (II Timothy chapters 3 & 4). Having observed world conditions through the many past years, one has to readily concede that unimaginable evil events have and are presently occurring on a grand scale to the bewilderment and consternation of many. What a legacy for the history of mankind! It’s the legacy of an out of control secular world system which according to the Holy Scriptures is ruled by the god of this world, Satan himself. (II Corinthians 4:4) “In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel OF CHRIST, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.”

In this same epistle of second Timothy almost 2000 years ago, Paul addresses his disciple Timothy and the world today as well, on the subject of the CHURCH, the BODY of CHRIST, which is applicable to today’s genuine Christians. He issues grave warnings of evil men and seducers becoming worse and worse in time, deceiving and being deceived. The time would come to pass when even professing Christians would not endure sound Biblical doctrine or instruction. In effect, after their own lusts and with itching ears they would seek for themselves teachers that would preach and teach the things they want to hear and turn away from the truth of the Holy Scriptures. In light of this and other comparative Scripture, and considering the present world demeanor, it’s indicative that this present generation is likely experiencing the turmoil, the spiritual aberrations and decay that which Paul was reflecting upon, as the final fulfilling of his revealed prophecies become reality before the world.

It’s rather amazing how people get attracted and drawn into newly organized religious movements unaware or indifferent of the pathway which is being chartered for them as they participate in the various inter-denominational activities. Careful observation of the participants and their activities usually reveal a departure from Scriptural doctrines/principles and in the direction of world ECUMENISM! It is unacceptable to the Lord for a genuine Christian to be participating in any organized fashion of fellowshipping and worship with those who promote another gospel. Scripture itself teaches that those who teach another or counterfeit gospel are not of the same body, faith, and spirit of the genuine Christian faith!

God’s grace is the basis for man’s salvation and eternal life with the Lord, and faith and faith alone in Christ is the means of that salvation. Any other gospel, other than the gospel of Christ of the Scriptures, is according to the apostle Paul, accursed (Galatians 1:8-9). “But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.” “For many corrupt THE WORD OF GOD” (II Corinthians 2:17). Therefore, genuine Christians subscribing and trusting the core doctrines of Christianity of the Scriptures for their salvation are commanded to “COME OUT FROM AMONG THEM and BE YE SEPARATE, and touch not the unclean, and I will receive you,” says the God of the Scriptures (II Corinthians 6:17). “But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are LOST,” says Paul (II Corinthians 4:3).

Part II

The Scripture speaks of seven “unities” which are to be kept by genuine Christian believers (Ephesians 4:4-6). They are the unity of One Body, One Spirit, One Hope, One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism, and One God and Father. These seven provide the basis for any kind of spiritual unity with other religious entities. For the true Christian there can be no spiritual unity in fellowship or worship among individuals or religious entities that do not have core Biblical truths as a foundation for their doctrines. Without core Biblical foundation for their doctrines and especially those doctrines involving man’s salvation, one has to seriously conclude that their theology is to be regarded as flawed and dangerously in error in light of Scripture. Furthermore, it has to be regarded as a perverted or spurious gospel, since it is not the genuine gospel of Jesus Christ of the Scriptures.

Bearing this in mind then, there can be no legitimate claim from any religious body that does not have a Biblical foundation for their doctrines, a claim of UNITY of the Spirit with the true body of Christ? Of course not, there can be no spiritual unity—it’s absolutely impossible! The great apostle Paul writes, “Now I beseech you brethren, (true Christians) by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ that ye all speak the same things, and that there be no division among you, but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment” (I Corinthians 1:10).

Worldly religious entities which endorse and promote ecumenism may be sincere in their efforts to unite all religious denominations for the good, but this does not stand the test and correctness of the light of Scripture. For Scripture speaks explicitly of the end times of all religious denominations joined together as a ONE WORLD APOSTATE CHURCH (Revelation chapters 17 & 18) called the “Mother of Harlots.” Participation in this system of ecumenism becomes problematic for the genuine Christian for it subjects his Biblical doctrines to compromise diluting the values of the true body of Christ and the Christian faith. Christians should have no part in this Ecumenical movement; it provides an avenue of entrance for the seeds of the one world apostate church. According to Scripture, it’s the beginning of the end and is one of the final steps in apostasy in Christendom.

Unfortunately, there are pastors in pulpits across this land and the world who have openly declared support, financial and otherwise, to an ecumenical oriented movement an appendage of the older ecumenical movement of the 1960s. God has charged His pastors primarily to the duties of perfecting the believers in the local church assembly. That is help guide, equip, and build up believers to mature in God’s Word, the Bible (Ephesians 4:12-13) to come to unity in the Faith. Genuine Christians have a responsibility to expose and pray for those who would pervert the gospel and who refuse the witness of the Scripture alone, for salvation. A responsibility to expose and pray for those who continually accept and value the traditions of humanistic ideologies as anything spiritual, so they might come to the knowledge of the truths of the saving faith of Scripture. Christians are not to be tossed to and fro with every wind of doctrine (Ephesians 4:14), but to discern deception by those who willfully or in sincere ignorance lead many astray of sound Biblical doctrine that leads to salvation and eternal life with Christ.