Endwatchers

by Carl G. Loy
4/10/05

From the "left behind" popularity among today's Christians, back in time to the days of the Disciples and the early church, lies and deceit have assaulted the Truth in devious ways.

Today the Message of the Bible is in many ways, but a shadow of its' original understanding among Christians. Distortion of the Truth has taken over the modern beliefs of Christians who have depended upon man's words and ignored basic Biblical Truths. How did this happen? How did Truth change, if God's Word is unchangeable? Why are modern beliefs so different from the beliefs of the early Christians? Were those who walked with Jesus Christ ignorant and undiscerning, while we have become more enlightened? Why are the messages of John, Peter, and Matthew determined to mean something different to Christians of today, than they did to those who closely followed the Teachings of Jesus in their day? Why is Daniel interrupted so differently? Would Jesus leave His Chosen behind, thereby breaking His Promise? Does Jesus have a higher regard for endtime Christians than He did all the Christians persecuted and killed throughout all ages?

History is our best teacher in trying to determine where Christians strayed from the Truth, keeping in mind that throughout all of time, the True Remnant has not been deceived and has not strayed. They are just very small in number, but they have, and will, always exist, proclaiming His Unchanging Word until the end, according to that same Truth. What the early church had to say and what the present day Remnant still understands as His Truth, is not popular, has become less understood, and much has been marketed to make popular many false teachings in contradiction to Truth.

Studying His Word, we can see that during the times of the early church there was much attention paid to prophecy and it was often and much addressed by the aforementioned Apostles, as well as by Jesus Christ, Himself. Other sources for subsequent history do record events that perfectly match the prophecies, the warnings, and the teaching of the Apostles. So where did Truth become distorted? If the early church understood what was meant, how come we understand it as meaning something different today?

First, the Apostles, particularly John, warned more than once, that there were antichrists among them in that day. What most Christians don't seem to understand is that John was warning Christians that antichrists were among them 'posing as Christians.' Never did John address nonChristians, nor did he ever teach that one man would be The Antichrist, nor did he teach that Christians would be saved by a rapture. Because John spoke in a coded manner to protect God's people from the Roman Empire and from false Christians, it seems there are many who today do not understand what was being said then. Unlike those to whom John spake and wrote, we seem unable to understand his message, nor do we heed his warnings. The same can be said about Paul and his ministry and our lack of understanding. We just don't study for ourselves, and when we do, we tend to view it from a preconceived mindset that blinds us to real Truth.

The distortion of Truth did not occur overnight. It did occur over decades. When we study the history of the church over centuries, we can see the error and straying from the Truth.

When we study the period from the days of Jesus until today in a chronological fashion, we can recognize events and false prophets that had an effect on the recognition of Truth and the straying from, and yes, even that there were always antichrists. One reason the Christian can't recognize antichrists is that they are cleverly hidden as other Christians, all a part of Satan' deceit and of prophesied great dillusion. John said that antichrists were among them in that day and that false prophets would arise from their midst. That also applies to our own day and time and many are the Christians being misled by these types among us. The reason Christians fall for these entrapments is that they follow the teachings of man and do not study His Word seeking Truth. If I quote John directly, no Christian can dispute what he said, but they can say, 'yeah, but he meant this and not that.' How do we know what John meant? Usually, we are basing our belief on what was meant by what man has led us to believe he meant, not on our own serious study in a search for Truth. If we did study, we'd find that many contradictions exist between man's teaching and the Truth. All of it is not as easily evident, but much can be eliminated simply by studying the same referenced verses used to support man's teaching, versus the meaning derived from the full context of Scripture.
A study of these deviations from the original thinking of the church regarding Truth would open many eyes. Unfortunately, most Christians have no idea what the early church believed and why they believed it, and don't know how that has been changed and who changed it.

If you are taken from the valley of no knowledge and dropped in the valley of today's knowledge, how do you know what transpired when others were crossing the mountain between, if you don't study Scripture that foretold it, and the related history of that travel?

How do you understand Truth without understanding the meaning of words, and particularly those words being used with double meanings? Some would say that all this doesn't matter when it comes to salvation so why bother, and while correct on the first, once becoming a 'real' Christian, we are under His Direction to spread Truth, not lies. Sadly, many Christians are spreading lies.


What is Truth?

What does the Bible say? What is man saying the Bible says? How is Truth distorted in today's world? How does it compare with the teaching of the early church? Why does it matter? What changed? How was it changed? Who changed it? Why did they change it?

I cannot provide detailed responses to these questions without making this a very long term project, nor are my scholarly attributes worthy of such an attempt. However, I will briefly address some specific points that might encourage farther study, so that each can find their own satisfaction in Truth.

The early church of true believers who were following the Teachings of Jesus Christ and the Disciples were repeatedly warned of deceit from among their own midst, of antichrists in their presence, of false doctrines and lies made to resemble truths. Nothing has changed to this day. Christianity encompasses the worse among us who deceive us for all eternity.

In the early days of the church of true believers, it was not difficult to recognize that Christianity had become corrupted and represented the beast, the harlot, the antichrist. It certainly wasn't difficult to understand this, if you lived in the period of 500's to 1700 AD during which the combined religion state under Catholic Authority beginning with Constantine, persecuted all who did not accept the error of her ways, and which is referred to as the Dark Ages. Paul and John had warned of this in their prophetic messages.

Jesus Christ and His Apostles did not teach a religion. In fact they were much opposed to 'religion' and it was the influence of Judiasm that crucified Our Lord. What they did teach was a Kingdom, a righteous life, and a means to achieve it, His Way. If it is religion, then it is a religion not of this world. For 500 years this Teaching spread greatly in spite of the fact that it was fought mightily by religious and pagan forces. During this time the churches grew large and became more about ceremony and ritual, and many bishops and pastors began to assume authority not allowed by Scripture. Peter and Paul often addressed this and issued warnings against such. The Jewish and Pagan influences cannot be understated as they were much into ceremonials. Thus the church first began to err within its' own framework of self-government and ceremony and man began to assert himself above New Testament Teaching. Without getting too detailed, we can trace the errors and straying of the church as some first began to embrace Baptismal regeneration, then to infant immersion, then to infant sprinkling, etc. Since these churches were still loosely grouped independent bodies, those who did not stray in teaching and practices withdrew their fellowship from those straying false teaching churches. During this time the true church often met in homes and their minister was their servant, but the Message had gone far and wide and alarmed the Roman authorities. Thus we come to the marrying of church and state when under Constantine, Christianity was to become the required state religion. Although Catholics claim Peter as their first Pope, it was in fact Constantine, and Catholics do not follow the teachings of Peter, but subsequent popes have followed much that was originated and enforced by Constantine under pagan influences and which were based on the 'strayed' church. Meanwhile, true believers who were already being persecuted, continued to follow original Truth, but would now see unleashed a tyranny and bloodshed that greatly reduced their numbers and sent them into hiding for over 1200 years all in the name of religion, Christianity. The Roman Empire was Christianity personified in the Papacy of the man-made Catholic Church, by now a vile and pagan doctrine forcing its' will and practices on all within its' reach. No true believer had any problem recognizing that Christianity, the Church, the Pope, was indeed the beast, (a nation or kingdom), the antichrist, (denying God's Authority by exercising its' own), the harlot, the whore, (breeding religion with the state, economically, militarily, governmentally), and denying, censoring, destroying, all sources of His Truth while falsely teaching man's redemption thru works. Of course, they did not fully succeed in destroying Truth, but they continued to change man's truth. During this time with no Biblical basis, we find the acceptance of indulgences, purgatory, image worship, (idolatry), celibacy, confession, and the prohibition of reading the Bible. This was the state required religious Christianity represented by the Pope and the Roman Catholic Church. They charged fees for forgiveness and their wealth grew in all manner of ways. They ruled the world as a one-world government; one-world religion. They are still a kingdom, a nation, reaching out with tentacles to encompass all the world even today, the most wealthy nation in the world.
The Roman Empire has never relented it's rule and will exist until Our Lord's return.

The Reformation period found some brave souls within that evil system who not only recognized the beast for what it was, but became outspoken about it and began to spread the Truth. We could name Luther, Calvin, Wesley, Wycliffe, Huss, Savonarola, Zwingle, etc. They represent periods and countries in which they sacrificed even their lives attempting to awaken their fellow Catholics attempting to cause reform within the church. From them we have the basis for what are now called Protestants, but which still follow many of the Catholic practices, rituals and ceremonies. Although the Underground Church had never changed from the Truth of Jesus' Day, these men began to expose the church heresy from within, having a profound affect on many and acting as encouragement for those who had remained true to His Word for as persecuted as they had been, there were always those few who knew that Jesus Christ was the Founder of their Church and they had never accepted the mark of this Roman Catholic beast nor her practices. They existed over centuries in various countries being know under various names, such as Anabaptists, Donatists, Waldeneses, Baptists, and other. Now, the beast was being exposed for all to see. Truth was again becoming evident to the masses. We won't go into all the countries where the Truth had continued to live in hiding, but it included England, Wales, Germany, France, Italy, and several more for the Gospel had already reached out to inform the world, yet persecution also existed throughout the world. Neither will we take time to expound upon the split of the Catholic Church into it's Greek Offshoot and the resulting two capitols to include Constantinople. However, it would be remiss not to mention the influences of the Papacy and Roman Catholic hierarchy in more modern times, but we will limit it to a mention only.
Rome has had it's hands in everything that goes on in the world in the history of wars and strife. This includes their use of communism, nazicism, socialism, and democracy and manipulating politics and leaders in all nations. They can be found to greatly have influenced the advent of WW2. More recently, and without reviewing the history that led to it, Rome caused the conflicts in Yugoslavia and persecution of the Serbs during Hitler, and under Clinton we were doing their bidding in a similiar way. Priests have embraced communism in many countries and led revolts to overthrow governments. Afterall, Catholicism is socialism, and Rome is a tyrannical enforcer of it at every opportunity. When they can accomplish their objectives without force, they will, but force has always been the nature of this beast. If force cannot accomplish their objectives, then they know how to use communist tactics to subvert from within. False teaching is not limited to their own adherents. Rome is a continuing influence in today's Christianity of which it claims to be the example. While it is evident in nonBiblical practices by many Protestant denominations, few Baptists would entertain the notion that they too are under the influences of Rome. Few see Rome as the exact opposite of the true church, but they are.

Baptists have long claimed their trail of blood extends from martyrs in the days of John the Baptist and Jesus Christ, until modern day. Yet, the true Bible believer can easily trace how this once true church went astray and today resembles nothing like the ancient church of Christ's Day. While some retain their independence, most have joined together in associations that have blended variations of man's truth with God's Truth and they have become bred to the state in corporation and tax agreements. They practice all the things required by Rome at this time for we are in a period and within a nation whereby Rome is striking from within, where it cannot strike by force. Just as Constantine pledged tolerance at one time, so is the Vatican today trying to be seen as the 'tolerant' universal church, an umbrella under which all believe in the same God.

One of the ways the Roman Church has worked where it cannot impose its' authority directly, is to redefine its' perception by those who recognized her as the beast, antichrist, harlot state church, so as to clean up her image. Now we go back to the Council of Trent, but only to note it was there that the Pope commissioned an order called the Jesuits, and its' immediate mission was to dispell all this 'reformation' eye-opening Truths that were coming out and influencing many against the church. A new marketing ploy was necessary as force was no longer restraining this movement. The perception of the church needed to be reinvented. This would take time, but it immediately became a pursuit of the Jesuits. Without going into details, and reminding that all I write is from learned memory, I'll hit the hi-notes. First, what better way to dispell the thinking that the Vatican was the Antichrist, beast, and whore of Revelations, than to postpone the coming of antichrist until endtimes. In other words, how can the papacy qualify, if antichrist isn't even present until sometime way off in the future? Thus prophecy has not yet been fulfilled, the Roman church identifies itself as struggling against this coming tribulation, and pictures itself as the means of protection. In time, this message became more and more accepted by Protestants and Baptists alike. Next, the Jesuits determined that what was really needed was a protection from this antichrist that would make true believers less concerned, less watchful, less aware. Thus the rapture was invented. So now we have a message so changed, but all based on particular Scriptures, presented over time under the influence of gifted orators especially trained for this purpose. Talk about wolves in sheep's clothing! No longer is the Truth prevailing in these seemingly small but dangerously missing ways, and this teaching permeated universities such as Georgetown and the newly established (for this purpose) Loyola. Eventually, we see the influences of such men as Irving, Darby, and Scofield leading the way introducing these new teachings to protestants and Baptists. The Roman Church-State thru its' Jesuit political organization, accomplished exactly what it intended to do, which was to divert the 'believer's' attention away from the Vatican and toward something in the future yet to come. Centuries of Truth understood by Believers from the days of the Apostles became man's version of truth and no longer do many perceive the Catholic church to be what she really is. We have seen Billy Graham and a multitude of Evangelicals sworm to the Papacy in adulation. The Jesuits were quite effective and today the objective remains to bring all church denominations back into the Catholic fold. They make progress by diluting and changing the Gospel Truth from within. Today, Hal Lindsey, Tim LaHaye, John Hagee, and so many others, carry their banner of false doctrine for them.

Nothing is probably more controversial than is the rapture theory. Yet, the early church never expected to be 'gathered up' from tribulation. Paul, John, Peter, Matthew all warned of what was facing them and what to expect, and not once did it entail saving them from persecution. To believe that latter day believers are somehow more special in the Eyes of God denies the very reason for the martyrdom of early believers, who believed Truth and expected no rapture to save them.

Often said is that the winner writes history. The Roman Catholic Papacy has rewritten history. They want to blot out that era of 1500 plus years that the true believer identified them as the antichrist and beast and whore of Revelations. They want us to think that all that is yet in the future and meanwhile we don't have to worry about it because we'll be raptured out of here before then. Believers died for their beliefs and for their refusal to bow to Rome. Are we to believe them, or do we believe the ones who put them to death? Are you going to believe what Rome wants you to believe, or are you going to seek Truth? Rome called the believers heretics as they burned them at the stake, but who do you believe were the heretics? The result of our accepting the teaching of Rome is that the Reformation has been put to rest and no one even knows much about it. We are seeing the teaching of the doctrine of antichrist in almost every single Protestant and Baptist church of our time. Few teach the beliefs that were Truths understood by the early church. They have accepted the lie. The Jesuits proclaimed war upon God and His Truth and most Christians are spiritually unaware. No longer are our beliefs the Truths of the early saints, but they are the beliefs of those who put the saints to death. Early believers knew that tribulations were expected. How could they not? They were experiencing them and the Apostles were warning of more to come. There was never a belief that there would someday be the so-called Great Tribulation that produced Antichrist, nor that there was no cause to worry since the rapture would save them. They were experiencing much tribulation and antichrist as they lived Truth. They were being warned not to be deceived by this very same thing by wolves in sheep's clothing.

There is so much that could be written and much has been written by some who are far better studied than am I. All I hope to accomplish is to motivate those who read this to study on their own and put aside preconceived beliefs based on man's teaching. We have only briefly hit upon the changed church, but it is changed and that is the problem. Catholicism is a religion claiming to be Christian, but it has a history of tyranny and bloodletting and persecution of true Christians. That has not changed for that is their inner soul. It is the soul of antichrist and it encompasses nations of the earth, including our own, but we do not see.


How do we spread Truth?

First, we must recognize and know Truth. Second, we must carry that Truth to others.

I speak to the professing Christian, not the sinner, for the nonbeliever knows not Truth and never will. Our duty to profess His Holiness and Righteousness for all to see in word and deed, and let the nonbelieving know the Plan of Salvation is the Great Commission, but it is not all that we are commanded to do. We are to study and know Truth and not rely on man's word.

During the early church days, the Apostles warned believers to beware. They spoke Truths appropriate for today. During the Reformation, Luther and others proclaimed Truth by pointing out the errors in the church of Rome. Throughout time, many have shown Truth by exposing untruths and comparing them to His Word. If we are practicing true dicipleship, then we are studying, warning, exposing and reproving for the benefit of others. We expose the lies and false teaching to the Light of His Truth. It doesn't accomplish anything to argue and accuse, or rant and rave, nor will it help to try to go tit for tat in contesting others false beliefs, because that is exactly what it becomes, a contest of wills and oneupmanship.
All we can do and should do is provide knowledge, based upon His Truth. If we are well versed in history, as well as current events, it adds to that message, although it is not a necessity in exposing false teaching of His Word. It does seem imperative that we at least have a basic knowledge of history as it relates to the Biblical church. In other words, if you can relate how, when John refers to antichrists among us, it embodies all of history since, and provide an accounting of the Roman Empire, the papacy, the Dark Ages, etc, and know the points where the church began to err and stray from the original teachings, and compare that to our own day, the listener has a step by step comparison and, if interested, can verify what you say, or he can turn his back. At worse, you may have wasted your time, but you may have planted a seed that will spout causing them to seek His Truth for themselves, accepting no man's word for what is meant therein. We are not commanded to push Truth on anyone and it is their liberty to deny, and turn away. We should go on to greener pastures and keep proclaiming Truth to those who will see and hear. Most will not see nor hear, but we are not to be discouraged.


Are we hearing dangerous teachings?

First, what is wrong about the book series "Left Behind" since it is just a fictional protrayal of certain Truths intermingled with a story line? The books and the movie will not sway the true believer who knows his Bible, but what about all those who never study and depend upon what man says? Will they believe that man gets a second chance although His Truth tells us he will not? Will they believe the lie? Will they delay any search for Truth thinking they have the truth? And that is assuming they fell for believing the Rapture event that could leave them behind, but in "Left Behind" they are provided a second chance. God doesn't say that.
In the Left Behind series and movie, we see truths and fiction intertwined just as the Jesuits planned their assault from within centuries ago. The spiritually immature will not discern truth from fiction. Many will be deceived. The 'Passion' movie is another example.

There is danger to false teaching whether it be by a movie or book or otherwise presented. Are we to be overcomers? Should we be prepared for tribulations to come and be aware of the antichrists among us? Should we understand the beliefs that led the early believer to endure tribulations and to persecution and death? Should we be able to identify the antichrist system that is the beast of our own day and time? Are there more than one? How does that all come together? Can we connect the dots? You see, it is very important how we answer those questions and to believe in a rapture saving us from tribulation affects our thinking greatly about the coming battle for that is how it is seen more than it is seen as a battle here and now. Why be concerned about spiritual warfare? As Christians we have been neutralized by false beliefs. We are not active believers. We have been lulled into a false sense of security by our false beliefs. We will be raptured. We won't face the mark of the beast. The Great Tribulation will not be our experience. There is certainly a big difference in how a Christian faces these times and the so-called endtimes based on his beliefs. Believing the above mentioned neutralizes the Christian and renders him no threat to the Antichrist system, just as was intended by the Jesuits. It is nothing less than blasphemous to God and to the memory of the early martyrs whose blood was shed for knowing and living Truth.

Hitler considered himself to be antichrist and intended to rule the world, but Truth does not designate any particular individual as being the one great antichrist. John said that antichrist would have the 'appearance' of a man. John specifically warned the early church that there were many antichrists. He said that they were among them. He did not say they were easily identifiable but that they were among them. He was speaking of those who posed as Christians but denied Jesus in their hearts. He warned that they should beware and recognize their false teaching lest they be deceived. Nothing has changed. Rome still exists. The true believer is still persecuted, and in America it is just in more devious and deceitful ways.
Antichrist to which John referred was a Roman system of government already making deals with religion and his warnings related to the future breeding of religion with that system. The many antichrists were those among them professing to be Christians, but were not. Such as it is today.

For those who want to follow this thread, I hope to continue soon by addressing some topics such as the following:

Has all prophecy been fulfilled already? Are we really living in the last days?
Where are we now? Where have all the true believers gone?

What are the connections between the Papacy and Freemasonry; Zionism, Mormonism, United Nations, Illuminati, CFR, etc.?

Who is Israel? Who are the Jews?

Who are His Kind? Does 'One Blood' means Evolution in the church?

Of course, there is no way to properly address such a broad range in such a brief fashion, but hopefully it will be enough to provide food for thought and encourage study.
In addition to the KJV Holy Bible, I will list some good resources at a more finished writing, but from recall at the moment, "The Trail of Blood," "Smokescreens," "Rule in Secrecy," "The Left Behind Deception," "The Rapture Cult," "Vatican Assassins," ...more to follow.
Until then, may His Truth continue to be our guidance.
CGL