One of the greatest thrusts of influence of an anti-Christ spirit is the minimization of holiness. In order to achieve that means, the devil will use the tools that are handy to the church for his advantage because, after all, he has to talk the church's language (sarcasm intended). A foreign language will not do, the church would see through it. But, being subtle is something the devil has been doing for years, so he is good at it. So, the devil talks our language and poisons the teachings and doctrines we are to believe and in this fashion he can succeed so well that it would almost be possible to fool even the sharpest saints. I believe we are seeing the various stages of a new demonic offensive against the body of Christ and that strategy is twisting, perverting and slanting the truth of the gospel. Those susceptible to this poison and false teaching will be the young believers, those who do not know the Word, and believers who come to church all the time but fail to grow spiritually, thus they are not able to taste the poison in the teachings. The stronger believers will have to battle the half-truths and the division and confusion that comes with such attacks.
One of those areas is God's holiness. Instead of teaching people to remove their sins and be holy & that you have to pray to God for help to overcome & conquer those weak areas, today's teachers just avoid those "difficult teachings" altogether. Many just push the simple teaching that God is good and kind and loves us no matter what (which gets interpreted into, "I can do what I want") - and while those characteristics are true in their context - it is not when dealing with sin.
Sometimes in a futile attempt to escape the inescapable, namely God's judgment, we take refuge in theological arguments. Theology like anything can be turned to bad uses as well as good. Many people appeal to God's character, especially to the "riches of his kindness, and tolerance and patience, Ro 2:4a) maintaining that God is much too kind and longsuffering to punish anybody, so therefore we can sin without impunity. Pastors, and teachers even misapply Scripture to their advantage and quote such statements as "The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love." But this kind of manipulative theologizing is to show contempt for God, not honour. It is not faith; it is presumption. For God's kindness leads us always towards repentance (Ro. 2:4b) That is always God's goal. It is intended to give us space in which to repent, not to give us an excuse for continuing in sin. Repentance is turning away from vice. Holiness.
1 Pet 1:15-16 But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.(KJV)
2 Pet 3:11 Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, (NKJ)
Heb 12:14 Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord: (KJV)
Eph 4:26-27 Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: Neither give place to the devil. (KJV)
Don't give him an inch!!
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