NOTES ON TAKING CARE OF SOME FINAL BUSINESS: CLEANING OUR OWN HOUSE AND INSURING AGAINST TAKING “THE MARK OF THE BEAST.” – (WITH VIDEO)

THEOLOGY

SCRIPTURE. “But actually, I have written to you not to associate with any so-called [Christian] brother if he is sexually immoral or greedy, or is an idolater [devoted to anything that takes the place of God], or is a reviler [who insults or slanders or otherwise verbally abuses others], or is a drunkard or a swindler—you must not so much as eat with such a person. For what business is it of mine to judge outsiders (non-believers)?

Do you not judge those who are within the church [to protect the church as the situation requires]? God alone sits in judgment on those who are outside [the faith]. Remove the wicked one from among you [expel him from your church].” – 1 CORINTHIANS 5:11-13, AMP

KEY TERM: “ASSOCIATE.” ‘Sunanamignumi’ [συναναμίγνυσθαι]: “From a primary word meaning, ‘To form union or alliance with, thereby resembling one another;’ to mix or mingle with; to keep company or join with; strongly implies separation from ungodly influences.” NOTE: “The verb συναναμίγνυμι is used in the New Testament to describe the act of associating or mingling with others, often with a connotation of close or intimate interaction. It is typically used in contexts where such associations are discouraged, particularly when they involve relationships that could lead to moral or spiritual compromise.”

QUOTATION. “Do not be deceived: ‘Bad company corrupts good morals.’Be sober-minded [be sensible, wake up from your spiritual stupor] as you ought, and stop sinning; for some [of you] have no knowledge of God [you are disgracefully ignorant of Him, and ignore His truths]. I say this to your shame” – PAUL THE APOSTLE, 1 Corinthians 15:33, Amplified Bible, c. 56 AD

COMMENTARY. “Christians are to avoid familiar converse with all who disgrace the Christian name. Such are only fit companions for their brethren in sin, and to such company they should be left, whenever it is possible to do so. Alas, that there are many called ‘Christians,’ whose conversation is more dangerous than that of Heathens!’” – MATTHEW HENRY, Exposition of the Old and New Testaments, 6 vols., 1708-1710; edited

II. TEACHING

The MORAL MAJORITY was an American political organization and movement associated with the Christian Right and the Republican Party in the United States. It was founded in 1979 by Baptist minister and pastor of Thomas Road Baptist Church in Lynchburg, Virginia, JERRY FALWELL SR. Though it was dissolved in the late 1980s, its ‘Unbiblical Ideology’ continues to play a key role in the Mobilization of conservative Christians as a political force and particularly in Republican presidential victories throughout the 1980s.

From this Rotten Root of a very corrupted Theological Tree, comes DONALD JOHN TRUMP, effectively the Last President of the United States of America. It took only 33 years for the First Falwell Fruit to bear its Antichristian Spawn. And just a few more years for the Second Falwell, JERRY FALWELL JR., to solidify the Breach.

THE DEATH OF AMERICAN CHURCH. I do not pen those words for sensationalist impact; it doesn’t need the help, beloved. It stands on its own as a verifiable, documented Tragedy of the First Order in American Religious History. Several reliable reports validate this claim.

DR. RANDALL BALMER. “The Religious Right’s embrace of Donald Trump has fatally transformed American Evangelicalism. This was the message Dartmouth Professor Randall Balmer delivered to a packed house of students, faculty and community members at the Pugh Hall Ocora on Tuesday, September 10^th [2019] … For most of American history, Balmer concluded, Evangelicals called Americans to their better selves. ‘By contrast the Triumph of False Prophets – Franklin Graham, Robert Jeffress, Tony Perkins, Jerry Falwell Jr. – and their unblinking embrace of a mendacious politician leaves behind a movement utterly devoid of moral conscience or credibility.” – “Donald Trump and the Death of Evangelical Christianity,” University of Florida; edited

FRANCIS WILKINSON. “That so many White Christian conservatives swoon to Trump’s invective and false witness is not all that perplexing. “Evangelicals hadn’t betrayed their values” in backing Trump, writes historian Kristin Kobes Du Mez in her 2020 book, Jesus and John Wayne: How White Evangelicals Corrupted a Faith and Fractured a Nation. Their support, she writes, is ‘the culmination of their half-century-long pursuit of a militant Christian masculinity’ that disdains Pluralism and valorizes masculine aggression … Few who [consequently] flee Church are clamoring to get back in. ‘The vast majority of the religiously unaffiliated appear content to stay that way,’ said Robert Jones, president and founder of PRRI, pointing out that only 9% of the Religiously Unaffiliated say they are seeking a religion that’s right for them.” – “Trumpism is Emptying Churches,” Bloomberg, April 7, 2024; edited

TIM ALBERTA. “What happened at McLean Bible Church [to Pastor David Platt] is happening all over the Evangelical world. Influential figures such as the theologian Russell Moore and the Bible teacherBeth Moore felt compelled to leave the Southern Baptist Convention; both were targeted by Right-Wing elements within the SBC. The Christian Post, an online Evangelical newspaper, published an op-ed by one of its contributors criticizing religious conservatives like Platt, Russell Moore, Beth Moore, and Ed Stetzer, the executive director of the Wheaton College Billy Graham Center, as ‘Progressive Christian figures [who] commonly champion Leftist Ideology!’ In a matter of months, four pastors resigned from Bethlehem Baptist Church, a flagship church in Minneapolis. One of those pastors, Bryan Pickering, cited mistreatment by Elders, domineering leadership, bullying, and ‘spiritual abuse and a toxic culture.’ Political conflicts are hardly the whole reason for the turmoil, but according to news accounts, they played a significant role, particularly on matters having to do with race.” – “The Evangelical Church is Breaking Apart,” The Atlantic, Oct. 24, 2021; edited

A PERSONAL ILLUSTRATION. As with so many of you, I have had to separate from the vast majority of my Christian friends after many years of joyful fellowship. More recently and painfully, I have had to confront A FAMILY that I have known, loved, and shepherded through some devastating tragedies they faced in the last ten years.

They have come to see “No issues” in following Trump’s Christian Nationalist Agenda back into the White House. The husband is a fulltime minister and conservative theologically in his own right who simply could not grasp why I could not support Trump. He was bewildered over it, and neither he nor his wife, whom I consider my spiritual daughter, Will not rethink over any of my further inquiries for clarification or restoration.

Selah.

THE CHALLENGE. Beloved, we have never seen this magnitude of ‘SCHISM’ in the American Church in all our history. That important term by the way is defined this way by Biblical scholars:

“In the early Christian Church, the formation of a Distinction between the concepts of ‘Heresy’ and ‘Schism’ began. In ecclesiastical usage, the term ‘Heresy’ refers to a serious confrontation based on disagreements over fundamental issues of faith or morality, while the term ‘Schism’ usually means a lesser form of Disunity caused by organizational or less important ideological differences. ‘Heresy’ is Rejection of a Doctrine that a Church considered to be essential. ‘Schism’ is a rejection of Communion with the Authorities of a Church.’” – EDITORS, Wikipedia, Oct. 28, 2024; edited

Historically, the Great Danger is that “Schisms” most often led to the labeling, accurately or inaccurately, of the ‘Other Side’ as ‘Heretics.’ And that is precisely where the American Church is rapidly heading, and I am party to it for this reason.

So now let’s turn to the dramatic, existential Implications of all this for the individual American Christian for the Times immediately ahead.

III. THE MARK

I begin here with a crystal-clear BIBLICAL PROPOSITION that for me at least, is unassailable:

‘IF in fact Donald Trump is the Biblical Antichrist, then those who sincerely and actively support and defend him as a form of worship or adoration are consequently self-condemned.’

THE MARK OF THE BEAST. “‘The “Mark of the Beast’ is intended to initially be a sign of voluntary loyalty. However, toward the end of his reign, it becomes a sign of worship of this malicious and unholy Antichrist.’ Outlined in Revelation 13:11-15, the False Prophet ultimately demands all of mankind take The Mark, which is literally a stamp or seal or perhaps a subcutaneous RFID device applied to the forehead or the hand. As a way of control, no one will be able to buy or sell anything without documenting the transaction using their Mark (13:17) … ‘Loyalty and, ultimately Worship of the Beast, as evidenced by the taking of his Mark, is considered Blasphemy toward God!’ Revelation 14 spells out the impact for those who choose to do so.” JEFF HILLES, “Taking the Mark of the Beast and Still Going to Heaven,” BC Worldview, ret. Dec. 16, 2024; edited

Here is the Key Passage that every single American Pastor ought to be studying and sharing with his congregations, as Shepherd of the Sheepfold.

“Then another angel, a third one, followed them, saying with a loud voice, ‘Whoever worships the beast and his image and receives the mark [of the beast] on his forehead or on his hand, he too will [have to] drink of the wine of the wrath of God, mixed undiluted into the cup of His anger; and he will be tormented with fire and brimstone (flaming sulfur) in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb (Christ). And the smoke of their torment ascends forever and ever; and they have rest day and night—those who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name.” – REVELATION 14:9-11, AMP

Of towering importance therefore to every American Christian in this hour is to by all our strength and might: ‘Avoid Taking the Mark of the Beast!’ Unto life or unto physical death. The Definition of Taking the Markis powerfully mitigated by the following Two Words from the Text.

“WORSHIPS.” ‘Proskuneó’ [προσκυνεῖ]: “From a combination of root words meaning, literally: ‘To kiss like a dog, licking his master’s hand;’ to fawn or crouch to; to bow down to or prostrate oneself in homage [either literally or figuratively, an important point]; to reverence or adore as a form of obeisance.” NOTE: “The Greek verb ‘proskuneó’ primarily means to worship or to show reverence, often through physical gestures such as bowing down or prostrating oneself. In the New Testament, it is used to describe acts of worship directed towards God, Jesus Christ, or, in some contexts, false gods or idols. ‘The term conveys a deep sense of reverence, adoration, and submission to a higher authority.’”

“RECEIVES.” ‘Lambanó’ [λαμβάνω]: “‘To take or lay hold of, literally or figuratively;’ particularly with regard to the hand.” NOTE: “The Greek verb λαμβάν (‘lambanó’) primarily means: ‘To take’ or ‘to receive.’” It is used in various contexts in the New Testament: Ranging from ‘physically taking or receiving something’ to more abstract concepts such as ‘receiving a message or: ACCEPTING AS TRUTH [THE LIE OF THE ANTICHRIST].’”

Beloved, without stretching neither credulity nor sound theology, the phrase that comes racing to mind here is: “Silence is Consent!” Which, in its logical and doctrinal turn drives us straight to the Final Biblical Statute that applies here.

THE IMPLICATION. “But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, BUT THE LORD LOOKS AT THE HEART.” – 1 SAMUEL 16:7 AMP

Need I say much more about this, my friends? The clear measure of “Taking the Mark of the Beast” begins at least, as a matter of this daring to take this FIRST DARK STEP: ‘Joining one’s heart-desire to Antichrist!’ The Scriptures make it indelibly clear the Great Danger here: “Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death” (JAMES 1:15, NKJV).

The Parallel to King Saul (and not to Cyrus the Great!), is deeply rooted to the human heart that God Judges most severely, and the final outcome for Eternity are inescapable in my studied view. Only a Fool would dare to defy these Doctrinal Truths. And a very Reckless Fool at that!

Consider the Catholic mathematician and philosopher BLAISE PASCAL’S WAGER for the operationalization of that sort of Recklessness with one’s own life (The Pensees, 1670).

“Pascal’s Wager simply states: Even if you can’t definitively prove God [or His Truth] exist, it’s still better to ‘Bet’ that He does.’ Because the ‘Potential Reward’ (Heaven) is infinitely greater than the ‘Potential Loss’ (Nothing, or Hellfire) if you are wrong. This results in THE ONLY RATIONAL CHOICE is to live as if God [and His Truth] exist, regardless of your certainty about His existence.”

IV. LAST THOUGHTS

TO CONCLUDE. I am literally begging all American Pastors at this point to do a couple of things that could save millions of lives. This includes those among us who regard themselves as Born Again Christians yet who dare to hold hands if not lie in Blasphemous Bed with the Satan’s Earthly Vicar, DONALD JOHN TRUMP.

Don’t. Do. It!

CODA. (1) Aggressively examine oneself to see if you are genuinely walking in faith (2 Cor. 13:5). (2) To be safe and sure that you are, aggressively to break all ties to Donald Trump, Maga Christian Nationalism, QAnon and any other of the associate ideologies that he proposes or inspires (Romans 12:9). (3) As you do the first two, dive head and heart long into God’s Word regarding these Great Issues (John 17:17).

By this you will save your life, Pastor! And the lives of countless numbers of “Christians” in America. ‘To the great praise and gratitude and joy of your Father in Heaven!’

SELAH.

YOUTUBE: https://youtu.be/BpIQQdWWyx4