Friday, August 27, 2010

The Great Falling Away

I woke up this morning with this on my mind.

I have heard all my life that there would be a ‘great falling away’. Scripture refers to it…"Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first..." 2 Thessalonians 2:3.

I know of many people that are ‘falling away’. Good people. People that I have enjoyed friendships with. People that I have loved, and dearly love to this day. People that have sat in the same pews as me and worshipped in the same church as me. Many have lead in the worship experience, many have been in the ministry, and many have been raised in the ministry. These good people are simply ‘falling away’.

This term ‘falling away’ or ‘apostasy’ means; to depart from revealed truth, to lead away, seduce, mislead; to defect, to blind the eyes of the people by manipulating the truth. It's a walking away from the truth that you've once known in favor of something else. ….(In Matthew 24, verses 4-12, the Lord specifically warns about this time.)

One of the things that most disturbs me, is no one appears to have any fear of the Lord, or even of Hell any longer….(that hard stance is surely politically incorrect and ‘uneducated’). Although the Word of God clearly tells us that millions of those who claim to be Christian will stand before God and be quite surprised when they hear, “Away from Me, I never knew you.” Though they will tell him of all the great and wonderful things they did in His Name, He will still say ‘I never knew you’.

I ask myself, “How can this be?”….I am sure that there are many factors, but can one be that they have allowed things into their lives that has desensitized them? Did they open their selves up to television, media, internet, ‘higher’ learning,…and now they can no longer discern right from wrong - Holy from unholy - The pure from the profane?

The spirit of this world is ‘the old ways/paths are archaic - we need change.’ There are so many spiritual and political parallels that I see. Obama’s campaign mantra was ‘CHANGE’. ‘There is a new and better way to do this.’… Now the White House sports shirtsleeves, bare arms, and have replaced the once ‘Sacred’ Office, with an informal, laid-back posture - where EVERYTHING is accepted. Can you see the parallels??

We have seen young couples marry, and after the parents in all faith and trust give their daughters hand over in marriage, the young man all of the sudden has a ‘new and better’ way, and pulls the young new wife (who was lovingly been raised in the ‘old paths’) into the web of deception and apostasy (‘Change’). Oh the sorrow that this has brought the parents, it is one that I cannot even imagine. My husband has described the actions of this young man as the highest form of ‘treason’, and has gone so far as saying that when he marries our daughter, he is adding vows in the marriage ceremony that vow the young man to keep the sacred beliefs that we lovingly and fearfully raised our daughter in.

Oh what a time we are living in. It makes me want to embrace the truth harder and more intensely to my heart than I ever have before. I desire more than ever to love what God loves and hate what God hates. I pray for discernment, so that I can discern right from wrong, holy from unholy, and the pure from the profane. I will ALWAYS have accountability in my life. I will NEVER do away with Elders in my life. They are my balance. I NEED them in my life. I pray that I will not only have a love for God in my heart, but always a healthy fear of God in my heart.

If you are reading this and if any part describes you, - go back. You are not enlightened, just the opposite…you have been blinded. Find that real Man of God in your life and come home. The Prodigal did, and what a homecoming that was!

11 comments:

Kelsey said...

Wow Sis. Bertram!! This was great!! and I think thats a great idea, for pastor to do in the marriage ceremony of Chantal
Love you and God Bless!!

Music Eloquence said...

I hope you find this post your most visited one yet! I love and appreciate you very much.
Ps the vows are a great idea

Anonymous said...

Martha Webb, Jana Miraflors aunt....What an awesome article, sad but oh sooo true! God Bless!

Carly said...

What an awesome and true post Sis. Bertram! I pray the same prayer and ask God to give me a husband who not only fears God but is fully dedicated to truth, holiness, and the leadership God has placed in his life ( same for me). Seeing dear people to me "change" or be "enlightened" has opened my eyes so much more to truth and the necessity of living a holy and separated life. I will hold strong to this truth! And you can count on it :)

Anonymous said...

Sis. Bertram,
That was an incredible article. I am so thankful that we have Great men and women that are still standing for TRUTH in these last days. I am also thankful for my christian heritage and for the truths that my parents have instilled in me. I just pray that I have done enough to instill this precious truth to my girls (Sheramy & Shenay)so that they can pass the torch down to their children.
What an Awesome God we serve and what a privilege to serve such and awesome God!
Love
Shanna (Baglin) Gregg

Anonymous said...

PREACH IT!!!!!!





t. kifle

Lorraine Bertram said...

Thank you all for stopping by. I am of the belief that this is a subject that we must stay very vocal about....I'm thankful for the Men and Women of God before me that have paved a clear path for me, and I must do the same for the ones following me.
I LOVE the truth, and consider it a PRIVILEGE to Please God in EVERY way!! Love you guys!!

Tina said...

This has so been on my mind lately. I just cannot believe the people that have left this precious truth or been delivered from the "bondage of holiness" it truly breaks my heart and I hope the right person reads this.
We have got to protect our children, the devil is seeking whom he may devour and if we don't have a LOVE for the truth, God will send a strong delusion.
Thanks for the post

Butterfly Montana said...

Amazing Post!!! I was not privileged to grow up in this precious truth. How could I ever turn away from the Jesus that pulled me from sin?! Without the GREAT elders in our life, I would still be lost! Thank you for sharing your heart...and ours!

Mark said...

Of course many were "led away" from their Baptist and Catholic faith into the Pentecostal experience. These walked away from "truths" they once knew into new "truths." It's a good thing they didn't insist against change, but instead left their heart open to God. As some went from Baptist faith to Catholic faith to Pentecostal experience, even now some move toward a Jesus faith. One where the centrality of Jesus is the heartbeat and passion and ethos of their thought and life.

Adding to the vows these disclaimers is interesting. So what if that vow is violated? Then will those believers say there are grounds for divorce? I would hope not, since that's not in accordance to the teachings of Jesus on marriage.

Speaking of "marrying." Are we "married" to our memorial of "truth," or are we married to Jesus, whom we follow?

We aren't secure in special vows and blood covenants or any other device of fear. The Father is great, and that means he is in control. My vow does not keep me, my faith does. We are safe in the arms of Jesus, having our utmost loyalty to his claims, his ways and his words.

Change is a scary thing, but I think we should understand the word "change" to be the most biblically relevant word we have. From the old man to new, from immature toward mature. From death to life. From faith to faith. From living for ourselves to following The Way. From crowding around the religious, to moving into the doorways of sinners and at the tables with Messiah. From lostness toward discipleship.

A beautifully worded (very simplistic) manifesto of this Jesus-centricity.
http://frankviola.wordpress.com/2009/06/22/a-jesus-manifesto-by-leonard-sweet-and-frank-viola/

Bettina said...

This post was great!! I am so grateful for God having mercy on me!! I could be anywhere lost, but I'm found in a church that stands for the truth no matter what comes against them!!! So thankful for the family of God!! I love & appreciate you and your family!! You're very special to us!!! Hopefully we get to come visit Lakeside soon!!!!