End Time Study--Pt.9

With our having looked at the seven churches of Revelation, just what will the end-time church look like just prior to the tribulation? It will be like the Ephesian church in that it will have lost its first love. Jesus will no longer have the number one spot in the hearts of the average church attendee. Most of the pulpits will have had lost the true lamp stands (preachers bearing the light of Jesus) and will have the new age ministers of the people-friendly compromise standing in their place ministering their agendas and programs.

The pre-tribulation church will be a compromising church like the church at Pergamos. A church where each of its members will be encouraged to live the life that they feel comfortable with without regard for the demands of the Word of God for holiness. Each will be allowed to formulate their own doctrines and plans of salvation as long as it is loosely supported by scripture. This church will see nothing wrong with sexual immorality or fornication. The church's stance will be that as long as a person doesn't feel any condemnation then the lifestyle in which they are indulging in isn't sin regardless if the scriptures condemn it.

Like the church in Thyatira, the pre-tribulation church will be a corrupt church. Again, sexual immorality is listed in the Thyatira church and sexual immorality will prevail (as it is prevailing right now) in the end-time church. All one must do is read the reports of the fallen ministers world-wide to see the validity of this sin in the church. Also, this end-time church will be allowing false prophets and teachers to fill her pulpits. Many ministers and parishioners alike will be lead astray by false "words" of prophecy. The church toward the beginning of the tribulation will have a strong Jezebel spirit (spirit of manipulation) prevailing in it whether operating in the pulpit or pew it will be a stronghold in the end-time church.

Just as the church in Sardis was near a total spiritual death so will be the pre-tribulation church. Although the church appears to be alive and well on the outside, inside it is spiritually dead. For many of the churches the Spirit has long since departed. The church possesses a form of godliness but it denies the power that transforms and brings spiritual life. Its a church that has become lukewarm and complacent, just like the Laodicean church. She will be blind to her wretched spiritual condition. But once the persecutions and trials begin to afflict the end-time church she will be like the churches of Smyrna and Philidelphia.

The church will become a strong overcoming church. She will be the remnant church that Daniel spoke of when he said that the saints would be doing exploits in the midst of persecution and trials. This church will not compromise the Word. It will not be filled with a spirit of fear but will have a spirit of power and of love and of a sound mind (II Tim.1:7), a church flowing in the fruit of the Spirit (Gal.5:22,23) and the manifestations of the Spirit (I Cor.12:8-10). It is persecution and tribulation that will purge the church and cause her to become the glorious church without spot or wrinkle, made ready as a chaste bride ready for the Bridegroom to come and take her to His home.

The church cannot be raptured until she has been purged, cleansed and made a virgin, pure and innocent. This is what the tribulation will achieve, it will test and prove the saints for bridal acceptance.

As we look at the church today, as a whole, I believe we can honesty conclude that we are in the last of the last days. Let's get ready to meet our Bridegroom!