Seven Prophecies of the Church’s Condition Fulfilled

Some see the church as full of hypocrites and errors. These seven prophecies show this would happen. God allows the negative to reveal the positive, Mal. 3. 13-17. May we see this as a test and thus an honour to be a minority, and hold fast the ways of the Lord Jesus, 2 Thess. 2. 15.

Prophecy 1 – Distorting truth in divisive and sectarian attacks from the inside

‘For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse [distorting truth] things, to draw away disciples after them’, Acts 20. 29, 30. How sad that some desire a following, more than providing food from the Lord!

Prophecy 2 – Legalistic rules that deny grace – orchestrated by the devil

‘The Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; Speaking lies in hypocrisy … forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received’, 1 Tim. 4. 1-3.

Prophecy 3 – Liberalistic lifestyle that distorts grace into self-gratification

‘This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away’, 2 Tim. 3. 1-5. ‘Ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness [sensuality and license]’, Jude 4.

Prophecy 4 – Desires self-satisfaction rather than absolute truth and doctrine

‘Preach the word … for the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; and they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables’, 2 Tim. 4. 2-4.

Prophecy 5 – Bending the gospel and the word as a means of marketing for self-gain

‘But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them … and many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you’, 2 Pet. 2. 1-3.

Prophecy 6 – A denial and mocking of a judging God – claiming no divine intervention

‘Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, and saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation’, 2 Pet. 3. 3, 4.

Prophecy 7 – An increase in the rebellion of self-will (iniquity) and deception

‘For that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; … For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way’, 2 Thess. 2. 3, 7. ‘But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived’, 2 Tim. 3. 13.

May we say, ‘I have inclined mine heart to perform thy statutes alway, even unto the end’, Ps. 119. 112.