3 March 2023 Anno Domini, the Anglican Orthodox Communion Worldwide
“As the truth of Christ is in me, no man shall stop me of this boasting in the regions of Achaia. 11 Wherefore? because I love you not? God knoweth. 12 But what I do, that I will do, that I may cut off occasion from them which desire occasion; that wherein they glory, they may be found even as we. 13 For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. 14 And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. 15 Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.” (2 Cor 11:10-15; all scripture quoted is from the King James Version)
The true Church of God is Holy and faithful to her Lord. The authority she professes in this world is the Word of God, and its seeks His favor in all her labors. She finds herself surrounded on every hand with egregious persecution and political opposition. The strength of the Church is not measured in numbers, but in the overruling Providence of an Almighty Father. She is made strong in weakness in the same sense as the small numbers of Gideon against an overwhelming flood of the enemy. She battles against the world and, worse, against a false sister that claims her testimony without her faith. Perhaps the most discouraging enemy of the true church is that false church that claims her standing in God but denies the Word and authority thereof.
Charles Spurgeon was a great minister in England. Many commentators considered him to be the greatest of all; however, Spurgeon set them straight with his own description of the greatest preacher in all the British Isles. He said the greatest preacher in England draws greater multitudes to his pulpit than all others combined. He is enthusiastic, untiring, and appealing in his sermonizing. He never takes a vacation, and is careful to know the strengths and weaknesses of his congregation. He never gives up in his endeavor to hold ever soul fast in his religion. His name, Spurgeon says, is ‘Satan.’ It is he, and his false ministers, that transforms themselves into angels of light. He is very active today in his subtle offer of an easy and casual worship form. His church avoids the classic hymnals that are filled with power and truth but opts for the light and sensual so-called gospel songs that are man-centered. He prefers a very casual dress code for both minister and congregant – even cut-offs are acceptable. He uses a watered-down Bible version and adopts the music and lifestyle of the world rather than that of Holiness. In reality, his church is not unlike the barroom entertainments that are so fashionable in a world without faith – and he is well-pleased to make his church more like the world than the Kingdom of God. Such a church is powerless to change lives or engender true faith.
The strong Fortress of God’s Word typifies, by contrast, the Faithful and uncompromising Church of God. The hymns that strengthen faith, that reveal biblical doctrine, and that are composed in a format that aids recall are the standard in music for such a church. The Church of God judges sin based upon the Word of God and not the opinions of man. “Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.” (John 7:24) The modern church is sterile and without Godly judgment and discipline. When we judge with “righteous judgment,” we are judging by God’s Word and not from personal prejudices. Whatsoever God calls sin, we must call sin if we are faithful to His Word. The faithful Church preaches truth in love, but that love does not condone willful sin in its members.
I shudder to think of how God will judge our nation, or any nation, that calls good evil, and evil good. “Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!” (Isaiah 5:20) I aver that this is precisely what the modern church of our day is doing. A perversion that once was not even uttered among men is now being foisted on our youth as a way of life to be applauded. In another matter of egregious sin is the sacrifice and murder of the unborn child ere they have seen the first sunrise. Once condemned by man, and still condemned by God, this practice is receiving the financial support of Christin taxpayers in America.
When our iniquity is full, and we have not a single word in our defense, God will bring down the hand of Judgment on our once beloved America. The judgment of God will come, not as a result of the constantly sinful world, but as a result of a church that once knew God and reverenced His Word, but has now turned back to the sins of Sodom, of those of the false gods of this world “…that no man might make his son or his daughter to pass through the fire to Molech” (2 Kings 23:10) Lord have mercy even if in Judgment!
