Be Zealous

Dear Brethren,

Jesus Christ predicted an end-time condition that would be a severe threat to His Church.  It is a condition of self-satisfaction that is certainly extant during the Philadelphian and Laodicean eras of our time.  Jesus warned us not to be so careless as to accept the status quo that would be moving away from genuine Christianity.

Jesus forecasted a time when He, Himself, would be on the "outside - knocking" offering to come in among a people who do not recognize the need to return to a zealousness from whence they had fallen.

"Be zealous therefore, and repent.  Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me."  (Revelation 3:19-20)

We have become a COMPLACENT Church.  We have become so self-assured of our well being that many of us are disinclined to remember what kind of Christians we ought to be.  The reason Jesus admonishes us to "hold fast" is because He knows that there are those of us who are not holding fast to the Faith and Truth once delivered to the saints.

"Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown."  (Revelation 3:11)

A great danger to those of us remaining in God's end-time Church is the tendency to become complacent.  In the years just after Mr. Armstrong's death, most of us were unaware when the first heresies began to slip into the Church. Some members noticed the watering down of our understanding of basic doctrines before others did.  Some picked up on the subtle introduction of the Trinity in a booklet outlining the beliefs.  Some saw a Protestant flavor emerging in the literature.  Others noticed the de-emphasis, or later the ridicule, of prophecy and Law keeping.

Many did not notice any problems until the Sabbath, Holy Days and tithing were attacked.  None of us realized that the first doctrinal change that we noticed was only the very tip of a gigantic iceberg, and that the Church was careening headlong into apostasy - followed by complacency.  The terrible thing about complacency is that it prevents us from asking ourselves the question - "could I possibly be complacent?"  Here is a Bible definition of complacency:

"Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked."  (Revelation 3:17)

Now brethren, in this critical time we need to avoid every aspect of complacency.  Jesus indicated that we would think that we had all the TRUTH, and that everything was fine - when it was not.  For some of us our complacency manifests itself in our smug conviction, or worse, a gloating superiority that somehow we are more virtuous than our Brethren.

Changes are happening on the world scene that are leading up to the beginning of the Tribulation in just a few short years.  We cannot afford to be like the complacent frog in the kettle of water that wasn't able to discern the ever increasing heat when the kettle was placed over the fire.  Our world, society and culture are degrading rapidly.

Yes, we have been hearing about the prophetic events that will lead up to the Tribulation for as many years as we have been in the Church.  For some that may be 5, or 25, or 50 years.  Sadly, sometimes, hearing warnings over and over again can cause us to become ho-hum.   We must resist that tendency to become complacent.  Remember, for 120 years Noah preached righteousness to a complacent world prior to the flood.  Then suddenly it was too late to heed the warnings!  Christ is coming - suddenly!

"And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet Him."  (Matthew 25:6)

There are many people who recognized the onset of the apostasy and left in order to hold on to the Truth, but after so doing, patted themselves on the back and then promptly grew complacent.  Some don't want to consider that the Tribulation may soon be upon us, or even recognize that many prophecies that must occur before the Tribulation are taking place, or have already come to pass.  Complacency is a form of self deception.  Some members have lost interest in prophesied end time events, others have become too embarrassed to discuss them, and still others don't want to consider that the horrific events to come will interfere with their lifestyles.  Even this attitude was prophesied with a warning against complacency!"

"But and if that servant say in his heart, My Lord delayeth His coming; and shall begin to beat the menservants and maidens, and to eat and drink, and to be drunken; The Lord of that servant will come in a day when he looketh not for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in sunder, and will appoint him his portion with the unbelievers."  (Luke 12:45-46)

We can't afford to let this complacency take hold of us.  Look at some of the key prophetic events that have occurred since Mr. Armstrong's death:

• America is rapidly losing the moral high ground of our early history and founding fathers - becoming an amoral nation, a country void of morality.
   

• The United States has declined in world esteem and is rapidly losing its pre-eminence in the world.
   

• An ever larger European Union is being created, steeped in German influence, growing in prestige, now possessing a military, having a common euro that is becoming the world strongest currency.
   

• Muslim countries, whether unofficially or officially, proclaim open hatred toward the West, especially toward the U.S. and Israel.
   

• Disease epidemics, some man made and produced such as small pox, anthrax, aids, etc., threaten the stability of the world.
   

• World terrorism has arrived, mostly aimed against Western countries, with much of it originating from inter-linked militant Muslim groups.

The Catholic Church has developed alliances with Protestant, Greek and Russian Orthodox, and Muslim religions.

Astonishingly, many are ignoring these and many other clear indications that the return of Jesus Christ is approaching.  Let's not assume that everything is fine - when it is not. There exists a spiritual complacency within the greater Church that parallels the downhill slide of world conditions into amorality and anarchy.

The stage is now set for several more events that must occur before the Tribulation.  Three identities  will come to power:  the Beast, the False Prophet, and the King of the South.  The Jews will resume daily sacrifices - only to have those sacrifices interrupted.  Even these may spring onto the world scene in an astonishingly short amount of time.  Once the key elements are in place, the Tribulation will occur.  Christ warns us not to become complacent:

"And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares."  (Luke 21:34)

"So then because thou art lukewarm [read complacent], and neither cold nor hot, I will spew thee out of my mouth."  (Revelation 3:16)

When the Tribulation begins, we don't want to be ashamed because we were caught off-guard or spiritually naked because we weren't diligent in making our calling and election sure.  We must not allow our pursuit of worldly goals to take precedence over seeking the Kingdom of God and His righteousness.  We live in a unique time compared to saints of past ages since we can be encouraged by seeing prophecies being fulfilled that will lead directly to the coming of Jesus Christ and the setting up of the Kingdom of God.  Let's make every effort to avoid the complacency that is characteristic of this end time.

"Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God,... [and]  grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne."(Revelation 3:12,21)

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Sermon:

"Pleased or Complacent"