Apostasy rarely begins under the watch of those who fought for a full gospel. Those who have sacrificed, suffered, and stood for the sake of the truth are far less prone to bend their knee to a compromising spirit than those who inherit the benefits of the results for which their elders fought. Accordingly, throughout the history of the children of Israel, and among the circles claiming to be God’s people, there is a recurring cycle throughout the generations of a stand for truth, a falling away, a coming out, and back to a standing for truth. Unfortunately, this continues to repeat even unto the present hour and leaves us all living in perilous and pivotal times. Regardless, the time of transition is here and the generations following must answer the question, what will we do?
There is great cause for concern among Christendom today. First, there is an expansive shortage of places where a full gospel is preached, inspiration and anointing are present, and rule is exclusively done by the Holy Ghost. Second, there are spirits deceiving multitudes by allowing them to acknowledge there are “problems,” while still allowing them to feel contented in that they still believe in core, fundamental doctrines (justification, sanctification, unity, etc…). Thirdly, there is a dearth of ministers in the land. Few are aspiring for such a calling, few are encouraged to aspire for such a calling, and fewer are burdened for the condition of Jerusalem. Lastly, there is much too refined preaching in the name of wisdom, too much strained judgment in the name of showing love, and too little bold declarations of gospel truth in favor of more sophisticated approaches. Meanwhile, we are on the verge of God’s judgment, the end of time, and an eternity in either heaven or hell. May God help precious souls to sense the urgency of our time!
The labors of the brethren who came before is deeply admired and appreciated. Furthermore, great honor should be bestowed upon those who have preserved the testimony of Jesus Christ through countless waves of apostasy, unbelief, and backsliding. They have stood against those who attempted to silence the “come out” message, promoted the one-cleansing heresy, disparaged divine healing, compromised the sacredness of marriage, blurred the lines between the profane and holy, and attempted to make a church among churches. We are thankful for the sacrifice at the expense of personal comforts, gains, and enjoyments. God, with a mighty hand, has preserved a remnant, but the work is not yet done. Who will rise up for God? Who will take the mantle and hold up the standard of biblical holiness? What will the generation of this time do? What will history record of the generation to follow?
Doubtless, God will always have a people. However, there is no guarantee that our history, bloodlines, heritage, or knowledge will make us God’s people. This generation must fight and contend for the same faith delivered unto the saints who have come before us. There must be a willingness to suffer the loss of all things. We must be willing to be offensive, persecuted, and killed for this gospel. There must be no price too high to pay for the preservation of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Only those who are willing to sacrifice their lives with complete abandonment to God will be a part of God’s church and will make heaven. All else will be lost eternally in the flames of hell, and sadly most will not awaken to their spiritual condition until they are found in such a place.
The question before our generation is not whether or not God will have a church. It is whether or not we will be a part of it. Will we hold up the truth of God’s eternal word, or will we fold to the whims of our flesh, the lukewarm atmosphere of our time, and the spirits of unbelief? There are those who have shown us the way, but now we must walk in it. If we do, there is not a devil in hell that can stop the generation that follows. If we do not, we shall surely perish. May God help young men and women to answer the call of our time. May God challenge us to give of our best to the master. May God call laborers into the harvest. Soon we will all stand before God and answer for the life we lived. As the time of transition nears, will the generations that follow declare the whole counsel of God and walk therein?