BARREN FORMALISM AND
CLERICALISM IN THE CHURCH

Barren formalism and clericalism in the Church serve the purpose of self-interest in its power structure. This fact places God in the position where His mercy and wisdom must conceive of a new plan for restoring His people and evangelizing the unregenerate world before the return of His Son in glory.

In His foreknowledge the Lord spoke through His prophet Joel about His divine scheme of "pouring out of His Spirit upon all flesh in the last days."

God already made provision to intervene sovereignly by His grace into the impasse that the churches have reached. They have been disunited, weakened and rendered incapable of being the Bride of Christ in preparation for the coming of the Divine Spouse and the celestial Marriage Supper of the Lamb.

God's word shows us that it is simply the "mystery of iniquity" which St. Paul declared began unfolding in his own day, and, if it "doth already work," as he affirmed, it requires little imagination to realize how widespread it has become in the churches, including our own Orthodox Church, after two thousand years.

Did not our Lord Himself predict the increase of iniquity the closer the day of His return draws near? He warned us in the Olivet discourse that "iniquity will multiply for the love of many shall wax cold." (Matthew 24:12)

In other words evil would increase in the world with the passing of time. Sin and rebellion against God would peak just prior to the return of Christ. It would reach its maximum intensity and maximum hold over the world with the emergence of the Antichrist, the World Dictator whom Satan would raise up in the end time.

St. Paul foretells that this world ruler "as a God sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God." (2 Thessalonians 2:4) He will deceive the Jews who will receive him as their Messiah. Then he will proclaim himself as God in Jerusalem and will enter into the Holy of Holies to the shock of the Jews. But they will be helpless to do anything about it. It will be too late.

It is very important to remember what St. John Chrysostom states regarding the Antichrist: "He will sit not only in Jerusalem, but in every Church." In other words, he will succeed to gain control over the Churches. Such Churches that yield to his deceptive influence will end up constituting the Harlot Church, the Great Whore, mentioned in the book of the Revelation (Revelation 17:5)

During the first three-and-one-half years of the Great Tribulation period the Antichrist will appear as a very beneficent and religious man and close ally of the Church. Then he will turn against the Church and during the second half of the Great Tribulation period he will coerce everyone to bow down to him as God on the penalty of execution.

Those, however, who have been living for Christ and are born again and Spirit filled and have been misunderstood and persecuted by the rest of the Church will recognize who the World Dictator really is and will refuse to bow down to "the image of the beast." According to one interpretation of scriptural prophecy all true believers will be snatched out of the world at the moment of the Rapture just prior to the rise of the Antichrist.

"The Antichrist will be seated in the temple of God, not that in Jerusalem only, but also in every Church." (St. John Chrysostom, Homily on Thessalonians II)

Many Church members do not realize that by "adhering to the form of religion" and by refusing to go all the way for Christ they are being prepared by Satan to accept the deception of the Antichrist. They are candidates for his Harlot Church. Their fear of being labeled as "religious fanatics" and their putting public opinion over and above the will and opinion of God are in effect making them ready.

There will be a limit to God's patience, as He awaits the repentance and reconversion of His Church people. The time will come when they, as well as those outside the Churches, will not be able to believe, even if they wanted to! This is the ultimate in God's judgment - sending "strong delusion."

St. Paul clearly teaches that God will send the unrepentant ones a spirit of stupor that will render them incapable of believing. "And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie. That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness" (2 Thessalonians 2:11-12)

Consequently, the message of repentance must get out to our Orthodox people. Time is running out! It is urgent that they be told the facts. They must be warned now that there is still time. It must be done today! Tomorrow could be too late.

Too many of us clergymen are playing Church, while a large number of our Church people are dying without knowing Jesus Christ as their personal Savior and perishing in the unquenchable flames of Hell. Too many of us in the clergy remain contented when we see a little piety and reverence in the lay people.

Contentment with Orthodox formalism will only serve to make you ready to accept "the son of perdition," "the man of sin." The "form of godliness, denying the power thereof" is Satan's subtle device in getting you ready to accept the Christ substitute, the Antichrist.

Spare yourself right now! Change your ways, run and fall down before Jesus in repentance, lest God send you "strong delusion" and then you will be incapable of believing even if you wanted to. You will then accept to receive the mark of the beast. You "shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God." You "will be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb." (Revelation 14:8-10)

It's all there in the word of God. It is not a hidden truth. It is revealed and recorded for those that have ears to hear and eyes to see: "And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever, and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name."

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