WEBVTT

00:00.000 --> 00:02.736
Is Christianity dangerous?

00:02.802 --> 00:05.038
Even the question
sounds absurd.

00:05.105 --> 00:07.607
After all, Christianity is
about loving your

00:07.674 --> 00:10.009
neighbor, turning the other cheek, and showing

00:10.076 --> 00:11.778
mercy to your enemies.

00:11.845 --> 00:13.413
How could that be dangerous?

00:13.480 --> 00:17.117
And yet, in the last few years, there is a growing narrative

00:17.183 --> 00:20.086
that the western Christian traditions are not

00:20.153 --> 00:21.721
healthy for society.

00:21.788 --> 00:24.791
If you've lived more than a few decades, you've noticed

00:24.858 --> 00:26.259
this radical shift.

00:26.326 --> 00:28.495
And it has been shocking.

00:28.561 --> 00:32.265
After all, if Jesus taught mercy and love and consideration

00:32.332 --> 00:36.236
for our neighbors, how did Christianity turn into

00:36.302 --> 00:37.237
the enemy?

00:37.303 --> 00:39.906
According to this narrative, Christianity is

00:39.973 --> 00:41.141
not inclusive.

00:41.207 --> 00:42.675
It's not compassionate.

00:42.742 --> 00:45.845
It's not keeping up with the times, nor is it

00:45.912 --> 00:47.614
on the "right side of history."

00:47.680 --> 00:49.182
The list goes on and on.

00:49.249 --> 00:52.685
And yet, Christian and biblical traditions have formed

00:52.752 --> 00:55.388
the backbone of much
of Western civilization.

00:55.455 --> 00:57.490
So, what's going on?

00:57.557 --> 01:01.027
Cultural shifts don't happen overnight, and they don't

01:01.094 --> 01:02.495
happen in a vacuum.

01:02.562 --> 01:04.964
There are reasons for the dramatic changes we've

01:05.031 --> 01:06.466
seen in society.

01:06.533 --> 01:10.837
And there's a reason why hating Christianity has become the

01:10.904 --> 01:11.971
latest fad.

01:12.038 --> 01:14.808
So, what are we supposed
to think of this trend?

01:14.874 --> 01:16.242
Why is it happening?

01:16.309 --> 01:19.012
And more importantly,
what can we do?

01:19.078 --> 01:21.815
You might be surprised
by the answers.

01:21.881 --> 01:25.118
On today's program, let's
look for those answers.

01:25.185 --> 01:27.320
And get ready, because
later in the program I'll

01:27.387 --> 01:30.290
give you an opportunity
to request today's offer,

01:30.356 --> 01:33.860
<i>Satan's Counterfeit Christianity.</i>

01:33.927 --> 01:36.429
So, join us today on
<i>Tomorrow's World</i>, as we

01:36.496 --> 01:41.301
ask and answer the question:
"Is Christianity Dangerous?"

01:41.367 --> 01:43.403
I'll be right back.

01:43.470 --> 01:49.709
♪

01:49.776 --> 01:52.612
Welcome to <i>Tomorrow's World</i>, where we help you make

01:52.679 --> 01:55.949
sense of your world through
the pages of the Bible.

01:56.015 --> 01:59.285
Some consider Christianity
to be dangerous.

01:59.352 --> 02:02.755
But there's no question that Christianity itself is

02:02.822 --> 02:03.990
under attack.

02:04.057 --> 02:07.594
Roughly two point four billion people around the world

02:07.660 --> 02:08.995
call themselves Christians.

02:09.062 --> 02:14.067
And 365 million of them live in about 50 nations where they

02:14.133 --> 02:17.937
experience "high levels of persecution or discrimination"

02:18.004 --> 02:20.306
according to <i>Christianity Today</i>.

02:20.373 --> 02:24.310
It's easy for us to disregard them, if we live comfortably in

02:24.377 --> 02:27.180
the Western world, because they're far away.

02:27.247 --> 02:29.148
We enjoy much more freedom.

02:29.215 --> 02:32.318
But are there signs on the horizon that those freedoms

02:32.385 --> 02:35.488
are evaporating, even
in the western world?

02:35.555 --> 02:37.824
Is greater persecution coming?

02:37.891 --> 02:41.227
In Finland, a former Finnish Member of Parliament was

02:41.294 --> 02:45.298
taken to trial in 2022 for
a hate crime having to do

02:45.365 --> 02:46.666
with the Bible.

02:46.733 --> 02:50.970
Paivi Rasanen was charged with making derogatory comments

02:51.037 --> 02:55.642
toward homosexuals,
quoting Romans 1:24-27.

02:55.708 --> 02:59.178
She defended herself by saying she was simply expressing

02:59.245 --> 03:00.914
what the Bible says.

03:00.980 --> 03:04.217
The Bible itself is
being put on trial.

03:04.284 --> 03:07.887
This should raise alarm bells for all who consider

03:07.954 --> 03:09.722
themselves Christians.

03:09.789 --> 03:12.859
An article on the Religious Freedom Institute website

03:12.926 --> 03:18.598
summed it up well: "The Räsänen prosecution did nothing more

03:18.665 --> 03:22.435
than draw a logical conclusion from the ideological shift

03:22.502 --> 03:26.573
that has occurred in the course of recent decades, not just in

03:26.639 --> 03:30.443
Finland but also in the United States, Canada, and the rest

03:30.510 --> 03:32.011
of Western Europe.

03:32.078 --> 03:34.581
In today's West....
Now that this type

03:34.647 --> 03:38.318
of instinctive secularist progressivism has become

03:38.384 --> 03:44.157
the cultural norm, Romans
1:24-27 is hate speech."

03:44.223 --> 03:47.660
So, what should you do if your belief system is being

03:47.727 --> 03:51.331
labeled as dangerous, and yet it's becoming more dangerous

03:51.397 --> 03:52.765
for you to practice it?

03:52.832 --> 03:54.968
In the remainder of the program

03:55.034 --> 03:58.171
let's talk about three things you can and should do.

03:58.237 --> 03:59.772
Number one:

03:59.839 --> 04:03.610
Live by the literal,
biblical word of God.

04:03.676 --> 04:06.212
This might seem
overly simplistic.

04:06.279 --> 04:08.615
But don't overlook the obvious.

04:08.681 --> 04:11.484
Make sure you're living by
the Bible and living

04:11.551 --> 04:13.186
like a Christian.

04:13.252 --> 04:15.421
That means, we need to get
our house in order.

04:15.488 --> 04:22.262
The Apostle Peter explained
this in 1 Peter 4:14-16...

04:22.328 --> 04:25.198
"If you are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are

04:25.264 --> 04:29.335
you, for the Spirit of glory
and of God rests upon you...

04:29.402 --> 04:33.506
But let none of you suffer as a murderer, a thief, an evildoer,

04:33.573 --> 04:36.609
or as a busybody in other people's matters.

04:36.676 --> 04:39.412
Yet if anyone suffers as
a Christian, let

04:39.479 --> 04:41.481
him not be ashamed."

04:41.547 --> 04:43.349
Why is this important?

04:43.416 --> 04:46.252
Well there are a lot of people out there today who profess

04:46.319 --> 04:48.655
Christianity, but the fruit
of their lives

04:48.721 --> 04:50.857
tells a different story.

04:50.923 --> 04:54.694
Researcher George Barna points this out in a survey

04:54.761 --> 04:58.531
entitled, "American Worldview Inventory, 2024."

04:58.598 --> 05:00.466
He explains the following:

05:00.533 --> 05:04.771
"[B]iblical worldview incidence in the United States has

05:04.837 --> 05:08.307
declined for five consecutive generations, and during that

05:08.374 --> 05:10.710
time the number of adults holding a biblical

05:10.777 --> 05:17.350
worldview has plummeted from 12% to today's 4% level..."

05:17.417 --> 05:21.354
Biblical worldview means that you see your world through

05:21.421 --> 05:25.058
the lens of the Bible and the Christianity of the Bible.

05:25.124 --> 05:29.095
It means that the Bible and your faith and obedience in Jesus

05:29.162 --> 05:32.899
Christ affects and guides the countless decisions you make

05:32.965 --> 05:34.400
every single day.

05:34.467 --> 05:38.671
When only 4% of the population describe themselves this way,

05:38.738 --> 05:42.375
it means we have a lot
of fake Christians.

05:42.442 --> 05:45.878
Some theologians have been
saying this for a long time.

05:45.945 --> 05:49.048
Professor Rufus M. Jones
wrote this:

05:49.115 --> 05:53.386
"If by any chance Christ Himself had been taken by His later

05:53.453 --> 05:57.223
followers as the model and pattern of the new way,

05:57.290 --> 06:01.260
and a serious attempt had been made to set up His life and

06:01.327 --> 06:04.230
teaching as the standard and norm for the Church,

06:04.297 --> 06:08.101
Christianity would have been something vastly different from

06:08.167 --> 06:09.469
what it became."

06:09.535 --> 06:12.171
Back in the 1800s, the philosopher and

06:12.238 --> 06:15.908
theologian Søren Kirkegaard put it more bluntly:

06:15.975 --> 06:19.946
"The Christianity of the
New Testament simply

06:20.012 --> 06:21.547
does not exist."

06:21.614 --> 06:25.518
In other words, the church Jesus founded was, over the

06:25.585 --> 06:29.021
centuries, watered down with compromises to become

06:29.088 --> 06:31.190
unrecognizable today.

06:31.257 --> 06:35.595
So, Christianity is claimed to be dangerous and toxic

06:35.661 --> 06:37.797
and harmful by some today.

06:37.864 --> 06:41.300
But the truth is, very few actually practice it.

06:41.367 --> 06:42.935
How strange.

06:43.002 --> 06:46.305
We truly are living
in dangerous times.

06:46.372 --> 06:48.074
And they will get
more dangerous.

06:48.141 --> 06:50.810
We shouldn't really be surprised, because Jesus

06:50.877 --> 06:54.914
Christ gave His disciples warnings about how to handle it.

06:54.981 --> 06:57.550
Notice one of the first
warnings He issued,

06:57.617 --> 07:00.987
in Matthew 24, beginning
in verse 3...

07:01.053 --> 07:04.657
"Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came

07:04.724 --> 07:08.594
to Him privately, saying, "Tell us, when will these things be?

07:08.661 --> 07:11.831
And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end

07:11.898 --> 07:13.366
of the age?"

07:13.432 --> 07:16.335
And Jesus answered and said to them: "Take heed that

07:16.402 --> 07:18.271
no one deceives you.

07:18.337 --> 07:21.607
For many will come in My name, saying, 'I am the Christ,'

07:21.674 --> 07:23.976
and will deceive many."

07:24.043 --> 07:25.311
Did you catch that?

07:25.378 --> 07:28.548
Jesus said many would
come in His name.

07:28.614 --> 07:31.884
Many would profess faith in Jesus, and even say that

07:31.951 --> 07:33.085
Jesus is Lord.

07:33.152 --> 07:37.089
And then He said,
"And will deceive many."

07:37.156 --> 07:41.360
So, just because someone uses the name of Christ and calls

07:41.427 --> 07:45.832
himself or herself a Christian does not mean they are a true

07:45.898 --> 07:47.733
follower of Christ.

07:47.800 --> 07:51.170
This is the first thing we must understand, we need to

07:51.237 --> 07:53.773
recognize false Christianity.

07:53.840 --> 07:56.309
Why is this so important?

07:56.375 --> 07:59.278
We'll answer that question
in a few moments.

07:59.345 --> 08:02.281
But first I want to give you
a chance to order our free

08:02.348 --> 08:05.384
study guide we're offering today, written by the late

08:05.451 --> 08:07.320
evangelist, Roderick
C. Meredith,

08:07.386 --> 08:10.056
<i>Satan's Counterfeit Christianity.</i>

08:10.122 --> 08:11.490
He writes:

08:11.557 --> 08:15.194
"This booklet contains genuinely shocking information for those

08:15.261 --> 08:18.297
who have eyes to see
and ears to hear.

08:18.364 --> 08:22.468
It has profound implications for the future of our civilization."

08:22.535 --> 08:26.005
If you're concerned about our modern nations, and the

08:26.072 --> 08:29.308
future of your family, you
need this information.

08:29.375 --> 08:31.344
We'll send it to you
free of charge.

08:31.410 --> 08:33.980
We don't ask for money
and we never will.

08:34.046 --> 08:37.149
So, call, write or order
online today.

08:37.216 --> 08:38.184
Order now.

08:38.251 --> 08:39.051
♪

08:39.118 --> 08:45.524
<i>For today's free</i>
<i>offer call...</i>

08:45.591 --> 08:51.030
<i>Or go to...</i>

08:51.097 --> 08:53.833
<i>This clear and</i>
<i>straight-forward resource</i>

08:53.900 --> 08:56.602
<i>will help you understand</i>
<i>this vital truth--</i>

08:56.669 --> 08:58.938
<i>straight from the</i>
<i>pages of the Bible.</i>

08:59.005 --> 09:02.308
<i>If you're calling for the</i>
<i>first time, you will also</i>

09:02.375 --> 09:05.111
<i>receive a free annual</i>
<i>subscription to Tomorrow's</i>

09:05.177 --> 09:06.779
<i>World magazine.</i>

09:06.846 --> 09:09.949
<i>Six inspiring issues</i>
<i>discussing news, science,</i>

09:10.016 --> 09:12.852
<i>and modern culture will</i>
<i>help you make sense of</i>

09:12.919 --> 09:17.023
<i>your world from a</i>
<i>biblical perspective.</i>

09:17.089 --> 09:19.458
<i>Call today and join</i>
<i>millions around the world</i>

09:19.525 --> 09:21.994
<i>who are turning to</i>
<i>Tomorrow's World for</i>

09:22.061 --> 09:27.800
<i>truth, prophecy, and hope</i>
<i>in these confusing times.</i>

09:27.867 --> 09:29.335
<i>Call now!</i>

09:29.402 --> 09:33.739
<i>Or go to...</i>

09:33.806 --> 09:38.311
♪

09:38.377 --> 09:39.812
Welcome back.

09:39.879 --> 09:42.782
In the last segment, we saw that there are a lot of fake

09:42.848 --> 09:45.017
Christians in our world today.

09:45.084 --> 09:48.854
And our job, if we really want to be a disciple

09:48.921 --> 09:53.626
of Christ, is to find out what the Bible says and get our

09:53.693 --> 09:55.661
lives in line with it.

09:55.728 --> 09:58.831
There is a church founded
by Jesus Christ,

09:58.898 --> 10:01.734
that will be around
until His return.

10:01.801 --> 10:06.472
Notice what He said
in Matthew 16:18.

10:06.539 --> 10:09.008
As He told His disciples,

10:09.075 --> 10:13.479
"...I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not

10:13.546 --> 10:15.281
prevail against it."

10:15.348 --> 10:18.451
In other words, He said His church, that He built,

10:18.517 --> 10:20.119
would never die out.

10:20.186 --> 10:22.588
And that brings us to
our second point.

10:22.655 --> 10:25.791
As we find ourselves in difficult times, when

10:25.858 --> 10:29.962
Christianity as a whole is being vilified as the enemy, as

10:30.029 --> 10:32.832
dangerous, what should we do?

10:32.898 --> 10:35.735
Does Jesus give us
any instructions?

10:35.801 --> 10:36.902
He does.

10:36.969 --> 10:38.771
That brings us to Number 2:

10:38.838 --> 10:43.109
Don't put your faith in political movements.

10:43.175 --> 10:47.780
Jesus Christ faced immense pressure to fight back against

10:47.847 --> 10:51.484
the political forces He faced, when He was on this earth.

10:51.550 --> 10:54.820
But notice what He said when questioned by the Roman

10:54.887 --> 10:56.222
governor Pilate.

10:56.288 --> 11:00.059
It's found in John 18:36...

11:00.126 --> 11:04.597
"Jesus answered, "My kingdom
is not of this world.

11:04.663 --> 11:07.933
If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight,

11:08.000 --> 11:10.936
so that I should not be delivered to the Jews;

11:11.003 --> 11:13.973
but now My kingdom is
not from here."

11:14.040 --> 11:17.543
God doesn't want us to get involved in the political

11:17.610 --> 11:19.545
contests of this world.

11:19.612 --> 11:23.149
He doesn't want us to physically fight or even politically

11:23.215 --> 11:24.984
fight our adversaries.

11:25.051 --> 11:28.788
You see, for those who see their religious freedoms trampled

11:28.854 --> 11:32.958
on, there is a temptation to seek a political solution.

11:33.025 --> 11:36.028
Particularly in the United States, some have

11:36.095 --> 11:39.131
decided they need to support a movement, such as

11:39.198 --> 11:41.233
Christian Nationalism.

11:41.300 --> 11:45.438
<i>Christianity Today</i> defines Christian Nationalism this way:

11:45.504 --> 11:49.708
"Christian nationalism is the belief that the American

11:49.775 --> 11:53.245
nation is defined by Christianity, and

11:53.312 --> 11:55.948
that the government should
take active steps to

11:56.015 --> 11:57.583
keep it that way..."

11:57.650 --> 12:00.753
Should sincere, heartfelt
Christians support

12:00.820 --> 12:02.488
Christian Nationalism?

12:02.555 --> 12:06.092
We all are grateful for any leaders in our

12:06.158 --> 12:09.228
government who support any biblical values.

12:09.295 --> 12:10.596
That's for sure.

12:10.663 --> 12:14.300
But, is it through political movements that we will

12:14.366 --> 12:16.936
solve our problems ultimately?

12:17.002 --> 12:18.838
Of course not.

12:18.904 --> 12:22.108
If you watch the news, you
know the bad press that

12:22.174 --> 12:24.243
Christian political
activists are getting,

12:24.310 --> 12:25.945
from many quarters.

12:26.011 --> 12:27.947
Here are some of the headlines:

12:28.013 --> 12:30.583
"Christianity 'increasingly regarded' by the

12:30.649 --> 12:32.818
state as 'harmful'"

12:32.885 --> 12:36.288
"'Toxic Christianity': the evangelicals creating

12:36.355 --> 12:40.726
champions for Trump" "What is Christian nationalism and

12:40.793 --> 12:44.497
why it raises concerns about threats to democracy".

12:44.563 --> 12:47.800
If you are concerned about
the rights of sincere

12:47.867 --> 12:50.336
Christians being trampled
on, you might feel a

12:50.402 --> 12:53.072
kinship with those trying
to fight back against

12:53.139 --> 12:55.307
this cultural avalanche.

12:55.374 --> 12:58.310
You might even want to get politically involved.

12:58.377 --> 13:03.048
But ask yourself, does God want you to put your faith

13:03.115 --> 13:04.783
in political movements?

13:04.850 --> 13:08.921
Critics of Christian political activism warn that

13:08.988 --> 13:10.789
Christianity is dangerous.

13:10.856 --> 13:14.493
While they're terribly wrong on most counts, there

13:14.560 --> 13:17.062
is a grain of truth to
what they say.

13:17.129 --> 13:21.400
You see, "counterfeit Christianity" is dangerous.

13:21.467 --> 13:22.902
And will be in the future.

13:22.968 --> 13:24.737
Let me explain.

13:24.803 --> 13:27.873
There is a counterfeit Christianity--we already

13:27.940 --> 13:30.075
saw that in the last segment.

13:30.142 --> 13:33.212
And Bible prophecy shows that a counterfeit religious system

13:33.279 --> 13:36.849
will rise to power and dominance at the close of this age.

13:36.916 --> 13:40.553
It will be led by a charismatic leader out of Europe.

13:40.619 --> 13:44.390
He will be cast as a savior, a defender of Christian values,

13:44.456 --> 13:46.392
and a follower of Christ.

13:46.458 --> 13:49.995
But Jesus tells us to be careful, be warned, don't

13:50.062 --> 13:52.464
be deceived, it's a counterfeit.

13:52.531 --> 13:57.536
Notice how it's described
in Revelation 13:11...

13:57.603 --> 14:01.707
"Then I saw another beast coming up out of the earth, and he

14:01.774 --> 14:05.311
had two horns like a lamb and spoke like a dragon."

14:05.377 --> 14:10.115
This religious leader will claim to be Christian--he has two

14:10.182 --> 14:14.086
horns like a lamb, and Jesus
is symbolized as a Lamb.

14:14.153 --> 14:16.288
But he'll speak like a dragon.

14:16.355 --> 14:20.292
His words and his teachings will not follow the Bible at all.

14:20.359 --> 14:22.828
What will this religious
leader do?

14:22.895 --> 14:26.131
Going on in Revelation 13:13...

14:26.198 --> 14:31.003
"He performs great signs, so that he even makes fire

14:31.070 --> 14:34.373
come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men.

14:34.440 --> 14:39.211
And he deceives those who dwell on the earth... He causes all,

14:39.278 --> 14:42.881
both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to

14:42.948 --> 14:46.619
receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads..."

14:46.685 --> 14:52.024
Mark 13:22 says the deception will be so great, that, even

14:52.091 --> 14:54.960
the elect, if possible,
will be deceived.

14:55.027 --> 14:57.863
This will be an extremely dangerous time

14:57.930 --> 14:59.932
for genuine Christians.

14:59.999 --> 15:02.601
Later in Revelation,
John describes this

15:02.668 --> 15:06.005
counterfeit religious system as a woman, sitting on a beast.

15:06.071 --> 15:10.542
A woman in the Book of Revelation symbolizes a church.

15:10.609 --> 15:14.747
Notice in Revelation
17 and verse 3...

15:14.813 --> 15:19.018
"...And I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast which was full

15:19.084 --> 15:23.289
of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.

15:23.355 --> 15:27.059
The woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with

15:27.126 --> 15:30.996
gold and precious stones and pearls, having in her hand

15:31.063 --> 15:34.133
a golden cup full of abominations and

15:34.199 --> 15:36.368
the filthiness of
her fornication.

15:36.435 --> 15:40.606
And on her forehead a name was written: MYSTERY, BABYLON

15:40.673 --> 15:44.376
THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS

15:44.443 --> 15:45.811
OF THE EARTH.

15:45.878 --> 15:48.347
I saw the woman, drunk
with the blood of

15:48.414 --> 15:51.850
the saints and with the blood
of the martyrs of Jesus."

15:51.917 --> 15:54.653
Is counterfeit
Christianity dangerous?

15:54.720 --> 15:56.355
Yes.

15:56.422 --> 16:00.959
This system will have put to death true servants of God.

16:01.026 --> 16:04.396
It will take away religious freedom and compel

16:04.463 --> 16:06.532
obedience by force.

16:06.598 --> 16:09.868
This false prophet will, in league with a political

16:09.935 --> 16:14.406
and military leader known as the beast, bring our world to a

16:14.473 --> 16:17.443
state of suffering like we've never known.

16:17.509 --> 16:23.248
Notice what John writes
in Revelation 19:19...

16:23.315 --> 16:26.118
"And I saw the beast, the kings of the earth, and their

16:26.185 --> 16:29.855
armies, gathered together to make war against Him who

16:29.922 --> 16:32.891
sat on the horse and
against His army."

16:32.958 --> 16:37.162
This alliance between church and state will literally try to

16:37.229 --> 16:39.331
fight against the
returning Christ.

16:39.398 --> 16:40.966
But it will be no match.

16:41.033 --> 16:44.236
The One who sits on the horse, Jesus Christ,

16:44.303 --> 16:48.540
will return in glory and power to put down this rebellion.

16:48.607 --> 16:52.745
Notice, going on, in
Revelation 19:20...

16:52.811 --> 16:55.614
"Then the beast was captured, and with him the false

16:55.681 --> 16:59.551
prophet who worked signs in his presence, by which he deceived

16:59.618 --> 17:02.788
those who received the mark of the beast and those who

17:02.855 --> 17:05.023
worshiped his image."

17:05.090 --> 17:09.094
There's more to the story, but first let me offer you our

17:09.161 --> 17:10.662
free study guide today,

17:10.729 --> 17:13.298
<i>Satan's Counterfeit Christianity.</i>

17:13.365 --> 17:17.102
You'll see for yourself how "the counterfeit religion spread,"

17:17.169 --> 17:20.639
how a "modern 'Babylon' was created," and how in the

17:20.706 --> 17:23.776
future we'll see
"Babylon Revived."

17:23.842 --> 17:26.078
Don't take these issues lightly.

17:26.145 --> 17:30.115
What is detailed in this book will affect your life and

17:30.182 --> 17:32.551
the lives of your family members, in the very

17:32.618 --> 17:33.886
near future.

17:33.952 --> 17:36.088
So, request your
free copy of

17:36.155 --> 17:38.624
<i>Satan's Counterfeit Christianity.</i>

17:38.690 --> 17:42.060
You can call, write,
or order online.

17:42.127 --> 17:43.362
Order today.

17:43.429 --> 17:44.430
♪

17:44.496 --> 17:46.031
<i>This clear and</i>
<i>straight-forward resource</i>

17:46.098 --> 17:48.500
<i>will help you understand</i>
<i>this vital truth--</i>

17:48.567 --> 17:51.203
<i>straight from the</i>
<i>pages of the Bible.</i>

17:51.270 --> 17:52.271
<i>Call now!</i>

17:52.337 --> 17:56.708
<i>Or go to...</i>

17:56.775 --> 17:58.444
♪

17:58.510 --> 18:01.146
In the last two segments,
we discussed the question:

18:01.213 --> 18:03.715
Is Christianity dangerous?

18:03.782 --> 18:07.619
As society grows more anti-Christian, we'll find

18:07.686 --> 18:10.823
ourselves living in a time more and more dangerous for real,

18:10.889 --> 18:12.558
genuine Christians.

18:12.624 --> 18:14.059
What should we do?

18:14.126 --> 18:17.763
Completely align our lives
with Christ, in every way.

18:17.830 --> 18:20.766
Don't put our faith in
political movements.

18:20.833 --> 18:24.236
But what's a third thing
that we must do?

18:24.303 --> 18:29.675
Number 3: let Christ be
our Rock and Protector.

18:29.741 --> 18:33.812
In the last segment, we saw that Revelation uses the symbolism

18:33.879 --> 18:37.816
of a harlot woman to describe
a counterfeit church in

18:37.883 --> 18:39.518
the end times.

18:39.585 --> 18:42.521
In contrast, the Book of Revelation also uses the

18:42.588 --> 18:46.658
imagery of a chaste and pure woman to describe God's

18:46.725 --> 18:48.694
faithful, true church.

18:48.760 --> 18:50.796
What does it say
about that church?

18:50.863 --> 18:53.866
Will there be protection
from the destruction and

18:53.932 --> 18:57.236
devastation of the Tribulation for that church?

18:57.302 --> 18:59.371
The answer is yes.

18:59.438 --> 19:02.407
Notice, Revelation gives
a behind the scenes

19:02.474 --> 19:06.678
picture of a galactic war yet
in the future, when Satan the

19:06.745 --> 19:09.815
devil will fight against
God on His throne.

19:09.882 --> 19:15.120
We pick up the story in Revelation 12:7...

19:15.187 --> 19:18.757
"And war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels

19:18.824 --> 19:21.226
fought with the dragon
and the dragon and his

19:21.293 --> 19:24.863
angels fought, but they
did not prevail, nor was

19:24.930 --> 19:27.866
a place found for them
in heaven any longer.

19:27.933 --> 19:31.436
So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent

19:31.503 --> 19:35.173
of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives

19:35.240 --> 19:39.444
the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his

19:39.511 --> 19:41.446
angels were cast
out with him."

19:41.513 --> 19:45.684
Remember, the counterfeit church deceives the masses, and is

19:45.751 --> 19:47.085
influenced by the dragon.

19:47.152 --> 19:50.188
Here we see why so many Christians in the

19:50.255 --> 19:53.292
last days will be
Christian in name only.

19:53.358 --> 19:56.562
Because they've been
deceived into accepting

19:56.628 --> 19:58.330
a counterfeit religion.

19:58.397 --> 20:01.967
But what about those who really do follow Christ?

20:02.034 --> 20:07.205
God offers protection, on earth, to His faithful followers in

20:07.272 --> 20:08.340
a Place of Safety.

20:08.407 --> 20:11.977
Continuing on in
Revelation 12:13...

20:12.044 --> 20:15.380
"Now when the dragon saw that he had been cast to the earth,

20:15.447 --> 20:19.184
he persecuted the woman who gave birth to the male Child.

20:19.251 --> 20:22.187
But the woman was given two wings of a great eagle,

20:22.254 --> 20:25.223
that she might fly into the wilderness to her place,

20:25.290 --> 20:28.393
where she is nourished for a time and times and half

20:28.460 --> 20:31.430
a time, from the presence
of the serpent."

20:31.496 --> 20:35.334
Some people think this refers to the church being raptured.

20:35.400 --> 20:38.837
No, it's simply taken
into a wilderness.

20:38.904 --> 20:41.206
Heaven is not a wilderness.

20:41.273 --> 20:44.876
The children of Israel came out of Egypt symbolically on

20:44.943 --> 20:48.614
eagles' wings--that's mentioned in Exodus 19:4.

20:48.680 --> 20:52.284
But we know they just walked. It's the same concept here.

20:52.351 --> 20:55.087
Going on in, verse 15...

20:55.153 --> 20:58.857
"So the serpent spewed water out of his mouth like a flood

20:58.924 --> 21:02.127
after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away

21:02.194 --> 21:03.328
by the flood.

21:03.395 --> 21:06.298
But the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened

21:06.365 --> 21:08.900
its mouth and swallowed up the flood which the dragon

21:08.967 --> 21:10.369
had spewed out of his mouth.

21:10.435 --> 21:14.539
And the dragon was enraged with the woman, and he went to make

21:14.606 --> 21:17.843
war with the rest of her offspring, who keep the

21:17.909 --> 21:22.381
commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ."

21:22.447 --> 21:26.551
In other words, those who are faithful and protected from the

21:26.618 --> 21:30.322
wrath of Satan the devil will also have the testimony of

21:30.389 --> 21:33.725
Christ and be keeping the commandments of God.

21:33.792 --> 21:38.063
That's not the Jews, that's God's genuine church.

21:38.130 --> 21:42.668
You and I, if we really are followers of Christ; if

21:42.734 --> 21:46.038
we obey His commandments--all ten of them--and are covered

21:46.104 --> 21:49.841
with the blood of His sacrifice, and are led by His Holy Spirit,

21:49.908 --> 21:52.778
He says He will take care of us.

21:52.844 --> 21:56.214
But in order to be under His protection, we have to let

21:56.281 --> 21:58.750
Him be our Lord and Master now.

21:58.817 --> 22:03.021
We have to trust Him, we have to give our lives to Him now.

22:03.088 --> 22:05.557
Notice what the prophet
Jeremiah wrote,

22:05.624 --> 22:09.928
starting in Jeremiah
chapter 17 and verse 5...

22:09.995 --> 22:13.965
"Cursed is the man who trusts
in man and makes flesh his

22:14.032 --> 22:17.002
strength, whose heart departs from the LORD...

22:17.069 --> 22:20.472
Blessed is the man who trusts
in the LORD, and

22:20.539 --> 22:22.340
whose hope is the LORD.

22:22.407 --> 22:25.811
For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters,

22:25.877 --> 22:29.414
which spreads out its roots
by the river, and will not

22:29.481 --> 22:31.416
fear when heat comes..."

22:31.483 --> 22:36.021
God says our real trust must
be in Him and our Savior,

22:36.088 --> 22:37.589
Jesus Christ.

22:37.656 --> 22:39.558
Jesus is our Rock.

22:39.624 --> 22:40.826
He is our Protector.

22:40.892 --> 22:42.127
He is our Savior.

22:42.194 --> 22:46.431
It is He who will raise us up, if we die before His return.

22:46.498 --> 22:50.035
David recognized that, and he was a man after God's own heart.

22:50.102 --> 22:53.872
In Psalm 18 starting in
verse 1 we read this...

22:53.939 --> 22:56.808
"I will love You, O LORD,
my strength.

22:56.875 --> 22:59.745
The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer;

22:59.811 --> 23:03.982
My God, my strength,
in whom I will trust;

23:04.049 --> 23:07.753
My shield and the horn of
my salvation, my stronghold.

23:07.819 --> 23:11.757
I will call upon the LORD,
who is worthy to be praised;

23:11.823 --> 23:14.726
so shall I be saved
from my enemies."

23:14.793 --> 23:18.063
How grateful we are, for
having a faithful

23:18.130 --> 23:19.998
and loving High Priest.

23:20.065 --> 23:21.099
He is our Rock.

23:21.166 --> 23:22.400
He is our Strength.

23:22.467 --> 23:26.271
And how important that will be, as times get more difficult,

23:26.338 --> 23:28.507
in the days ahead.

23:28.573 --> 23:32.277
And it's important to remember that God's ways are good for us

23:32.344 --> 23:36.047
and produce blessings for those who walk in His ways.

23:36.114 --> 23:39.518
As Moses told the Israelites as they were coming out of Egypt,

23:39.584 --> 23:43.321
beginning in Deuteronomy
chapter 10 and verse 12...

23:43.388 --> 23:47.526
"And now, Israel, what does the LORD your God require of you,

23:47.592 --> 23:51.730
but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all His ways and

23:51.797 --> 23:55.333
to love Him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart

23:55.400 --> 23:58.904
and with all your soul, and to keep the commandments of the

23:58.970 --> 24:02.207
LORD and His statutes which
I command you today

24:02.274 --> 24:05.210
for your good?"

24:05.277 --> 24:08.747
Yes, God's way of life--
it's not bad, or evil

24:08.814 --> 24:10.482
or hateful or repressive.

24:10.549 --> 24:15.587
Everything He commands us to do, in the end, is for our good.

24:15.654 --> 24:19.090
And that's something to
be thankful about.

24:19.157 --> 24:22.160
Again, I want to mention the study guide we're offering

24:22.227 --> 24:23.829
today on this program,

24:23.895 --> 24:26.798
<i>Satan's Counterfeit Christianity.</i>

24:26.865 --> 24:29.234
As we've seen, when it
comes to our beliefs,

24:29.301 --> 24:31.469
sincerity is not enough.

24:31.536 --> 24:34.873
We've got to base what
we believe on Scripture.

24:34.940 --> 24:38.310
There is a real devil, Satan, who has a kingdom and

24:38.376 --> 24:40.212
who is the Counterfeiter.

24:40.278 --> 24:42.414
He's the cause of the
confusion in

24:42.480 --> 24:44.716
modern mainstream Christianity.

24:44.783 --> 24:48.486
He will cause the mayhem and destruction that is coming.

24:48.553 --> 24:52.691
But there is protection, under the care of Almighty God.

24:52.757 --> 24:55.360
Open your Bible and
read for yourself.

24:55.427 --> 24:57.929
<i>Satan's Counterfeit Christianity,</i>

24:57.996 --> 25:00.065
will help you in your studies.

25:00.131 --> 25:01.633
You need this information.

25:01.700 --> 25:04.035
So, call, click or write today.

25:04.102 --> 25:05.503
Order now.

25:05.570 --> 25:06.638
♪

25:06.705 --> 25:12.978
<i>For today's free</i>
<i>offer call...</i>

25:13.044 --> 25:18.583
<i>Or go to...</i>

25:18.650 --> 25:21.586
<i>This clear and</i>
<i>straight-forward resource</i>

25:21.653 --> 25:24.322
<i>will help you understand</i>
<i>this vital truth--</i>

25:24.389 --> 25:26.825
<i>straight from the</i>
<i>pages of the Bible.</i>

25:26.892 --> 25:30.028
<i>If you're calling for the</i>
<i>first time, you will also</i>

25:30.095 --> 25:32.864
<i>receive a free annual</i>
<i>subscription to Tomorrow's</i>

25:32.931 --> 25:34.399
<i>World magazine.</i>

25:34.466 --> 25:37.769
<i>Six inspiring issues</i>
<i>discussing news, science,</i>

25:37.836 --> 25:40.639
<i>and modern culture will</i>
<i>help you make sense of</i>

25:40.705 --> 25:44.743
<i>your world from a</i>
<i>biblical perspective.</i>

25:44.809 --> 25:47.279
<i>Call today and join</i>
<i>millions around the world</i>

25:47.345 --> 25:49.814
<i>who are turning to</i>
<i>Tomorrow's World for</i>

25:49.881 --> 25:55.453
<i>truth, prophecy, and hope</i>
<i>in these confusing times.</i>

25:55.520 --> 25:56.788
<i>Call now!</i>

25:56.855 --> 26:01.159
<i>Or go to...</i>

26:01.226 --> 26:05.463
♪

26:05.530 --> 26:09.534
In today's program, we saw
that in our world today,

26:09.601 --> 26:12.904
Christianity is often accused
of being dangerous.

26:12.971 --> 26:17.075
But we've got to understand, what type of Christianity?

26:17.142 --> 26:20.845
There is a true and a
false Christianity.

26:20.912 --> 26:23.882
The false Christianity
truly is dangerous.

26:23.949 --> 26:27.585
It will bring the world to the brink of destruction.

26:27.652 --> 26:31.589
But the true Christianity,
the Christianity of the Bible,

26:31.656 --> 26:34.459
is the only real hope
for the world.

26:34.526 --> 26:38.697
It teaches us that Jesus Christ will return, set His feet

26:38.763 --> 26:41.599
on the earth, and bring
peace and prosperity

26:41.666 --> 26:44.035
that we desperately need.

26:44.102 --> 26:47.205
Jesus Christ promises He
will help those who are

26:47.272 --> 26:49.641
His faithful and
zealous servants.

26:49.708 --> 26:54.212
He is our Rock, He is our fortress, our High Tower.

26:54.279 --> 26:55.914
He is our protection.

26:55.981 --> 26:58.650
And we need that more than ever.

26:58.717 --> 27:02.887
So yes, counterfeit Christianity--it is dangerous.

27:02.954 --> 27:06.691
We must be alert and awake,
and not fall prey.

27:06.758 --> 27:10.295
And we must embrace
genuine Christianity,

27:10.362 --> 27:12.297
with all of our hearts.

27:12.364 --> 27:16.167
It's the hope of humanity--
that time of Christ's

27:16.234 --> 27:18.036
millennial reign on earth.

27:18.103 --> 27:20.839
God speed that day.

27:20.905 --> 27:22.340
Thank you for watching.

27:22.407 --> 27:25.543
And don't forget to order your free literature today,

27:25.610 --> 27:28.146
<i>Satan's Counterfeit Christianity.</i>

27:28.213 --> 27:31.216
It will open your eyes to the deceptions of Satan the devil,

27:31.282 --> 27:35.587
and help you to recognize how to be a true and genuine follower

27:35.653 --> 27:39.858
of Jesus Christ, preparing
for His wonderful Kingdom,

27:39.924 --> 27:41.626
coming soon.

27:41.693 --> 27:44.929
And be sure to join us next time, as Gerald Weston,

27:44.996 --> 27:49.134
Wallace Smith, and I explain the Good news of <i>Tomorrow's World</i>,

27:49.200 --> 27:53.872
and the truth, comfort and hope it can bring to you

27:53.938 --> 27:55.573
and your family.

27:55.640 --> 27:56.608
See you next time.

27:56.674 --> 27:57.475
♪

27:57.542 --> 28:03.848
<i>For today's free</i>
<i>offer call...</i>

28:03.915 --> 28:08.853
<i>Or go to...</i>

28:08.920 --> 28:11.556
<i>Call today and join millions around the world who are</i>

28:11.623 --> 28:15.994
<i>turning to Tomorrow's World for truth, prophecy, and hope</i>

28:16.061 --> 28:18.563
<i>in these confusing times.</i>

28:18.630 --> 28:20.498
<i>The preceding program is produced by the</i>

28:20.565 --> 28:22.167
<i>Living Church of God.</i>

28:22.233 --> 28:24.803
♪
