Finding Jesus in the Bible…So We Can Follow Him in Life
Bible Reading Plans
- Plan One: New Testament Only
- Plan Two: New Testament + Psalms
- Plan Three: New Testament + History
- Plan Four: The Entire Bible – Year 1 of 3, Year 2 of 3, Year 3 of 3
Don’t know which plan? Go to A Christ-Centered Bible Reading Plan: Quick Start.
Extras
Verse of the Day, Audio Capsule, and Video Minute
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(Today’s Book Installment)
The One True Church
Chapter 45 – Mark 9 of 10: The Great Apostasy
For context’s sake, recall “Chapter 31 – Apostasy in the 1st-Century Church – Prophesied” and “Chapter 32 – Apostasy in the 1st-Century Church – Fulfilled.”
Recall also from the previous chapter that tribulation coincided with apostasy. In fact, the greater the tribulation, the greater the apostasy. That is, the greater the persecution, the costlier it becomes to maintain faith in, and love for, Jesus. Obviously, this loss of zeal limits one’s spiritual insight.
Recall also that a majority of the churches addressed in the book of Revelation were told that they were not on track to recognize the kingdom when it came.
If we can’t understand how a majority of the late 1st-century church could be on the wrong track, then we’re not fully appreciating just how great the tribulation and apostasy were at that time.
In light of this, consider now the concept of the Second Coming as a thief in the night as it was first given by Jesus, and later reinforced by the apostles and even Jesus Himself.
Matthew 24:42 “Therefore be on the alert, for you do not know which day your Lord is coming.
Matthew 24:43 But be sure of this, that if the head of the house had known at what time of the night the thief was coming, he would have been on the alert and would not have allowed his house to be broken into.
Matthew 24:44 For this reason you also must be ready; for the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not think He will.
1 Thessalonians 5:2 For you yourselves know full well that the day of the Lord will come just like a thief in the night.
2 Peter 3:10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief…
Revelation 3:3 …Therefore if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come to you.
The New Testament repeatedly makes clear that the Second Coming would be recognized by those who were believing, but missed by those who were unbelieving. That is, it would be seen by those spiritual enough to see it, but not by those who were still fleshly and therefore dull to spiritual realities.
As a result of the great apostasy, the bulk of church leaders fell into the well-intentioned error of Aaron and the golden calf. That is, they diverted the people’s attention from what they could not see to something they could see. That is, they made an idol of the physical church when they didn’t see Jesus physically return.
No wonder the apostle John, after writing the first sentence below, concluded his letter with the second.
1 John 2:18 Children, it is the last hour; and just as you heard that antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have appeared; from this we know that it is the last hour.
1 John 5:21 Little children, guard yourselves from idols.
The great apostasy defined the institutional church. And thus “the blessed hope” of the movement that preceded it was deferred into the indefinite future.
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