Jerald Finney
February 27, 2023

Bible teaching on heresy and apostasy (from God Betrayed, published in 2008):

• Heresy and apostasy
• Church Incorporation, 501(c)(3), Heresy, and Apostasy
• Recent Accelerated Apostasy in the United States
• Apostasy at the end of the church age
• For more on church apostasy, see The Bible Doctrine of the Church

Tracts:

• The Essence of the Emerging Church
• What Does the Bible Say About the Charismatic Movement
• New Evangelicalism Is Dangerous

Every year for decades, Christ has removed the candlesticks of untold numbers of traditional American “Bible Believing Churches,” churches who do not have the power of God. Those churches are either ceasing to exist or going into apostasy (Emerging Church, Charismatic Movement, etc.). Sadly, most believers and churches have no clue as to why this is happening since they have not diligently studied and applied God’s Word. “Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God” (Matthew 22:29). Without knowing the Scriptures, a church cannot have the power of God. Christ does not come upon churches unawares. He admonishes before chastising, warns before laying waste.

Many of these “Bible Believing Churches” revel in their good works.  See, Revelation 2:2-3, 6. God tells a church who is doing a lot of good works, but has left her first love: “Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent” (Revelation 2:5).

One first work involves falling in love with, studying and applying God’s Word. The church who does so will find her zeal for the Lord renewed; she will seek to purify her holy relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ; she will watch, fast, pray, reprove sin, carefully attend all the ordinances of God, walk as in His sight, and rest not till she has recovered all her lost ground, and got back the evidence of her acceptance with her Bridegroom.