Church of God News

‘White Horseman’ (Wikipedia)

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Jesus warned:

4 … Take heed that no one deceives you. 5 For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many. (Matthew 24:4-5)

The Book of Revelation tells of the rider of a white horse:

1 Now I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals; and I heard one of the four living creatures saying with a voice like thunder, “Come and see.” 2 And I looked, and behold, a white horse. He who sat on it had a bow; and a crown was given to him, and he went out conquering and to conquer. (Revelation 6:1-2)

In 1973, the old Worldwide Church of God taught:

A Counterfeit Creeps In

The very first world development Jesus Christ warns about is the advent of many false preachers, misleading and deceiving the many, not the few.  This condition began immediately after Christ’s death and resurrection.  The Apostle Paul warned that the spirit of iniquity was already working, even as he wrote.

Jude, the younger brother of Jesus Christ, exhorted early Christians to “earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.  For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness” (Jude 3, 4).

In the first century true Christians witnessed a counterfeit Christianity creeping in, deceiving many.  Such religious deception has now increased in intensity until the whole world has become deceived about the true message of Christ.  By the time of the end, your Bible says that Satan the devil “deceiveth the whole world” (Rev. 12:9).

There is no greater sign of this universal ignorance about God than the misunderstanding of who the first horseman of Revelation 6 actually represents.

“Another Christ”

It is true that the white horse represents a Christ, but it is a false Christ. It is true that the first horseman represents a gospel and a church, but it is a false gospel and a false church—all in the name of Jesus Christ, but in truth a deception and a counterfeit. Jesus Christ says so Himself in Matthew 24, and the Apostle Paul amplified Christ’s words very plainly in II Corinthians 11.

“I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.  For if he that cometh preaches another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted” they might be deceived.  “For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ.  And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.  Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works” (II Cor. 11:3-4, 13-15).

Your Bible identifies Satan’s ministers as being professing Christians! They don’t appear Satanic, of course. They appear as “angels of light.” They look like the white horse of Christ’s return, but they are in truth a clever counterfeit of the true Christ.

Paul isn’t warning us against obviously false religions—such as pagan animism. Eastern occult sects, outright Satan worship, or bizarre semi-Christian cults—but rather against a subtle counterfeit.  Counterfeits, like bogus money, attempt to be as close as possible to the original, yet with subtle flaws discernible only to experts.  Counterfeit Christianity is the same.  It may appear Biblical or Christ-like, but subtle flaws exist throughout its beliefs.

The horseman aboard the white horse in Revelation 6 is just such a subtle counterfeit…

All three of the remaining horsemen, however, have their basis in this world’s false Christian religions…

If you are still part of this world’s religious Babylon, this very book of Revelation warns you to, “Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues” (Rev. 18:4). To escape the following three horsemen, come out of the first horseman: counterfeit Christianity—the root cause of war, famine and pestilence prophesied to come on all mankind during your lifetime! (Alexander G. The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. Ambassador College Press, Pasadena (CA), 1973, pp. 14-16,19)

A compromised religion calling itself Christian has been perceived by many as the true and faithful Christian religion.

Around 1918, COG-type Sabbatarian G.G. Rupert wrote:

Christ…is king of his people and head of the one true church.  All other organizations are but imitations and counterfeits…they are left under the influence of Satan to practice every deception under the name Christianity that Satan wishes them to do and teach…We say that the Greek, the Roman, and the Protestant organizations are all the daughters of modern Babylon, the Baal woman, who is the representative of the work of Satan in every age. (Rupert GG. The Seven Churches. Union Publishing Company, c. 1918, pp. 5,10, 22)

Getting back to that same 1973 booklet, the old WCG also taught:

The long-term condition of false religion described above will culminate in the end-time fulfillment of the white horseman of Revelation 6, in the person of a great False Prophet…He will signal the beginning of sorrows: the first horseman. (Alexander G, p. 17)

This horseman will work to conquer the truth. A ‘white’ horse indicates that the message will look good to others. But the Apostle Paul warned about that:

12 But what I do, I will also continue to do, that I may cut off the opportunity from those who desire an opportunity to be regarded just as we are in the things of which they boast. 13 For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. 14 And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. 15 Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works. (2 Corinthians 11:12-15)

Paul is warning that people will claim to be true Christian leaders and that those leaders will try to come across as ministers of righteousness, but instead be on Satan’s side.

The late Pastor General of the old Worldwide Church of God, Herbert W. Armstrong, taught:

The first horseman is not the coming of Christ; it was the false Christ deceiving the people. For one thing, it was long after Christ had come. John wrote this in 90 AD and Christ had come, and was crucified, and gone to heaven in 31 AD. So you see it’s talking of something else, not something that had happened. This is a prophecy for the future. (Armstrong HW. Revelation – Closed Book Until the End. http://www.hwalibrary.com/cgi-bin/get/hwa.cgi?action=getbroadcast&InfoID=1371308958 accessed 09/05/17)

Many in the old Worldwide Church of God seemed to believe that the four horsemen began their ride in the first century, yet, the predominant position in its literature was that the horsemen had not began their ride, but it was for the future. And in the latter portion of the 20th century that ride still was. But that changed. There was an agreement between the Roman Catholics and Lutherans in 1999, but little seemed to change from that for a time (see also Beware: Protestants Going Towards Ecumenical Destruction!). But since then, in the 21st century, we have seen events suggesting that the white horse is moving about.

In his newsletter today, former Roman Catholic Mike Gendron had the following:

A multi-faith “higher committee” was announced last month to implement the “Human Fraternity” document signed by Pope Francis and a Grand Imam. It stated a “pluralism and diversity” of religions is “willed by God.” Some Catholics were critical of the pope because it contradicts a long standing Catholic teaching that there is no salvation outside of the Catholic Church.

I reported about the above recently (see Multi-faith committee set up to spread Pope Francis’ claim that God wills ‘diversity of religions’).

Anyway, this is in line with the rider of the white horse of the 6th chapter of the Apocalypse (also known as the Book of Revelation).

Furthermore, Mike Gendronalso had the following in his news letter today:

Pope Francis named a new archbishop for the French city of Marseille. Bishop Jean-Marc Aveline is best known for his commitment to “Islamic-Christian dialogue.” In 2017, Aveline was named president of the Council for Interreligious Relations of the French Bishops’ Conference. The Islamic-Christian dialogue is an effort to search for common truths in both faiths for the sake of convergence, while avoiding their incompatibility. Some hailed the nomination as proof of the pope’s push for “interreligious and ecumenical dialogue” in an “open Church.”

While true Christianity and Islam are biblically incompatible, let’s see some statements from the Catechism of the Catholic Church from the Vatican’s official website http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p123a9p3.htm accessed February 14, 2019:

841 The Church’s relationship with the Muslims. “The plan of salvation also includes those who acknowledge the Creator, in the first place amongst whom are the Muslims; these profess to hold the faith of Abraham, and together with us they adore the one, merciful God, mankind’s judge on the last day.”³³⁰

842 The Church’s bond with non-Christian religions is in the first place the common origin and end of the human race:

All nations form but one community. This is so because all stem from the one stock which God created to people the entire earth, and also because all share a common destiny, namely God. His providence, evident goodness, and saving designs extend to all against the day when the elect are gathered together in the holy city. . .³³¹

843 The Catholic Church recognizes in other religions that search, among shadows and images, for the God who is unknown yet near since he gives life and breath and all things and wants all men to be saved. Thus, the Church considers all goodness and truth found in these religions as “a preparation for the Gospel and given by him who enlightens all men that they may at length have life.”³³²

So it is not just Pope Francis, the Vatican officially claims that the Muslims and Catholics adore the same deity.

It is that type of ‘Chrislam’ that the Vatican and various others wish to promote.

The Bible warns:

14 Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? 15 And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? 16 And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said:

“I will dwell in them
And walk among them.
I will be their God,
And they shall be My people.”

17 Therefore

“Come out from among them And be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, And I will receive you. 18 ‘I will be a Father to you, And you shall be My sons and daughters, Says the Lord Almighty.” (2 Corinthians 6:14-18)

If that is not strong enough language to discourage real Christians from Chrislam, perhaps the following will get even professors of Christ to consider it as a problem:

4 Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. (James 4:4)

1 One of the seven angels that had the seven bowls came to speak to me, and said, ‘Come here and I will show you the punishment of the great prostitute who is enthroned beside abundant waters, 2 with whom all the kings of the earth have prostituted themselves, and who has made all the population of the world drunk with the wine of her adultery.’ 3 He took me in spirit to a desert, and there I saw a woman riding a scarlet beast which had seven heads and ten horns and had blasphemous titles written all over it. 4 The woman was dressed in purple and scarlet and glittered with gold and jewels and pearls, and she was holding a gold winecup filled with the disgusting filth of her prostitution; 5 on her forehead was written a name, a cryptic name: ‘Babylon the Great, the mother of all the prostitutes and all the filthy practices on the earth.’ 6 I saw that she was drunk, drunk with the blood of the saints, and the blood of the martyrs of Jesus; and when I saw her, I was completely mystified. (Revelation 17:1-6, NJB)

9 ‘This calls for shrewdness. The seven heads are the seven hills, on which the woman is sitting…18 The woman you saw is the great city which has authority over all the rulers on earth.’ (Revelation 17:9,18, NJB)

The Church of Rome keeps pushing what I and some others have called Chrislam–and it has taken many actions in 2019.

The picture below shows one way that the Vatican has been pushing it this year:

‘Chrislam Cross’ (Vatican News)

The prophet Amos was inspired to write:

3 Can two walk together, unless they are agreed? (Amos 3:3)

The answer to that question is “No.”

We put together a related video related to the signing of an agreement between the Church of Rome, some of its daughters, and some in Islam:

15:31

Pope Francis signs ‘one world religion’ document!

On February 4, 2019, at the ‘ Global Conference on Human Fraternity,’ Pope Francis and leading Sunni Imam Sheikh Ahmed al-Tayeb signed a document that some suspect may lead towards a “one world religion.” The World Council of Churches (WCC) General Secretary, Dr Olav Fykse Tveit, who also attended, pushed for religious leaders and institutions to push towards a particular cooperative agenda to help bring world peace. Will there be real peace or just a temporary one? Will destruction come to the USA and nations in the Middle East and North Africa? What will be some characteristics of this “one world religion’? Will all have the same religious practices? Might it have commonalities with the ancient Roman Empire? The Grand Mosque in the UAE was renamed “Mary, Mother of Jesus.” Will Catholic, Islamic, and even Hindu reverence for Marian figures play a role? Is that part of the plan? Should real Christians support the interfaith and ecumenical agendas or remain separate from them? What does the Bible teach? What did Jesus teach? Dr. Thiel addresses these issues and more.

Here is a link to that video: Pope Francis signs ‘one world religion’ document!

We later put together a related video related to the Chrislam Cross and the interfaith movement:

What is Chrislam? What are the two forms of it? Did the Vatican unveil the Chrislam Cross? How does it look? Are Christianity and Islam theologically compatible? What does the ‘Catechism of the Catholic Church’ say? What about the Bible and the Quran? Did Pope Francis and Sunni Imam Sheikh Ahmed al-Tayeb sign an important interfaith document on February 4, 2019? Do biblical and Islamic prophecies point to a deal between the Europeans and Arabs that will be broken? Do Catholic and Islamic writings support the view that Mary and/or apparitions of ‘Mary’ may lead to temporary cooperation between the Arabs and Europeans? Will such cooperation bring lasting peace or war? Have any of the Eastern Orthodox warned of the danger in using ‘Mary’ to push the interfaith and ecumenical movements? Is there a ‘Mary, Mother of Jesus mosque? Should you wish to be part of the Chrislam movement? What does the Bible teach? Dr. Thiel addresses these issues and more.

Here is a link to the sermonette video: The Chrislam Cross and the Interfaith Movement.

While I do not expect this Chrislam cross symbol to be the Mark of the Beast, its use of the type of cross is reminiscent of the claimed cross in Emperor Constantine’s vision in the fourth century. It was described as:

A long spear, overlaid with gold, formed the figure of the cross by means of a transverse bar laid over it. (Eusebius. Life of Constantine, Chapter XXXI. Internet Medieval Source Book. Accessed 02/14/19)

So, it was not what would have been the implement used to kill Jesus. Nor is the ‘Chrislam cross.’

Anyway, it was the result of that vision that Emperor Constantine ordered his troops to paint crosses on their shields–a practice that was retained throughout the time of the Crusades (see also What is the Origin of the Cross as a ‘Christian’ Symbol?).

As far as deals between the Catholics of Europe and the Muslims of the Middle East and North Africa go, that is foretold in biblical as well as Islamic prophecies.

The Bible tells of a deceptive deal that will be made between the European King of the North (also called the Beast in Revelation 13:1-10) and the Middle East/North African King of the South:

15 … the king of the North … 25 … king of the South …

27 Both these kings’ hearts shall be bent on evil, and they shall speak lies at the same table; but it shall not prosper, for the end will still be at the appointed time. (Daniel 11:15,25,27)

Leaders from Europe and the Muslim countries are going to make a deal that will be against the end time descendants of Israel:

3 They have taken crafty counsel against Your people,
And consulted together against Your sheltered ones.
4 They have said, “Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation,
That the name of Israel may be remembered no more.”

5 For they have consulted together with one consent;
They form a confederacy against You:
6 The tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites;
Moab and the Hagrites;
7 Gebal, Ammon, and Amalek;
Philistia with the inhabitants of Tyre;
8 Assyria also has joined with them;
They have helped the children of Lot. (Psalm 83:3-8)

The ‘Assyria’ reference is related to Germanic Europe (see also Germany’s Assyrian Roots Throughout History). The peoples forming the confederacy currently dominate Turkey, the Middle East, and Northern Africa (see also Is the Future King of the South Rising Up?).

So, do not think that all of the dialogue between the Greco-Roman-Protestants and Muslims will end well.

Not only will the USA (Daniel 11:39) and its British-descended allies (Daniel 8:24-25) be conquered, so, ultimately will be the forces of Islam in the Middle East and North Africa (cf. Daniel 11:40-43).

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This entry was posted on Sunday, September 1st, 2019 at 7:45 am and is filed under Religious News.

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