A Critical Analysis of the True Church of God and the

Apostate Church started by Satan

By Larry Volk

11/4/09

Most people never stop to question what the Bible has to say about the “true” Church of God. Adherents to “traditional Christianity” embrace an antinomian form of Gnostic Christianity that Christ repeatedly condemns through out the pages of the New Testament. The Bible exhorts true Christians to “earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints” (Jude 3). Colossians 2:7, tells us to be “rooted and built up in him, and established in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.” True Christians are urged to be rooted and established in the faith, Jesus the Christ, “once delivered” unto his apostles. Jesus told his Apostles that he would build his Church and that the gates of hell would not prevail against it (Matthew 16:18)   

As the vial of history is pulled back, a strikingly different picture of the “Christian Church” emerges. Traditional Christianity (Catholicism and Protestantism) has a history of compromise; which led to the perversion of the faith, division, and reform. The perversion of the faith led to the Catholic Inquisition and division, which led to religious wars between Catholics and Protestants and reform, which only led to more division and strife. Does the history of traditional Christianity reveal the true Church of God as described in the New Testament; or does it testify to the depths of apostasy and spiritual darkness embracing a lost and deceived world? Colossians 2:8, warns true believers to “beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit (lies), after the tradition of men (Halloween, Christmas, and Easter), after the rudiments (pagan religion) of the world, and not after Christ.” The James Moffatt Translation of The Bible tells us “Apostates (those who would pervert the gospel) praise pagans; the faithful oppose them” (Proverbs 28:4). In the King James Version of the Bible, the word pagan is replaced with the word “wicked.”

The Bible will provide the plain truth to those who are earnestly seeking the truth. Jesus tells us in Revelation 2:29, “He that hath an ear (spiritual understanding), let him hear what the Spirit (Spirit=the resurrected Christ) saith unto the churches.”  

Those seeking the truth should never attempt to interpret the Bible; the Bible will interpret itself. Therein lays the error that most “Bible students” and apostate theologians succumb to.

Remember, God reveals his truths to mankind through properly applying the word of God.  Isaiah 28:10 tells us, “For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little.”

Ø     Jesus the Christ tells us in the gospel of Luke, “Fear not, LITTLE FLOCK, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.”  (Luke 12:32)

Contrast this statement by Our Lord and Savior with the popularity of “traditional Christianity,” (Roman and Protestant worlds) which enjoy worldwide membership. They number their followers in the hundreds of millions. 

Ø     Acts 20:28 tells true believers to “Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over which the Holy Spirit hath made you overseers, to feed the CHURCH OF GOD which he hath purchased with HIS OWN BLOOD.”

The great apostasy, Babylon the Great (Revelation 18:4), “traditional Christianity” was purchased with the BLOOD OF THE SAINTS (Revelation 17: 4-6).

Ø     Ministers in the true Church of God are commanded to “Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly: not for filthy lucre, but of the ready mind” (I Peter 5:2).

Apostate “Christianity” force-feeds its followers through a hierarchical dictatorship rooted in spiritual terrorism. Rome makes the bold claim that there is no salvation outside the church at Rome. Rome denies the supreme authority of scripture, which tells us that, “neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, where by we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). This verse is telling us that there is salvation in NO other name under heaven; but that of our Lord and Savior, Jesus the Christ. Yet, Rome would have you believe that salvation comes only through her “wide gates,” which scripture tells us “is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat” (Matthew 7:13). 

Rome used the might of its hierarchy to control its flock through corrosive ecclesiastical courts, collectively known as the Inquisition, to torture, murder, and confiscate private property in the name of the Church. Mystery Babylon the Great, the Mother of Harlots stands identified (Revelation 17:4-9)!

Notice Ezekiel 34:4, “The diseased have ye not strengthened, neither have ye healed that which was sick, neither have ye bound up that which was broken, neither have ye brought again that which was driven away, neither have ye sought that which was lost; but with FORCE and with CRUELTY have ye (Catholic Church) ruled them.” The Inquisition, excommunication, and interdict are all examples of Rome’s rule by force and cruelty.

Revelation 6:9-11 is a direct reference to the Roman Catholic Inquisition and Protestant courts that tortured and murdered the Saints. Verse 11 warns true believers of another end-time persecution of the Saints. Each of us must count the cost!

Ø     The Holy Scriptures repeatedly tell us that the true Church of God will be hounded, maligned, and persecuted by a great Apostate Church that masquerades as the true Church of God.

In the red letter version of the King James Bible, words of Christ in red, Christians are warned by Christ that “ye shall be HATED of all men for my name’s sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved” (Matthew 10:22 and Mark 13:13).

Jesus warns Christians in Matthew 24:9, telling them: “then shall many be offended (stumble), and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.” This verse is telling us that some Christians will stumble at the pulls of this world, Babylon the Great-the Mother of Harlots. Just as the “true” Church of God was maligned and persecuted down through the ages, so it will be again, at the time of the end. The political and religious systems of the world are collectively called Babylon the Great by your Bible. Revelation 17:4-9 and Revelation 18:4, reveals that the “True Church of God” will be hounded to the point where some Christians, like Judas Iscariot (Matthew 26:14) will betray their brethren because they love their life more than God’s promise of the resurrection and life eternal. 

Those in the Churches of God have been hounded; maligned, and persecuted by this world’s Satan inspired religious system. Members of the Catholic order of the Jesuits infiltrated The Worldwide Church of God with the ultimate goal of subverting the true gospel of Jesus the Christ. Their goal was to bring down the true gospel of Jesus the Christ. All they succeeded in doing was to bring down one Church of God, but in its place hundreds of Churches of God sprang up. God truly works in mysterious ways (Eph. 1:9) to confound the wicked.   

One might ask a very important question at this juncture, why hasn’t Rome worked this hard to bring down the various Protestant Churches throughout the world? The plain truth of the matter is that Rome knows that the Protestant Churches never really left the Roman umbrella of Christian apostasy. The Protestant world still unknowingly, yet proudly flies the Roman banner of apostasy. The mark of Roman apostasy runs throughout the so-called “Protestant” world.  The mark of Rome is visible in the Protestant observance of Sunday as the weekly Sabbath, which is a corruption of the true seventh-day biblical Sabbath established by God at creation (Genesis 2:2-3). The Roman belief in the immortality of the soul is another error embraced by the Protestant world, as it was handed down to Rome from the pre-Christian, i.e. pagan world. The Bible tells us in the book of James to “Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a SOUL from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins” (James 5:20). Rome tells its misguided followers they have immortality inherent, while the Bible plainly tells us that “the SOUL that sins, IT SHALL DIE” (Ezekiel 18:4, 20). The apostle Paul tells us in Romans 2:7 that we are to “…..seek for glory and honour and IMMORTALITY, ETERNAL LIFE.” Why would the apostle Paul tell us to seek after something we already possess? If logic is to prevail, the answer is, he would not! Scripture plainly reveals that we do not have immortality inherent; we are mortal beings, who are admonished by the apostle Paul to “seek after immortality.” Could the truth be any plainer? In I Corinthians 15:53-54, we are told this “corruptible (mortal flesh) must put on incorruption” (immortality). Verse 54 tells us that “death will be swallowed up in victory” at the Resurrection from the dead. 

When does the believer put on incorruption or immortality? At the moment of death, no, the Bible clearly tells us that the dead are sleeping. They are neither in paradise nor suffering the torments or hellfire. John 11:11-14 is a touching account of the pain and anguish felt by those who had lost a loved one. John 11:35 tells us “Jesus wept” over the death of his friend Lazarus.  Jesus told his followers and Martha, Lazarus’ sister, that “Lazarus sleepeth.” Jesus’ disciples misunderstood his words, just like today millions of professing Christians misunderstand his words. His disciples said, “Lord, if he sleep, he shall do well” (John 11:12). Jesus responded by telling his disciples “plainly, Lazarus is dead” (John 11:14). If Lazarus had died and gone to be with the Father in heaven, why would Jesus have “wept” for such a joyous event, knowing Lazarus was in heaven that very day? Why would Jesus resurrect Lazarus in his mortal body once again; only to have him suffer the pain and anguish of physical death a second time? It is simply illogical and unscriptural!

The fact of the matter is, Lazarus was dead and sleeping in his tomb awaiting the resurrection from the dead, which your Bible tells you, is at the last trumpet. I Corinthians 15:52 tells us that “In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the LAST TRUMP: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.”  When does the Bible tell us we will put on immortality? At the “last trump,” which is at the time of Christ’s return to earth, which is memorialized by the yearly observance of the Lord’s feast of Trumpets (Leviticus 23:24). The immortality of the soul lie goes back to Genesis 3:1-17. Notice verse 3 “But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.” Notice verse 4 “And the serpent (Satan) said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die.” Satan called God a lair, and mother Eve believed the lie, which has been handed down to our generation in the form of the immortality of the soul doctrine. God warned Adam and Eve disobedience would lead to death; while Satan said, “Ye shall NOT surely die” and the world has believed this lie for approximately six thousand years. 

The Protestant world believes the Roman lie of an “everlasting hellfire in which sinners burn forever yet never die.” The Bible clearly teaches life eternal for those who overcome and eternal death for those who serve Satan. Romans 6:23 tells us “the wages of SIN is DEATH (not eternal punishing in hellfire for eternity); but the GIFT of God is ETERNAL LIFE through Jesus Christ our Lord.” 

The Protestant world rejects the feasts of the Lord as listed in Leviticus 23, and magnified to a spiritual level in the New Testament; for the pagan inspired holidays of this world, Halloween, Christmas (Mass of Christ), and Easter just to name a few.  

Those who believe the satanic doctrine of the immortality of the soul claim there is a divine element to our nature, just as the pagan world past and present maintains. Yet the Holy Bible tells us in I Timothy 1:17, “Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever Amen.” Those who would attack the Churches of God for teaching the true gospel which tells us we are the children of God and at the resurrection will enter into the God family, teach that they already have immortality inherent-embracing Satan’s lie-“Ye shall not surely die!” 

Think for a minute, if humanity were created with immortality inherent, there would be no need for the sacrifice of our Lord and Saviour Jesus the Christ, because at death the real self simply leaves the body and moves on to the world of spirits. This lie is not only pagan, it is satanic to its very core. The Apostle Paul tells us in II Timothy 1:10 that salvation “is now made manifest by the appearing of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus the Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.” The Roman and Protestant worlds have placed their theological foundation on the “traditions” of the so-called early “Church Fathers” which gave rise to numerous heresies; while the Church of God places its faith in the gospel of Jesus the Christ and in the “faith once delivered unto the saints” (Jude 3).  

Due to the fact that the Church of God has separated itself from the world as commanded in Revelation 18:4, the world hates it and wants to destroy the Church of God (See Matthew 10:22, 24:9, Mark 13:13, Luke 6:22, John 7:7, 15:18, 15:19; 15:24, 17:14, and I John 3:13).

Notice John 15:18 “If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.”  Does the world hate Rome and her daughters? No, it lovingly looks at the Pope as the spiritual leader of the western world. During the middle Ages the Protestant world believed Rome was the wellspring of apostasy. Today, the Protestant world seeks to dialog with the Mother of Harlots (Roman Catholic Church). How true is the age-old euphemism “all Protestant roads lead (back) to Rome?” 

The Protestant world has forgotten the biblical warning of a great apostasy coming in the name of Christ, “but deceiving the many” (Revelation 12:9). The work of the Protestant Reformers was never completed. It failed to restore apostolic Christianity to the Medieval Church calling itself “Christian.” Their failure to separate themselves from Roman heresy has paved the road back to Roman and the Mother of Harlots. They have forgotten their reformation roots and embraced the great apostasy spoken of in scripture (Revelation 17:4-9). Revelation 17:4-9, tells us the great harlot has many daughters. Rome is the Mother and the Protestant professing churches of this world are her many fallen daughters! 

For proof of this statement compare the traditions and beliefs of mother Rome with those of her daughter churches. They came out of her in protest, but never completed the reformation of the faith, having slipped back into apostasy. In short, the work of the reformers was never completed! 

Ø     The Bible warns true Christians to avoid the Christianized pagan apostasy of Rome and her harlot daughters.

Matthew 7:15-16 “Beware of false prophets which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.” “Ye shall know them by their fruits (teachings and doctrines). Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?” The thorns of false doctrine choke off the grapes of the true gospel. 

Matthew 24:4, tells us to “Take heed that no man deceive you.” Deception creeps in like a cancer and consumes the truth.

Matthew 24:9-10, “Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall KILL you: and ye shall be HATED of all nations for my name’s sake.” “And then shall many be offended (stumble), and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.” The world hates the United States because of its past profession of faith. We are viewed by the world as a Christian nation, despite the fact that this nation has turned its back on God. The World Trade Center buildings are a wonderful example of how “all nations hate us for thy name’s sake.”

Matthew 24:9-10, also warns believers that family members will turn them in for reward.

Matthew 24:11, “And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.” Matthew doesn’t say deceive a few hundred thousand, it says the many. Which branch of Christianity makes up the many-Romanism and Protestantism! 

Matthew 24:24, “For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.” True Christians must be grounded in sound biblical doctrine so as not to be swept away with lying signs and wonders performed by false prophets under demonic influence. 

II Thessalonians 2:2, “That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us.” Don’t be troubled by those who claim to have been given a vision while they were in spirit, or by the claim that another gospel has been found. Put your trust in the scriptures “once delivered” (Jude 3).

In Jeremiah 50:6, God tells us his “people have been lost sheep.” Why does God call some of those who earnestly seek him “lost sheep?” The answer, “their SHEPHERDS have caused them to go astray.” In going astray, how have they chosen to worship the one true God? “They have turned them away on the mountains: they have gone from mountain to hill, they have FORGOTTEN their resting place.” Mountains could be a metaphor for Mount Zion, the Kingdom of God. Their “resting place” is a direct reference to the weekly and annual Sabbaths of the Lord our God, as well as the millennium rest to come, at Christ’s return in all power and glory.

Jeremiah 50:6, Matthew 7:21 both issue a strong warning to Christians not to go astray, following after other gospels. Jesus tells us in his own words, “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord shall enter into the Kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.” 

Mark 7:7 very plainly illustrates what kind of worship God hates, “Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrine the commandments of men.” Job 40:8 asks each of us a very thought provoking question, “wilt thou also DISANNUL my judgment?  Wilt thou CONDEMN me (God), that thou MAYEST BE RIGTHEOUS?” 

II Thessalonians 2:3, “Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come except there come a falling away first and the man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition.” As early as the end of the first century, there began a great falling away in the form of the apostate church at Rome and later in her daughter churches during the reformation era (1500s). Another falling away is foretold. The fall of the Worldwide Church of God is just one more fulfillment of the “great falling away” that has been foretold.

II Thessalonians 2:9-12, warns us that Satan will come performing lying wonders, deceiving the many, that they might be damned who believed a lie and had pleasure in unrighteousness (Paraphrased verses 9-12).

I Timothy 4:1-3 talks about the false doctrines of Rome.

·        Verse 1, warns believers about “departing from the faith once delivered, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils.” We have already discussed numerous doctrines of devils taught by Rome.

·        Verse 2, tells us these false doctrines can be classified as “speaking lies in hypocrisy.” 

·        Verse 3, tells us some will “forbid to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth.” The Catholic Church forbids its priests to marry, saying it is better for them to go in to a harlot. A little known fact of history, the Church at Rome condemned marriage during the medieval era, as a filthy satanic institution, necessary only for the perpetuation of humanity. Rome also tells its followers not to eat meats God gave humanity to eat, while telling men to eat swine’s flesh when God commanded mankind not to eat of it. Isaiah 66:17 tells us “They (apostate Christianity) sanctify themselves, and purify themselves in the gardens behind one tree in the midst, eating SWINE’S FLESH, and the abomination, and the MOUSE, shall be consumed together, saith the Lord.”  Traditional Christianity boldly professes it is “delivered” to eat all the abominations spoken of in Isaiah 66:17 through its antinomian (Lawless theology of Romanism and Protestantism), Gnostic twisting of the word of God. 

Traditional Christianity (Apostate Christianity) praises the pagan!  Moffatt Translation Proverbs 28:4

The Bible clearly condemns antinomian theology as Gnostic heresy parading as Christian. Jude 4, “….ungodly men, turning the GRACE of our God into LASCIVIOUSNESS, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.” How do Catholics and Protestants deny the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ? Jesus Christ is the Lawgiver, and by denying the law, they deny the Lawgiver! The apostle Paul condemns antinomian “Christianity” in Romans 10:2-3 when he tells us, “For I bear them record that they have a ZEAL OF GOD, but NOT ACCORDING TO KNOWLEDE.”  “For they being IGNORANT OF GOD’S RIGHTEOUSNESS, and going about to ESTABLISH THEIR OWN RIGTEOUSNESS, have not SUBMITTED THEMSELVES unto the RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD.” Acts 21:20 tells us that Paul gloried in the fact that “many thousands of Jews there are which believe; and they are all zealous of the LAW.” Paul told new converts to “walk orderly, and keep the law” (Acts 21:24, last part). 

What does the Apostle John tell us the test of a true believe is? It can be found in I John 2:3-4 “And hereby we do know that we know him, if we KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS.” “He that saith I know him, and KEEPETH NOT HIS COMMANDMENTS, is a LIAR and the TRUTH IS NOT IN HIM.”

The great Apostasy has a form of godliness, but denies the “true knowledge according to scripture.” Traditional Christianity denies “sin is the transgression of the law,” boldly declaring that Jesus delivered us from the Law. Jesus did not deliver us from the law; he delivered us from the curse of the law, which is sin. As Christians, upon repentance and baptism, Jesus is “set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remissions of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God.” Romans 3:25. Paul tells us in Romans 3:20, last part, “for by the law is the knowledge of sin.” Why would God do away with the knowledge of sin? He wouldn’t! God does not save us in our sins as “traditional Christianity” would have us believe; he saves us from our past sins and tells us to sin no more. As Christians, we still stumble and give into the pulls of the flesh from time to time. During those times of temptation, if we sin, we must go before the mercy seat of God and ask God’s forgiveness.    

Ø     God has a very stern warning for all “Christians” who embrace antinomian “Christianity.”

Proverbs 28:7  “Whoso keepeth the law is a wise son: but he that is a companion of riotous men shameth his father.”

Proverbs 29:9  “He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be abomination.”

Job 40:8  “Wilt thou also disannul my judgment? Wilt though condemn me, that thou mayest be righteous?” Go back and compare Job 40:8 with Romans 10:2-3

What is the beginning of wisdom?

Psalm 111:10 “The fear (reverend respect) of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth for ever.”

The Roman Catholic Church and Antinomian (Anti-Law keeping) Protestantism would have us believe that the New Covenant is belief/grace based. In other words, just make a public profession of faith and you are saved in your sins and not from your sins.

Compare this common belief with what the Bible tells us about the New Covenant that Christ will establish at his “Second Coming.” Micah 4:2, tells us “And many nations shall come, and say, Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, and to the house of the God of Jacob; and he (God) will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for the ‘LAW’ shall go forth of Zion, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.”

Now compare Micah’s (Old Testament) statement with that of the author of the book of Hebrews (New Testament). Hebrews 8:10-11 tells us “for this is the COVENANT that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my LAWS INTO THEIR MIND, and WRITE THEM IN THEIR HEARTS: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people:” “And they shall not teach every man his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, know the Lord: FOR ALL SHALL KNOW THE LORD (Micah 4:2): for all shall know me (God), from the least to the greatest.”

Hebrews 10:16, tells us “This is the Covenant that I will make with them after those days (man’s six thousand year misrule of himself), saith the Lord, I will put MY LAWS INTO THEIR HEARTS, and in THEIR MINDS will I WRITE them.” 

Those who lovingly embrace The Law of God and submit their human sinful nature to the Lord God shall take their place in the soon to come Kingdom of God, which will be on earth-not in heaven! Once we submit our sinful nature to God’s righteous and holy law, we will be granted by grace (unmerited pardon) the right of son and daughter-ship in the kingdom of God.

The Bible makes it very clear that those who reject the ten commandments of God, lack wisdom and understanding, therefore they cannot know God (Psalms 111:10)!

In the Book of Revelation, we are told that the true saints of God “KEEP THE COMMANDMENTS OF GOD, and have the TESTIMONY OF JESUS CHRIST” (Revelation 12:17 and 14:12).  

God tells us very clearly in Revelation 12:17 and 14:12 that only those who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus will have the right to the tree of life!  Revelation 22:14, tells us, “Blessed are they that DO HIS COMMANDMENTS, that they may have RIGHT to the TREE OF LIFE, and may enter in through the gates into the city.”

Will you place your faith in the Bible and the faith once delivered (Jude 3), or in the fables and traditions of antinomian, Gnostic “Christianity” that will be cast into the lake of fire, which is the second death at Christ’s second coming (Revelation 20:14 and Revelation 21:8)?

The true Church of God is prophesized by your Bible to be a small hounded, maligned, and persecuted Church. Have you found the true Church of God; or have you found comfort in the heresy-ridden churches of “traditional Christianity” (Romanism and Protestantism). God commands each of us to make a choice between life and death, christianized apostasy; or the truth once delivered! Mother, Babylon the Great (The Roman Catholic Church) and her harlot daughters (The Antinomian Protestant world) will have their part in the lake of fire. The Church of God bears the sign of God by keeping his commandments and holding true to the testimony of Jesus the Christ through the faith once delivered (Jude 3). Do you bear the sign of God in your mind and heart? Do you keep the commandments and hold true the testimony of Jesus the Christ through the faith once delivered? My friends the choice is yours, the world’s apostate “Christianity” and false gospel based on grace taken out of biblical context or the faith once delivered that leads to eternal life. Choose wisely!