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THE CULTING OF CHRISTIANITY

 

The Occult Roots of

The Rapture Cult – Part XVI

 

 

 

 

 

Since we have already shown the Sethian writings were contemporary with the early generations of Christians who expounded on the inspired writings which became the Greek New Testament, we note that the Apostles John and Paul both taught that the Spirit of Antichrist was already active in their time.

 

"For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth [restrains] will [restrain], until he be taken out of the way" (II Thessalonians 2:7). 

 

The Apostle John provided a second witness to Paul's "mystery of iniquity," as he also recognized the wicked spirit. In an adjacent point, the fact that John sees the hideous power is already in the world, confirms that it is the same power which Paul calls the mystery of iniquity.

 

"….this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world" (I John 4:1, 3).

 

In following the thread of identity, we see that this mystical presence is directly related in the New Testament writings to the power which brings about what Paul defines as the "falling away."

 

"…there [will] come a falling away first [before the LORD's return], and that man of sin [will] be revealed, the son of perdition…" (II Thessalonians 2:3). 

 

As we've just connected the Pauline "mystery of iniquity" with John's "spirit of antichrist," we can apply the attributes of one to the other. In this regard, it's useful to recognize that New Testament scholars widely assert that John's mention of the Spirit of Antichrist was directly connected to the doctrine of the Gnostics.

 

Most scholars recognize the many variations in Gnostic doctrine were largely related to the Occult attempt to separate the man Jesus from the so-called "Christ spirit." Shrouded in "secret knowledge" consistent with the alleged secret Rapture, this was related to the massive effort made by the Gnostics to deny that JESUS was God in the flesh, thereby denying that His sacrifice on the cross fulfilled the long standing promise of the Father to redeem Israel.

 

In fact, adjacent statements in John's letter demonstrate that John knew a great deal about the Gnostics, and was referring to them in his letters.   

 

"Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world" (I John 4:1, 3).

 

John knew that the leaders of the emerging "Church" that fought the false prophets of Gnosticism were also in grave error, and he described how they were originally in fellowship with the Apostles; but as the Gospel spread, theories about the nature of Christianity and Christ Himself exploded, as ambitious men sought to build alliances of power built around their many interpretations:

 

"…there are many antichrists…they went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us" (I John 2:18, 19).

 

Meanwhile, the Apostle Paul was combating the idea the family of the Jews was still chosen based on their race, as they taught that Christians needed to submit themselves to the Old Covenant practice of circumcision, so that they could be accepted as physical Jews. These men were largely Pharisees, who had supposedly come to believe Jesus was indeed the Saviour, but they wanted to re-assert the rapidly fading racial primacy of the Jews in the new faith:

 

"And certain men which came down from Judaea taught the brethren, and said, Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved" (Acts 15:1).

 

Once again, the doubled threat to the Gospel was found in the Gentile side, which was the object of the relentless assault by the Spiritually wild Gnostics, and the Jewish attempt to re-assert a fleshly primacy of Israel, as these two factions both sought to leaven the New Covenant. Once again, these were/are the "two parts" which are "cut off and die" in Zechariah, whereas the "third part" is the Spirit of the LORD, manifesting the truth in the vessels of honour He has chosen.

 

"And it shall come to pass, that in all the land, saith the Lord, two parts therein shall be cut off and die; but the third shall be left therein. And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people: and they shall say, The Lord is my God" (Zechariah 13:8, 9).

 

If you have ears to hear, the two parts are two halves of the one who is cut off – or taken away in the Olivet Discourse -- and the one who is left is the "third part."

 

As the Gentile believers in Christ came to realize they would never be accepted by the ethnic "Messianic" Jews without adopting the Old Testament customs, they began to see themselves as a "Church" (an assembly) that replaced Israel in God's great plan of salvation. They also found no use for the Apostles, or the emerging generation of disciples following John, Peter, and Paul (the "third part"), as the Spirit led Christians found themselves surrounded by apostasy on all sides, and had no desire to build an empire.

 

With the Gospel assailed by the straight-laced legalist Jews on one side, and the Gentile Gnostics who embraced a potpourri of mysticism (including bizarre ritualistic sexual practices) on the other, the Culting of Christianity was well underway. Faced with rumours, false doctrine, and written forgeries herein described as pseudepigrapha, the Apostle Paul, under the genuine inspiration of the Holy Spirit, wrote to the believers in Thessalonica:

 

"Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together into him, that ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand" (II Thessalonians 2:1, 2).

 

Although modern Rapture Cult scholars theorize the Thessalonian Christians had expected the LORD's return, but were instead dismayed and confused as they had seen several important elders pass away, in view of the fact the Gnostic introduced Rapture Cult doctrine was clearly being propagated in their midst, it's obvious that some were saying the LORD had secretly returned and many had been left behind.

 

In any event, as Jewish sentiments fiercely resisted the steady march of the Gospel of JESUS CHRIST, they saw the Romans as religious rivals as well as military oppressors, and they ultimately revolted. As Roman power moved to crush the rebellion, the Christians led by the Holy Spirit knew that Jerusalem's days were numbered; but the Apostle Paul had taught them that since they were Spiritual Israelites, their Holy City was New Jerusalem in the heavenlies. Coupled with Christ's admonition that when the disciples saw Jerusalem surrounded with armies it would be time for them to flee, when there was a temporary break in the Roman siege, they escaped the city before it was burned to the ground.

 

Those "called the circumcision" who claimed to "believe" in Jesus (Acts 21:20) -- but still considered themselves "the incorruptible race" descended from Seth -- chose to stay in Jerusalem, and they were destroyed in the Roman siege.

 

As we are the only other generation which has ever seen physical "Israel" co-existing at the same time as the "Church," and all the cycles of prophecy are scheduled to run twice, we are not surprised to see the Culting of Christianity occur again, in our time.

 

"Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come" (I Corinthians 10:11).

 

It is the very same Gnostic doctrine of a chosen people based on their flesh and blood lineage -- which separates believers based along racial lines -- that is the foundational abomination of the Rapture Cult. In this fashion, the "Church," functioning in the spirit of the False Prophet inhabited by every abominable doctrine, is ultimately linked with the Spirit of Antichrist found in flesh and blood Israel (the race the Sethians say went astray), and these "two parts" will always oppose the true body of Christ. 

 

"And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: every tree therefore which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear" (Luke 3:9; Matthew 13:43).

-- James Lloyd

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