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Nearly 2,000 years ago, the apostle Paul prophesied that the time would come "when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths." (2 Timothy 4:3-4)
Certainly, Paul was speaking of the great apostasy that would plague the church in the end times. Apostasy is nothing new to the church. It's been around for 2,000 years and it's worn many different masks.
However, the apostasy that Paul warned of would have a demonic origin. In his first letter to fellow apostle Timothy, he wrote this: "The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons." (1 Timothy 4:1)
How can we define the "later times"? The later times are the end times, or the last days preceding the return of Jesus Christ. When did they begin? They began in the 19th century when such cults as the Watchtower Society (Jehovah's Witnesses), the Latter Day Saints (Mormon Church) and Christian Science appeared.
Why did these groups suddenly appear? Because the Christian church lost its faith and became weak and ineffectual in its propagation of the gospel. That started with the European denominations that began to doubt the Bible as the inerrant word of God. Once the Bible was marginalized, aberrant doctrines and dangerous heresies began to creep in. And when that happened, Jesus Christ was no longer considered the Son of God and "the Way and the Truth and the Life" (John 14:6) but rather just another holy man or an ancient Gandhi.
Not all aberrant movements sprang up in the 19th century. The Unitarian Movement, that began in Europe in the 16th century, denies the Trinity and claims that God is a single being, which is similar to Islam's definition of God. Unitarians also don't believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.
The Unitarian movement gave birth to the Unitarian-Universalist movement in the 19th century. Unitarian-Universalism is an ecumenical religious worldview that claims all paths lead to God. According to Unitarian-Universalism, animists, Buddhists, Christians, fire-worshipers, pagans, Hindus, Muslims, Jews, Taoists etc. all draw from the same universal truths about God, nature and the universe.
Here's what Unitarian-Universalists believe about God: The word "God" is much abused. Far too often, the word seems to refer to a kind of granddaddy in the sky or a super magician. To avoid confusion, many Unitarian Universalists are more apt to speak of "reverence for life" (in the words of Albert Sweitzer, a Unitarian), of the spirit of love or truth, of the holy, or of the gracious. Many also prefer such language because it is inclusive; it is used with integrity by theist and non-theist members.
For Unitarian-Universalists, God is whoever or whatever you want Him to be. He can be a real being; He can be an energy force, or He can even be a she (goddess). He can be nature itself; He can be the cosmos, or, if you like, He can be an imaginary being.
Though that appeals to many folks, our imaginations don't determine who God is. Then what does? Historical, prophetic evidence declares who God is. Paul wrote this: "The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse." (Romans 1:18-20)
The real danger of ecumenical, kumbaya religions such as Unitarian-Universalism is that they can't save your soul. They're all about making you feel good at the expense of truth. In fact, they deny the ultimate truth of mankind's fallen nature and the need for redemption through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Christ said this to a group of unbelieving Jews that mocked and scorned Him: "You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world. I told you that you would die in your sins; if you do not believe that I am he (Messiah), you will indeed die in your sins." (John 8:23-24)
Unitarian-Universalists denounce those who believe that Jesus Christ is the exclusive path to God and eternal life as ignorant fundamentalists. But who's really ignorant? Those who embrace the historical, prophetic evidence of Christ's life, ministry, death and resurrection? Or, those who put their faith and trust in religious movements that offer hope without any tangible evidence?
What's the evidence for Christ? Over 300 prophecies recorded in the Old Testament that point to Christ as the Messiah and Savior of the world. For example, Christ's virgin birth (Isaiah 7:14), His life, death ministry and resurrection (Isaiah 53), and His birthplace in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2) were all prophesied several centuries before He appeared on earth.
The apostle Peter, who walked with Christ, wrote this: "We also have the prophetic message as something completely reliable, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation of things. For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit." (2 Peter 1:19-21)
As a wise man once said: Evidence is the alpha and the omega of truth, but ideology is the wisdom of fools.
Here's what Unitarian-Universalists believe about God: The word "God" is much abused. Far too often, the word seems to refer to a kind of granddaddy in the sky or a super magician. To avoid confusion, many Unitarian Universalists are more apt to speak of "reverence for life" (in the words of Albert Sweitzer, a Unitarian), of the spirit of love or truth, of the holy, or of the gracious. Many also prefer such language because it is inclusive; it is used with integrity by theist and non-theist members.
For Unitarian-Universalists, God is whoever or whatever you want Him to be. He can be a real being; He can be an energy force, or He can even be a she (goddess). He can be nature itself; He can be the cosmos, or, if you like, He can be an imaginary being.
Though that appeals to many folks, our imaginations don't determine who God is. Then what does? Historical, prophetic evidence declares who God is. Paul wrote this: "The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse." (Romans 1:18-20)
The real danger of ecumenical, kumbaya religions such as Unitarian-Universalism is that they can't save your soul. They're all about making you feel good at the expense of truth. In fact, they deny the ultimate truth of mankind's fallen nature and the need for redemption through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Christ said this to a group of unbelieving Jews that mocked and scorned Him: "You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world. I told you that you would die in your sins; if you do not believe that I am he (Messiah), you will indeed die in your sins." (John 8:23-24)
Unitarian-Universalists denounce those who believe that Jesus Christ is the exclusive path to God and eternal life as ignorant fundamentalists. But who's really ignorant? Those who embrace the historical, prophetic evidence of Christ's life, ministry, death and resurrection? Or, those who put their faith and trust in religious movements that offer hope without any tangible evidence?
What's the evidence for Christ? Over 300 prophecies recorded in the Old Testament that point to Christ as the Messiah and Savior of the world. For example, Christ's virgin birth (Isaiah 7:14), His life, death ministry and resurrection (Isaiah 53), and His birthplace in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2) were all prophesied several centuries before He appeared on earth.
The apostle Peter, who walked with Christ, wrote this: "We also have the prophetic message as something completely reliable, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation of things. For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit." (2 Peter 1:19-21)
As a wise man once said: Evidence is the alpha and the omega of truth, but ideology is the wisdom of fools.
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