HOW SEEKERS ARE DISTRACTED BEFORE REGENERATION
AWAKENING. The call of Christ to follow him= AWAKENING (is not conversion)
LEARNING The pilgrimage of the disciple is ‘hearing and LEARNING of the Father’ (is not conversion)
The wily practices of the pulpit-personality-cult-leader
Among certain sects clergy skilfully produce subtle mystical moods by exciting extra-sensory emotions. Increasingly a growing number, use the euphoric art to mesmerize a religious crowd.
They borrow the euphoric mass catatonic art used by primitive spiritists and animist tribes, leading to involuntary verbal ejaculations and aberrant body movements.
With this carefully tailored skill gullible congregations accustomed to phenomenological signs of the paranormal become prey to personality cult leaders. These false prophets masquerade as ministers of Christ and are described by the prophet in Ezekiel Chapters 13 and 34.
Other leaders of mega churches use positivist psychology, subtle background music, and stage song leaders who have been trained to produce an air of expectancy awaiting mystical manifestations.
Some revel in promoting transitory out-of-body experiences as signs of blessing and their own individual power with God.
King Saul who was troubled by an evil spirit manifested these states dramatically. Similar behavioural manifestations are often encountered in primitive civilizations.
Many of the claims by current day churches to the manifestation of the Holy Spirit arte doubtful indeed. This is why the apostle John warns the saints to try the spirits to see whether they are of God. Members of Churchianity will be gulled, because they are goats or pilgrim goats. The sheep, however, will not be deceived by the multitude of hirelings that pose as pastors in the pulpits of Christendom.
THE EMOTIONAL SIDE TRACK
When the seeker is misled this way into Christianity he ceases to seek God wholeheartedly. He mistakes the magic of water-wine-wafer sacraments to be divine; or repeats the words of prompted declarations and prayers; or makes a one-time impetuous emotional response to a preacher, as the way to become a Christian. But “they that seek me shall find me.” “They that hunger and thirst after righteousness shall be filled.” “There is a way that seems right unto man, but the tends thereof are the ways of death.” “On that day many shall say, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not done mighty works in your name’. Jesus will said the answer will be: ‘Depart from me for I never knew you’.”
ABORTED PILGRIMAGE
This is all the more tragic when the pilgrim, after the first two stages, stops short of the goal,: namely, enlightenment, repentance, faith, hope and love. These are instilled as gifts from the risen Lord and usher the seeker into real Christianity.
Freewill is a humanistic path crediting man with an ability and faith he does not possess. The average churchman conveniently compresses all three stages of the pilgrimage into one sacrament; one affirmation, or one emotional experience decision.
Millions of pilgrims abort their journey to become spurious Christians each day when they are misled by priest, minister, preacher or evangelist. Once they stop seeking their hope lies alone in false hope and the limit of their taste of the kingdom is awareness of the Lord’s eternal presence WITH them: eternal life.
They have a form of godliness, but not the regenerating indwelling Holy Spirit WITHIN them. As such even morality and upright purpose falls short of eternal life.