Of the Ungodly and False Church

Where God builds a temple, says the old proverb, there the devil builds another one against it. This has been plain ever since the beginning of the world. For at the same time that Abel became a martyr of God, and therefore a good leader of the children of God, Cain made himself a murderer, and became a leader of the children of Satan, who belong to the ungodly and false church, as members of one body. Genesis 4, verse 8.

He was followed by Lamech, one of Cain's descendants, who killed a young man, and afterwards spoke of it to his wives Addah and Zillah in a boasting and presumptuous manner. Genesis 4, verse 23.

The people of the first world, all of them except eight, followed in the footsteps of Lamech in wickedness; they practiced tyranny, violence, and oppression, and would not be governed by the Spirit of God. Genesis 6, verses 3 and 4.

The Sodomites followed the same course, vexing the righteous soul of Lot from day to day with their unbecoming way of life. Genesis 19; Second Peter 2, verse 8.

These were followed by the Egyptians, who laid grievous and unbearable burdens upon the people of God, and finally sought their lives, indeed pursued them even into the sea. Compare Exodus 1, verse 11 with Exodus 14, verses 9, 10, and 23.

After these came the seven nations, or inhabitants, of the land of Palestine, who were greater and mightier than the children of Israel, but were banished by God because of their wickedness; namely the Canaanites, Hittites, Girgashites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, Jebusites, and so on. Deuteronomy 7, verses 1 and 2.

After these the Amorites, Moabites, Midianites, Philistines, and many others showed themselves, who disturbed, oppressed, and harassed in many ways the people of God, which was living in quiet. See throughout the book of Judges, the books of Samuel, the Kings, and the Chronicles.

The Chaldeans, Assyrians, and the inhabitants of the land of Babylon followed those already mentioned; they carried the church of God away into foreign lands, burned the house of God, and laid waste the city of Jerusalem, which God had chosen above all the cities of the whole earth. Second Kings 1 to 17; Jeremiah 52, verses 1 to 20; Lamentations 1, verses 1 to 5.

The mighty cities Tyre and Sidon, in Phoenicia, and afterwards Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum, which defied the world itself with their greatness, and cast the threatenings of God to the wind, lifted up their heads after those last mentioned, but to their own destruction. Compare Isaiah 23, verses 4 and 5; Ezekiel 27 and 28 throughout, with Matthew 11, verses 20 to 23.

All of these who have been mentioned, from Cain on, followed one another in regular order, and may be counted as members of the church of Satan; since they agreed with the church of God neither in descent, nor in faith, nor in worship, nor in manner of life, but opposed it in every respect.

After the coming of Christ, many who had adopted the Christian religion and worship fell away, denying the faith, and so became fellow members of that last mentioned, ungodly, and wicked congregation; as, for instance, Simon Magus, who by confession of faith and baptism had joined himself to the visible church of God, but fell from it, wanting to buy the gift of the Holy Ghost with money, which, according to the apostle Peter, tended to his destruction, although afterwards, as it appears, he was converted again. Acts 8, verses 13 and 18 to 22.

Hymenaeus and Alexander, who made shipwreck concerning faith, and were full of blasphemies; therefore they were put away from the church by Paul, and delivered to Satan. First Timothy 1, verses 19 and 20.

Phygellus and Hermogenes, who with the greater number of those in Asia were turned away from Paul, and therefore also from the doctrine of the Gospel which they had received. Second Timothy 1, verse 15.

Hymenaeus (the second) and Philetus, who, having erred concerning the truth, claimed that the resurrection of the dead was past already; and by this they overthrew the faith of some. Second Timothy 2, verses 17 and 18.

Demas, who forsook Paul, having loved the world. Second Timothy 4, verse 10.

Alexander the coppersmith, who did the apostle much evil, and because of it the church of Christ is warned to beware of him. Second Timothy 4, verses 14 and 15.

Many others, who, though they bore the name of members of the Christian church, did not stand by the often mentioned servant of God but forsook him, when he had to answer before the Emperor Nero concerning the Evangelical doctrine; for which reason their names no longer belonged among the pious. See the last mentioned chapter, verse 16.

After these followed many who in the days of John went out from the Church of Jesus Christ, and did the works of antichrist; therefore they were called antichrists, being forerunners of the great antichrist who was to follow afterwards. See First John 2, verses 18 and 19. Besides these who arose already in the time of the apostles, and went out from the holy congregation of God, many others, who cannot all be mentioned, followed in every age and will follow to the last days.

The apostles prophesied of this when their departure was near at hand, and warned the believers that they were coming.

When Paul knew and was fully assured through the revelation of the Holy Ghost that all those among whom he had traveled preaching the Gospel would see his face no more, he spoke this way, on the island of Miletus, to the elders of the church of Ephesus, who had come to him: I know, beloved brothers, that after my departing grievous wolves will enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also from among your own selves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them. Therefore watch, and remember that for three years I did not stop warning every one night and day with tears. Acts 20, verses 29 to 31.

Afterwards, when he was in the city of Laodicea, in Phrygia Pacatiana, he wrote in a certain letter to his beloved friend Timothy about the apostasy which would come through some in the latter times, as follows: "Now the Spirit speaks expressly, that in the latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron; forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats." First Timothy 4, verses 1 to 3.

Who these apostates were that have in many instances forbidden marriage and meats, it is unnecessary to point out, since the truth of the matter is clear and plain to almost everyone.

But at the close of his life, when he was imprisoned at Rome the second time, and had already received his sentence of death, namely, to be executed with the sword for the name of the Lord, he once more repeated the foregoing to his friend and spiritual son Timothy, so that he might never forget it, but might also remind the church, where he was a teacher, of it with these words: "This know also, that in the last days perilous times will come. For men will be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, . . . having a form of godliness, but denying the power of it." Second Timothy 3, verses 1 to 5.

Continuing, he adds this declaration for further instruction: "The time will come when they" (namely, certain members of the Christian church) "will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts will heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; and they will turn away their ears from the truth, and will be turned to fables" (Second Timothy 4, verses 3 and 4).

In the same way Peter also, as his departure drew near, plainly prophesied to the chosen strangers scattered abroad: that as there were false prophets among the people (Israel) in times past, so there would also be false teachers among (or out of) them, who would secretly bring in pernicious heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them. Second Peter 2, verse 1.

It would take too much time to recount what John also says on this subject, not only in his epistles, but especially in his revelation; since he gives a description of the condition of both the church of Christ and of antichrist, from his time to the end of the world.