When Apostate Denominations Split
Jesus Christ promised to build His church (Mt 16:18). The gates of hell would not prevail against her. At Caesarea Philippi, there is a worship site set against a high rock cliff, with a beautiful brook and garden below it. Hewn out of the rock face are a myriad of small platform coves. Here was a place of idol worship, where the doctrine of demons was taught and practiced. At the base of the cliff is a very large natural hole, known as, “the gates of hell.”
What Jesus was saying to His disciples in Matthew 16 was that although demons would entice men to worship them, through the agency of false teachers, their deluding influence would not hinder true believers from worshipping God in Spirit and truth (Jn 4:24). Correct and acceptable worship of God the Father requires these two features: Spirit and truth. In other words, it takes God the Spirit and God the Son/Word to bring God’s people into true worship.
Throughout Israel’s history, it struggled in every aspect of bringing acceptable worship. Rogue priests, defiled Temple precincts, a people whose heart was far from God, and unacceptable sacrifices plagued the people of God. The fact is that Jesus Christ was absolutely necessary, for required perfection in worship.
As our great high priest, Jesus is the one and only Mediator between God and man (1 Tim 2:5). Only His sacrificial offering of Himself, as the Lamb of God (Jn 1:29), is accepted by God. He offered Himself once, for His people (Heb 7:27; 9:28). He saved His people from their sins (Mt 1:21), by shedding His precious blood on the cross, in their place, and for their benefit (1 Pet 1:19; 2:24).
The application of Christ’s perfect and acceptable work, of active and passive obedience, is the ongoing work of the Holy Spirit. When the Spirit calls one to repentance and faith (Acts 16:31; 17:30), and then grants the grace for that elect, redeemed soul to repent and believe (Acts 5:31; Gal 3:22), then a metamorphosis occurs in the heart (Ezek 36:26; Jn 3:1–8). A new heart is created (2 Cor 5:17), and with this new heart comes a new mind (1 Cor 2:16), a new life (Rom 6:4; 2 Cor 3:6).
The new believer now desires a holy life (1 Pet 1:16). He wants Christ’s imputed righteousness to be joined with godliness (2 Tim 3:12; Titus 2:12). As a disciplined child, his desire is to be obedient to all that God in Christ has commanded (Mt 28:19–20). Jesus said, “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments (Jn 14:15),” which the Spirit causes us to walk in (Ezek 36:27). Thus, this is not a burden to the adopted child of God (Mt 11:30; Rom 8:15, 23), who follows Jesus, in doing what is pleasing to the Father. The saint’s ambition is to be pleasing to God (2 Cor 5:9), and this is the will and work of the Spirit in him (Phil 2:13).
When the United Methodist Church announced a few years ago — a pending schism over the issue of sexual deviants being married in, and even leading the church, it resulted in mixed reactions. Yes, a house divided against itself cannot stand (Mk 3:25). Homosexual clergy and marriages is only one issue facing this sin-beleaguered denomination that lost its way long ago.
Support of the terrorist government (Hamas) in Gaza was the catalyst for my mother to depart this denomination in A.D. 2013. The positioning of female clergy, over and against the Word of God (1 Cor 14:34–36; 1 Tim 2:9–15; 3:2; Titus 1:6), has led many feminists and lesbians to seek power in Methodism, along with many other liberal, main-line denominations. The blind have been leading the blind into the pit for several decades (Mt 15:14).
Of course, Arminianism (man-centered theology) has been the long tradition of John Wesley’s followers. Many schisms have occurred in this historical line (e. g. Church of the Nazarene; Holiness Church; AME; etc.), claiming to follow Jesus Christ. One constant, in all of the church splits and new denominations, is the man-centered theology. It is as in the day of the Judges of Israel, when every man did what was right in his own eyes (Jdg 17:6; 21:25).
Liberalism, or progressivism, as the Liberals like to call their darkened course, is the slippery slope away from the Bible and progression to apostasy. Social programs replaced sound doctrine, as the primary pursuit. Ignorance, of what the Bible says, is accompanied by eisegesis (reading your opinion/view/preferences into the Bible), to make the Bible say whatever one wants it to say. Hence, Methodism’s many conflicting issues are the result of their mishandling of the Word of God. The result of flawed interpretation is grossly disobedient practices. In short, the United Methodist Church has been apostate for a long time.
God’s people should have, and surely should now, come out of her (Rev 18:4). The announced schism, over denominational advocacy of sin, is all but meaningless. When you support a terrorist group as a government, support women clergy, preach another (social) gospel, and teach man-centered theology — your support or non-support for sexual deviants, in opposition to God’s Word, is immaterial.
The 2020 schism of the United Methodist Church was simply a non-issue. The synagogue of Satan, with the spirit of Jezebel animating her, is of little concern for the church of Jesus Christ, other than to call these folks to repentance (Acts 17:30) and faith (Mk 1:15; Acts 16:31). Seeing the Methodists in so many gross errors should compel Christians to read, study, meditate, and learn to correctly interpret the Scriptures, so that our practices and worship of God would be acceptable to God. It is a terrible thing to fall into the hands of an angry God (Ps 7:11), who turns the unrepentant over to a reprobate mind (Rom 1:28; 2 Tim 3:8).
The exposed root of sexual deviants is pride, which they openly flaunt in the face of a Holy God. If one knows his Bible, he knows that pride comes before the fall and goes before destruction (Prv 16:18). The wrath of God is directed against all ungodliness and unrighteousness, especially against those who suppress the truth, while claiming to be Christians (Rom 1:18). Judgment has once again begun with the house of God (1 Pet 4:17). “Come out of her, My people,” says the Lord.
David Norczyk
Spokane Valley, Washington
November 6, 2022
