CHAPTER FOUR

TO OVERCOME THE THREE DEFORMED RELIGIONS

Scripture Reading: Rev. 2:9b; Exo. 20:8-11; Gen. 17:10-14; Lev. 11; Luke 24:44; 2 Cor. 3:6; Gal. 1:6-16; Phil. 3:2-3; 2 Tim. 1:14; Matt. 13:33; Rev. 2:20, 24; 17:1, 5-6, 16; 14:8; 2 Tim. 4:7c; Rev. 2:26, 6, 14-15; Col. 1:18; 1 Cor. 14:23a, 24, 26, 31, 3-5; Phil. 3:10; 1:19b

OUTLINE

1. Judaism:
   1. A religion set up, though not fully, according to the decree of the law of God, but deformed by man and becoming a satanic religion-“a synagogue of Satan”-Rev. 2:9b:
      1. Mis-positioning the law given by God as a side line to Christ as the main line in His economy.
      2. Misapplying the dispensational Sabbath-keeping-Exo. 20:8-11.
      3. Misinterpreting the physical circumcision-Gen. 17:10-14.
      4. Overstretching the holy diet-Lev. 11.
   2. Disregarding Christ as the embodiment of the Triune God ordained by God to be the centrality and universality of His economy, as:
      1. Typified by the tabernacle, the priesthood, and the offerings in the five books of the Law.
      2. Prophesied in the Law of Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms-Luke 24:44.
   3. Becoming formal in letter, deadening in quenching the Spirit, killing in man’s communication with God in life, and contending with the gospel of Christ in God’s New Testament economy-2 Cor. 3:6; Gal. 1:6-16; Phil. 3:2-3.
   4. To overcome such a satanic religion by holding to the teaching of the apostles (the New Testament) through the all-inclusive life-giving Spirit-2 Tim. 1:14.
2. Catholicism:
   1. A woman having leavened the “three measures of meal” (the entire teaching concerning the element of Christ in His person and in His work)-Matt. 13:33.
   2. The woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, teaching and leading the people of God, even with “the deep things of Satan”-Rev. 2:20, 24:
      1. To propagate fornication.
      2. To promote idolatry.
   3. Built up as a religious hierarchy.
   4. “The great harlot,” “Mystery, Babylon the Great, the mother of the harlots and the abominations of the earth,” adopting many heathen practices-Rev. 17:1, 5.
   5. Martyring the saints and the witnesses of Jesus-Rev. 17:6.
   6. To be hated, made desolate, and burned by Antichrist and his ten kings at the beginning of the great tribulation-Rev. 17:16; 14:8.
   7. To overcome such a heretical religion by keeping the faith in Christ’s divine and human person and all His works in His incarnation, crucifixion, resurrection, ascension, descension, and second appearing-2 Tim. 4:7c; Rev. 2:26.
3. Protestantism:
   1. Practicing the works of the Nicolaitans (the works of the clergy in the religious hierarchy)-Rev. 2:6.
   2. Holding the teaching of Balaam, who put a stumbling block before the people of God, to accept idolatry and commit fornication-Rev. 2:14.
   3. Holding the teaching of the Nicolaitans to build up hierarchy and practice the system of clergy-Rev. 2:15.
   4. Disregarding Christ’s headship in His Body-Col. 1:18.
   5. Annulling the functions of the members in the Body of Christ.
   6. Keeping most of the church meetings for the service of the clergy, while having nearly no meeting for the manifestation of the gifts of all the members of the Body for the organic building up of the Body of Christ in the unsearchable riches of Christ-cf. 1 Cor. 14:23a, 24, 26, 31, 3-5.
   7. To overcome such a dead and dying religion by the pneumatic Christ in His resurrection and the bountiful supply of the all-inclusive Spirit-Phil. 3:10; 1:19b.