Greetings,
We can observe some interesting parallels between how Satan works in the world in general and the tactics he uses to try and destroy God’s Church. We are not ignorant of his devices (2 Corinthians 2:11). Satan will try to divide God’s people any way he can.
An article appeared in the Times of London recently which serves as an illustration – “Europe Signs its Own Death Warrant” by Douglas Murray (April 30, 2017). So what are the tactics? Let us track through some quotes from the article to answer that question.
Firstly, “I mean that the civilisation we know as Europe is in the process of committing suicide and that neither Britain nor any other western European country can avoid that fate, because we all appear to suffer from the same symptoms and maladies.
As a result, by the end of the lifespans of most people currently alive, Europe will not be Europe and the peoples of Europe will have lost the only place in the world we had to call home.”
Mr. Murray contends that mass migration into Europe of non-Europeans is changing the culture of Europe. “The result was that what had been Europe — the home of the European peoples — gradually became a home for the entire world. The places that had been European gradually became somewhere else.”
Following the death of Mr. Armstrong there was “mass migration” of belief and practices into the Church of God that was of a different “culture” and changed what had been normal.
Back to the quote from the Times: “All the time Europeans found ways to pretend this influx could work. By pretending, for instance, that such immigration was normal. Or that if integration did not happen with the first generation then it might happen with their children, grandchildren or another generation yet to come.”
Continuing the church parallel, the single face of God’s Church was replaced with multiple faces gradually weakening the identity of the Church.
The second aspect of Europe’s loss of identity is the change in foundational belief and practice.
“For even the mass movement of millions of people into Europe would not sound such a final note for the continent were it not for the fact that (coincidentally or otherwise) at the same time Europe lost faith in its beliefs, traditions and legitimacy.”
As God’s Church lost faith in “beliefs, traditions and legitimacy” the movement was toward individualism and separateness. Many simply became tired and withdrew.
“For there is also the problem in Europe of an existential tiredness and a feeling that perhaps for Europe the story has run out and a new story must be allowed to begin. Such existential civilisational tiredness is not a uniquely modern European phenomenon, but the fact that a society should feel like it has run out of steam at precisely the moment when a new society has begun to move in cannot help but lead to vast, epochal changes … In the place of religion came the ever-inflating language of “human rights.”
Satan desires for the Church of God to lose its identity and become like many of the religious organizations of the world. For many, the ecumenical approach to multiple organizations within the “greater” Church of God is already taking them down this road. The potential for the Church to lose its foundational footing is great. The Church runs the risk of following Europe’s example – as older Europeans die off, the Europe of the past disappears and is replaced, to “… become something else, including something we may never have wanted to be.”
We know from prophecy that Europe will not commit suicide. As it heads in that direction an awakening will take place which will drive it back to its Roman roots. The Bible talks of two feet with five toes on each foot – which we have believed to be the Eastern and Western divisions of the Holy Roman Empire. A massive political and religious power will evolve out of the former Holy Roman Empire.
Similarly, we know that Satan cannot destroy the Church of God. “… I will build My church and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it” (Matthew 16:18). But severe damage can be caused to many who constitute the Body of the Church in the foreseeable future if caution is not exercised. Similar to the political awakening, which will occur in Europe, a spiritual awakening needs to take place within the Body, and that will drive us back to our roots. That “awakening” needs to happen within each of us individually. If we won’t do it, God will.
The article quoted can be seen in its entirety here: Europe signs its own death warrant
Warm regards,
Brian Orchard
