‘Last Generation’
Mat 13:24-28 Another parable He put forth to them,
saying: “The kingdom of heaven is like a
man who sowed good seed in his field; but while men slept, his enemy came
and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way. But when the grain had
sprouted and produced a crop, then the tares also appeared. So the servants
of the owner came and said to him, ‘Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field?
How then does it have tares?’ He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ The
servants said to him, ‘Do you want us then to go and gather them up?’
In the early
1960s, the West especially the US, was experiencing a period of prosperity after
the wars in Vietnam and Korea. The US, the champion of the Christian faith, alone financed more than 80%
of mission work worldwide but the emergence of human rights movement and the
removal of Bible and cane from public schools began to erode the Christians’ faith.
Taking this opportunity, the devil silently crept into churches, deceiving Christians
into believing in distorted truths, lies and heresies (sowing tares).
At the same time, the Charismatic movement was having their
revival and the split with the conservative churches was irreparable.
2 Cor 11:13-15 For such are false apostles, deceitful
workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. And no
wonder! For Satan transforms himself into an angel of light. Therefore, it is
no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of
righteousness, whose end will be according to their works.
The accusations
and hatred between them presented the opportunities for the devil and his
agents to masquerade as His apostles while exploiting their pride. The devil
taught them to blaspheme the Lord with these heresies:
To Non-charismatics
1. Tongues are demonic
2. Miracles are over
3. Once saved always saved
To Charismatics
1. Born again can be demonized or demon possessed
2. Prosperity gospel
3. Secret rapture (Jesus’ Coming is imminent or anytime)
We thank God that in the 1990s, the fear of rapture by the
end of the millennium made many Christians come back to the Bible. Bible study
groups were rampant so that just before Y2K, there was much love, concern,
helps compassion and respect for one another’s work and ministries. For the
first time, some churches offered financial support to our mission work. Though
Malaysia suffered greatly during the Asian Financial Crisis in mid-1997, Christians gave sacrificially thus meeting the
needs in mission fields and charitable homes. Christians can truly say that Jesus
had transformed me to love my neighbour instead of myself. This was
possibility the most fruitful period for Christianity since the days of the
Acts of the Apostles.
2 Pet 3:3 knowing this first: that scoffers will come
in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, and saying, “Where is
the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things
continue as they were from the beginning of creation.” For this they willfully
forget: that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing
out of water and in the water.
During this time,
there were also some scoffers; worldly, covetous and depraved pastors and
leaders, mocking those who believe in rapture, to prevent them from
understanding endtime prophecies and events.
Brethren, let’s continue the good fight against
persecutions, lies, deceptions, heresies, distorted doctrines, and keep our faith
in our Lord Jesus and His words and truth in the Bible.
