World News and End-Time Prophecy: Counterfeit Christianity

Jesus gave many warnings of events that will occur in the end times. An entire chapter, Matthew 24, is dedicated to Jesus’ answering the question: “What will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?” (verse 3). 

What was the first thing Jesus warned about? 

Here it is: “Take heed that no one deceives you” (verse 4).

Specifically, beware of people trying to deceive you about religion! 

Beware of deception

What is deception? Deception is being misled to believe lies or half-truths instead of the unaltered truth of God found in the Bible. The hideous nature of deception is that when we’re genuinely deceived, we are largely unaware of it. 

Adam and Eve were not created in a state of deception. They had a close relationship with God; everything He told them was pure and true. However, Satan, in the form of a serpent, entered the picture and deceived Eve into questioning God’s revelation and warning. At that stage, deception and sin entered humanity (1 Timothy 2:14), and has persisted and worsened in the millennia since. 

Satan has specialized in the art of deception. He is responsible for deceiving people from all nations (Revelation 12:9). Peter described Christians as sheep who were once going “astray” (1 Peter 2:25), the same word translated as “deceive” in 1 Peter 2:25. 

Jesus specifically emphasized the danger of Christian deception—cautioning against individuals who would claim His authority and teach in His name, yet would “deceive many.” Deception can come in many forms, but Jesus specifically emphasized the danger of Christian deception—cautioning against individuals who would claim His authority and teach in His name, yet would “deceive many” (Matthew 24:4). He forewarned about the emergence of “false prophets” and “false christs.” Matthew 24:5 

He warned that their deception would be so cunning that it could mislead even true believers if they weren’t vigilant (Matthew 24:11). 

Throughout the New Testament, a consistent warning about deception reverberates. 

Paul cautioned against “savage wolves” that would teach about “another Jesus” and would preach a “different gospel” (Acts 20:29; 2 Corinthians 11:4; Galatians 1:6-7). He also identified “false apostles,” masquerading as “ministers of righteousness” (2 Corinthians 11:13-15). Similarly, Peter highlighted the danger of “destructive heresies” infiltrating the Church (2 Peter 2:1). John spoke of the emergence of “many antichrists” (1 John 2:18).  

So, deception about Christianity occurred 2,000 years ago and, sadly, continues to this day. 

What doctrines help us identify false Christianity? 

By the end of the first century, John, the last surviving apostle, lamented that brethren faithful to Christ’s original teachings were being evicted from the Church (3 John 1:9-10). Apostasy continued growing and eventually coalesced into the Roman Catholic Church, establishing various heresies as dogma. 

Christianity morphed into a religion of man-made traditions instead of the faith established by Jesus and defined in the Bible. Consider the following teachings:

The triune God. The popular belief is that God is composed of three coequal personages. But the Bible tells us that there is one God the Father and one Lord Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 8:6) and that the Holy Spirit represents God’s power. (To learn more, read “The Trinity: What Is It?”)

Nonbiblical holidays. Mainstream Christianity widely observes Easter, Christmas and Sunday. However, these holidays are foreign to the Bible. Instead, the Bible speaks of the seventh-day Sabbath and God’s annual feasts. (To learn more, read “Who Changed the Day of Worship From Saturday to Sunday? Why?” and “Holy Days vs. Holidays.”)

Infant baptism. Large churches today baptize babies, usually to remove original sin. However, the Bible teaches neither infant baptism nor original sin. According to the Bible, baptism is only for someone mature enough to genuinely repent of his or her sins. (To learn more, read “Infant Baptism?”)

Heaven as the reward of the saved. The majority of mainstream Christianity teaches that people go to heaven at death. In contrast, the Bible teaches that the dead in Christ are unconscious awaiting a resurrection to God’s Kingdom on earth. (To learn more, read “Is Heaven Real? What Is Heaven?”)

Hell as an ever-burning place of torment for nonbelievers. Most in mainstream Christianity teach that the wicked will be tortured forever. Contrary to this idea, the Bible teaches that the wicked will be destroyed in an all-consuming lake of fire (To learn more, read “What Is Hell?”) 

A tale of two women

In the Bible, a church is often represented by a woman. The book of Revelation speaks of two diametrically opposite women.

The first woman found in Revelation 12 depicts God’s people, both physical and spiritual Israel. The woman is crowned with “twelve stars,” symbolizing the 12 tribes of Israel, and she gives birth to Christ. Despite Satan’s attempts to destroy Him, Christ ascended to heaven and is now awaiting the time when He will return to rule the nations (Acts 1:9-11; Revelation 12:1-5). After His resurrection, Christ established His Church, the Israel of God (Galatians 6:16), which cannot be destroyed (Matthew 16:18). 

Christianity morphed into a religion of man-made traditions instead of the faith established by Jesus and defined in the Bible. Satan will pursue God’s people, attempting to destroy them. Some will be protected (Revelation 12:14; compare Revelation 3:10), while others will face tribulation (Revelation 12:17; compare Revelation 2:22; Revelation 3:18). 

(To learn more, read “Place of Safety” and “What Is the Great Tribulation?”)

The second woman of Revelation 17 is unrighteous and unfaithful and is connected to “Babylon.” She bears the title: “BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.” This church is connected to the “beast,” the revived Roman Empire, which will arise in Europe (Revelation 17:2-5). 

These prophecies clearly describe the Roman Catholic Church and the other Christian denominations that sprang from her—including Eastern Orthodoxy and Protestantism. 

To learn more, read “Who Are the Woman, Child and Dragon in Revelation 12?” and “Revelation 17: Who Is the Scarlet Woman?” 

A coming great deception

Bible prophecy describes the rise of a great “false prophet” who will deceive the nations, even to the point of getting them to fight Christ at His return (Revelation 16:13-14). This false prophet represents and leads a false religious system. He will appear like a “lamb,” but speak like a dragon (Revelation 13:11, compare verse 8). 

This system will enforce its form of worship on the world. Because of the beast’s political and economic power, the religious leader will be able to enforce its system of worship through economic pressure (Revelation 13:16-17). 

This false religious leader will be given the power to perform miracles. These miracles will impress and deceive many who don’t know their Bibles well enough to discern the errors and falsehoods he will teach. 

What should we be watching the news for? 

So, what should we be watching for in the news? Here are a few highlights of events we should be alert to:

• A pope emerging as a more influential voice in global affairs.
• A pope offering more support for efforts to unify the European continent and encouraging Europeans to strengthen their connection to their Catholic faith. 
• More ecumenical efforts between the Catholic Church and denominations that left it in the past.
• Increased interest in religion, especially Catholicism and other mistaken forms of Christianity. 
• An increase in false teachers claiming to speak for Christ or even to be Christ. 

To learn more, read “The Man of Sin and the Mark of the Beast” and “The Fall of Babylon.” 

Be ready

Jesus said the end-time events will come as a “snare” on the whole earth and will catch people unprepared (Luke 21:35). He warned that we should be sober—not consumed with the pleasures and cares of this life. The key to not being deceived will be to love the truth and reject unrighteousness (2 Thessalonians 2:10-12). 

We should closely follow news and trends in the religious world, but the most essential kind of watching is described in Luke 21:36: “Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man.” 

Stay tuned for Part 4: “World News and End-Time Prophecy: The Hope”

Past blog posts in this series:
Part 1: “World News and End-Time Prophecy: The People”
Part 2: “World News and End-Time Prophecy: The Nations”

Date Posted: March 18, 2024