25-1-06

THE HARLOT CHURCH.

SO YOU THINK THE BOOK OF REVELATION IS JUST SYMBOLIC LANGUAGE, DO YOU?
YOU THINK THE LORD'S WARNING ABOUT THE HARLOT CHURCH IS NOT FOR TODAY?
Well just read on....

WARNING!

You may not be prepared for hearing this message and could take offence. At the very least, it will trouble most followers of Jesus as we are all victims of the Harlot Church in the Book of Revelation to some extent. However, it will be most troubling to those who depend on the counterfeit church system for their salvation, identity, recognition and security. It could take you where you do not want to go. You will journey beyond the facade of the counterfeit church and realise you have been submitting to that great harlot Jezebel, one of the “strong men” to which Jesus referred. You will realise that it is Jezebel that prevents many unbelievers from being born again and accepting Jesus as Lord of their life. If you go the whole distance you will never be the same again because you will see JESUS, not your religion, that is why.......

"....I'M NOT AT ALL RELIGIOUS!"
IT'S NOT RELIGION BUT RELATIONSHIP THAT COUNTS.

One Monday morning many years ago, an ex World War II pilot neighbour brought me something he had received by mistake to do with my work. They had been away and arrived home on the Sunday; "But I didn't want to come down with it yesterday as it was Sunday and this is work, because I know you are very religious," he explained. (He knew we are followers of Jesus.)

"Well, that's very kind and thoughtful of you, Freddie but I'm not at all religious." I smiled.

I had never seen him lost for words before but his mouth dropped open visibly below his bushy R.A.F. mustache! He mumbled something about feeling sure we had told him we were.

"No, Freddie, you're far more religious than we are." I told my amazed neighbour. "You watch football religiously every Saturday afternoon on television." I teased him.

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RELIGION:

"Religion" is the outward practice of Christianity without genuine faith in the living Lord. It is true that the world in general call those who believe in Jesus, religious. (Indeed this term is used to describe believers of other faiths.) Acts 17:22, Colossians 2:16, Hebrews 10:11, James 1:26 and others refer to being religious. However, religion is only a shadow of things that have now come. Jesus, throughout his ministry exposed religion as a set of rules.

Read Matthew 15:7-9. Jesus was talking to some Pharisees, the religious people of the time and said they were hypocrites. He quotes Isaiah 29:13: They just paid lip service to God but really their hearts were far from Him. Their teaching was just rules of men - empty ritual. Having a religious spirit has been defined as acknowledging the miracles God has performed in the past but cannot believe He works miracles today.

Some people have attended "church" all their lives and adhered to it's binding rules. Yet when they die Jesus will say He never knew them. Read Matthew chapter 7. Jesus said, “Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven... Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you.'" Your denomination will not save you. Only Jesus can do that.
 

FUNCTIONING AS A FOLLOWER OF JESUS:

Functioning as a Christian (no, let us say “follower of Jesus” because nowadays we can be a Christian by culture without belief in Jesus and have low moral standards) so functioning as a “follower of Jesus” is really very simple. It amazes me just how complicated some Christians try and make it.  It is as if they have to have ritual to experience holiness but holiness comes with knowing Jesus as our personal Saviour.  Religious ritual is totally irrelevant! 

To be saved from the wrath to come we have to be 'born again' Jesus told us in John chapter 3. 

God is alive and well today I can assure you of that. I spoke to Him this morning! He wants a relationship directly with YOU, not your church system.  True Christianity is a life transforming experience. It is a specific commitment to Jesus. A declaration that you believe He was crucified for you and has risen again.

I refer you to, "A FREE GIFT FOR YOU!" on this web site to explain to you how you become a follower of Jesus. Once you have established your relationship with Jesus by inviting him into your life and to take over it, you will see religion is totally irrelevant. Make sure your relationship with Jesus becomes deeper day by day by studying the Bible and associating with others who truly follow Jesus.

PLEASE NOTE:  I am not saying that those who attend a church are not followers of Jesus, of course.  There are many fine Christian people who do and I personally know many. What I am saying is that attending church does not mean you are following Jesus - only your commitment to Him can do that. Strictly speaking you cannot go to church anyway, because it is we believers ourselves who are the church - "the called out ones".
 

CHURCH ON SUNDAY?

"But I thought you had to go to church on Sunday," Freddie said exasperated by now.

I explained that we attended a Christian fellowship on a Sunday at the time and went to house groups through the week but we didn't have to go anywhere and certainly not on a Sunday. He thought Sunday was the Sabbath until I explained that the Sabbath went from sunset Friday to sunset Saturday. In any case Jesus came and fulfilled the law so now we don't have to keep the Law. I told him Sunday was just adopted as a meeting day back in the 4th century as pagan influence increased – that it was in fact, the day of the sun god!   He went away looking more confused!

WHY IS 'THE CHURCH' TODAY SO DIFFERENT TO THAT REPRESENTED IN THE NEW TESTAMENT?  What is this organisation we call 'Church'?  It is clear that in New Testament times the saints (yes, the ordinary followers of Jesus were called 'saints' then) met in each other's homes, 'broke bread' and had Christian fellowship with each other.  The 'Church' was the believers themselves, not an organisation.  Later the Lord warned John that this New Testament style Church would go and that a counterfeit church would overtake His beloved bride and place itself between Him and His people. 

He called it:

THE HARLOT CHURCH.

First let me suggest you read the whole of Revelation chapters 17 and 18 to help you follow my argument.  Below I quote just Revelation 17: 1-17 to create some interest in brief:

And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will show unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters.  With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication.  So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.  And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication.  And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.  And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration.  And the angel said unto me, Wherefore didst thou marvel? I will tell thee the mystery of the woman, and of the beast that carrieth her, which hath the seven heads and ten horns.  The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition: and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is.  And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth  And there are seven kings: five are fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come; and when he cometh, he must continue a short space.  And the beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goeth into perdition.  And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast.  These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast.  These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful.  And he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.  And the ten horns which thou sawest upon the beast, these shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire.  For God hath put in their hearts to fulfil his will, and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled.

Well, strong stuff!  But if we believe the Bible then that is a prophetic statement.  No wonder Pope John-Paul II said not to take the Book of Revelation literally as it was just symbolic language - he would say that wouldn't he?  If you protestants are beginning to feel a little aloof at this point - don't be!  This includes you as well!  

WHAT IS A HARLOT?  A whore, prostitute, hooker, tart, fille de joie and so on.  It all amounts to the same thing; generally we think of a prostitute as a fallen woman who expects payment for her favours. 

But what the harlot really does is place herself between a man and his wife.  Jesus is the Bridegroom and we His church are His bride.  Anything or anyone who comes between Jesus and we His people is a harlot.   I believe this is what Jesus meant by the “Harlot Church” – a church that would place itself between the born again believer and Jesus.

SPIRITUAL ADULTERY?

TRUTH.

Some time ago I attended a baptism service which was held on a beach and about 20 believers were baptised by full immersion in the sea which is scriptural.  The person leading the service is a born again, Bible believing, spirit filled follower of Jesus and also a Methodist minister.  His mission is to reach people in the Methodist church and lead them to Jesus.  However, the baptisms were carried out with as little publicity as possible as the Methodist church would not have approved even though baptism by immersion is Biblical.   This is a good example of the Harlot Church. 

What was happening was that the individuals being baptised wanted to relate directly to Jesus and obey His command (for example Matthew 28: 19) and be baptised on expression of their faith in their Saviour.  But the Harlot put herself between Jesus and His bride and would have stopped them by expounding the Methodist doctrine of infant baptism ("Christening") which is unbiblical.  However, this is just one 'small' example.  The Harlot Church of Revelation 17 is far more than this. 

Jesus established His Church, which was not an "organisation", through His followers.  When you read through the book of Acts it is quite clear that His disciples met in homes, had fellowship together, had scripture explained to them by "older" believers and guided by the more mature and experienced believers.  It is also clear that individuals had and used the 'ministry' gifts with which they had been blessed.  It is also clear that these ministry gifts were set IN the body of the Church, not OVER it.   For example a pastor pastored others probably on a one to one basis.  Those who had a word of knowledge or encouragement for others conveyed it.  Those with the gift of healing prayed for healing of others.  Those with the gift of prophecy ministered to their fellow believers - all from WITHIN the body not OVER it (within, not over, is a very important scriptural principle). 

ELDERS (which simply means an older man) were raised up by the Holy Spirit and recognised as spiritually more mature by other believers by their understanding of the Scriptures and their exemplary lives.  Less mature believers would follow their example.  No one lorded it over anyone.  When a mature believer arrived who had been sent forth by the Lord, the local Church or body gathered together to hear his message. 

WHAT HAS HAPPENED? 
Man has an insatiable appetite for hijacking what God seeks to establish.  Man's appetite for power over others is also insatiable.  Some people just have to be in control.  This is carnal thinking - Babylon! The result is the organisation we call "church" of today. It is a counterfeit of the real church. It is a system which has ensnared many followers of Jesus and many religious or nominal Christians.   That great demonic "strongman" spirit of Jezebel controls followers of Jesus through the Harlot Church  today and I would postulate that 99% are completely oblivious to it.

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Many followers of Jesus of today would not know how to function in their belief outside this counterfeit system with it's order of service and instructions from the clergy.

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HOW DID THIS APOSTASY HAPPEN?

How could such a simple and beautiful relationship with our Saviour have been replaced by this counterfeit religious system? To fully understand what and how this has happened we need to go right back to the beginning of apostasy, even to the Bible itself! Read 1 Timothy 4: 1-7. Paul has recognised the early stages of apostasy. He says "in latter times..." which is a time subsequent to the time he was writing, for example; any time between him writing his letter to Timothy and the Second Advent of Jesus.  He could see the saints falling away from the simple truth of the gospel and they had begun to rely on man-made creeds. This is typical of a cult and even today's denominations; for example, any group of people who subscribe to particular doctrines:  This could be "Christening" (unBiblical) instead of Baptism by full immersion (Biblical) or salvation by works (unBiblical) instead of salvation by faith (Biblical).  He could see that the first thrilling discovery of Jesus was beginning to fade.  Verse 1 says "some" will abandon the faith  but it seems by 2 Timothy it has become the majority.  We should realise that these would be professing Christians - not born again.

William Barclay says of these scriptures that the word 'faith' changed it's meaning. It was always faith in a person, i.e., Jesus. In these later days it was becoming faith in a creed – the acceptance of certain doctrines.  In these pastoral letters we can see already this change emerging.  There have always been cults who formulate a doctrine, a creed, and build their faith around this.  The Roman church was no different.  They formulated creeds and then, it has been said, worship the creed!  Paul reveals (Colossians 1: 25-27) that a mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations that Jesus dwells in each believer by His Spirit.

The 'CHURCH' is the collective name for His people. We need to know nothing more about 'The Church' than this! This is why we do not go to church to meet with God because WE ARE THE CHURCH! Each believer should ask himself; “Who am I to presume to rule over another believer when Jesus dwells in them?” Christ is in me! The Galation church was already working against this truth. They had adopted legalistic practices which is what makes this counterfeit church what it is – then and today. When, over the years, I have tried to put over this truth I have been attacked and ridiculed by all quarters- yes, including Christian fellowships. THE TRUTH IS THAT THOSE OF US WHO LET KING JESUS RULE OUR HEARTS (NOT MAN), WILL ALWAYS BE ATTACKED BY MAN WHO HAS BECOME RULER OVER HIS OWN FLOCK AND WILL FEAR HIS GRIP WILL BE LOST BY A "LOOSE CANON".   We can see that this counterfeit church was already surfacing in later Biblical times.

The Early church, as today, began to make their followers "sin conscious" through their preaching instead of preaching that born again believers should be "righteous consciousness".   They were, and often are now, preaching the Law but Jesus came and fulfilled the Law.  Much more about this later.

The growth of a spirit which listens to God does not happen overnight. It is not related to the number of years one has been a follower of Jesus either. It depends how much time one spends fellowshipping with Jesus and His word. This enables one to discern quickly if those super-spiritual utterances are nothing more than what their itching ears want to hear and whether they are of the flesh or just religious spirits – whether live or on TV.                  

Let us imagine you could invite the apostle Paul to your church this weekend. What would you think he would say about it? Would he approve of your denomination's practices?  Is it just possible that he would tell you that some of your most cherished beliefs were in error? How would you feel if he stood up and loudly proclaimed that your church was a promoter of heresy? What if he said that your religious practices were totally contrary to those of the primitive church formed immediately after the resurrection of Jesus Christ?  Is this a startling thought? Yet if any of the men who served Jesus during His earthly ministry could witness the teachings of Christianity today, they would express almost total disagreement with its doctrines and beliefs!

THE INFLUENCE OF MAN.
Most Christian churches had to rely on the teachings of men who lived at least a century after the time of Jesus (this is as far back in time as the Victorian age is from us now). These men became known as the "church fathers," whose writings wielded an enormous influence on Christian belief. They undermined the influence and authority of the true founders of Christianity such as James, Peter, and John. The character of the church from the second century down to modern times was set by Justin Martyr, Origen, Tertullian, and many others.   Recent discoveries show that there is a great difference between the church led by the original apostles and the modern "Christian" world.  There was a great apostasy that took place and it affects your life, your beliefs and yes, even your salvation!   (I hope that registered with you?)

THE APOSTOLIC AGE.
Primitive Christianity began as a sect within Judaism but at this time there were several major religious and political groups such as the Zealots, Teachers of the Law, Sadduccees, Pharisees, Herodians and Essenes.  Jews living in other parts of the Roman Empire were influenced by Gnostic philosophies. A variety of religious ideas and doctrines was freely circulating within Judaism.  When Jesus began His ministry, He had to combat many of these false teachings.  After His resurrection, His disciples continued to remain within the fold of Judaism. The small community of believers was later called a sect by the Jews (Acts 24:5, 28:22) but it was still purely Jewish. Although their teachings were highly unpopular, day after day followers of Jesus went to the Temple to worship and to preach the Gospel (Acts 2:46-47, 3:1, 5:20).  They were tolerated until they began to attract large numbers of converts, including priests. The Temple officers, who were Sadduccees, wanted to kill the apostles because they were stirring people up over the death of Jesus. 

What did these Jewish followers of Jesus believe? Did they immediately begin to worship on Sunday, the supposed day of Jesus' resurrection, in place of the seventh day Sabbath?  There is no evidence that the apostles instituted Sunday as the Christian day of worship. After it was revealed to Peter that the Gentiles were to receive the Gospel, Peter, Paul, and other apostles began to preach the message to people who were not of Israelite descent. Note, however, that Paul and Barnabas typically gained Gentile converts who were already observing the Sabbath (Acts 14:1, 17:1-4).

THE END OF THE APOSTOLIC AGE.
Events soon shattered the church at Jerusalem and Christianity would begin to take on a new character. By 70 A.D., James (the brother of Jesus), Peter, and Paul were now all be dead. Jerusalem was in ruins. The only living apostle was John who was in exile.  After the death of James, Simon, who was a cousin of Jesus, had been unanimously chosen to be James' successor.  The followers of Jesus returned after the destruction of Jerusalem to help rebuild the city. Two church historians, Eusebius and Epiphanius, tell us that the Church there remained under the control of converted Jews. The Church continued to exist peacefully in Jerusalem until the time of Emperor Hadrian.  After the second Jewish war in 135 A.D., all racial Jews were expelled from Jerusalem by the Roman government. Thereafter, the church in Jerusalem was ruled by Gentiles and other cities began to gain prominence as centres of Christian teachings.

At about this time Jewish Christianity became viewed as heretical. Although these followers of Jesus held fast to the teachings of the apostles, they were seen as retaining a narrow and false legalism.  The weakening of the mother church in Jerusalem meant that there was no longer any one to decide on questions of doctrine. There was no apostle. The issue of which church could lay claim to having a true apostolic succession became a very important one. 

THE RISE OF BISHOPS.
At the beginning of the second century, most of the larger churches in major cities were autonomously ruled by local presbyters (elders).  These replaced the council of elders mentioned in Acts. No single leader had preeminence during the first two centuries of Christianity.  However, it is clear that the church at Rome was beginning to be held in high regard by the second century because of its supposed association with two apostles, Peter and Paul, its many converts and its wealth.  Without the spiritual leadership of Jerusalem, the change in Christian beliefs was a fairly rapid one.  It also seems that certain of these leaders had the title of bishop, such as Polycarp of Smyrna, Clement of Rome, Ignatius of Antioch, Polybius of Tralles and Onesimus of Ephesus. Men love titles and will sometimes go to great lengths to justify them. For example; in the forth century it was erroneously claimed that James, the brother of Jesus, was given the title of Bishop of Jerusalem by church leaders, presumably to justify their own titles. It was claimed that the emphasis on the authority of bishops and on apostolic succession was a part of the response of the church to heresies in the late second and early third centuries. Soon bishops lived in great cities and enjoyed great power and prestige.

The bishopric had become an office to be filled, rather than a calling by God (think about that).  Today many churches in the Presbyterian tradition have elected men, women and even young people as elders to fill a certain number of positions for limited terms.  Where is any of this in the Bible? According to the N T elders were appointed in every city and they existed in plurality. No man was given that responsibility alone. Elders were not called bishop nor pastor. They were elders who shepherded the flock among whom the Holy Spirit had made them overseers (Acts 20:20). The terms elder, shepherd, and overseer refer to the same calling.

Man continued to destroy the humble office of elder with the further development of the office of bishop and through it, the hierarchical system of clergymen took root and flourished in the eventual rise of the Roman Catholic Church. The power of the office of bishop was such that the buying and selling of ecclesiastical (church) positions became common place and nobles, kings and emperors were known to have appointed bishops (as happens still today in Britain) and abbots in order to have political control of the church. The veneration that is bestowed upon the pope (holy father), cardinals (foremost importance; paramount) and bishops must be abhorrent to God.

Read Matthew 23: 8-12 where Jesus said: "But you are not to be called Rabbi: for one is your Master, Christ; and all you are brethren. And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven. Neither are you to be called masters: for one is your Master, Christ. But he who is greatest among you shall be your servant. And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he who humbles himself shall be exalted."

Amen!

PAGAN INFLUENCE.
At about 110 A.D. the Gnostics began to celebrate a festival commemorating Jesus' baptism on 6th January which was later worked into the Christian festival as Epiphany, despite the fact that it was also the date of a pagan feast celebrating the birth and growth of light.  The result today is that followers of Jesus celebrate the birth of Jesus on completely the wrong date which is that of the pagan worship of the sun god.  (For the true date of the birth of Jesus, click here) Then vague references to observing the "Lord's Day" - Sunday - began to appear. Then the voices for Sunday worship grew more strident. Ignatius of Asia Minor and Barnabas of Alexandria both condemned Sabbath-keeping.  By 150, Justin Martyr clearly indicated that the day of the sun god was the day of rest for Christians. Sunday worship had become a widely accepted practice among these people who professed to follow Jesus.  Pagan influence was everywhere.  The figure of a young man carrying a sheep on his shoulder was common and identified as Christ the Good Shepherd.  The earliest known mosaic of Jesus (240 A.D.) shows him with a disc or nimbus at the back of his head, typical of Catholic or Anglican churches of today, although representations of Jesus in the third century catacombs generally show Jesus without the nimbus and it is not until a century later the nimbus is always depicted.  Many years ago it was explained to me that this disc represented holiness, the light shining forth from the person represented but this is nonsense, it was a pagan symbol, a common pictorial representation of the sun god!  So now when you see this representation you will know the true meaning - it is pagan.  (Take careful note of this for when we discuss Jezebel!)

Christianity, as it was now known, threatened to fragment into something like 80 heresies.  Wave upon wave of new doctrines flooded the churches.  The Theodotians considered Christ only a man, while the Docetists believed He was a phantom. Other groups taught that the Christian was free to do anything he desired since grace covered all sins. It was a period of great religious confusion and deception.  This is one of the times when the demonic spirit strongman of Jezebel openly manifested through it's ruling spirit of Deception (more about this later)

THE CATHOLIC (UNIVERSAL) CHURCH.
In the second and third centuries the church became "catholic" (in the sense of what was universally accepted) in doctrine and solidified its power and authority. Beset by groups which claimed to represent the Christ, the bishops in leading cities sought to protect their flocks by hammering out a uniform dogma.  The "catholic" church became the standard-bearer of orthodox doctrines as opposed to heretical ones. In reality, few of these doctrines were actually based on New Testament teachings. Rather, they represented a synthesis of pagan, Gnostic, and popular church beliefs of the time.

The Roman Catholic Church claims the Peter was their first pope. There is no evidence for this, of course. Scripture does not support this. One of the greatest arguments against the primacy of Peter is the fact that the apostles had an argument among themselves as to which of them should be the greatest: "Now there arose a dispute among them, which of them was reputed to be the greatest. But he said to them, 'The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them, and they who exercise authority over them are called Benefactors. But not so with you. On the contrary, let him who is greatest among you become as the youngest, and him who is chief as the servant.'" (Luke 22:24-26).

The very fact that the apostles had an argument among themselves shows they did not understand that Peter was to be the head of the church. The occasion of the argument was the night of the betrayal - the last night of the Lord's earthly ministry. Yet the apostles still did not understand that Jesus had given Peter a position of primacy, if He had, don't you think it would have been at least mentioned at this time?  The Lord settled the argument, not by stating that He had already made Peter head, but by declaring that the Gentiles have their heads, "But not so with you." Thus, Jesus very plainly taught that no one would occupy any such place as pope to exercise authority over the others.

We have to ask: Was Peter the first pope, the earthly head of the church according to the Bible, the “Supreme Pontiff” and “Vicar of Christ”? Is the Roman Catholic church the true church as proved by a succession of the papacy since Peter? Should we honour the pope as the “Holy Father”?

It is not just the Roman Catholics who teach as fundamental doctrine that Peter was the first earthly head of the church; so do many Protestant churches. Did Peter's authority die with him? No, they claim, it was handed down to Linus and after he died, it was handed down to another and so on for the past 2000 years. Many Protestants claim that although believers originally had to follow the pope, that in later times they strayed from the truth. They claim the Catholic church was the true church at the beginning.

Obviously Peter could be pope only if Jesus authorized the existence of that office. So let us consider what Jesus' word says. The office and qualifications of the pope are not mentioned in the Bible although it does specifically name several offices in the church and describes the work and qualifications of those who hold that office. These are apostles, elders and deacons: Eph. 4:11. Matt. 10:2-4. Luke 6:13-16. Acts 1:21-26. 2 Cor. 12:11,12. Eph. 3:3-5. Acts 10:39-41. Phil. 1:1. Acts 14:23. 1 Tim. 3:1-7. Titus 1:5-9. Eph. 4:11. 1 Tim. 3:1-7. Titus 1:5-9. Acts 20:28. 1 Peter 5:1-3. Acts 20:28. 1 Peter 5:1-3. Phil. 1:1. 1 Tim. 3:8-13 and Acts 6:1-6. Don't you think the office of pope would have been at least mentioned in the Bible? Paul in his letters never mentions Pope Peter!

Jesus is the Head of the Church not the pope. Ephesians 1:22,23. The authority of the pope is said to be the foundation of the Catholic Church but 1 Corinthians 3:11 says there can be no foundation other than Jesus. 1 Peter. 2:3-8 says Peter himself taught that Jesus is the chief cornerstone on which the church is built. There really are no scriptures supporting the position of pope or that Peter had this future. I could quote many other scriptures but I'm going to move on to post scripture history.

At least 4 popes have admitted to having had illegitimate children. At least 5 popes were sons of priests and at least one and possibly two popes who were the sons of other popes! At least 6 popes were excommunicated or condemned as heretics, including one pope who was excommunicated twice and two popes who excommunicated one another! The Catholic Church has had some 25 rival claimants of the papacy. For 40 years in the 14th century two and even three pretenders to the papacy claimed the allegiance of Catholics and even now it is not certain who was pope and one pope was actually a woman!  (More about this later)..... and we are supposed to call these, “Holy Father”? What blasphemy!

Peter was never called "Pope," "Chief Pastor," "Prince of the Apostles," "Head of the Church," "Ruler of the Church," "Supreme Pontiff," “Holy Father”. He was called simply an apostle and servant (1 Peter 1:1; 2 Peter 1:1) and fellow-presbyter (1 Peter 5:1). Matthew 23:9 expressly forbids calling any man "father" as a title of religious honour yet the word "pope" means "father". Modern popes and priests wear the very title that Jesus forbade!

We can begin to see how this counterfeit church evolved. Believers in the New Testament did not have such organisational baggage. At first they were simply called the followers of the way. They gathered spontaneously in the temple and in some synagogues for a period of time. Mostly, however, they met in private homes and went from house to house. They were drawn together by the presence of the Lord in their midst. (Now there's a thought!) Followers of Jesus did not have church buildings until Constantine the Great, Emperor of Rome from 306 to 337 A.D. hijacked Christianity because of political expediency. He endorsed the faith and created a “free” climate, providing the leaders did things his way, and they began to erect buildings. The earliest church buildings are believed to have been built after the pattern of the Roman basilica - architecture that was firmly rooted in the traditions of the Roman empire and has no basis in scripture. Church buildings became more elaborate with the Byzantine, Romanesque, and Gothic influences. The layout of these cathedrals often hid the monks and choirs from the people. Again this is man raising himself up. This reinforced the idea of a separation of clergy from laity which is unscriptural.

DISAGREEMENT.
The first meeting of bishops took place in the middle of the second century. A hierarchy of churches soon developed, with Rome, Alexandria, and Antioch acquiring the most power and the councils emerging as major decision-making bodies.  The controversy over when Passover was to be celebrated is a compelling example of how doctrines became catholic. Although the book of Acts describes the followers of Jesus observing annual High Days such as Pentecost and the Day of Atonement (Acts 2:1, 27:9), the bulk of the churches which professed to be Christian had rejected nearly every Old Testament holy day. Passover was the last to be retained according to the Jewish practice but the celebration of this day among western churches was changed during the bishopric of Sixtus of Rome (between 120-135 A.D., roughly the same period when the influence of the Jerusalem church waned). Thereafter, Christianity was divided as to whether Passover should be celebrated on a Sunday in honour of Jesus' supposed resurrection or on the 14th of Nisan in honour of His death.  At this time, all referred to the day as the Pascha. It was not, until centuries later that the day became known as Easter. (My Greek speaking friends tell me that the King James Version of Acts 12:4 incorrectly uses the word Easter for the Greek word "Pascha." Other translations render it "Passover.")  The churches of Asia Minor, particularly those mentioned in Revelation 2-3, continued to follow the New Testament observance of the 14th of Nisan whereas Melito, Bishop of Sardis, continued to follow the practice left by the apostle John, while Anicetus felt obligated to follow the practice established by the four presbyters (elders) before him. 

EMPEROR CONSTANTINE.
After claiming seeing a cross in battle, Constantine abruptly ended religious persecution. For the first time, a Roman Emperor recognised Catholic Christianity. In 321 Constantine passed a law making Sunday the official day of rest in the Roman empire, but Sunday was never the Sabbath, it was the day of the sun god - the Sabbath was from sunset Friday to sunset Saturday.  He also established the celebration of Jesus' birthday on 25th December, but this was the feast of the sun god and has no relationship with the birth date of Jesus.  He called the council of Nicea, which finally settled the questions regarding the Passover by decreeing that it was to be celebrated only on Sunday.  This edict was not well received by the Christians who kept the Passover, the Audianis were banished by Constantine and others condemned as heretics. There began a period of mass conversion of pagans which meant new customs brought over from paganism including devotion to relics, the use of the kiss as a sign of reverence for holy objects, the use of candles and incense.  They brought the pagan practice of bowed heads, closed eyes and hands together whilst praying, when Jesus did quite the reverse and opened His eyes and looked up to heaven (for example John 17:1).  At this time there began the worship of angels, martyrs, and Mary as new converts transferred to them some of the reverence they had felt for pagan deities. The converts believed they could pray to any of these personages who would then make intercession for them.  By the end of the fourth century, the Catholic believers were not the bride of Christ as they claimed to be but an estranged bride!  Sadly, so called "Christianity" was already far removed from the simple faith of the New Testament "People of the Book" or the "People of the Way".

PAGANS.
Incorporation of the symbols and imagery of sun worship were now well established and appealed to pagans.  Constantine was a sun worshipper.  Tertullian, for example, urged pagans to worship the true light and sun, while strongly refuting the charge that Christians were sun worshippers.  By 150 A.D. professing Christians were praying toward the east. Clement of Alexandria claimed this was done because the birth of light came from the east and because some ancient temples existed there. The Apostolic Constitutions, an early document on church customs, stated that the church building and the congregation were to face the east, a pagan custom! Sun worship enjoyed an immense popularity in the Roman empire.  To the worshippers of Mithra the god of light, the first day of the week was sacred and his followers celebrated his birth on 25th December.  Mithraism was a rival of Christianity, with the competition most intense during the third century. 

WHAT CONNECTION HAS JONAH WITH TODAY'S BABYLONIAN CHRISTIANITY?
Have you ever wondered whether the story of Jonah, in the Bible, is true or not?  Why is such an unlikely story included in scripture?  What is the point of it?  Did you know that a bishop's mitre and his complete outfit is pagan and represents the pagan god Dagon?  When you kneel before a bishop in his outfit you are kneeling before a representative of this pagan fish god and it is all linked firmly with the Biblical story of Jonah. 

The Assyrians believed that the sum total of their knowledge was acquired from a fish-like man named Yanush who, sent by the fish god Dagon, had appeared from the sea and taught them.  They further believed that any new knowledge they would acquire would also come from Yanush. 

When we read the book of Jonah and 2 Kings 14 we see that Jonah was around during the reign of the evil King Jeroboam who's 41 year reign spanned from 842 to 800 BC.   When Jonah made his reluctant visit to Ninevah he came out of the belly of a large fish (not a whale) and blotched with degistive juices announced his name in Hebrew as Yonah (Assyrian: Yanush) which is why the Assyrians listened to what he had to say and repented!  God was then able to use them to hammer Israel who were reluctant to repent. 

In the Pergamum Museum in Berlin are depictions of pagan priests that appear to be half sun-fish and half man and are sprinkling holy water.  There are depictions of a pagan priest wearing a sun-fish, the fish head with open mouth worn as a mitre and the rest of the fish forming a cloak. These are both illustrations of Dagon the fish god, the god of Babylon and Philistia (Judges 16:23 and 1 Samuel 5:2-7).  The pagan goddness Cybele who also wore a mitre almost identical to the fish god Dagon, was worshipped in Rome and was also called the Magna Mater or the great queen mother goddess. The priesthood of Cybele was composed of eunuchs, which parallels the celibate priesthood of Catholicism.  

There can be no doubt that the fish-head mitre worn by the clergy of the Catholics and neo-Catholics and the pope is derived directly from the mitres of the ancient pagan fish-god Dagon and the goddess Cybele. The papal mitre represents the head of Dagon with an open mouth, which is the reason for the pointed shape and split top.

What is interesting is the tradition of eating fish on Friday comes from many different pagan cultures. Aphrodite Salacia, the fish Goddess, was worshipped by her followers on her sacred day of Friday. They ate fish and engaging in orgies. Which is how the word "salacious" meaning lustful became used. The Catholic church assimilated this tradition by requiring the faithful to eat fish on Friday.   I am reliably informed that ancient Rome called Friday "dies veneris" or Day of Venus, the pagan goddess. Venus is the one in the fable of the mystic egg of the Babylonians about the giant egg falling from heaven into the River Euphrates. The fishes rolled it to the bank where the doves having perched on it, hatched it. What came out of this egg was Venus-also referred to as the morning star. Venus afterwards was called the Assyrian goddess or Astarte, the queen of heaven!

The depiction of a pagan priest wearing a sun-fish, the head with open mouth worn as a mitre and the rest of the fish forming a cloak are both illustrations of Dagon, which was the God of Babylon and Philistia should, at the very least, ring a note of caution to Christians!

CONSOLIDATION.
The years of Christian persecution came to an end. Emperor Constantine issued the Edict of Milan which formally established freedom and toleration for all religions, including Christianity. There was no single individual who spoke for the entire church; no one person had the authority to decide matters of belief and practice. Such matters could only be determined by councils at which all available bishops would debate and attempt to resolve their differences, the first of which was the Council of Nicea which tackled the matter of the Trinity.  Arius argued that Jesus and God were separate and different entities.  Athanasius argued that Jesus must be divine because otherwise he could not be the Saviour and the atonement would not have been possible.  They both had large, evenly matched followings among the bishops. Emotions ran high. The council, under intense pressure from Emperor Constantine who said he would sack the lot of them and appoint his own bishops if they could not agree, consequently resolved its deadlock by a vote in favour of Athanasius. The dissenting bishops were offered two options: to sign the settlement at Nicea or be exiled. The bishops produced the Nicene Creed, which declared that Jesus Christ was "of one substance with the Father." This did not immediately settle the question of the divinity of the Christ; many bishops and churches refused to believe in the council's decision for decades but the winners write history!  The bishops granted to the bishop of Alexandria papal authority over the eastern half of the empire and to the Bishop of Rome they granted papal authority over the western portion of the empire.

The church evolved from small scattered congregations to a geographically widespread church under the authority of many bishops.  Emperor Theodosian issued a series of decrees in 341, 345, 356, 381, 383, 386 and 391 which, in effect, suppressed all rival religions.  Pagan temples were seized and converted to Christian use and thus the use of buildings had begun.  The merging of Christianity and pagan beliefs left their mark and can still be seen today.  Dissenters were often executed and by their fellow "Christians"!  Thus the church used the power of the state to begin programs to oppress, exile or exterminate dissenters.  The support of the emperor was not without it's cost and he and later political rulers, demanded a major say in the running of the church and in decisions on its beliefs.

Church authority had became concentrated in the five Bishops or Patriarchs located in Alexandria, Antioch, Constantinople, Jerusalem and Rome. Although they were officially given equal status, the Bishop of Rome was considered by many to be the first amongst equals.  In 381 at the Council of Constantinople, the earlier council's decision on the deity of Jesus was confirmed and Arianism was declared a heresy.  Emperor Theodosius decreed that the doctrine of the Trinity was to be the official state religion and that all his subjects should adhere to it.  Siricius, who reigned from 384 to 399 became the first Bishop of Rome to be called “pope” (papa, father).

ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH.
The Roman Catholic and the office of “pope” was now established.  We are told today he is the successor to Peter the apostle but modern popes cannot be successors of apostles because they are not eyewitnesses of Christ, they do not possess miraculous powers, they cannot impart such powers to others and they are not directly guided by the Holy Spirit. They possess none of the unique qualifications of apostles!   How does a man become pope today? He is chosen by a body of cardinals but the first were not established until 304 AD.  Finally, a council in 1059 AD decreed that popes should henceforth be elected on the judgment of the six cardinal bishops.  The Catholic Church claims that the succession of popes is a chain that connects the modern church to the first-century church but as we have seen, popes were unknown in the Bible, Peter was not a pope, modern popes have none of the essential qualifications of the apostles they are supposed to succeed.  There are times at which no one knows who was pope. The modern means of selecting popes was not determined until a thousand years after the church began! The whole chain is missing! And this is the evidence used to prove that the Catholic Church is the true church!  What nonsense!   It is a Babylonian system - a pagan organisation who has paganised our beloved Saviour.

POPE JOAN.
A brief word about another "holy father":  John Anglicus was a ninth century Englishman who travelled to Rome where he became famous for his knowledge of science.  Eventually he became a cardinal and when Pope Leo IV died in 853 A.D., he was unanimously elected Pope John VIII.  However, whilst riding in 855 from St. Peter's to the Lateran, he had to stop by the side of the road and to the astonishment of everyone, gave birth to a child. It turned out that Pope John VIII was really a woman.   She became known as Pope Joan.  On discovering the Pope's true gender, the people of Rome are said to have tied her feet together and dragged her behind a horse while stoning her, until she died.  The story the Roman Catholic Church broadcast was much more humane, that she was sent to a faraway convent to repent of her sins.  The child she bore grew up to become the Bishop of Ostia.

It was not until the thirteenth century that her image began to appear as the High Priestess card in the Tarot deck.  The Catholic Church at first seemed to accept the reality of Pope Joan. Marginal notes in a fifteenth century document refer to a statue called "The Woman Pope with Her Child" that was supposedly erected near the Lateran. It is also known that for some years the chairs used during papal consecrations had holes in their seats so that the new Pope's gender could be checked!  During the Reformation in the sixteenth century, the Catholic Church began to deny the existence of Pope Joan. However, at the same time, Protestant writers insisted on her reality, presumably because the existence of a female Pope was a convenient piece of anti-Catholic propaganda. 

THE GREAT WHORE.
There is little doubt that the “Great Whore” of Revelation 17 depicts the Roman Catholic Church. The description of the papal system fits perfectly.  Kings and rulers have committed "adultery" with her by seeking an audience with the pope, especially in recent years.  They presumably think that by receiving the pope’s blessing, they receive divine approval.

One example of monarchs seeking blessing from the pope is in 1914 when Emperor Franz Joseph, ruler of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, had an audience with Pope Pius X and asked him to bless his forces.  Pius X refused and became very angry with the Emporer shouting, "Get out of my sight!  Get out of my sight!  Away!  Away!  We grant blessing to no-one who provokes the world to war."  Immediately after the Emporer hurriedly left, Pius X had a heart attack and died.  By the end of the first world war the Austro-Hunarian Empire was no more either! 

A former Catholic priest who had become a follower of Jesus, emailed us some time ago and said; "That blasphemous church rejects plain teachings found in the Bible, I don't know why I couldn't see it. The Mass is probably the greatest act of blasphemy performed by Roman Catholic priests every day because it denies the once for all sacrifice of Jesus on the Cross."

They invoke the assistance of thousands of dead "saints" of the church – blasphemy! It is plain that the seven heads are the seven hills on which the Great Whore sits and the Vatican sits on the seven hills on which the city of Rome is built.  Likewise the ten horns are the ten kings or leaders of the ten nations or regions within Europe.  Purple and Scarlet are prominent colours of the leading men of the Roman Catholic Church (archbishops, bishops, and cardinals).  The Roman Catholic Church is known for its wealth and splendour. The Vatican and the Basilica of St. Peter is evidence of the abundant riches of that church (whilst their poor people in some parts of the world starve).  The Golden Cup is full of the abominations and filthiness of her fornication. Those who drink of this cup become some of the most paganised nations and people on earth. The cup is full of idolatry, depravity, and witchcraft. These abominations are open defiance against God. This cup also represents the desire of Rome to bring all nations under her control by offering them blessing, friendship, and protection. The golden cup also speaks of her followers in Catholic countries believing that they can live as they please as long as they attend Mass and Confession.

BY THEIR FRUITS....
Bearing in mind what Jesus said about a good tree not being able to produce bad fruit; it is claimed by the Roman Catholic Church and probably most people, that "Saint" Augustine brought Christianity to England in 597.  But the winners write history, don't they? The truth is, as usual, quite different.  What he brought to these shores was the "Cult of Mary".  There is much evidence to show that the Christian gospel was here in England by about 40 AD.  Certainly in England our first Christian King was Lucius who died in 187.  Augustine rooted out these early Christians and at one point drove them to what is now Anglesy where he had 400 slaughtered because they refused to join his "Cult of Mary".  The winners writing history!

Drunk with the blood of the saints and martyrs of the Saviour, the popes have stained hands with the blood of countless millions of souls this church has slaughtered throughout the centuries. This whore has spit fire at those born again followers of Jesus who had the nerve to relate directly to Jesus and the desire to live according to the truth of the Bible. The Inquisition is a perfect example of the evil within the system. One only has to read Foxe’s Book of Martyrs to see what power is really in control of the papacy and the depravity to which the church has stooped.

MYSTERIES.
The Catholic Church is a Mystery Religion and many of her doctrines are so called.  For example, the mystery of the mass (transubstantiation). In reality what is spoken of as a mystery is a trick, a deception (the demonic spirit of Jezebel - more later).  (The Catechism of the Church (1994) states, “Liturgical catechesis aims to initiate people into the mysteries of Christ by proceeding from the visible to the invisible, from the ‘sacraments’ to the ‘mysteries’” [page 246]).  The Babylonian Religion was one of mysteries.  It's teaching is beyond the plain understanding of the word of God so they are called mysteries.  The Church of Rome is really a Christianised version of the religion of ancient Babylon with it's mixture of paganism and Babylonian mystery cultism.

WHY 'THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS'?
What do mothers do?  They give birth and she has given birth to so many children.  (More later).

UNHOLY TITLES.
Just to drive the point home let us look at some unholy (for man) titles.   “Holy Father” is blasphemous because there is none holy but God (1 Samuel 2:2).  Jesus commanded that we call no man father (Matthew 23:9) and the title of “Holy Father” belongs solely to God the Father (John 17:11).  If anything, it is Jesus Who is the “Supreme Pontiff”.  The dictionary defines “pontiff” as ‘pope, high priest, bishop’. The full title actually means “Great High Priest”. This title already belongs to Jesus as Great High Priest (Hebrews 4:14, 8:1, 10:21).  “Vicar of Christ” is also blasphemous.  The title “vicar” refers to a person being a representative or substitute but believers do not need a substitute as we relate directly to Jesus - that would be spiritual adultery. 

The pope's names are blasphemous. His three titles, “Holy Father”, “Supreme Pontiff”, and “Vicar of Christ belong respectively to the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. No wonder the Man of Sin of 2 Thessalonians 2:4 will sit in the temple claiming to be God.

But if you think this is just a Roman Catholic bashing job, you are wrong.  Just wait and see.  There are some surprises ahead.

Before we move on to discussing the children of the Harlot and Jezebel, I want digress a little and to draw your attention to a remarkable prophecy about the popes at the end times for your interest:

THE LAST POPE.

"Saint" Malachy O'Morgair, Archbishop of Armagh, c1139 listed 112 future popes and he described each with a phrase that has proved to be pretty accurate.  Popes 109 and 110 match the pontificates of Popes John Paul I and John Paul II exactly.  After these there are only numbers 111 and 112 - only two more popes and Malachy goes into great detail about this last pope. 

Number 109, Pope John Paul I, is given the phrase: “From the Half of the Moon.”.  John Paul I was elected on 26th August 1978, when half the moon was visible in the sky.  He died on 28th September when the moon was again in its last quarter.  He was pope for only 33 days, slightly more than the length of one lunar cycle. 

Number 110, Pope John Paul II is given the phrase;  “From the Labour of the Sun.”  What labour does the sun do?  It travels around the earth and so did Pope John Paul II.  He is the most travelled Pope in history. 

Number 111, The first pope after John Paul II:  Malachy gives the phrase: “From the Glory of the Olive”.  What is the glory of the olive? The olive branch is a well-known symbol of peace. The glory of the olive is peace. Therefore this pope may be a man of peace.  It has been suggested he will make peace with other faiths, bringing about the universal faith.  He could be called the Pope of Peace but it will be a false peace.   However, "From the Glory of the Olive" more likely refers to the Order of St. Benedict because they have a group within their order called the "Olivetans".  As we have seen he has taken the name of St. Benedict and has declared he will live in imitation of him, just like Pope Benedict XV who was an emissary of peace, so has the new Pope Benedict XVI declared he will be.  However, like his namesake he will fail. 

Number 112 is the second pope after John Paul II  and Malachy gives him the description: “In the final persecution of the Holy Roman Church there shall reign Peter the Roman who will feed his flock amid many tribulations, after which the seven-hilled city will be destroyed and the terrible judge will judge the people.”  What the name Peter the Roman means, it is hard to say.  Perhaps he will be someone born or grew up in Rome.  It is more likely that this name is a description of his Pontificate, as with the others before him.  It has been said that this pope reaffirms the authority of the pope over the Church as a supposed successor of Peter the apostle - that he will require the faithful to acknowledge “the holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Roman Church as the mother and teacher of all churches”. He will emphasize the supposed supremacy of the Roman Catholic Faith and the Roman Catholic Church above all other religions and denominations and its authority over all Christians and all peoples of the world.   Malachy's prophecy indicates Peter the Roman will be the last pope and that the city of Rome will be destroyed during the pontificate of this pope.

CHILDREN OF THE HARLOT:
THE REFORMATION.

Jezebel, that "Mother of Harlots", has given birth to many children.   I am not going into the fine detail about the Reformation.  We all know how Henry VIII broke with the Roman Church to start the Church of England and about Martin Luther laying charges against the Roman Church at Wittenberg.  Protestants, seeing the Roman Catholic Church for what it was,  tried to be more Biblical and amongst other things, halted the building of great edifices. The reformers were content with simple, rectangular buildings. They were primarily interested in gathering the people and having a place to preach. By the 19th century however, Protestant Church architecture had likewise become elaborate and consisted of elements from a variety of styles.  The enchantment with church buildings throughout the centuries has contributed to the institutionalisation of the church system as we now know it.  

WHAT DO WE MEAN BY “THE CHURCH”? This is part of an email we received.  I had referred to the body of believers as, "the Church" and he was quick to point out the following which explains the root of the word CHURCH, so commonly used today, yet so misunderstood:

.......... So the translators of the King James Bible chose to translate the Greek word "ekklesia" by using the English word "church" but let us look a little closer at the word:  

"Church" was derived from the Old English word "cirice", which is related to the Norwegian/Scandinavian word "kirkja"; derived from the Germanic word "kirka"; derived from the late Greek word "kyrite"; derived from the Greek word "kurios" which means "ruler," "lord," "master." In the Greek, "kuriake oika" means "lord's house." Therefore, the word "church" came to mean "a building set apart or consecrated for public worship".   So the word "church" does not have its root in the Greek term "ekklesia".  It is the formation of two Greek words: "ek" which means "out of" and "kaleo" which means "to call." Combined, the word literally means "to call out of." "Ekklesia" was commonly used among the Greeks in reference to a body of citizens who "gathered" to discuss the affairs of state.  A correct and quite appropriate translation of "ekklesia" is "called-out-ones" or "assembly" or "gathering-of-called-out-ones".   It is appropriate to use the word "church" when we are actually talking about a building but not when we are talking about the body of Christ. What we call "church" is a building. In this context the "ekklesia" is an assembly of Jesus' people.

In spite of the Reformation and other spiritual awakenings, the influence of the clergy system abounds in every denomination and independent church. Any challenge to a person's exalted position as pastor (or whatever title they go by) are fighting words to most. The Nicolaitans today are all those who promote the clergy system, which separate the so-called professional ministry from the so-called laity. This clergy system is the work of Jezebel, the harlot spirit, in the churches.

The following is an extract from the appendix to the book, "The King and His Kingdom" by Peter Whyte, which gives insight into the body of Christ and the Church

Whilst preparing the final chapter of this book I had an unusual dream and the Lord gave me an interpretation of it.  This is the only time I have had the experience of hearing from the Lord in this manner and the scriptures from Proverbs which He gave me to confirm it, were unfamiliar to me.  The following is an account of the experience, followed by the Scriptures confirming God's interpretation:

I DREAMED that I was in a spacious office talking to a young receptionist.  She was about thirty years my junior, charming, pretty and exuding fresh innocence and we liked each other tremendously.  As we walked to the door of the office I put my arm across her shoulders in a fatherly gesture, thinking of her affectionately like my own daughter.  After a few paces she trustingly responded with her arm around me.  She walked with me to the lift lobby and we left sight of those behind us in the office.  I bent and kissed her lips gently in farewell.  She smiled back at me and we parted in a beautiful atmosphere, totally devoid of any sexual overtones.  I rode the lift to the car park and for a split second I entertained a fleeting fantasy of a love affair with that fawn-like creature and dismissed it, being unthinkable for an old married grandfather and a Christian too!

The lift reached the car park level and a harlot appeared.  She was waiting for me in the lift lobby by the door to the car park.  She was middle-aged, no longer fresh, blonde, hard, with a good figure and aggressive.  She reached for my hand, promising, selling herself hopefully.  I was disgusted, affronted and totally unattracted, but I politely refused her and walked across the dusty lot toward my car in the sunshine.  My thoughts were filled with  self-righteous indignation.  What did she take me for?  I am a fine Christian husband and father.  I could never go with a prostitute.  I looked back across the lot and she was busy negotiating with a rather ugly, coarse man who had come out of the lift lobby shortly after me....

THEN I WOKE UP.  IT WAS 3.33 a.m.

I said, "Lord, what was all that about?"  And the Lord explained the dream.  "You thought that those two women were totally different types.  The first innocent and the second a whore.  But I tell you that your dream concerned two harlots and both represented Babylonian Christianity.  The young one looks like the potential bride of Christ.  She represents the innocent appearance of men's churches.  The Bible studies, the beautiful services, the preaching, the meetings and all that makes men say that their 'churches' are definitely of God.  It is all done in Jesus' name.  But I say to you that the young one is the most dangerous.  She lulls you into a sense of false security and innocence but eventually if you pursue that sweet relationship, she will seduce you and you will also seduce her.  You will be in an adulterous relationship that does not appear to be one.  Eventually your loyalty to her will exceed your loyalty to Me.  My children have little difficulty rejecting the obviously wrong cults and sects and dreary lifeless churches which the professional whore represents.  Therefore it is the other one of whom they are to be warned.  They must flee from her or they will be ensnared."

Proverbs 5:1-14.  Revelation 17:3-6, 17:18, 18:8 and 18:20-24.

Praise the Lord that the Heavens are not closed in these last days and that we can still receive guidance from the Lord.  I believe this is from the throne of God.  We have to be so careful not to become trapped by that young harlot.  It can happen without us knowing it.  Someone once asked me to whom was I responsible?  I replied, to Jesus.  He replied that there would be a state of anarchy if all Christians thought like that!

LOOKING FOR THE SPIRIT BEHIND THE HARLOT.

Many years ago a friend, Andrew Ralley, give me some sound advice which I have never forgotten:  "Look for the spirit behind the event."  Now it is the first thing I do.  Let us apply that here and this may be the biggest eye-opener in this study for most readers:

Jesus said:  "....How can one enter into a strongman's house and spoil his goods, except he first bind the strongman? And then he will spoil his house."  (Matthew 12: 29).

"Strongman"?  What did He mean?  He was telling us that if we engage in spiritual warfare we must first bind the STRONGMAN - the ruling demonic power (which we do with words, incidentally).  We battle against these principalities and powers which are strongmen of varying degrees and we often do not know it.  We have to do this before we can enter his "house" to plunder it.  What has ruling demonic spirits got to do with the "Harlot Church"?  Well, if you are not familiar with such things it will surprise you.  Let us see who these strongmen are, bearing in mind that there is no gender in the spirit world - neither male nor female and therefore "strongmen" can refer to "men or women"  (well that should please the feminists!). 

In my view there are three strongmen ruling spirits who rule directly under Satan himself.  These are the spirits of "JEZEBEL", "ANTICHRIST" and "DEATH and HELL".   These are the princes of the power of the air and under these are the princes over each nation.  Under these demonic princes is a prince of each town and so on.  Satan's kingdom resembles a pyramid (beware of the pyramidal system of management in churches, it is a sign of spirit Babylon).  I can tell you that the city near where we live, the spirit prince over that city is CONTROL.  Other cities I have known the stronghold has been DIVISION and another a RELIGIOUS spirit.  It is beyond the scope of this study to comprehensively discuss all three of these strongmen, although I may be tempted at a later date! 

JEZEBEL.
I want to concentrate on Jezebel, the "strongman" behind the counterfeit church!  Read Isaiah chapter 47 where Jezebel is revealed.  It has been called the "Virgin Daughter of Babylon" and "The Lady of the Kingdoms".  In verses 8 and 9 we can see Jezebel considers itself in place of God saying, "I am and there is none else beside me".  In our text for this study (Rev. 17 and 18) we find confirmation of this.  We see the woman arrayed in purple and scarlet with precious stones and having in her hand a golden cup full of filthiness, abominations and fornication.  This spirit is named "Babylon the Great", "Mother of Harlots and Abominations of the World". (17:5).  In Revelation 18: 7-8 it says: “How much she hath glorified herself, and lived deliciously, so much torment and sorrow give her: for she saith in her heart, I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow.   Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine; and she shall be utterly burned with fire: for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her.   And the kings of the earth, who have committed fornication and lived deliciously with her, shall bewail her, and lament for her, when they shall see the smoke of her burning.”

Jezebel is the first to be cast into the lake of fire.  Isaiah 47:10 tells us Jezebel has kept hidden for thousands of years.  ("No one sees me.")  It has been difficult to see and difficult to understand back in the mists of time but today Jezebel is manifesting more and more.  It is a spirit of great pride and been able to hide from everybody, working it's evil through it's clever deceptions - yes, certainly clever.  

Jezebel operates through extremes of feminism, sorcery, stargazing, enchantments, astrology and horoscopes (Isaiah 47:13).  It is exposing itself now through the drug culture, pornography, marital breakdown, some rock music (especially with a heavy drum beat) and lust.  It is the "Mother of Abominations".  Idolatry belongs to this spirit.  Read Revelation 2: 20-24. Jezebel in Thyatira could have been a real person among the people of the book and encouraging sexual immorality. However, something far more spiritually significant was going on for the Lord to highlight it and we as followers of Jesus must be aware and take notice of this. This Jezebel spirit in Thyatira represented a spirit condition in the hearts of some of God's people. Ahab's Jezebel in the Old Testament can further enlighten us as to what this Jezebel spirit is by her life and reputation. She was controlling and manipulative and practiced witchcraft and harlotry.

Jezebel, the Mother of Harlots, represents the same spirit condition of idolatry and spiritual adultery. Jezebel in Thyatira taught and seduced the Lord's servants to commit adultery and fornication and to eat things sacrificed to idols. This harlot of Revelation 17 is the spirit version of Thyatiran Jezebel.

SELF.
The Jezebel spirit is seeking anything for self, the idolatry of self-love (Philippians 2:21). The harlot spirit is present anytime we try to build something in the flesh for our selves which includes building a Christian fellowship or church for "self" for the sake of building an organisation.  For example I know three "pastors" who continually express concern that their Christian fellowships remain small - I say "good"!  We do not please Jesus by creating big fellowships and churches - all that does is please our flesh.  The Holy Spirit is present when we set our hearts to build only for Jesus. For example, we deceive ourselves when we think that our great church buildings are for Jesus. They are  for us. A further and very common example are those in churches today who violate God's people in order to increase themselves in position and domination. These are idols of self-glorification.

Jezebel tries to get God's people to worship other gods, to get their eyes off of Jesus and onto themselves, When we lift up this counterfeit church system and join people to it, we turn their hearts away from the One who should be their first and only love, Jesus Christ! The Jezebel spirit in the counterfeit church today is addicted to bigger, better and more of everything - bigger church buildings and salaries – more members - greater offerings and increased recognition.  In the UK there are some huge "churches" and if TV is anything to go by, in the United States there are huge "churches" consisting of thousands.  We have to ask ourselves, who do these vast organisations glorify?  

The Jezebel spirit has always killed the prophets of God. Revelation 17 and 18 tells us that the Harlot is drunk with the blood of the saints and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus. If Jezebel cannot kill the prophet of God outright she will try to seduce him into something immoral or illegal. (Read about Joseph; Genesis 39).

FEMINISM.
Although it will not be popular to say this; feminism is one of Jezebel's greatest successes and most effective weapons in these latter days. The Jezebel spirit despises the authority of the man. God clearly established His order for headship through Paul. "But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God." (1 Cor. 11:2.)

Jezebel tries to have great influence through the woman to usurp her husband's God given authority. It encourages the woman to answer for her husband and makes decisions for him and manipulates him to get her way. She uses sex, self pity, threats, crying and sulking to achieve what she wants. The Jezebel spirit wants more than anything to rule in the churches and to rule over God's elect. She targets the leadership when she can. A typical way Jezebel works is for an elder, who has made a decision at the fellowship, to talk it over with his wife and come back the next day having changed his mind. It did not comply with her agenda and she persuaded him to change his mind. She ruled him; thereby, she controlled most of what happened in this fellowship through him. He was an Ahab and she was a Jezebel.

This strongman Jezebel is driven by ambition and is characterised by the headship of the woman. Headship of course, is not a question of citizenship or greatness but a matter of jurisdiction. It is a responsibility each man has before his Head, Jesus Christ, to properly love and cover his wife. A godly man will be a true shepherd over his household. He will lead, feed, heal, and tend to them. Women who usurp their coverings of headship open themselves up to deceiving spirits. Women who become the "power behind the throne" or begin to exercise authority over their husbands open themselves up to a Jezebel spirit. (1 Cor. 2:12-14 and 11: 10). The headship of women is out of order and unscriptural.

We have seen that Jezebel is "The Mother of Harlots"and creator of "The Harlot Church".  The ruling spirit under Jezebel is DECEPTION.  Jezebel's children are; division, apostasy, addictions, broken marriages, heresies, idolatry, adultery, arrogance, charms and tokens,  divination, cults (Mormons, Jehovah's Witnesses etc) and the occult, humanism, covetousness, witchcraft, pride, sorcery, domination, drugs, homosexuality etc., hatred, feminism,  spirit of religion, lying, blasphemy, fear and I could go on and on.

Why would the devil's army get involved in religion? Surely the devil wants to steer clear of it? The answer is very simple - he knows some want religion and he will provide his own version for them!

The Statue of Liberty symbolises "The Queen of Heaven" as does every statue of Mary. It is Jezebel, the goddess of love holding a torch, the symbol of the god of fire and crowned with sun rays, for the sun god. It was a gift from France in 1886.  (Jezebel, through the Illuminatti, was behind the French revolution in 1789.) The Statue symbolises the power of Jezebel over New York. It is the home of the Godless United Nations, the leaders of Satan's strategic attack on Israel. New York is arguably the trade centre of the world.

We are in captivity to her Babylonian system through her counterfeit church system. Yet Jesus warns us through His revelation to John that the followers of Jesus should get out of her or we will receive the same judgments that are falling upon her.  Read Revelation 18: 4-5, “Come out of her, my people, so that you will not share in her sins, so that you will not receive any of her plagues; for her sins are piled up in heaven and God has remembered her crimes.” There could not be a clearer warning.

JEZEBEL IN OUR MEETINGS.
In some meetings, Jezebel is counterfeiting the Holy Spirit and when this takes place, almost anyone would say it is the Holy Spirit Who is present.  Many well-meaning but ill-informed followers of Jesus try to exploit the Holy Spirit to advance themselves. Many fake the presence of the Holy Spirit to make their church or their services look good. Oh, be very careful!

The way we can tell the difference is by whether it is in line with the Bible and to be able to discern such spirits.  We need a witness to the Spirit of Truth.  When lies are being preached, then we know that the spirit upon the people is the spirit of Jezebel that seduces people into Satan's deceptions.  When we go by what we are feeling in a meeting, we are in the sensual realm which is from the soul area and it is by those senses that we are led astray.  We have been programmed to believe that these things have been moved by the Holy Spirit but this is a lie and there are so many, especially among the "Charismatics", have been taken in.  The only way to keep from being deceived is by knowing the Bible.  Seduction through false prophets that mesmerise with signs and wonders are now common place. 

SO WHAT....?
I hope you are sitting down for the next bit!  You can see from the Bible that the vast majority of Christians are submitting to the demonic spirit of Jezebel and not to Jesus as they think.  It is plain for you to see in scripture that the Roman Catholic Church is the Harlot Church of the Book of Revelation - the Mother of Harlots.  Don't blame me, I'm just the messenger!  It is all there in scripture.  You should be feeling uncomfortable now and understandably confused.  But wait a minute - there's more, an awful lot more! 

SO WHY DO YOU NEED A TITLE? Is it because if you did not have a title or position, your fellow believers would not know what you are doing? If this is the case, you are not functioning in the calling anyway! If a person has a title, it is no guarantee he is functioning in it.

I have seen many times someone being appointed as an elder by the counterfeit church system and then function ineffectively. In the same place I have seen someone else function as an elder (without the title) and the body has recognised him as such. The title a person is given carries no guarantee of calling! An elder should be a spiritually mature man who understands the Bible and lives an exemplary life totally submitted to Jesus.

The Body of Christ through it's association with the Harlot Church, is plagued with titles. If nothing else this shows the Babylonian influence in the church - Babylon? What is “Babylon”?

Both Zion and Babylon were historical places, yet the scriptures also speak of them as spiritual states of being (Hebrews 12:22, 1 Peter 2:6 and Revelation 14:8). Both Zion and Babylon mirror the condition of our hearts. Symbolic Babylon is that attitude of the heart that makes us think we can solve all of our problems and meet all of our needs without God. We look to government, politics, science, technology, psychology and religion etc., for our help - things mankind has invented. However here, “spiritual Babylon” refers to that organised, religious church system which are products of the carnal mind.

In order to understand Zion and Babylon - we must understand the difference between Spirit and flesh. It should be noted that the difference between the Body of Christ and this counterfeit church system is that difference between Spirit and flesh - what is of the Spirit of God and what is of our old man nature of flesh and sin - the carnal mind. Zion represents the Spirit - Babylon represents the flesh. It is absolutely crucial that followers of Jesus learn to discern what is Spirit and what is flesh. Flesh is the enemy of the Spirit. True believers in the Christ have been given the power of the Spirit to live a life separated from the flesh. Of course, I hope as followers of Jesus that we know that the sentence of death has been pronounced over the flesh. The flesh nature of man is separated from God who is life; therefore, the flesh is dead and all that comes from the carnal mind is death.

Zion is the people of God whereas Babylon is church institutions, systems and organisations. Zion is a people who are called by the name of Jesus whereas Babylon is those who are called by many different names that represent divisions within this Babylonian church system: Baptist, Methodist, Presbyterian, Catholic, Church of England, Lutheran, Pentecostal etc. and don't you think you Christian fellowships get away with it either! What do you do? You start a fellowship, give it a name and then submit to it! Zion is Jesus-centred whereas Babylon is self-centred. Zion is humility but Babylon is full of pride and arrogance. Zion is living by the Spirit but Babylon is living after the flesh. Zion is heavenly, light, liberty and rest whereas Babylon is earthly, darkness, bondage and works. Zion is grace but Babylon is law. Zion is life and being whereas Babylon is death and doing. Zion is the Kingdom of God but Babylon is the kingdoms of men. Zion has Jesus Christ as her head but Babylon has elected or appointed men as their heads. Zion is a Spirit-led people but Babylon is led by rules and regulations of man. Zion is Spirit-sensitive whereas Babylon is man-pleasing. Zion is obedience to the Holy Spirit but Babylon is busy church work trying to accomplish things in self-strength. Zion has its authority in the Word of God but Babylon places its authority in man-made doctrines. Zion worships in spirit and in truth letting the Holy Spirit lead whereas Babylon has organised praise with a “worship leader” and set hymns and songs. Zion is the priesthood of all believers but Babylon is the clergy system. Zion answers to God as the highest authority however, Babylon answers to men and their institutions as the authority. Zion conforms people into the image of Jesus but Babylon conforms people into its own image. Zion listens to God and acts in faith, no matter what the cost but Babylon employs fund raisers that play on the heartstrings of believers to reach it's financial targets, counts the money and acquires riches pretending they are needed to spread the gospel. Zion waits upon God to raise up what God wants in His timing but Babylon can't wait and schemes, organises and promotes to execute its own plan in its own way and time. Zion is the city of God whereas Babylon seeks to build a city, a tower and a name for itself. Zion longs to be gathered into Jesus but Babylon seeks to gather people to itself.

Babylon is self-centred living and is making ourselves out to be god therefore, it is idolatry. Idolatry is spiritual harlotry. “Church” is an idolatrous extension of ourselves and therefore spiritual harlotry. We become spiritual prostitutes when we create something and give our hearts to it rather than to Jesus. This is what we have done with the counterfeit church system. We have made church a substitute for Jesus. Many within these harlot church systems are true believers who love the Lord but are uninformed and deceived.

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They have unintentionally given their hearts to this harlot church but they think they have given their heart to Jesus because they find it difficult to know the difference!

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After about two years a minister friend challenged him by telling him he was a church in all but name. He insisted that they were not a church, that God had not called him to start a church. That he was not the pastor of it either. He had to admit that they held Sunday morning meetings for those who chose not to go elsewhere. He did pastor individuals but that was all. His minister friend disputed his contentions, insisting that they were a church. He said there was no scriptural precedent for the para-church ministry that they had. He quoted to him the well known saying that; "If you look like a duck, walk like a duck, and quack like a duck, you must be a duck. You look like a church, walk like a church, and talk like a church." He had to admit he was a church. The spirit of Jezebel had weaseled its way into their work. They were never supposed to be a church yet had so become.

When a church or fellowship is started it soon takes on a personality of it's own and begins to exist for its own sake and the people begin to serve it rather than it serving the people. Those dedicated to keeping the church going expect their members to attend it, support it and serve it. They plan it and take exception to any newcomer who tries to change it. Everything has to fit the model of what they think a church ought to look like. If we do not provide the expected support for it by attending it's programmes, we are made to feel guilty and it is implied we are not truly for the Lord or not even born again. We are told we must be committed to the church. If we do not “commit” to it we are thought to be slothful Christians. Worst of all if we do not even attend a local church, we are assumed to be backsliders - not real Christians - what a cheek!

Some people are religious addicts. We join a church and glory in it's ritual and get in bondage to it. They pray for revival and measure it's depth by how many people joined the various churches. It takes possession of us. Many churches are spiritually stagnant. The services are dead. The preacher is boring. People argue over petty, irrelevant issues. They feel their offerings are wasted on worthless salaries, programs, and mortgages. They feel obligated to serve on committees that serve the institution more than they serve the people. They see the leadership trying one gimmick after another to make the monster relevant in order to get more people to join it and be active in it.

This is an email I received just a short while ago.  I had better keep the ladies name confidential:  

My church has just posted the budget for next year. The minister (4 years now) has decided to pay salaries to previously unsalaried people. This has caused the budget for next year to increase from £53,000. in 2002 to over £140,000! People such as the music director, the sound man, the guitarist, the babysitters, are all going to receive a salary! I thought they were donating their talents to Christ and our church, why would the minister decide to burden us with this? We only have about 100 members (that is almost £28 per week from every single member - not household, i.e., a family of four would be expected to pay almost £112 per week!).  In the budget he posted "benevolences and expenses" but I thought a benevolence was a gift? How could it be listed with expenses?  Then there's a list of expenses: fuel, water etc. and apportionment! ............ I think something fishy is going on with this budget....

(In Matthew 10:14 Jesus tells us to shake the dust off our feet and move on. It was a gesture of the time to show those concerned that they were making a wrong choice. Vote with your feet! Jesus says to come out of the Babylonian system: “Come out of her my people.” (Revelation 18: 4). I'm afraid this is typical of the Harlot Church of Revelation 17 and 18.)  

When we preach church we preach another gospel, a false gospel. We perpetuate the lie. We evangelise people into our churches, yet we are uncomfortable calling them to deny themselves and take up their crosses to follow Jesus. Such a command by Jesus is a foreign concept to most Christians today.

Many who dare to leave one church go down the street hoping for a better "spiritual climate" only to find the same old whore in a change of dress. Only the rules are slightly different. Some go from church to church looking for that which is genuine, only to find another whore. Yet, they continue their search because they are addicted to it. A few discerning believers do manage to break away from the bondage of church. Some attend anonymous groups, seeking recovery from the religiosity. Going to church is the only thing they have experienced that supposedly represents Jesus, our Saviour. In going after it as did Israel of old, we have played the harlot and provoked the Lord to anger.

WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO THE HARLOT CHURCH?

You should know, if you have not already read it, what will happen to the Harlot Church and all her offspring, who have organised themselves according to Babylon – the worlds system – which is that great Babylonian monster of an organisation we call church. Read Revelation 14:8, "Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication." In Revelation 17:1-2 we read, "Come here, I will show you the judgment of the great whore who sits upon many waters: with whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication." Read these extracts from Revelation 18; "Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great!.... For this reason in one day her plagues will come... Woe, woe, the great city, Babylon, the strong city! For in one hour your judgment has come.... for in one hour such great wealth has been laid waste!.... and a strong angel took up a stone like a great millstone and threw it into the sea, saying, 'Thus will Babylon, the great city, be thrown down with violence and will not be found any longer.”

Finally, in Revelation 19:1-2, John, "Heard a great voice of much people in heaven, saying, 'Alleluia; Salvation, and glory, and honour, and power, unto the Lord our God: For true and righteous are His judgments: for He has judged the great whore, which corrupted the earth with her fornication...” (Did that register with you?)

This idolatrous Jezebel worshipping system, that monster we call church, that temple of men's traditions is destined to be destroyed. Revelation 2:21-24 tells the rest of the story. "And I gave her [Jezebel] space to repent of her fornication; and she repented not. Behold, I will cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they repent of their deeds. (Did that register?) And I will kill her children with death; and all the assemblies of called-out-ones shall know that I am He who searches the minds and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your works. But unto you I say, and unto the rest in Thyatira, as many as have not this doctrine, and which have not known the depths of Satan, as they speak; I will put upon you none other burden."

So we can see that the second angel announces Babylon's fall detailed in chapters 17 and 18. Babylon is apostate Judaism and Christendom. This is the vast commercial empire of the world's system which includes the vast religious conglomerate both with headquarters in Rome and her offspring, her children who have inherited her fornications. All nations have become drunk with the wine of her fornication (have come under her evil influence and have been reduced to staggering lawlessness [God's laws] and wretchedness). The harlots sins have piled up to heaven but her end will be swift. The world's system, of which the harlot is part, will crash. Then comes the rejoicing of the great multitude in heaven, praising the Lord for His righteous punishment of that great harlot. She is punished for her cold-blooded slaughter of God's servants.

Revelation 2: 21-24 (quoted above) really should be taken very seriously indeed: Because that harlot church system, of which Jezebel is the head and all those who have committed spiritual adultery with her (i.e., put the church system between them and Jesus) and have not repented but remained in that adulterous system (are you listening?) they will be thrown into the sickbed of great tribulation together with that demonic spirit Jezebel – after all they have chosen Jezebel above Jesus. BUT (are you still listening?) those who forsake Jezebel and turn ONLY to Jesus, they will not have this burden placed on them. Ignore this at your peril – you have been warned!

WHAT HAPPENS NOW?....

Should our walk with the Lord be a lone walk? No! No! No! The writer of Hebrews said we should meet together (Hebrews 10: 25). You have to be very strong to follower Jesus on your own.

A PICTURE OF THE NEW TESTAMENT CHURCH TODAY.

How would the NT church work today? Well, I've got news for you – it is working and working well. Read this email, one of many received on this subject:

"...THAT THEY ALL MAY BE ONE."
We want to get back to real New Testament, unadulterated Christianity.  Forget about today's church just for a
moment with all her obvious unBiblical practices.  Forget the denominations and divisions.  Just imagine for a moment God's people holding huge gatherings all over a city out in the open on any day of the week, in the market place, hundreds of people bursting into praising the Lord, not with an organ on wheels but at most with light instrumewnts, if any at all.  What an impact it would make.  As well as these united gatherings, on most streets there would be a house-meeting, where Spirit-filled followers of Jesus gather together, eating and sharing and having communion as a NEIGHBOURHOOD CHURCH.  The power of God flowing in these house meetings is often amazing as the people learn to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit (not a programme of evening events!).  Many healings and miracles would occur.  The gifts of the Spirit would flow freely every day. 

No longer would followers of Jesus want to hide themselves away behind four walls.  They want to gather where the people are - presenting Jesus to the whole world.  They would be truly one body.  Followers of Jesus would be united.  They wouldn't have to negotiate a common doctrine as now, Jesus would be at the centre.  There is no way that any of their old buildings could contain them. 

Early Christians had a deep fellowship together and is something that many Christians today long for. It really is the essence of church life in the Bible. However, the modern church seems to have lost it. When we have a service or meeting where everyone comes and sits in rows facing the front, sings some songs and listens to the sermon, then says "Bless you" to a few people and goes home. This is not the true fellowship of the New Testament. Even in quite a few cell groups and house meetings today, there is little deep fellowship. It is more like a miniature church service where a few people do all the ministry and the rest sit around and watch.  We may have a church meeting but we do not have deep fellowship and without this we really have nothing.  The Bible tells us we should not forsake meeting together.  We called out followers of Jesus, should come together as a group , "we" being those who truly are washed-in-the-blood, Spirit-filled people.  This kind of deep fellowship, joy and unity involves a connection on a wonderful spiritual level - so the Holy Spirit can truly flow.
 
Geoff Holstrom writes:
The early church house meetings meant they gathered around a meal or the Lord's Supper which is much more important than our churches have taught us today.  I don't believe it was a ritual but a sharing of a meal which they partook of every time they met in their homes.   Not everyone will agree with me but in Matthew's Gospel Jesus gave His disciples the bread and wine during the meal.   I believe what we call communion is part of such a meal, not a ritual that requires a special person or an elder to pray over the bread and wine before it becomes holy.  We are all priests anyway.  It is most important that we break bread with our Christian friends and family. 

The other thing we need to do in our house meeting is to make room and encourage each person to move in the gifts of the Holy Spirit.  This was not a one man band - far from it!  Every single Spirit-filled believer was valued for who they were and the gifts they had.   1 Cor 14:26 says;  "When you come together, everyone has a hymn or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. All of these things must  be done for the  strengthening of the church."  Let us invite Jesus to take charge of our house meetings - not just sit around discussing things.  EVERYONE  should be using their spiritual gifts in these meetings.  These may be spiritual songs, teaching, prophecies, tongues, and interpretations.  If any are sick they should be prayed for.  More mature believers (elders) would always be aware of any deception and gently correct it, perhaps even away from the meeting if it was not serious.  Sometimes this may involve some teaching. 

Jesus, through the Holy Spirit would raise up the more mature people to lead and teach but by following the flow of the Holy Spirit who NEVER dominates.  There would be no reverends, very reverends or extreemly lofty reverends, just fellow followers of Jesus.  There would be no Bible College graduates - just Holy Spirit graduates.  What an anointing!  They would have graduated but from the Lord's college having spent many years in prayer and brokenness before God drawing closer and closer to Him.  The Saviour Himself would seem to speak through them Awe of the Lord would be present and many people repent deeply.  Demons are cast out and the blind and crippled would be healed.  These things would happen all the time because Jesus would be present.  The cities and towns would be buzzing and many would be saved. Even the newspapers and television would want to report on the greatest story ever told.

As soon as someone repents they are immediately baptised  by full immersion by other followers of Jesus upon the word of their testimony - not a ritualistic repetition of words but in their own words from their heart!  Fellow believers would also lay hands on them for the infilling of the Holy Spirit.  A new follower of Jesus would be shown possible gifts they have and encouraged to use them.  They would be encouraged to move forward and fulfill their calling.  No longer would there be a distinction between those who are "ministers" and those who are merely "laity".  EVERYONE would be encouraged to minister as the Lord leads.  However in any group there would be  elders, that is older more mature followers of Jesus to guide things, not dominate things.