Emile, you wrote, "What should we call "Christians" who deny and try to change these simple biblical truths? What are their motives?"
I'm not sure I know the answer to that one. I do know this however,
(Mat 12:30 NASB) ""He who is not with Me is against Me; and he who does not gather with Me scatters."
(Mat 10:33 NASB) ""But whoever shall deny Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father who is in heaven."
(Mat 10:34 NASB) ""Do not think that I came to bring peace on the earth; I did not come to bring peace, but a sword."
(Luke 12:49 NASB) ""I have come to cast fire upon the earth; and how I wish it were already kindled!"
(Luke 12:50 NASB) ""But I have a baptism to undergo, and how distressed I am until it is accomplished!"
(Luke 12:51 NASB) ""Do you suppose that I came to grant peace on earth? I tell you, no, but rather division;"
(1 Cor 16:13 NASB) "Be on the alert, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong."
(1 Cor 16:14 NASB) "Let all that you do be done in love."
(Eph 6:11 NASB) "Put on the full armor of God, that you may be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil."
(1 Pet 5:12 NASB) "Through Silvanus, our faithful brother (for so I regard him), I have written to you briefly, exhorting and testifying that this is the true grace of God. Stand firm in it!"
(1 Tim 1:6 NASB) "For some men, straying from these things, have turned aside to fruitless discussion,"
(1 Tim 1:7 NASB) "wanting to be teachers of the Law, even though they do not understand either what they are saying or the matters about which they make confident assertions."
(2 Tim 4:3 NASB) "For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires;"
(2 Tim 4:4 NASB) "and will turn away their ears from the truth, and will turn aside to myths."
(2 Tim 4:5 NASB) "But you, be sober in all things, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry."
(James 3:1 NASB) "Let not many of you become teachers, my brethren, knowing that as such we shall incur a stricter judgment."
(James 3:2 NASB) "For we all stumble in many ways. If anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to bridle the whole body as well."
(2 Pet 2:1 NASB) "But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will also be false teachers among you, who will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing swift destruction upon themselves."
(2 Pet 2:2 NASB) "And many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of the truth will be maligned;"
(2 Pet 2:3 NASB) "and in their greed they will exploit you with false words; their judgment from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep."
(2 Pet 2:4 NASB) "For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell and committed them to pits of darkness, reserved for judgment;"
Yes Bro. Emile, thank you for warning about the things you feel are coming upon the people of God and the world in general. I'm a simple man and try to apply the admonition of the Scriptures to stand firm, be faithful in prayer, live for Jesus, and do good works to glorify the Father. Not always successful at those things, but I'm having a shot at it. I'm trusting in God for His providential care if(when) the dark days come. You seem to be a well educated man plus the ability to speak your mind. Which, as you know, can sometimes be an asset and sometimes we taste shoe leather. My last bite was rather nasty tasting, I had on muddy shoes. Nevertheless, one must do what one feels like God has directed him to do, otherwise we become unfaithful to God and self. As for me, in my later years I'm trying to use the KISS method. You've probably heard that, you know, "Keep It Simple Stupid."
I pray for you as I do for all men; that God will have controll in their lives and give Him the glory for it.
To God be the glory, great things He has done - and will do!
Jesus loves us.
David
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