Chapter 6
The Harlot Church Today
God's Word warns: .... In the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves: covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, high minded, lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God; having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof; from such turn away..., ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth (spiritually blind).., so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith.., but evil men and seducers shall Wax worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived" (2 Tim. 3:1-5, 7, 8, 13).
Man-centered religion today thinks it is manifesting the love of God while at the same time it loves and indulges the selfish flesh. This is double-mindedness. Those caught up in this are not being led by the Spirit of God, or they would put to death the deeds of the flesh (Rom. 8:13, 14). They are trying to manifest the love of God through the works of the flesh. All works of the flesh are cursed. This is why these works are called a form of godliness. They can never conform you to the image of Jesus. The opposite of this is to preach the whole Gospel, and the whole Gospel will tell the flesh it has to die. This is not a popular message and will not please men, but it is what God's men will preach as they seek the approval of God rather than of men. The whole Gospel produces holy men and women. Since grace has been perverted by false teachings, love is also perverted. The love expressed in most of the church today is just like the world. They hate their neighbor as they slander, condemn, judge, and curse one another. God calls this influence of the world in the church harlotry ... . For they be all adulterers, an assembly of treacherous men. And they bend their tongues like their bow for lies: but they are not valiant for the truth upon the earth;.., and they know not Me, saith the Lord" (Jer. 9:2,3).
When this congregation assembles, they speak against one another: "Take ye heed every one of his neighbor, and trust ye not in any brother: for every brother will utterly supplant, and every neighbor will walk with slanders. And they will deceive every one his neighbor, and will not speak the truth... thine habitation is in the midst of deceit; through deceit they refuse to know Me, saith the Lord. Their tongue is an arrow shot out; it speaketh deceit: one speaketh peaceably to his neighbor with his mouth, but in heart he layeth his wait" (Jer. 9:4-6, 8). This is so descriptive of the church today. It is as if Jeremiah had written this after seeing the condition in the average church today. The manifestation of the flesh nature of Satan has not changed since the time of Jeremiah. What a form of godliness was then, a form of godliness is today. We must recognize the seriousness this problem. God calls it harlotry. James warned, "Speak not evil one of another, brethren. He that speaketh evil of his brother, and judgeth brother, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth the law but if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law (James 4:11). When we continue to walk after the flesh, we speak against one another. Instead of being a doer of the law, we pass judgment on God's law, which in turn brings judgment on us. A form of godliness totally misses God by producing a double-minded harlot who speaks blessings and curses, because she wants to walk with Jesus and hold onto the flesh nature of Satan at the same time. This is the result of doctrines that do not conform you to godliness.
When the love of the flesh nature is removed from your heart by the washing of the Word of God, your mind no longer stays on yourself but on how you can love and help your neighbor. Your mouth bears the fruit of this love. You are no longer married to the old man (your old flesh nature). You have a new husband; his name is Lord Jesus Christ. He has all of your heart. This is how you become the bride of Christ. We are free from the judgment of the law because we have become a doer of the law and we bear fruit (the fruit of love) for God. Before we became the bride of Christ, we were the bride of the old man and we were bearing fruit for death, because we were law breakers. Therefore, as the bride of Christ, we must put to death the old man. Paul said, "I... am dead to the law, that I might live unto God. I am crucified with Christ (by my choosing to put to death the flesh nature): nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me" (Gal. 2:19, 20). Paul describes an adulteress in Romans 7: "Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law (when you die to the flesh, you die to the law) by the body of Christ, that ye should be married to another, even to Him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God (the fruit of love). For when we were in the flesh, the motions of sins (the works of the flesh), Which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death (because of breaking God's laws). But now we are delivered from the law, being dead to (that) wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of Spirit and not in oldness of the letter" (Rom. 7:4-6).
Paul explained that the old man must die so that we can be released from the law. The Spirit of God must control our lives to put this flesh nature to death, so we can become doers of the law and bear fruit for God. If your heart is married to Christ, you will bear fruit for God. If your heart is still married to the old man, you will bear fruit for Satan. Paul continues: "Know ye not.., how that the law hath dominion over a man as long as he liveth? For the woman which hath a husband is bound by law to her husband so long as he liveth; but if the husband be dead, she is loosed from the law of her husband. So then, if while her husband liveth, she be married to another, she shall be called an adulteress: but if her husband be dead, she is free from that law; so that she is no adulteress, though she be married to another man" (Rom. 7:1-3). An adulteress is anyone who tries to follow Jesus while they still love and are married to their old man (the flesh nature). It is only as we choose to die to our old man that we can truly become the bride of Christ. The meaning of these Scriptures are hidden to those who have only a form of godliness, because they are totally contrary to their carnal doctrines. The understanding of these Scriptures will become much clearer as we continue in this chapter. Jesus said: "Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect" (Matt. 5:48).
We become perfect when we no longer speak against our neighbor: "If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body" (James 3:2). "And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men (hate, anger, slander against our neighbor)... Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be. This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly (walking and talking just like the world), sensual (from the flesh nature), devilish (because we do not resist the flaming missiles of the powers of darkness who continually fill our minds with opposition toward our neighbors). For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work" (James 3:6,9,10, 15,16). When a congregation follows a doctrine that does not conform them to godliness, they will bless God as they continue to break God's law by speaking curses against their neighbor. This is the double-minded adulteress which we saw in Romans 7. We see the same one in James 4:4: "Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God. Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God."
A person controlled by worldly wisdom is in rebellion to God and controlled by the powers of darkness: "For let not that man think that he shall receive anything of the Lord. A double minded man is unstable in all his ways" (James 1:7, 8). Doctrines that teach a form of godliness produce a people with selfish ambition who are lovers of themselves: "Ye lust (by following your fleshly desires) and have not (your way); ye kill (by speaking against your neighbor), and desire to have (your way).., ye fight and war (against others).., ye ask (pray), and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts (praying with the wrong motive)" (James 4:2, 3). Since this congregation still walks after the flesh, they pray for God to cooperate with them while they try to fulfill selfish ambition by building a self-image and name for themselves. The opposite of this is the body of Christ which walks in love. Jesus said: "Ye have not chosen Me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in My name, He may give it you (God answers all his prayers because his heart motives have been purified by love). If ye were of the world, the world would love his own.., but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you (because you will not participate with the world in slander, gossip, fault finding, etc.)" (John 15:16, 19). If you love your selfish nature more than Christ, you will not lay your life down to walk in love. You will not endure sound doctrines: "For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts they shall heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; and they shall turn away their ears from the truth (and will receive a false security so they can continue to be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, unloving, gossips, and haters of good)" (2 Tim. 4:3, 4).
Everyone makes a choice. They will love their life and preserve it in the image of Satan, or they will choose to lay down their life for their neighbor. Those who follow a form of godliness remain in darkness, unable to come to the knowledge of the truth, because they do not walk in love. "He that loveth his brother abideth (continues) in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him. But he that hateth his brother is in darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because that darkness (of selfishness and self-centeredness) hath blinded his eyes" (1 John 2:10, 11).
The powers of darkness bring this darkness which blinds congregations to the true Gospel: "But if our gospel is hid, it is hid to them that are lost: in whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them" (2 Cor. 4:3, 4). Everyone who chooses to continue to walk after the flesh nature is blinded and destroyed by the powers of darkness. Listen to the words of Peter: "Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin" (1 Pet. 4:1). Those who walk after carnal doctrines ignore Scriptures such as these. Carnal doctrines do not teach you to put the flesh nature to death. They encourage you to practice sin.
Carnal doctrines and carnal traditions teach congregations to do fleshly works for God instead of taking up their cross and denying the flesh. They make a futile attempt to perfect a fleshly congregation in love through the strength and works of the flesh. They are accursed because they practice lawlessness (they are lawbreakers). These doctrines have distorted the Gospel and have made the Gospel contrary to the truth in order to fulfill the selfish ambition of men who still love their flesh more than they love God. This congregation is "at ease in Zion" because they live for themselves. They refuse to suffer in the flesh in order to cease from sin.
People have turned from God and left their first love by the millions to follow after false teachers and distorted gospels. They know that they do not have the same relationship with Christ that they once had, but they do not understand why. The problem is very simple: "if any man preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed" (Gal. 1:9).
This is the falling away today. The hedge of protection has been removed and judgment is coming against all who teach doctrines contrary to the glorious Gospel of agape love. You have to die to selfishness in order to walk in love. The law was not made for a righteous man, but to judge the lawless and every doctrine and teaching contrary to the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Paul wrote: "Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for the unholy.., and any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine; ACCORDING TO THE GLORIOUS GOSPEL OF THE BLESSED GOD" (1 Tim. 1:9-11).
The law brings judgment, a curse, and the wrath of God on all who participate in a distorted Gospel because they are not protected by God.
Paul warned them: "Charge some that they teach no other doctrine...which minister questions, rather than godly edifying which is in faith... Now the end of the commandment (the purpose of the teaching) is charity (agape love) out of a PURE HEART... From which some having swerved have turned aside unto vain jangling; desiring to be teachers of the law; understanding neither what they say, nor whereof they affirm (these false teachers make confident assertions about matters wherein they have no understanding nor wisdom from God)" (1 Tim. 1:3-7). Paul also cautioned: "If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is (conforming you) according to godliness; he is proud, knowing nothing (because he is ever learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth)" (1 Tim 6:3, 4). Paul also said, "in the latter times SOME SHALL DEPART FROM THE FAITH, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils" (1 Tim. 4:1). These doctrines were developed by men who loved selfish ambition. The powers of darkness have deceived these men. They have taken parts of the Bible to build their doctrines which have captured the hearts of people, while fulfilling their selfish ambition. They divide the body of Christ into fleshly kingdoms, as they lead congregations into double-mindedness, rebellion and destruction. They do not build up the body of Christ into the unity of the faith, to a mature man, to the fullness of Christ. This is the adulteress which leads people to draw near to God with their mouths, while their hearts still love the nature of Satan. They are not perfected in love. They do not love their neighbor, but curse their neighbor. Matthew wrote in the Gospel: "But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man" (Matt. 15:18).
Mark wrote, "For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness" (Mark 7:2 1, 22). This is the fruit produced by a form of godliness and the carnal doctrines of men. The doctrines of men will never change the heart. This is the harlot church. Mark also wrote: "This people honoreth Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me (they are double minded). Howbeit IN VAIN do they worship Me (they are lost), teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men.., making the word of God of none effect through your traditions.., and many such like things do ye" (Mark 7:6-9, 13). This is what the carnal doctrines of men have done to congregations. They produce a deceitful form of godliness.
In the book of Titus we read: "unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled. They profess that they know God; but in works they deny Him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate (rejected, worthless)" (Titus 1:15, 16). Listen to the word of the great prophet Jeremiah: "Behold, ye trust in lying words, that cannot profit. Will ye steal, murder, and commit adultery, and swear falsely, and burn incense unto Baal, and walk after other gods whom ye know not; and come and stand before Me in this house, which is called by My name, and say, WE ARE DELIVERED... Is this house, which is called by My name, become a den of robbers in your eyes...?" (Jer. 7:8-11). "But this thing commanded I them, saying, Obey My voice, and I will be your God, and ye shall be My people: and walk ye in all the ways that I have commanded you, that it may be well with you." "But they hearkened not, nor inclined their ear, but walked in the counsels and in the imagination of their evil heart, and went backward, and not forward.
Therefore thou shalt speak all these words unto them; but they will not hearken to thee: Thou shalt call unto them; but they will not answer thee. But thou shalt say unto them, this is a nation that obeyeth not the voice of the Lord their God, nor receiveth correction: truth is perished and is cut off from their mouth (there is a famine of the word of God)" (Jer. 7:23, 24, 27, 28). Then the prophet added: "And the carcases (spiritually dead) of this people shall be meat for the fowls of the heaven, and the beasts of the earth (the powers of darkness); and none shall fray them away. Then will I cause to cease from the cities of Judah, and from the streets of Jerusalem (the church), the voice of mirth, and the voice of gladness, and the voice of the bridegroom (Jesus), and the voice of the bride (the true body of Christ); for the land shall be desolate" (Jer 7:33, 34). These Scriptures perfectly describe the spiritual darkness and destruction which is on the harlot church today. Yet she is offended when you attempt to show her the truth, because she is wise in her own eyes.
Isaiah also addressed this issue: "Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honor Me, but have removed their heart far from Me, and their fear toward Me is taught by the PRECEPT OF MEN. And the vision of all is become unto you as the words of a book that is sealed (no understanding).., for the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the understanding (discernment) of their prudent men shall be hid" (Isa. 29:13, 14). Hear the words of Hosea: "for the Lord hath a controversy with the inhabitants of the land, because there is no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in the land... by swearing, lying, and killing, and stealing, and committing adultery, they break out... Yet let no man strive, nor reprove another... Therefore shalt thou fall in the day and the prophet also shall fall with thee in the night (in spiritual darkness), and I will destroy thy mother (the church). My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge; because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, and that thou shalt be no priest to Me" (Hos. 4:1, 2,4-6).
Hosea also wrote: "0 Ephraim, thou committest whoredom, and Israel is deified. They will not frame their doings to turn unto their God: for the spirit of whoredoms is in the midst of them, and they have not known the Lord. They have dealt treacherously against the Lord: for they have begotten strange children (false sons)... Ephraim is oppressed and broken in judgment (God's judgment has come upon His broken law), because he willingly walked after the commandment (of men). Therefore will I be unto Ephraim as a moth, and to the house of Judah as rottenness (the hedge is removed and the powers of darkness move in). For I will be unto Ephraim as a lion, and as a young lion to the house of Judah; I will take away, and none shall rescue him.
I will go and return to My place (the presence of God is gone), till they acknowledge their offense, and SEEK MY FACE; in their affliction they will seek Me early" (Hosea 5:3, 4, 7, 11, 12, 14, 15). Because of His abundant grace, God is shining a light today in Jerusalem (the church). The wise virgins will come to the light and be perfected in love.
The foolish virgins, the harlot church, will scoff and mock with controversial questions and disputes about words. Everyone who sins against God and does not repent dies. Therefore God, through His mercy and grace, has made a provision for us to be forgiven through Jesus Christ and the blood of the cross. Jesus became a sacrifice so that our rebellious acts against God could be forgiven. When we are forgiven the powers of darkness lose their hold on our lives because we are removed from God's judgment against sin.
Everyone who does not walk in the ways of God is being destroyed by the powers of darkness. With each deed of rebellion against God or his neighbor, the powers of darkness get ground to bring punishment and destruction. When we come to God and turn from our selfish ways of the world to walk in the loving ways of God, we enter covenant. But how do we walk in the ways of God when, like the world, we have only known the selfish ways of Satan? This is the reason Jesus came, not only as a sacrifice for our sins, but to show us how we should walk. Even more, He brought a book of instruction called the Word of God and His Spirit to counsel us so that we could be reconciled back to the ways of God. We must know what God requires or we will not know how to walk. This is called spiritual understanding. As we read the Word of God, the Holy Spirit counsels us and shows us the things in our lives that we must turn from. He also shows us the things we must do in order to please God. The Spirit of God leads us to overcome all the ways of Satan, so that we no longer walk and talk like the selfish world. Our minds are renewed to walk and talk like God. We are no longer conformed to our former lusts of the flesh, but we learn how to become holy like Jesus in all our behavior. We are conformed to the image of Christ and we escape the corruption that is in the world by lust. Because we no longer live for ourselves, we are reconciled back to God as a new creation. Old things have passed away.
As Jesus Christ walked in this world, so do we. We are ambassadors of God, and we take this word to others that they also may be delivered from judgment and be reconciled back to God. Like Jesus, we forsake selfish ambition and the gain of this world because our citizenship is now in heaven. The real treasure on this earth is to please God and receive His love and blessings which far exceed anything this earth can offer. What do we do if we make a mistake and break God's law? When we break God's law, the powers of darkness move in to attack us, and we lose our peace. To a Christian, this is reproof and discipline from God. If he no longer has peace, he knows the hedge of protection has been removed because he has given ground to the powers of darkness. Because of God's provision at Calvary, he has a place of repentance so that the judgment for this sin can be removed. Therefore when he repents by turning from his sin, he is no longer a lawbreaker and the hedge and peace return. If we do not continue to walk in peace and obedience, the powers of darkness are able to get more ground until we are destroyed. Therefore, everyone who does not walk in covenant is being destroyed by the powers of darkness.
By walking in covenant, we can keep God's laws and receive protection from destruction. Only those who walk in repentance and covenant will survive the destruction of the powers of darkness on this earth today. When we receive God's knowledge and understanding, we learn the fear of God and the judgment of God: "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge" (Prov. 1:7). If we have not learned the fear of God, we obviously have not learned the wisdom and knowledge of God. If someone does not have understanding, he is blind to the judgment and wrath of God today. When people do not have a true knowledge of God's judgments, they become arrogant and hostile toward God, just as the sleeping church has done today. This world literally becomes a testing ground to see if we really desire to go to heaven. If we receive God's instruction, we will overcome the judgment of this world by being perfected in the love and nature of God. It is a natural thing to overcome when we love the Lord with all our hearts, because all our motives will be to please God. The result of this obedience is that we will have the nature of God. However, if we choose to walk in selfishness, like Satan, we have made a choice to go to the same judgment that he received. For this reason, everyone who does not submit and receive wisdom from God is slowly being destroyed.
A wise man will seek the wisdom and protection of God by walking in covenant. THIS WISDOM COMES ONLY THROUGH JESUS CHRIST "who of God is made unto us wisdom" (1 Cor. 1:30). Since Jesus and the Word are the same, Jesus and the Word of God are the wisdom sent from God to rescue and SAVE US FROM DEATH AND DESTRUCTION. This is the Gospel that Jesus brought to us from heaven. God has so written the Word that we must come to Him with all our hearts in order to understand its mystery. With God's knowledge and wisdom, He shows us how to avoid the adulteress and a counterfeit form of godliness which leads people blindly to death and destruction. Throughout Proverbs, God's Word describes how we either walk in blessings or curses from God. Jesus is referred to as wisdom. We can see both the true Church, the bride of Christ, as well as the false church of harlotry. The latter has no understanding of God's laws; therefore, she has no fear of God. She walks in darkness, death and destruction. Jude warns about these last days: "How that they told you there should be mockers (scoffers who are foolish men) in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts... sensual, having not the Spirit" (Jude 18, 19). Because a scoffer loves the flesh, he is worldly minded. He walks and talks like the world. He has no understanding of the wisdom of God. He is wise in his own eyes. Unlike the wise man, he refuses the reproof and discipline which he must have to be perfected in love. We see in Proverbs: "Doth not wisdom (Jesus Christ) cry? and understanding put forth her voice? Unto you, O man, I call; and my voice is to the sons of men? Receive my instruction and not silver; and knowledge rather than choice gold.
For wisdom is better than rubies; and all the things that may be desired are not to be compared to it. The fear of the Lord is to hate evil; pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate. Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom: I AM UNDERSTANDING; I have strength. I love them that love Me; and those that seek Me early shall find me. My fruit (of the Spirit) is better than gold, yea, than fine gold; and My revenue than choice silver. I lead in the way of righteousness, in the midst of the paths of judgment: that I may CAUSE THOSE THAT LOVE ME TO INHERIT SUBSTANCE; and I will fill their treasures. HEAR INSTRUCTION, AND BE WISE... Blessed is the man that heareth Me... For whoso findeth Me findeth life, and shall obtain favor of the Lord. But he that sinneth against Me wrongeth his own soul: all they that hate Me love death" (Prov. 8:1, 4, 10, 11, 13, 14, 17, 19-21, 33-36).
In Proverbs we also read: "Reprove not a scorner, lest he hate thee: rebuke a wise man, and he will love thee. He that reproveth a scorner getteth to himself shame: and he that rebuketh a wicked man getteth himself a blot. Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be yet wiser: teach a just man, and he will increase in learning" (Prov. 9:8, 7, 9). A scoffer is a harlot who has a form of godliness. She loves the flesh nature and the ways of Satan more than the ways of God. This is how the harlot church becomes a dwelling place of demons. For this rebellion, she is destroyed by the powers of darkness.
We also find this teaching in Proverbs: "Wisdom crieth without; she uttereth her voice in the streets: How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? and the scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge? Turn you at My reproof: behold I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you. Because I have called and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded; But ye have set at naught all my counsel, and would none of my reproof: I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh; when your fear cometh as desolation, and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish cometh upon you. For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the Lord; they would none of my counsel; they despised all my reproof. Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way.., the prosperity of fools shall destroy them. But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from fear of evil" (Prov. 1:20,22-27,29-33).
Proverbs continues: "My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee.., incline thine ear unto wisdom and apply thine heart to understanding; yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding; if thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures; then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God. For the Lord giveth wisdom: out of His mouth (the word of God) cometh knowledge and understanding... He is a buckler to them that walk uprightly... He preserveth the way of His saints" (Prov. 2:1, 2, 4-8). "When (God's) wisdom entereth into thine heart, and knowledge (of God's ways) is pleasant to thy soul; discretion (discernment) shall preserve thee, under.. standing shall keep thee, to deliver thee from the way of the evil man, from the man that speaketh froward things (who perverts the word); who leave the paths of uprightness, to walk in the ways of darkness.., to deliver thee from the strange woman (harlot), even from the stranger which flattereth with her words; which forsaketh the guide of her youth (Jesus Christ), and forgetteth the covenant of her God. For her house inclineth unto death, and her paths unto the dead. None that go unto her return again, neither take they hold of the paths of life. For the upright shall dwell in the land, and the perfect shall remain in it (with the hedge of protection). But the wicked shall be cut off from the land, and the transgressors (of the covenant) shall be rooted out of it" (Prov. 2:10-13, 16-22).
These Scriptures show us the Church Jesus Christ builds and the false church that the harlot builds. The harlot church is a synagogue of Satan (Rev. 2:9). The Church that Jesus Christ builds is wisdom: "Wisdom has builded her house, she has hewn out her seven pillars;.., she hath mingled her wine (the teaching); she hath also furnished her table (the covenant); She hath sent for her maidens (the body of Christ); she crieth upon the highest places of the city, Whoso is simple, let him turn in hither: As for him that wanteth understanding, she saith to him, Come, eat of my bread (the Bread of life), and drink of the wine which I have mingled. Forsake the foolish, and live; and go in the way of understanding. For by me thy days shall be multiplied, and the years of thy life shall be increased" (Prov. 9:1-6, 11). If we become a part of the house Jesus builds, we will have the covenant of protection from God to protect us from the powers of darkness. This is how our days will be multiplied and years of life added to us, because we fulfill God's law: "My son, forget not My law; but let thine heart keep my commandments: for length of days, and long life, and peace, shall they add to thee. Be not wise in thine own eyes; fear the Lord, and depart from evil. My son, despise not the chastening of the Lord; neither be weary of His correction: for whom the Lord loveth He correcteth" (Prov. 3:1, 2, 7, 11, 12). The wise virgins make up the body of Christ. The foolish virgins are the harlot church. She is without understanding, having no fear of God, wise in her own eyes. She is ever learning, never able to come to the knowledge of truth.
The Scripture describes her as the foolish woman: .... she is simple, and knoweth nothing. For she sitteth at the door of her house (the false church).., to call passengers who go right on their ways: Whoso is simple, let him turn in hither: ... but he knoweth not that the dead (spiritually dead) are there; and that her guests are in the depths of hell" (Prov. 9:13-16, 18). "With her much fair speech she caused him to yield, with the flattering of her lips she forced him. He goeth after her straightway, as an ox goeth to the slaughter, or as a fool to the correction of the stocks; till a dart strike through his liver; as a bird hasteth to the snare, and knoweth not that it is for his life" (Prov. 7:21-23). Proverbs continues: "Let not thine heart decline to her ways, go not astray in her paths. For she hath cast down many wounded: yea, many strong men have been slain by her. Her house is on the way to hell, going down to the chambers of death" (Prov. 7:25-27). "My son, forget not My law; but let thine heart keep My commandments: for length of days, and long life, and peace, shall they add to thee.
Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. My son, despise not the chastening of the Lord (to perfect you in love).., for whom the Lord loveth He correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth. Be not wise in thine own eyes; fear the Lord and depart from evil" (Prov. 3:1, 2, 5, 7, 11, 12). "For the lips (words) of a strange woman (adulteress) drop as an honeycomb, and her mouth is smoother than oil: Her feet go down to death, her steps take hold on hell. Lest thou shouldest ponder the path of life, her ways are moveable, that thou canst not know them. Remove thy way far from her, and come not nigh the door of her house; lest thou give thine honor unto others, and thy years unto the cruel; lest strangers (the powers of darkness) be filled with thy wealth; and thy labours be in the house of a stranger; and thou mourn at the last, when thy flesh and thy body are consumed, and say, How have I hated instruction, and my heart despised reproof: I was almost in all evil in the midst of the congregation and assembly" (Prov. 5:3, 5, 6, 8, 13, 14). This is where thousands are finding themselves today. "For the ways of man are before the eyes of the Lord, and he pondereth all his goings. His own iniquities shall take the wicked himself, and he shall be holden with the cords of his sin. He shall die without instruction; and in the greatness of his folly he shall go astray" (Prov. 5:2 1- 23).
"Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men. AVOID IT, PASS NOT BY IT, TURN FROM IT... for they eat the bread of wickedness, and drink the wine (teaching) of violence. But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day. The way of the wicked (harlot) is as darkness (spiritual darkness): they know not at what they stumble... Let thine heart retain My words: keep My commandments and live. For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh. Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life" (Prov. 4:14, 15, 17-19, 4, 22, 23). "My son, give Me thine heart, and let thine eyes observe My ways. For a whore is a deep ditch; and a strange woman is a narrow pit. She also lieth in wait as a prey, and increaseth the transgressors among men (by teaching rebellious people that they are righteous)" (Prov. 23:26-28). The Psalmist wrote: "But unto the wicked God saith, What hast thou to do to declare My statutes, or that thou shouldest take My covenant in thy mouth? Seeing thou hatest instruction, and casteth My words behind thee. When thou sawest a thief, then thou consentedst with him, and hast been partaker with adulterers.
Thou givest thy mouth to evil, and thy tongue frameth deceit. Thou sittest and speakest against thy brother; thou slanderest thine own mother's son. These things hast thou done, and I kept silence; thou thoughtest that I was altogether such one as thyself' (Ps. 50:16-21). "For My people have committed two evils; they have forsaken Me the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns (religious systems), that can hold no water (because the word of God can have no place in them.) The young lions (the powers of darkness) roared upon him, and yelled, and they made his land waste: his cities (churches) are burned without inhabitant. Hast thou not procured this unto thyself, in that thou hast forsaken the Lord thy God... And now what hast thou to do in the way of Egypt (the world)... Can a maid forget her ornaments, or a bride her attire? Yet My people have forgotten Me days without number. Also in thy skirts is found the blood of the souls of the poor innocents (the lost)" (Jer. 2:13, 15, 32, 34). "Therefore the showers (Holy Spirit) have been withholden, and there hath been no latter rain (for revival); and thou hadst a whore's forehead, thou refusedst to be ashamed" (Jer. 3:3).
Zephaniah said: "This is the rejoicing city that dwelt carelessly (with a false security).., how is she become a desolation, a place for beasts to lie in (the dwelling place for demons!) Every one that passeth by her shall hiss, and wag his hand. Woe to her that is filthy and polluted, to the oppressing city (church). She obeyed not the voice (of God); she received not correction; she trusted not in the Lord; she drew not near to her God" (Zeph. 2:15; 3:1, 2). Hosea said: "For Israel hath forgotten his Maker, and buildeth temples.., but I will send a fire upon his cities, and it shall devour the palaces thereof... For thou hast gone a whoring from thy God" (Hosea 8:14, 9:1).
Listen to the words of Amos: "And the songs of the temple shall be howlings in that day, saith the Lord God; there shall be many dead bodies in every place; they shall cast them forth with silence. And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the Lord God, that I will cause the sun to go down at noon (a time of great spiritual darkness), and I will darken the earth in the clear day. And I will turn your feasts (church activities) into mourning, and all your songs into lamentation" (Amos 8:3, 9, 10). Again, Jeremiah said: "Therefore, behold, I am against the prophets, saith the Lord, that steal my words (sermons) every one from his neighbor. Behold, I am against the prophets, saith the Lord, that use their tongues, and say, He saith. Behold, I am against them that prophesy false dreams, saith the Lord, and do tell them, and cause My people to err by their lies, and by their lightness; yet I sent them not, nor commanded them: therefore they shall not profit this people at all, saith the Lord" (Jer. 23:30-32).
The apostle Paul wrote: "Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the circumcision (false circumcision). For we are the (true) circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus (not in men and (their) doctrines), and have no confidence in the flesh. For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you, even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ, whose end is destruction... who mind earthly things. For our conversation is in heaven, from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ" (Phil. 3:2, 18-20). Paul also said, "Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy (intellect and academics) and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world (doing the work of God through worldly methods and the strength of the flesh), and not after Christ. As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in Him" (Col. 2:8, 6).
The Psalmist said: "The haters of the Lord should have submitted themselves unto Him (or those who hate the Lord pretend obedience to Him); but their time should have endured for ever" (Ps.81:15). "Examine me, 0 Lord, and prove me; try my reins and my heart. I have not sat with vain persons, neither will I go in with dissemblers. I have hated the congregation of evil doers; and will not sit with the wicked" (Ps. 26:2, 4, 5).