Author: Brian M. Rossiter

I am a Christian teacher, author, and lecturer. Most importantly, I am a truth-seeker. My research has led me to both believe in and defend the veracity of the Bible, evaluating my own personal views in light of its teachings along the way. In addition to my blogs, I have written several books: "The Death Myth," "God Made the Aliens," "Spiritual Things," and most recently, "Missing Verses: 15 Beliefs the Bible Doesn't Teach." My hope in these endeavors is to give skeptics reasons to believe, to strengthen the faith of those who already do, and to challenge each of us to truly evaluate our own worldviews.

Masonic America

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For some time now, I have been spending a tremendous amount of time working on a book. My hope is that it will be my best work to date.

This is, in part, why I have not released many blogs in recent times.

Now that I am getting closer to having this goliath finished, I wanted to start providing small sections as something of a sneak preview of the book. What follows is a rather provocative section showing some of the many indications that our country was indeed founded by the Freemasons, the very church of Satan and the force that largely drives our world.

If you find this interesting, then you will likely find the book interesting as well. Enjoy!

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Masonic America

Scattered throughout the most significant locations in the United States, we see the hallmarks of Freemasonry . . .

These signs appear as all other things within the Masonic enterprise: veiled beneath the trappings of kindness, mercy, justice and beauty. Take Lady Liberty, for example. On a rainy October day in 1886, the Statue of Liberty was unveiled. Before that, however, much took place to make this a reality. In 1883, Emma Lazarus wrote the poem, “The New Colossus,” to help raise money for the statue’s pedestal. In 1903, its most recognized lines were engraved upon a bronze plaque inside the pedestal:

“Give me your tired, your poor,

Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,

The wretched refuse of your teeming shore,

Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me,

I lift my lamp beside the golden door!”

The Stature of Liberty, as the poem suggests, has long been believed to be a symbol of friendship, unity, and of course liberty; it is seen as a beacon of freedom and opportunity to all who wish to enter America.

The Statue of Liberty is probably the single-most identifiable structure that symbolizes the United States; it is what most people, both within and outside of the country, think of when America comes to mind. It is typically taught and maintained that the statue was a gift from France to symbolize their friendship and support.

The truth about the structure, however, is rather different.

The monument was the brainchild of Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi, a French sculptor and painter. Bartholdi wanted to build a grand and memorable structure, and so he traveled to Egypt (among other countries) for inspiration. In 1869, the Egyptian Ruler, Isma’il Pasha—who had previously enjoyed Bartholdi’s work—commissioned him to create a monument that would be placed at the northern side of the Suez Canal in Egypt.[1]

Bartholdi’s intentions, then, were to create a massive lighthouse that would be a personification of Egypt. It was designed to be a towering “fellah” (a male or female peasant) dressed in Islamic style clothing, and the structure would be called “Egypt Enlightening the Orient.” Pasha, however, halted the project because it was proving to be both time and cost prohibitive, among other factors.

After a series of hazy events, Bartholdi later became associated with none other than the Freemasons in his native country of France. During a trip to the U.S. in 1871, he had the revelation of the ideal site for his monument: Bedloe Island, or what is now called Liberty Island. In 1874, Bartholdi helped to establish—under the Masonic agenda—a group called the Franco-American Union.

This group was able to sell influential American figures on Bartholdi’s dream, but now under the guise of aligning with the principles of 1871’s U.S. Constitution.

The Franco-American Union was tasked with selling the idea to the public and raising the required funds to transport the monument in various pieces to America. Hence, the Statue of Liberty was not a gift from France but was a Masonic endeavor to call specific groups of immigrants—through the “light” of the statue’s torch—to their new world.

Now, also shining atop the statue’s head, are seven rays that symbolize the seven continents of the world. These rays hearken back to Bartholdi’s travels and the ancient fascination with the “sun god.” The ancient Egyptians called him “Ra” (or “Re”), while he is identified with many other names in antiquity.

The sun god tradition is thoroughly pagan in nature and, in truth, is often connected to none other than Satan himself. When Lazarus’ poem refers to the statue as the “New Colossus,” this refers specifically to the Colossus of Rhodes. This statue was erected on the Greek Island (and city) of Rhodes to commemorate the defense of Rhodes from Macedonian forces, and it stood roughly 108 feet tall. Not surprisingly, it was one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient world. It depicted the Greek sun god, Helios, and it possessed radiant sun rays that protruded from its head.

Helios was not only depicted on this monument but can also be seen in certain ancient inscriptions. When compared to the Statue of Liberty, the similarities are undeniable. The Statue of Liberty looks nearly identical to the ancient sun god and is even called the “(New) Colossus.”

Imagine that: a Masonic symbol existing right here in America that is clearly connected to Lucifer. Who would have thought?

See any similarities?

Though much more could be said about the origins and symbolism behind Lady Liberty, this should reveal plenty. The truth is that Freemasons sold Lady Liberty to the masses (and still do) as a symbol of freedom, dressing her as a beacon of light and liberty to the peoples of the earth. Like all things in Freemasonry, the truth is veiled for the “ignorant masses,” and what they really accomplished is their beacon to the world shining from the very entrance to their New Atlantis, their Great Work, and the fulfilment of their Quest.

Even the notion of the statue being a woman at all is very much in question. In this sense, the figure is perhaps best understood as being androgynous, something that would align with the upside-down world of Freemasonry. Here, again, they achieved their goal of marking America as a nation dedicated to Satan (the “sun god”) while projecting the virtues of goodness, mercy, justice and peace to the world.

As we have all heard before, the devil is in the details.

Not surprisingly, the nation’s capital also bears the distinct marks of Freemasonry. When you connect the dots between monuments and buildings within the city, all the expected symbols appear: a pyramid, the Square and Compass, and the Masonic cross.[2] Curiously, the Capital Building itself is constructed to reveal an enormous owl. While the owl was seen in some Greek traditions as a symbol of wisdom, it was largely not so in the ancient world.

In both Egypt and Rome—cultures that are heavily present within the architecture of Washington D.C.—the owl took on a much darker meaning. It was believed to be a force associated with darkness and death, and the Egyptians viewed owls as the guardians of the underworld.[3] Not surprisingly, the owl has special significance for both the Freemasons and the Illuminati, as it a symbol of wisdom and hidden knowledge.

When we peer inside the Capital Building, we see a plethora of other signs and symbols. The painting that is suspended 180 feet above the rotunda depicts George Washington as a god and is called the “Apotheosis of Washington.” An apotheosis is the elevation to the status of a god. Hence, the fresco’s title literally means “the deification of Washington” or his “ascent to become a god.” In it, Washington is seen sitting atop the clouds, surrounded by a host of mythological deities. This is clearly something of a comparison with Zeus, who was believed to rule over the pantheon of Gods at Mount Olympus.

Washington is also depicted as a god (Zeus, specifically) within Horatio Greenough’s 1840 sculpture—called “Enthroned Washington”—that once sat within the rotunda of the United States Capitol and is now housed within the Smithsonian Museum.[4] It was a recreation of the great statue of Zeus at Olympia. With Zeus being considered as the chief of the gods in Greek mythology, we see precisely what the aim was with Greenhough’s sculpture.

Also know that his work was commissioned directly by the US Congress and was awarded a federal commission, in case you might object that Greenhough acted independently. Like Lady Liberty, we have another celebrated structure that has its roots in Greek paganism.

As though this were not enough, the Washington Monument—the tallest structure in Washington D.C., at 555 feet—also suggests the deity of George Washington. The monument is an Egyptian obelisk. In antiquity, obelisks were representations (and you guessed it) of the sun god, Ra.[5] The pyramidion, or capstone, of the obelisk represents the All-Seeing Eye. The All-Seeing Eye: you know, the exact same symbol that appears as the capstone of the Egyptian pyramid on the U.S. one dollar bill.

Is this making sense yet?

Speaking of the U.S. one-dollar bill, it cannot—at this point—come as a surprise that it is littered with Masonic/Satanic imagery and symbolism. The first one-dollar bill was issued in 1862 and featured the likeness of Salmon P. Chase, who was the secretary of Treasury under Abraham Lincoln. Seven years later, in 1869, it was redesigned and, among its changes, was that it would now bear the image of George Washington. Over the course of time, many new versions would be created and numerous little “wrinkles,” we’ll call them, found their way onto the dollar bill.[6]

We already discussed the All-Seeing Eye that sits atop its Egyptian pyramid. If we weren’t so used to it, the presence of an Egyptian pyramid should alone give us pause. Why is it even there on the American currency? In any event, there is much more for the eye to “see.”

A lesser-known issue with the pyramid is that there are 13 levels leading up to the capstone. This number is extremely significant within Freemasonry, as it can represent rebirth and it aligns with the exact day (Friday the 13th) that the Knights Templar were burned at the stake in 1307.[7] The Knights Templars are historically linked with the modern Freemasons and even marks its highest degree within the York Rite branch of the fraternity.

There are many other related symbols as well, including 13 leaves and olive branches, 13 bars and stripes on the shield, 13 feathers in the bird’s tail, 13 arrows, 13 stars in the crest above the bird, and more. Below the pyramid, a banner states the term “novus ordo seclorum,” which in Latin means “a new order of the ages.”

You may recall the events of 2020 and the world powers insisting that it marked a time for a Great Reset or, what they sometimes openly called, a New World Order.

Furthermore, we see that the “eagle” on the dollar bill strongly resembles certain ancient depictions of the Egyptian god, Horus, which can be traced back to the All-Seeing Eye that of course exists on the back side of the dollar bill as well. Even this “eagle” is representing a phoenix (or Horus) rising from the ashes.

You have heard the expression, “I will rise like a phoenix from the ashes,” right? This speaks to the concept of Horus’s mythic defeat of his uncle Set (the god of chaos) that would avenge his father Osiris and reclaim the throne. While many protest this idea, and others mentioned here, even the Masonic owl makes an appearance at the top-left corner of the number one, on the top-right of the front side of the bill.

All this, and so much more, can be found on the dollar bill.

Lastly, there is the obvious point that the dollar bears the likeness of George Washington, who we have already seen has the clearest ties to Freemasonry and, by extension, the Satanic cult. The same man who is literally deified in myriad ways within the structures of Washinton D.C. adorns what is perhaps the most mysterious of U.S. symbols.

It all adds up.

Still, the backside of the dollar bill delivers its diversion in the plainest of ways saying, “In God We Trust.” With all the rest of the symbols we have seen, one simply must wonder which “God” this is referring to?

In truth, the deity that is clearly seen on the bill is Lucifer, and in the many ways already mentioned. The dollar bill is a perfect illustration of the world’s continuation of the Babylonian Mystery religion which manifests in endless ways within countless cultures and traditions. This corresponds perfectly with the Masonic ideas of a Great Work or a New Atlantis.

If only “Lady Liberty” were also covering one eye.

(For more on Freemasonry and the All-Seeing Eye, start here.)

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[1] This and the rest of the information presented here is taken from Calloway’s, “Secrets Exposed: the Statue of Liberty.”

[2] See “Secret Revealed, Symbols of the Freemason’s: Washington DC.”

[3] Ibid.

[4] See “Horatio Greenough’s George Washington.”

[5] Ibid. “Secret Revealed.”

[6] See “United States one-dollar bill.”

[7] Harris, “The Meaning of Hidden Symbols on the Dollar Bill in 5 Minutes.”

The Surprising Truth about the Last Days

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It has been quite some time since I last posted. This is partly because of the overall flow of my life recently, but also because I have been pouring my spare time into a new book (available in early 2026, hopefully) and continuing to make videos for the narcissism channel.

However, I felt especially compelled to make extra time to write this article. Those who keep up with this site know that I have been writing about the last days—which I do believe are upon us—in myriad ways since the events of 2020. Recently, I have come to see an important part of the picture that I had not previously given enough attention to.

This part of the picture is that the last days look very little like what most people have been taught.

For most, any discussion about the “end” revolves around (or at least culminates in) a time in which the Great Tribulation gives rise to utter chaos. Let’s be blunt: the end is believed to be nothing short of hell on earth. This is normally cashed out as a period of unparalleled bloodshed, a world ablaze by fire and destruction, and the type of world that can barely sustain human life.

If you have ever seen the film Terminator 2: Judgement Day and Sarah Connor’s vision of the world’s apocalyptic doom then, yeah . . . it’s that: total carnage and destruction, the likes of which we could barely comprehend.

In this article, I want to prove to you why that type of view is most emphatically not how the Bible portrays the last days. At least, it won’t be the overall state of the world prior to Jesus’ coming. To the contrary, the end will be something just as easy to perceive for those with eyes to see but will be impossible to see for those without them.

Let’s look at how this will really go down.

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Images of Destruction

Before getting to the three major points we need to discuss, I must briefly address where all the “post-apocalyptic world” talk comes from: where the belief of a totally scorched earth scenario is derived from.

First, I want to be clear that the last days do involve physical hardships, violence, tribulation, and the like, to a certain degree. The twentieth century saw by far more casualties from war (globally) than any other in history. Though it varies, a solid estimate of the total deaths between the year 1900 and the present is about 187 million casualties.

Without question, most of these came in the 20th century. Talk about “wars and rumors of wars” (Mt. 24:6)! In this sense, there is clearly a sufficient amount of physical violence—in my estimation—to satisfy any amount of physical carnage expected in the tribulation of the last days.

Jesus speaks to this directly, of course. We are told about those wars and rumors of wars, that nations will rise against one another, and that it will be a time of terror in certain respects.

But exactly how bad will that part of things be? One of the mysterious aspects of Jesus’ descriptions of the last days—as in Matthew 24 and Luke 21, for instance—is that he is simultaneously addressing both the events surrounding the fall of the temple/Jerusalem and the events preceding the last days. For this reason, it is sometimes unclear which event he is speaking about. Jesus seems to address these two issues at the same time, seemingly vacillating between them at points.

Matthew 24:4-14, for example, seems to be directly speaking about the events of the last days. The prophecies about the gospel being preached throughout the entire world and the need to “stand firm” to the end cannot apply to the fall of Jerusalem (24:13-14). I don’t think any of that section can or does, for that matter.

However, verse 15 seems to abruptly pivot to a discussion about the fall of Jerusalem. Jesus’ comment about “the abomination that causes desolation” can only refer to the time when the temple existed (prior to AD 70). Further, his mention of the Sabbath is another clear indication that we are dealing with issues pertaining to the first century and not the last days; such a prospect would only make a difference locally, and by those who were bound under the law to keep the Sabbath (I discuss the Sabbath in this article).

There are many other points that could be made, but the point should be clear. Jesus’ handling of the two issues is not purely done in a chronological manner. Like Revelation, issues and time periods tend to jump around a bit. This means that Jesus’ statements about no flesh surviving “if those days had not been cut short” (24:22) and the distress of that time being unparalleled in all human history (24:21) logically pertain to the fall of Jerusalem. The latter is directly connected to issues pertaining to the abomination of desolation and the Sabbath. The Pulpit Commentary has this right:

“There should no flesh be saved; i.e. the whole Jewish nation would have been annihilated” (my emphasis).

The verdict, then, is that Jesus was not telling his audience that the last days would be some type of post-apocalyptic world. It will surely be bad, but not in that way. Furthermore, there has been unparalleled bloodshed throughout the last 120 years, as it is.

There are certainly physical implications of terror and bloodshed associated with the end. However, I think something else entirely speaks mainly to the state of the world in the last days.

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The Days of Noah

While the exact degree of tangible carnage, death and destruction of the end is somewhat hazy, something else Jesus said could not be clearer.

At one point, Jesus tells his listeners exactly what the last days will be like, and it involves the distant past:

“But about that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone. For the coming of the Son of Man will be just like the days of Noah.For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark,and they did not understand until the flood came and took them all away; so will the coming of the Son of Man be” (24:36-39, my emphasis).

There we have it.

Jesus unequivocally stated that his coming—that is, the events surrounding the return and its very nature—will be exactly like it was during the days of Noah. And what was that like? Well, many things could be said on that front. For one thing, the “Nephilim” were alive on the earth in those days and the world was exceedingly corrupt (as it is now, I believe). But Jesus specifically mentions eating, drinking, marriage, and the like.

But why would he talk about those things?

Eating and drinking are the most ordinary (and necessary) aspects of life that one could mention. Only activities like sleeping and breathing would fall into the same category. However, he also mentions marriage. Marriage, as you should recall, was the institution and covenant that God created at the very beginning. It was to be the culmination of God’s design for man and woman and the modus operandi for how life would proceed throughout the entire age. Year after year, people have tied the knot and perpetuated human existence by creating families.

(That was the design, at least, but this clearly doesn’t operate as planned most of the time today).

What, then, was Jesus trying to say when he likened the last days to the days of Noah and the eating, drinking, marrying, etc.? I think it’s quite clear. As the Expositor’s Commentary accurately states:

“The idea rather seems to be that all things went on as usual, as if nothing were going to happen.”

That’s right. Here, Jesus revealed something incredible: something that runs almost completely contrary to what most expect to see in the end. He said that the end would actually look like life as usual. People would be living their lives as though nothing spectacular is occurring at all. No Terminator 2 global chaos. No scorched earth scenarios. No anything of the sort.

In fact, it would appear to most that absolutely nothing was about to happen.

While the Bible does not directly state that others scoffed at Noah for building the Ark—contrary to popular belief—it is certainly reasonable to infer that such a thing occurred. Whatever the case, no one besides Noah and his family were preparing for the cataclysm. As far as the rest of the world was concerned, it was business as usual.

And that is exactly how Jesus describes the end. It is a period when only the righteous—those with eyes to see and ears to hear—will understand what is coming, and the rest of the world will continue on their merry way; they will be completely oblivious to the fact that Jesus’ coming is near.

In a sense, most of the world will exist in a spiritual slumber. They will be blind to the mass matrix of lies and deceptions spiraling around them. They will truly live in darkness, believing they will always have tomorrow and, as we will see next, they will even believe that they are safe from all manner of destruction.

(I have written an entire article showing that our current world fits the bill for Jesus’ prophecy in spades. I direct you there for more on this.)

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Peace and Safety

If Jesus’ description of the last days surprised you, then you will be completely stunned by Paul’s. Though it is clearly in line with Jesus’, it takes the days of Noah concept to another level altogether.

“Now as to the periods and times, brothers and sisters, you have no need of anything to be written to you. For you yourselves know full well that the day of the Lord is coming just like a thief in the night. While they are saying, “Peace and safety!” then sudden destruction will come upon them like labor pains upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. But you, brothers and sisters, are not in darkness, so that the day would overtake you like a thief” (1 Thes. 5:1-4).

Jesus displayed a world that is not obviously out of sorts—at least not in a physical sense. Paul has now added to that idea, saying that the days preceding the end will even appear to be times of “peace and safety!”

(Ironically, this has long been a common mantra within the Trump presidency.)

Paul’s perspective is leagues apart from the expectations that most Bible-believing Christians hold about the last days. In fact, it’s literally the opposite. A world of peace and safety is the most powerful contrast imaginable to a world of fire and chaos, is it not?

Are you beginning to see the problem?

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Like a Thief in the Night

There is a final aspect to consider, and it adds tremendous weight to the previous points. The NT repeatedly compares the return of the Lord with the way that a thief comes in the night. Referring to his coming, Jesus said:

“But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into” (Mt. 24:43).

This is further solidified in what Jesus is recorded as saying late within the Book of Revelation:

“Behold, I am coming like a thief! Blessed is the one who stays awake, keeping his garments on, that he may not go about naked and be seen exposed” (16:15)!

Not surprisingly, Paul also made mention of this in the same passage where he referred to the last days as a time of “peace and safety”:

“For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night” (1 Thes. 5:4).

The biblical backing for the end coming as a thief in the night is beyond dispute. But what does it mean? We know that, as a matter of strategy, a thief comes at night—usually in the wee hours—because that is the time when he is least expected. Most people are asleep at that time and are not expecting him to come.

This is precisely how the end will be. It is a world where the vast majority of people are in a slumber—a spiritual slumber—and so they are ill-prepared for Jesus’ coming. He will catch them off guard, just as a thief catches the unsuspecting members of the household he is robbing off guard. Barne’s Notes drives this point home in emphatic fashion:

“A thief in the night – Suddenly and unexpectedly, as a robber breaks into a dwelling. A thief comes without giving any warning, or any indications of his approach. He not only gives none, but he is careful that none shall be given. It is a point with him that, if possible, the man whose house he is about to rob shall have no means of ascertaining his approach until he comes suddenly upon him.”

Ask yourself this question: would such a coming be possible in a world that screams chaos, death and destruction for all the world to plainly see?

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The Surprising Truth about the Last Days

Having looked at the previous descriptions given to us by Jesus and Paul, you may be questioning how the last days have been explained to you in the past. Most of us have understood this to be a time where bodies will line the streets, fire and smoke will fill the air, and screams will be heard from all over the earth.

Let me state this as clearly as possible: if the years preceding the last days were so obviously and overwhelmingly wrought with physical destruction, death, mutiny and carnage, then there is no way that people could be saying “Peace and safety!”

There is no way that the world could be reminiscent of the days of Noah, with people living their lives (seemingly) as normal, believing there is more time, thinking they were living in a time of stability, and having no obvious, tangible reason to expect that sudden destruction was coming upon them.

Lastly, there is no way that Jesus’ coming could overtake most of the world as a thief in the night. This idea further speaks to a serene and at least somewhat stable condition within the world; people will have no reason to think that Jesus is returning, and so they slumber away.

All this is precisely why Jesus warned his followers to stay awake; he knew that most would be asleep.

The surprising truth about the last days is that so few will even suspect that anything is awry. Those with eyes to see and ears to hear—that is, those with genuine spiritual discernment in the Lord—will recognize that the world is utterly corrupt and out of sorts. However, those on the wide path to destruction will be completely unaware that the end is quickly approaching.

This, dear friends, is the very world that we are now living in. Up is down, right is wrong, and the corruption that exists within our world can only rightly be compared to the time when God was forced to destroy the world through water.

This time, however, it will be through fire:

“But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodieswill be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed” (2 Pet. 3:10, my emphasis).

Stay alert and keep watch, for we know not when the master of the house will return.

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To see more about why I really think we are nearing the end and living in the time described within this article, see the articles below.

The Days of Noah 2.0

The Satanic Age Has Arrived

Life in the Last Days

Life in the Last Days (Part Three): Putting the Pieces Together

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In part one of this series, I discussed the many biblical expectations about the last days that either have been fulfilled or are currently being fulfilled. In part two, I discussed the biblical prophecies about the Antichrist and boldly made the case that Donald J. Trump fits the part about as perfectly as we could expect.

I will once again state that the contents of my first two articles—like this one—are not intended to be taken as absolute truth. I could be wrong about various aspects of this, and I am keenly aware of that.

However, I do believe that the overall case is very cogent and that—at bare minimum—the true fulfillment of these prophecies would have to look very much like the people, nations, and events described in the last two articles. If you have not read the first two articles (links above), then I strongly encourage you to do so before going on. They are much lengthier than this final article, but it was necessary to sufficiently prove what are very important points about the expectations of the last days.

In the final installment of this series, I am now going to summarize the teachings of the first two articles and put them together in a comprehensive way. Since I have made the case for all this in the first two articles (and elsewhere), I will not rehash every argument here and now. Rather, I will simply put the pieces together and leave links to other places that more deeply prove them. After doing so, I will provide a bit of guidance concerning the way that we should view these topics and how to operate in light of them.

Without further ado, let’s get to it.

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The Beast and the Harlot

Daniel’s “fourth beast” (7:7-14, 19-26) and Revelation’s “sea beast” (13:1-8) are undoubtedly the same figure, and I believe the empire they point toward is one of the surest perspectives presented within this series.

The United States is the final manifestation of this figure; America is the Beast.

The US is the empire that dominates the entire earth in a way that has never been seen and likely will never be seen again. It comes in the line of Babylon and Rome, and the similarities between these three nations are absolutely striking. I made this case thoroughly in part one.

Revelation is clear that there is also a figure called the “Great Harlot,” and that she “rides” upon the Beast (17:3).

The Great Harlot was historically Jerusalem, and likely still is. Modern Israel is a satanic counterfeit that should not—nay, cannot—be confused with the OT nation. From its Masonic inception and devilish “Star of David” to its connection with the United States, Israel is simply not what most people have come to believe. It’s Israel’s connection with the US that is most pertinent to this article.

The Harlot once “rode” upon Rome, and now it rides upon the United States.

The Harlot’s partnership with the Beast cannot be missed. We may truly be seeing this unholy alliance playing out before our very eyes, and it would certainly suggest that we are living in the last days.

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The Great Lie and the Delusion

Putting the life, death and resurrection of Jesus on the side for a moment, never in all of world history has an event truly affected the entire globe. Never has anything directly impacted people from all nations and radically altered their way of life. No war, natural disaster, political or economic event, or anything else, has ever done so.

And then 2020 happened.

The manufactured COVID-19 crisis took the world by storm and radically changed everyday life for most of its inhabitants. The entire globe was on the same page from the very minute the virus dropped. All at once, virtually every world leader called for lockdowns, social distancing, mask mandates, and complete obedience to the government.

As I have detailed in System of the Beast (book and video), outside of there being a virus that did cause particular demographics problems, everything else about the one and only global crisis in history was a sham: a total lie. In fact—and for the reasons mentioned—I believe it was the Lie spoken of in 2 Thessalonians 2:9. See this article for a deeper explanation.

COVID-19 was either the Great Lie or was far and away the closest thing we have ever seen to it. Far and away. This means that there was also a “powerful delusion” (or “deluding influence”) that caused the world to believe the Lie. There is no other explanation for how most people submitted in obedience and lapped up every absurd narrative provided to us like they were taking honey from a spoon.

It just so happens that the Lie was the product of—surprise, surprise—the Beast. Yes, the United States funded the research and creation of COVID-19 by funneling money to the Chinese lab in Wuhan and collaborating with it. Further, the US was chiefly responsible for bringing us what I have called the “Killer Jab”. Again, all this was proven in my book and video (links above).

Here, then, is another powerful connection: The Beast gave rise to the Great Lie, which was believed by the world because of the Great Delusion.

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The Antichrist

If there were ever a single human being worth considering as the fulfillment of the Antichrist/Man of Sin/Son of Perdition figure—yes, the most enigmatic person in both Scripture and the human imagination—then it would be Donald J. Trump.

Whether we are evaluating his absurd arrogance, his totally unrepentant nature, the fact that he “comes in his own name,” that he is the most prominent leader of the Beast (US), that he is the foremost proponent of the Great Harlot (Israel), and all the other things covered in part two, Trump fits the bill unlike anyone else on earth (and in history).

Of special note is that Trump was one of the key figures in what I believe to be the fulfillment of 2 Thessalonian 2’s Great Lie and its associated Delusion. That is, the entire COVID-19 agenda. Donald Trump was right in the middle of all of it, particularly his role in Operation Warp Speed and the lethal injections.

Trump is also the greatest US champion that counterfeit Israel has ever experienced. He is virtually worshipped by many within the country, and in very obvious ways. In Trump, we see the clearest picture of what the Antichrist would look like and perhaps does look like. As with COVID-19 and the Great Lie/Delusion, if Trump is not the Antichrist then he gives us the closest look at what he will be like.

Can it really be a coincidence that Trump fits the many descriptions of the Antichrist to near perfection, and that he was instrumental in the Lie/Delusion, and that he is tightly connected to the Great Harlot, and that he comes from the Beast (US)?

I think not.

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Connecting the Dots

Though I have not spent significant time discussing the role of the “false prophet”—or Revelation’s “beast from the earth” (13:11)—I have discussed it elsewhere.

It takes a great deal of unpacking, but my overall opinion for some time has been that the Papacy best fits this description. The reason this would involve a lot of unpacking, and another series of articles probably, is that its relationship to the Beast and the Antichrist is more difficult to navigate. There is no question whatsoever—in my mind—that the Papacy “looks like a lamb but speaks like a dragon” (13:11).

Though I have no doubt about the evils of the Papacy and the overall Catholic system, I will be honest in saying that matching it to Revelation’s “earth beast” is a more painstaking process than I have time for here.

With this said, I have put together an image that will hopefully connect the dots of what I have been discussing in the last two articles. This will give you the clearest explanation—in visual form—of how I see all this playing out today. This shows the relationship between all the major players and events, and how this is potentially playing out in real time before our very eyes.

 Please have a look.

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Parting Thoughts

Though I have said much within these three connected articles, this has by no means been an exhaustive list of things.

For example, I did not touch upon the issues of the Rapture, the Millennial Reign, the greatest heresies of our time, how the end will resemble the “days of Noah,” and certain other events connected to the last days. (If you click on the hyperlinks, you can see my treatment of each issue)

An entire book could be written on these matters (and it is in progress!). However, I trust that I have shown that nearly every expectation provided to us in Scripture concerning the last days is clearly visible in our world today.

In my estimation, the stage is clearly set.

I am fully aware that some of this requires speculation, and elements of my teachings could either be off or incomplete. What I do know is that seeing the puzzle pieces is more important than knowing where they all fit. That is, we don’t need to know how all this fits together or even exactly what roles each actor might play: not to perfection, at least.

As long as we are aware of these great evils and understand their basic association, then we will clearly see the picture come together as the last days continue to unfold.

This is crucial. We cannot be disillusioned into thinking that “the end can’t come soon,” or that “there’s no way Trump is the Antichrist,” or that “America cannot possibly be the Beast!” I have already shown that the shoes seem very much to fit. Any student of the Bible would have to admit that, even if they are not the final manifestations of these figures, there are very strong reasons to entertain these ideas; there are striking commonalities.

Therefore, I urge you to have an open mind and continue to research these issues for yourself. If you believe I am wrong, then by all means, show me where! This is not a condescending challenge, but a sincere plea. I want to know the truth and am always open to entertaining new ideas. Further, I want others to investigate these matters for themselves and arrive at their own conclusions.

Lastly, I think it’s fair to say that much of what has been written in these articles is difficult to deny, and that the pieces I have described at least make logical sense when evaluated together. In the end, it is up to all of us to be students of the Word and to follow Jesus’ stern warning:

“Therefore be on the alert, for you do not know which day your Lord is coming” (Mt. 24:42).

We may not know the day but, if we are indeed watchful, we can know when it’s approaching.

I, for one, believe that it is.

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Life in the Last Days (Part Two): The Rise of the Antichrist

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At the onset of this article, I want to say that I am going to suggest that the Antichrist is quite possibly alive today and is perhaps the most visible figure on the planet: Donald Trump.

To be clear, I do believe that he fits most (nearly all, really) of the descriptions of the Antichrist shockingly well.

However, whether Trump truly is the Antichrist or not, he is certainly the ideal person to evaluate. This is for two primary reasons: 1) He exhibits (in my opinion) the characteristics provided about this figure and 2) He, at bare minimum, shows us exactly what type of person to be looking for.

In essence, we could insert another name within this article and still learn about the nature of the Antichrist.

I also need you to know that I once supported Trump. I, like many today, was once dazzled by his appearance as America’s “savior” and the man “appointed by God” to defend us from evil: to turn the tide, so to speak. I voted for him in both the 2016 and 2020 elections, though far more begrudgingly the second time. I even defended him from the seemingly endless attacks he received from the left and the media.

However, all that began to change when my eyes were opened in 2020. His handling of COVID-19 and the endless praise he heaped upon himself as the “father of the vaccine,” the man who saved millions through Operation Warp Speed, and more, helped me to see the truth about his wicked nature. As such, I wrote this article in 2021, which (I believe) fairly displayed the treachery behind his presidency, while mentioning some of the positives.

Now, I obviously feel very different about Trump and believe that he looks much more like the Man of Sin than the savior of America.

With that said, let’s see how the prophecies about the Antichrist are perhaps being fulfilled before our very eyes. There are many to go through, so I will describe each in a much more concise way than in the previous article.

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The Antichrist Comes from the Last Babylon

In part one, I showed that the “fourth beast” of Daniel and the “sea beast” of Revelation are referring to the same entity: the final manifestation of the Babylonian Empire.

One of the key details we know about the Antichrist is that he will follow in the footsteps of figures like Nimrod and Nero Caesar, the latter of whom was no doubt in the minds of the first Christian readers of Revelation (see my article here for more on that). Among other things, this means that the final manifestation of this figure must emerge from the “fourth beast” (i.e. one in the likeness of the Roman Empire). This is made known because Daniel’s “little horn” and Revelation’s “boastful mouth” both emerge from an empire that is clearly connected to ancient Rome.

The fourth beast is an empire that dominates the world (Dan. 7:23), like Rome did in its day and Babylon before it. The difference with the US is that it truly does dominate the entire world. I described all the ways this is true in part one.

If America truly is the final manifestation of Babylon—which I believe is nearly undeniable—then we know that the Antichrist will emerge from the US.

Trump is the 45th and now 47th (current) president of the United States; he comes from the Babylon/Rome/America beast and is certainly the most globally recognizable leader it has ever had.

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The Antichrist is a Vile Man

While many errantly believe that the Antichrist will be loved and adored by everyone—based on the description that the world “marveled and followed after” the beast (Rev. 13:3)—the truth is that he will be despised by many.

Daniel points out that the Antichrist will be a “contemptible” or “vile” person, who gains power by “flatteries” (11:21). While many scholars agree that the immediate fulfilment of this figure was Antiochus Epiphanes, the figure—as is often the case with both Babylon and the Antichrist—does not see its complete fulfilment until the last days. We know this because 11:21’s figure is also connected to Daniel 8:25:

“He will cause deceit to prosper, and he will consider himself superior. When they feel secure, he will destroy many and take his stand against the Prince of princes. Yet he will be destroyed, but not by human power.”

As is made clear here—and in the connection made in 2 Thessalonians 2:8—this figure will be destroyed by Christ at the Second Coming.

One can hardly think of a more vile and contemptible figure than Donald Trump. Whether he’s talking about grabbing women by their private parts, making sexual comments about his own daughter, hanging out with the late (?) Jeffrey Epstein, telling Mexico to go “FU## itself,” or simply making condescending pet names for all his opponents, one can scarcely imagine someone being more vulgar than the current president of the United States. All this, while being applauded by many within the church because he “tells it like it is.”

Trump is truly a vile man.

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The Antichrist Magnifies Himself Above All Things, Even God

This particular prophecy requires zero speculation, as it comes directly from Paul in 2 Thessalonians 2:4. The Antichrist (Man of Sin) is the one:

 “. . . who opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God.”

First, note that Trump has been adamant that he does not need forgiveness. I discuss this later. This, alone, tells us that he believes himself to be above God.

However, there is far more to it. Trump is regularly referred to in Messianic/Godlike terms, and he does not shy away in accepting these comparisons. Here are just a few of the countless examples out there.

Trump’s own daughter, Lara, recently stated that “people ought to be kissing the feet of Elon Musk and Donald Trump” for their roles in restoring America to its proper place and getting a handle on our spending. (Note how even Trump’s children refer to him in the third person, saying “Donald Trump” instead of “my/our father”)

Of course, Trump also speaks of himself in the third person. Really, who else does this? But his followers don’t raise an eyebrow.

As if this statement were not enough, Lara added this comment:

Donald Trump “. . . will save, not just our country, but will save the entire world.”

Sounds rather messianic to me.

Another great example comes from several years back. In 2019, Wayne Allan Root stated that the Jews in Israel “love him like he’s the king of Israel” and that they “love him like he’s the second coming of God.” While Trump did reject the comparison to God on the surface, he by no means distanced himself from these remarks.

In fact, Trump retweeted Root’s comments and thanked him for his “very nice words.”

Now, I ask you: what kind of “Christian” would retweet and accept such blasphemous praise? Well, I have an answer for you—the kind of person who would accept the Crown of Jerusalem award (a menorah) from the Israel Heritage Foundation, in commemoration of his peace treaty made through the “Abraham Accords.” (This will be discussed later)

Curiously, Trump later referred to comments saying that if he (Trump) decided to “give this up and go over to Israel,” he would be elected prime minister “very quickly.” Keep this in mind, as something of the sort could well happen after his second term ends.

Lastly—though I could go on and on—let’s not forget that Trump is routinely thought of as the “Savior of America” by scores of his followers within the Catholic and evangelical communities. As we all should know, there is but one Savior of any country and the world: Jesus.

Though Trump has not openly declared himself to be God verbatim, both he and his followers regularly make obvious comparisons. Don’t be surprised if he outright makes the claim in the near future, particularly if a third temple is built (or at least started) in Jerusalem.

Donald Trump magnifies himself above all things, including God.

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The Antichrist’s Connection to Israel

As illustrated in the last section, Trump is widely celebrated in Israel and has been called—in numerous ways—a Messianic or God-like figure by the Jewish people living there.

As it just so happens, Scripture connects the Antichrist to Israel.

In Revelation 17, the Great Harlot is described. Elsewhere, I have discussed precisely why Israel—specifically the corrupt Jews and the system of religion revolving around Jerusalem—is the fulfilment of the Harlot figure. (See here, here, and here)

The main reason we can be sure of this is that the Harlot is a corrupt “woman,” which typically signifies either the church or Israel. Further, the Harlot is seen in direct contrast to Revelation 12’s “woman” who “gave birth to a male child.” Here, we are clearly talking about Israel bringing about Jesus, the Messiah. So, Revelation juxtaposes the “good woman” (remnant Israel) who brought about the Messiah and the “wicked woman” (corrupt Israel) who helped to condemn him.

This is expanded upon in chapter 17, where we read that the Harlot was “drunk with the blood of the saints, and with the witnesses of Jesus” (17:6). Finally, she is called the “Harlot” because she was adulterous with the nations of the earth (17:2). This is exactly how Israel is described throughout much of OT prophetic writings (see Ezekiel 16, for a great example).

(There are additional reasons, and please refer to the links mentioned above to learn more about this.)

The key for the present topic is that the Harlot is said to be “riding” on the beast (Rev. 17:7). That is, the fourth beast. This makes sense, as the corrupt Jews of the day—especially the leadership—rejected Jesus and gave their support over to the Roman Empire in their mission to exterminate the new faith. This was clearly seen at Jesus’ crucifixion, when they shouted out to have him put to death, proclaiming that they “have no king but Caesar” (Jn. 19:15).

Thus, the Harlot (corrupt Israel) was riding the Beast (Rome).

Following with the view that the US is the fulfillment of the Babylonian/Roman empire beast, we now have this connection as well. Without any question, Israel and the US are literally attached at the hip; Israel “rides” upon the United States. If you doubt this claim, simply watch this video and it will make it clear.

Even more to the point, no president has ever been more “pro-Israel” than Donald Trump. Yes, the “proud mouth” and “little horn” from the 4th beast is bound to Israel and their status in the world unlike anyone in history. Among other things, Trump has:

  • Declared Jerusalem to be the capital of Israel, moving the US embassy from Tel Aviv to there
  • Cut all funding for the UN’s Palestinian’s Refugee Agency
  • Pushed for the Abraham Accords, normalizing relations between Israel and the UAE, Bahrain, Sudan, and Morocco (This incentivized economic ties and security cooperation with Israel in return for US aid, or diplomatic support.)
  • Relentlessly supported Israel’s plans to expand their territories

I already mentioned that he received the Crown of Jerusalem award for his tireless support of Israel.

In summary, we now have another crucial prophecy about the Antichrist being fulfilled in Donald Trump. He is so tightly connected to Israel that they are virtually inseparable.

(Teaser: Don’t be surprised if Trump transitions from his second term as president to a role in Israel)

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 The Antichrist is an Unparalleled Braggard

Among the many prophecies about the Antichrist is that he will be extremely boastful. By this, Scripture discusses someone who goes far above and beyond the normal standards, otherwise we could not tell him apart from so many others.

Daniel recorded that the little horn:

“. . . possessed eyes like human eyes, and a mouth uttering great boasts” (7:8, 20)

Revelation reveals the same concerning the Antichrist that would arise from the sea/4th beast:

“A mouth was given to him speaking arrogant words and blasphemies” (20:5).

We know, then, that the Antichrist (little horn/mouth) will be an especially boastful and arrogant person. Again, this would need to rise well above ordinary standards, lest he simply blend in with the rest of the world.

Do I even need to prove this one, as it pertains to Trump? Without any question, there is no one in the public sphere who is more grandiose, self-congratulatory, and boastful than Donald Trump. No one. And I mean, ever: as in, perhaps all of history.

No one could have handled COVID-19, or the economy, or the creation of businesses, or politics, or architecture, or the border crisis, or anything else, “better than Donald Trump.” No one loves women, Christians, Jews, or the Bible more than Donald Trump. He has even publicly bragged—on a debate stage before the world, no less—about how well-endowed he (supposedly) is!

You name it, and Trump has boasted about it. Usually, this is done in the most ridiculous and over-the-top ways. He is undoubtedly the world’s foremost example of a grandiose narcissist: a topic that I literally speak about on a weekly basis.

At this point, we simply take for granted how absurd his arrogance is; we shrug at his acts, while we would be utterly repulsed if others did them. Rather than list the hundred thousand examples at our disposal, I will simply refer you to this video. However, if you are not already aware of his incomparably braggadocios nature, then I doubt that you have ever observed him.

Yes, Donald Trump fits this prophecy to perfection. In fact, it’s difficult to imagine how anyone could ever approach his level of boastfulness.

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The Antichrist is Associated with the Lie and Great Delusion

I have been discussing the fact that the COVID-19 agenda was the closest thing to a worldwide Lie, and that its acceptance is the strongest example of a global Delusion, that the world has ever seen. Here is more on this, if you are interested.

In my estimation, this likely fulfils Paul’s words in 2 Thessalonians 2:11-12:

“For this reason God will send upon them a deluding influence so that they will believe the lie, in order that they all may be judged who did not believe the truth, but took pleasure in wickedness.”

The Antichrist is directly connected to this Lie and Delusion. In the preceding verses, we see that the Antichrist is:

“. . . the one whose coming is in accord with the activity of Satan, with all power and false signs and wonders, and with all the deception of wickedness for those who perish, because they did not accept the love of the truth so as to be saved.”

Even if the COVID-19 agenda was not the Lie and its acceptance the Delusion, though I strongly believe that both are true, there is no doubt that they are the closest things to them we have ever seen. See my book and video, if you really want evidence of this.

With that said, Trump’s role was integral in this wickedness. He was a leading figure in the lockdowns and other measures taken against the virus, not only in the US but globally. He tasked Fauci—one of the greatest villains on Planet Earth—as a key member of the Corona Virus Task Force. Most importantly, Trump was an integral part of Operation Warp Speed, whereby Big Pharma was able to concoct a miraculous shot to cure the disease—getting it through all the “necessary” phases and hurdles—in only nine months.

Trump spoke of this his achievement as “one of the greatest miracles of the ages.” He touted himself as the “father of the vaccine.” Further, he announced that he had “saved millions of lives” through the COVID-19 measures and regularly mentioned that no one else could have done what he did.

Yes, Trump yet again touted himself as the one who saved the world through his part in the great “miracle” that was the COVID-19 “vaccines.”

With this, I have also shown that the Antichrist will perform false signs and miracles (2 The. 2:9). Add this one to the list! I won’t even go into what I believe was a phony assassination attempt. Another false miracle?

Trump’s key roles in advancing the COVID-19 agenda and “saving the world” through Operation Warp Speed firmly connects him to the Great Lie and the associated Delusion. This is a pivotal connection, and only Trump can be the figure we consider for these prophecies.

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The Antichrist Comes in His own Name

While this is not necessarily a direct prophecy concerning the Antichrist, it certainly reveals his nature.

When dealing with the corrupt Jewish leaders on a particular occasion, Jesus made the following remark:

“ I have come in My Father’s name, and you do not receive Me; if another comes in his own name, you will receive him” (Jn. 5:43).

Now, one might say that most politicians “come in their own name,” but Trump sets the bar. Long before he was president, Trump has been using his own name to build a brand around the world. Everything he is part of bears the Trump name, from Trump Towers to the Trump Organization, to Trump Hollywood, to the Trump International Hotels, to the Trump National Golf Courses, to the Trump Casinos, and on and on.

It’s literally endless.

As I have already discussed, both Trump and his own children refer to him in the third person: as “Donald Trump.”

No one in recent memory—if not also in history—so clearly touted his own name around the world. No one has had more of a global presence, and he is undeniably the most popular figure on earth. He has come entirely in his own name, and he has been accepted by many, especially the religious right.  

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The Antichrist Denies the Need for Forgiveness

I mentioned this earlier, and it’s another example that is not a direct prophecy. However, it certainly speaks to the spirit of antichrist that will culminate in the Antichrist.

1 John 1:8 tells us the following:

“If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.”

Likewise, to claim we have no sin—thus, that are not in need of a savior—is to deny Jesus, the Son of God. By extension, to deny the Son is to deny the Father (1 Jn. 2:23).

As you might expect, Donald Trump fits this bill, too. During an interview at the Family Leadership Summit in 2015, Trump was asked if he had ever asked God for forgiveness. After dodging the question and being probed again, he said this:

“I’m not sure I have. I just go on and try to do a better job from there; I don’t think so. If I do something wrong, I think I just try and make it right. I don’t bring God into that picture.”

Shortly after, on an interview with Anderson Cooper, Trump doubled down when asked about his remarks:

“I try not make mistakes where I have to ask forgiveness” . . . “Why do I have to repent or ask for forgiveness, if I am not making mistakes?”

He then added: “I work hard; I’m an honorable person.”

While these remarks—which have never been denounced by Trump—should have ruined his credibility as a “Christian,” they didn’t phase his base.

Trump does not think he needs forgiveness. In his mind, he is sinless, perfect, and needs no savior. He has said as much.

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The Musk Connection

While so much more could be said about Trump, I want to mention one whom he is connected to.

I have written long ago about the darkness behind the world’s richest man, Elon Musk. In fact, Musk has several (though definitely not all) of the features one might expect in the Antichrist. He is a world-renowned billionaire who is seemingly involved in every manner of global business and is—lest we forget—utterly obsessed with merging humanity with artificial intelligence.

Now, as the head of DOGE, Musk brings all this to the Trump regime as his new right-hand man. How very poetic, and predictable. I would love to spend more time on Musk here and now, but this article is already far beyond my normal standards for length. Allow me, then, to just highlight several things about Trump’s right-hand man.

  • Musk is the biggest pioneer of AI on earth, and regularly mentions how it will replace the need for most human beings.
  • He has openly said that the world will soon be cashless, and that cash will no longer make any sense.
  • He has openly worn satanic regalia (see the picture above) and associates with known satanists (see here).

Whether or not Musk serves in an official capacity within the White House for much longer, he will no doubt continue to play a massive role in the above capacities. In Musk, Trump has his path to fulfilling the System of the Beast in regard to a human/AI synthesis and a cashless society. Neither items necessarily need to come to full fruition before the end but, like the possible creation of a third temple in Jerusalem, these things happening would certainly add concrete evidence to Trump’s fulfillment of the Antichrist figure.

Lastly, Musk shares with Trump the similarity of being considered (by many) to be a freedom fighter who is out to battle the evil juggernauts of the world in defense of all the “little people.” It’s truly Trump and Musk “against the world!” This, while both he and Trump have lived among the most morally decadent lives imaginable. This, of course, did not stop Lara Trump—as quoted earlier—from stating that we should all be “kissing the feet of Elon Musk and Donald Trump” for saving the country.

Birds of a feather certainly do flock together.

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Trump as the Antichrist

As I mentioned at the beginning of part one, I am not making the claim that any of these interpretations are absolutes: that they are cold, hard facts about reality or the Bible.

However, I believe all this fits together very neatly; it makes a great deal of sense and is consistent when viewed together. I hope that the innumerable links to other articles show you, at the very least, that my views are not haphazardly thrown together or devoid of sufficient research. In part three, I will piece the first two articles together and attempt to tie it up with a pretty little bow.

Just understand that I have been trying, to the best of my ability, to put all this together for many years now.

Donald Trump does appear to satisfy nearly all the expectations of the Antichrist/Man of Sin/Son of Perdition figure described within the Bible. Admittedly, he is yet to “persecute the saints” (Dan. 7:25, Rev. 7). Also—and if you take this in the most literal of ways—he has not set himself up in a third temple, proclaiming himself to be God (2 The. 2:4). I am not sold that this prophecy must involve the literal building of a third temple in Jerusalem (as previously mentioned), but I will not go down that path here and now. However, I already showed that Trump has compared himself—and has been compared—to God, and the building of another temple could literally commence at any time now.

However, both prophecies could easily be fulfilled in Trump over the next several years. More to the point, literally every other thing imaginable points to him as being the fulfillment of the Antichrist.

In closing, I only ask that you honestly consider what I have presented. Ask yourself: if it’s not Donald Trump, then who else could it be? Who else satisfies all the requirements discussed here, and the many I have not even mentioned?

At the end of the day, many figures fulfil one—or even several—of these criteria. The question is this: Who else fulfils (essentially) all the biblical expectations of the Antichrist?

If it’s not Donald Trump, then I can scarcely imagine who could better fulfil the dark characteristics of this individual. As with all things though . . .

Time will tell.

If Trump is indeed the Antichrist, then time will tell very soon.

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(Go to part three now!)

(I cannot more strongly recommend that you watch this YouTube channel, as it delves very deeply into the corruption of Donald Trump and the many ways he fits the description of the biblical Antichrist.)

Life in the Last Days (Part One): Prophecy Fulfilled

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What follows is the first installment of a three-part series about the events of the last days. This will be the most comprehensive series of articles I have written on the subject to date, and I will attempt to prove that we really are—by all reasonable expectations—truly the generation that is seeing the end of the age unfold before our very eyes.

In part one, I am discussing many of the most important prophecies about the last days and showing specifically how that prophecy is being fulfilled today.

In part two, I will be discussing the Bible’s most enigmatic figure: the Antichrist. In describing the nature of this individual, I will even go so far as to suggest a person who currently—yes, at this very moment—appears to fulfill the many expectations of this figure.

In part three, I identify all the pieces of the puzzle in a very systematic and straightforward manner. This involves linking the people and events of the first two articles together in a comprehensive and easily digestible way.

It goes without saying (or should, at least) that I am not making definitive claims. That is, none of us know to a certainty that several of these claims are true until they are made evident by the Second Coming of Christ or similarly obvious events.

What I am providing is, I believe, a very cogent explanation of how all this seems to be unfolding and why we very well may be living in the last stretch of world history. Further, I will provide a host of links to other articles I have written on specific topics, for those who want to delve even deeper.

With all this said, let’s get started with part one: exploring the more powerful examples of prophecy being fulfilled today.

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The Gospel Preached to all the World

I will not spend a great deal of time on this initial issue, as it is perhaps the most straightforward element within this series of articles. When asked about the last days, one of Jesus’ prophecies involved the gospel being preached throughout the world:

“This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come” (Mt. 24:12).

Note how closely connected these two ideas are: after the gospel has been preached to all nations, the end will come.

While there is some manner of debate about this, it’s self-evident that most of the world has heard the gospel preached in some capacity. Are there likely some very remote places where this has not occurred? Yes, certainly. Some—like the Joshua Project—suggest that as many as 7,400 groups have not heard the gospel yet.

There has also been debate over whether Christ meant this as literally as possible, or if “the whole world” and “all the nations” was being more metaphorically used to describe the radical dispersal of the gospel. It’s very reasonable to believe that this did not refer to every remote part of the earth and every living soul on the planet.

After all, many never heard the message throughout the last two-thousand years.

Whatever the case, we know that Christian missionaries having visited nearly every prominent population of people on earth (and then some) and that at least some part of the Bible has been translated into nearly half the languages of the earth.

None of this even includes the fact that the internet has made it possible for most people on the planet to have access to the Bible and the gospel message at the click of a mouse. If we have not satisfied Jesus’ prediction on this matter yet, we are very close to doing so.

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The Rise of Narcissism

I have detailed this phenomenon repeatedly (see this article, and this as well). I even have a YouTube channel dedicated almost exclusively to this topic. The fact that narcissism has become the modus operandi of our time is hardly refutable. As Jesus said concerning the end:

“And because lawlessness is increased, most people’s love will become cold” (Mt. 24:12).

There is much to this single verse, and I have written an article about—you guessed it, narcissism—on this verse alone. However, we clearly live in a time when the love of most people has grown cold. In fact, you are far more likely to meet the type of person described in perfect detail (below) than a healthy individual:

“But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people” (2 Tim. 3:1-15).

Anyone who possesses even half a sound mind can see that narcissism has exploded around the world, and it is a key fulfilment of end time prophecy. Consider this one fulfilled, though it will no doubt continue to increase.  

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The Great Apostasy

This takes us to the first issue of the last days that takes some unpacking.

In 2 Thessalonians 2, Paul discussed a litany of very specific events that would come to mark the last days. Among them are his prophetic statements about the Great Apostasy, or the falling away of believers from the church. I have written specifically about it in this article.

Writing about the last days and the Lord’s return, Paul said this:

“No one is to deceive you in any way! For it will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction” (2:3, my emphasis).

This apostasy—that is, the falling away from the truth or a rebellion against God—is connected to the “lawless one” being revealed. This will be discussed in the next installment. However, it is also connected to the return of Christ, as described in the previous verse (2:2). In this, we see that the Great Apostasy is a prerequisite to Jesus’ return and is a clear marker of the last days.

Is this now occurring? I believe so, and with little question. Here is just a taste of how we can be sure:

  • Drag queens, homosexuals, and others within the LGBTQIA+ community hold high positions within churches and are often pastors. This is propagated in denominations like the United Methodists,[1] the United Church of Christ,[2] the Presbyterian Church,[3] and countless others.
  • Sin is not only permitted (see this article) but is taught to be fully acceptable (see this article).
  • Many evangelicals see their political allegiances as being bound to their faith itself (see here).
  • Most professed Christians believe that the goal of the Kingdom is to see a restored nation of Israel and a third temple (discussed again later), even though Scripture is so clear that this is not the case (see this article).

Then there are the basic observations that the majority of Christians do nothing with their faith except occasionally attend a local congregation, that church attendance has steadily declined since the turn of the century, and that God has been completely abandoned in most marriages.

As I am about to show, a particular event displayed the state of the church perhaps more prominently than anything else to date.

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The Lie and the Great Delusion

Speaking of the Great Apostasy, virtually nothing exposed the failing church more than the events of 2020. In fact—and as I detail in this (highly important!) video—most churches and professed believers went right over the cliff with COVID-19, buying hook, line, and sinker into what may well have been the greatest Lie and Delusion in all human history.

You read that correctly—the COVID-19 agenda was quite possibly the Great Lie spoken of in 2 Thessalonians 2:9-11 with the Great Delusion following closely behind to ensure that most of the world believed it.

I have written an entire book and created an almost 4-hour long video detailing everything involved in this and, if you are so inclined, I strongly recommend that you look into these resources.

For now, let’s summarize the key aspects of why the virus agenda of 2020 either was the Lie and Delusion or—at the very least—is the closest thing we have ever seen to it.

The Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security—in conjunction with the World Economic Forum, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation—game planned an event that looked eerily like the Covid-19 outbreak, and they did it just months before the real thing occurred. To be more precise, Event 201 occurred right when the virus was spreading around the globe. They explained their simulation in the following way:

“Event 201 was a 3.5-hour pandemic tabletop exercise that simulated a series of dramatic, scenario-based facilitated discussions, confronting difficult, true-to-life dilemmas associated with response to a hypothetical, but scientifically plausible, pandemic. 15 global business, government, and public health leaders were players in the simulation exercise that highlighted unresolved real-world policy and economic issues that could be solved with sufficient political will, financial investment, and attention now and in the future.”

This simulation was impeccably similar to the Covid-19 crisis that “officially” hit the planet in the late winter of 2020. Here are some of the highlights:

  • The surprise outbreak of a novel coronavirus occurred in swine and was called “CAPS.”
  • It produced a respiratory virus, with symptoms ranging from “mild, flu-like symptoms” to “severe pneumonia.”
  • It began in South America but spread around much of the globe in just three months, mainly via air travel.
  • Many were believed to spread the virus “asymptomatically,” without even knowing they had it.
  • The only proposed treatment was a vaccine that would need to be whipped up at lightning speed.
  • They even did faux polling of the public, which revealed that a large portion of the population would take the vaccine “even if it’s experimental.”

If you know anything about the Covid-19 outbreak, then you are likely picking your jaw up from the floor. This checks every major box; every one of these factors involving “CAPS” sounds almost exactly like what really happened with Covid-19.

If you simply replace “swine” with “bats” and “South America” with “China,” you literally have an identical situation.

We have a coronavirus that mostly spread asymptomatically (how absurd), which supposedly arose organically from animals, began in one location and spread around the globe in a few months, resulted in anything from no symptoms to death, could only be cured by a vaccine that would be created at something akin to “Warp Speed,” and would be taken by the public even though its “experimental.”

Does any of that sound familiar? Absolutely incredible, right?

(If you doubt what I am telling you, see Event 201 for yourself here. Somehow, it is still online for public consideration.)

Building onto this, the “vaccine” agenda was apparent from the onset of the crisis. As soon as the virus dropped, so did the press for a vaccine. Moderna boasted (boosted?) of having their injection prepared within two days of the virus’ genome being published. Two days! Further, the shots became available to the public roughly nine months after they were created. Before Covid-19, it took a decade (plus or minus) to put a vaccine through all the appropriate trials and safety processes. When this virus arrived, however, it could all be done almost instantaneously: again, at “Warp Speed.”

Lastly, the entire globe was on the same page the very minute the virus dropped. Well, I should say, the very minute the global elites said “Go!” As mentioned, the virus was spreading long before they told us about it. In fact, we know that it was indeed spreading in Europe and other places by late-summer of 2019.

Further, we also know that China mysteriously doubled their yearly expenditures on polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing supplies and related equipment between 2018-2019. This is what we call a “smoking gun.”

The March 2020 kickoff was not the beginning of the spread, but simply the moment “they” chose to launch their plan. Believe it.

Getting back to the main point . . .  all at once, virtually every world leader called for lockdowns, social distancing, mask mandates, and complete obedience to the government. Like dominoes, everyone fell in line.

Just. Like. That.

As mentioned, the church fell over itself going along with this grand scheme. Not only that, the one I will later identify (in part two) as the most likely candidate for the Antichrist was instrumental in what I believe to be the Great Lie of all history.

(if you want to see more on this topic, please see this article)

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The Last Babylon

Given the length of this first article, I will briefly explain this one and point you once more to other writings I have done on the matter.

In Scripture, there is a repeating pattern that emerges: a world power that takes various incarnations and finds its culmination in the last days. I am referring to the wicked nation of Babylon.

Babylon was the nation that conquered the southern Kingdom of Judah and destroyed the first temple (Solomon’s) in 586 BC. Furthermore, they took many of the Jewish people into exile, a time which arguably marked Israel’s lowest point. Given these extreme atrocities, Babylon went on to live in infamy among God’s people.

Of course, they were spawned from the previous community that also lived in infamy: Babel. This was the first “empire,” so to speak, that emerged after the Great Flood. This corrupt group rebelled against God and, under the direction of Nimrod, erected a grand tower to “make a name for themselves” and to attempt to prevent God from wiping them out again with another flood. Laughable, I know.

It was Nimrod, in fact, that was actually the world’s first Antichrist figure. This is also why he is held in such high esteem by the Freemasons, being their first “Grand Master.” I discuss Nimrod in this article.

In any event, Babylon went on to stand for all that wicked empires would entail. As such, Rome was later called “Babylon” by the early Christians (1 Pet. 5:13, Rev. 18) because of the persecution they faced under its many ruthless emperors (like Nero and Domitian). “Babylon”—the ultimate evil empire—had reappeared again in the Roman Empire.

However, it wasn’t finished bringing terror onto the world’s scene. Revelation discusses the final manifestation of the Babylonian/Roman empire in chapter 13. The “last Babylon”—the one that falls in such incredible fashion at the end (Rev. 18)—is John’s “beast from the sea” and Daniel’s “fourth beast” (7:23). The last Babylon dominates the world, brings about the Antichrist—the “mouth speaking arrogant words and blasphemies”—and persecutes God’s people. It works in conjunction with the “false prophet” (or the “beast from the earth”) to force the inhabitants of the earth to get the “mark of the beast.”

I break this all down further in this article.

It is my opinion that America—yes, the United States—is indeed the final manifestation of the “beast from the sea.” America is the last Babylon. In a way unlike any other country in history, America has subdued the entire world in almost every respect.

  • We have ruled the world’s economy, with our currency being the staple of the nations.
  • We have spread our culture across the globe, from fast-food restaurants to clothing brands, to department stores to sports teams, and certainly through our entertainment.
  • English is far and away the most popular language in the world, and this is largely because of America’s influence.
  • We have pioneered nearly every major technological innovation in history, from the internet to the nuclear bomb, to the (alleged) moon landings, and countless others.
  • America has also led the world in sex-trafficking, pornography, and war.
  • America is more closely associated with the Great Harlot (discussed momentarily) than any other country on earth.

No other country in all of world history has been so powerful and transformative as the United States: not by a landslide. And with that power has come many positives . . . and virtually endless negatives.

There is a reason why the Freemasons viewed the foundation of America as their crowning achievement and the empire that would bring about Satan’s kingdom on earth.

(See this video, where they openly boast about their role in the country’s founding. Also, see where they boast about The Secret Destiny of America)

Indeed, the last Babylon exists here and now, and it will be brought to its knees by the return of the Lord.

(I recommend the book, Star-Spangled Babylon, for a much deeper explanation of this matter)

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The Great Harlot

If you didn’t like the last section, then you will likely hate this one. Still, I have no choice but to speak the truth.

I understand with crystal clarity how dear to their hearts that most Christians hold the nation of Israel. We have been told about the primacy of Israel from birth, in nearly every way imaginable.

However, this is yet another type of delusion and is an obvious place where Scripture is being ignored. I simply don’t have time in this article to unpack why Israel—and their place within Scripture, history, and the last days—has been so wildly misunderstood, but I have written very extensively on this (links below).

Let me summarize the startling truth about Israel and point you to my articles proving the claims. As with the rest of this article, each hyperlink will take you to a more exhaustive article on the subject.

  • Jerusalem is the “Great Harlot” described in Revelation 17. (I explain here)
  • Israel and the Jewish people are no longer God’s chosen, which Scripture clearly testifies to. (See this article, and also this one.)
  • The current nation of Israel is a counterfeit of Satan, designed (like the Antichrist) as a delusion—though not the Delusion—to blind believers.
  • The so-called “Star of David”—the official symbol of modern Israel—is, not surprisingly, actually a satanic symbol paying homage to the pagan god, Remphan. (Explained here)

In short, the current nation of Israel is not God’s chosen nation. More than that, it’s nothing short of a Satanic counterfeit.

Despite crystal clear evidence to the contrary—as explained in the linked articles above—Israel’s place in both the world and eschatology is truly foundational in most theological circles. This is so much the case that, if Israel was proven not to be what most Christians believe, then their faith would be shattered.

This is why most will not even listen to my take (and others) on the matter, choosing instead to simply go with what they have been told by others.  

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Satanism and Freemasonry

I have probably written more on Freemasonry and the overt nature of Satanism than perhaps anything else. It is utterly incredible how obvious this now is in the last days, and one can hardly miss it (if they have an eye to see).

Rather than rehash all this, please take the time to look through the litany of examples I have written about below. This should be truly eye-opening.

Freemasonry is Satanism in disguise.

Satanism in entertainment

Satanism in sports

Satanism in children’s art

Satanism in culture at large

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Conclusion

As mentioned at the onset of this article, part one is not meant to be an exhaustive list of all we should expect in the last days.

I could also have written (and did, here) on how the present looks exactly—at least, as I see things—like Jesus’ description of the “days of Noah.” Most of the world literally wanders as though in a matrix, believing that things are as they seem and that nothing unusual is occurring.

Meanwhile, the gates that are holding back the “flood waters,” so to speak, are just about to burst.

Just in part one, however, it should be obvious that the major expectations about the last days seem very much to be upon us. We have seen the gospel preached to nearly all the world, the arrival of the Great Delusion, the Great Apostasy, the emergence of last Babylon/beast from the sea, the perfect counterfeit in the modern Harlot (i.e. Israel), as well as the blatant presence of Freemasonry/Satanism in our world.

While it is always possible that these interpretations are incorrect, it is highly probable that they are not. These exact nations, figures, and events match the biblical expectations extraordinarily well and, at minimum, show us exactly what the real manifestations will look like.

In part two, I will keep with this in showing a man who—by nearly every measure—is either the Antichrist/Man of Sin himself or is the closest look at such a person we could ever imagine.

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(Go to part two now)

[1] See this article.

[2] See this article.

[3] See this article.

The Unpardonable Sin

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When I was growing up, my mother told me a story that I have never forgotten. From time to time, it comes to mind and gives me pause.

She told me about a young woman she went to high school with, named Carol. Carol was a normal girl in most respects. She was reasonably intelligent, of average height, and didn’t stand out in any particular way, good or bad. This was all true, except for one rather overwhelming thing: Carol was born with a deformity that left her with a very disfigured appearance. Specifically, it caused her face to take the shape of something familiar, yet inhuman.

Carol looked like a horse.

As a result, other children—cruel as they can often be—gave her one of the most dreadful nicknames imaginable: “happy horse.” Fellow students would often make horse sounds and the like when they passed by her in the hallways. Even now, writing of this brings grief to my heart. As the years went on, the abuse hurled at her took its toll. Carol became more despondent, depressed, and anxiety riddled by the day. Ultimately, she could bear the pain no longer.

Shortly after high school, Carol decided that she had seen enough of this world and took her own life.

I mention Carol’s tragic story because, according to many, suicide is the only unpardonable sin. This is never specifically mentioned in Scripture. The thought, I can only surmise, is that suicide is “unforgivable” because the person is no longer here to repent of the sin of taking their life. As Carol’s story shows us, it’s impossible to put ourselves in someone else’s shoes. Not in this way, at least.

Is suicide really unforgivable? Does God make allowances at times, understanding the depths of despair that some people find themselves in? Personally, I do not know. I cannot say and thus, I will not. I am clearly not condoning suicide, nor would I ever suggest that it should be an option. But, again, I do not know the depths of someone’s despair and how God will treat this act under circumstances like Carol’s (and many others).

What I can say is that Jesus specifically mentioned that there is such a thing as an unpardonable sin.[1] I can also say that this horrific transgression is not suicide.

In this article, I will discuss the only sin that is specifically mentioned as being unpardonable.

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The Unpardonable Sin

It’s no mystery that Jesus was often at theological war with the more corrupt Jewish leaders of his day. As Jesus put it to them: “You leave the commandment of God and hold to the tradition of men” (Mk. 7:8). This was a day-in, day-out practice.

During one of their more contentious spats, Jesus made a warning unlike any other that he had previously given them; he told them of a sin that leads to certain condemnation and was utterly irreversible. This was the “unpardonable sin:”

“Therefore I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven people, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven” (Mt. 12:31)

And there it was—all sins and blasphemies will be forgiven except one . . . blasphemy against the Spirit. Note that Jesus did not say that sexual immorality, slander, murder, stealing, suicide, or even murder were unforgivable sins. Rather, it was “blasphemy against the Spirit.” Only this is truly unforgivable. It will send one to everlasting punishment and estrangement from God.

The Pharisees had really pulled on the wrong thread though, even still, they were yet to reach this point themselves. As Elliot’s Commentary rightly recognizes:

“We dare not say, and our Lord does not say it, that the Pharisees had actually committed this sin, but it was towards this that they were drifting.”

They were dangerously approaching the dreaded territory of being beyond forgiveness, but we must now wonder why. What was this abomination of human behavior? What on earth could be that bad?

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Decoding the Mystery

At this point, we already know that “blasphemy against the (Holy) Spirit” is the unpardonable sin. We now need to determine what that really means. If we look at the surrounding context, we see exactly what was at stake.

Just prior to this confrontation, Jesus had healed a demon-possessed man who was both blind and mute (Mt. 12:22). While they should have been astonished at the feat and overjoyed for the man who had been set free, they were instead angry with Jesus (as usual). Not only were they incredulous, but they raised the bar in hurling a most grievous insult at him:

“But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, ‘It is only by Beelzebul, the prince of demons, that this man casts out demons.” (12:24).

It is this statement—this ultimate mockery of God’s work—that prompted Jesus to make his powerful declaration that blasphemy against the Spirit is the only unforgivable sin. The truth becomes evident in their statement, as we further examine what really happened here.

The Pharisees had attributed Jesus’ miraculous works not to the Holy Spirit who empowered him, but to none other than Satan. So, the unpardonable sin can be succinctly summarized as attributing the works of God to Satan.

Put another way, it’s the act of calling God “evil.”

Once more, Elliot’s Commentary strikes at the heart of the matter:

“. . . to see a man delivered from the power of Satan unto God, to watch the work of the Spirit of God, and then to ascribe that work to the power of evil, this was to be out of sympathy with goodness and mercy altogether. In such a character there was no opening for repentance, and therefore none for forgiveness. The capacity for goodness in any form was destroyed by this kind of antagonism” (my emphasis).

This leads us to the core issue at hand: the heart that gives rise to such wicked accusations.

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A Heart Problem

As is usually the case with matters of sin and salvation, it is truly the person’s heart condition that either saves or condemns them. Here, we find the same principle at play.

If we investigate the preceding context of this event, we see that Jesus had been performing numerous miracles in succession. Earlier, Jesus had healed a man with a withered hand in a synagogue, in the presence of the religious authorities and his fellow Jews (12:9-14). This event was made far more interesting due to the day all this was occurring: the Sabbath day.

The Sabbath proved to be an extremely contentious issue between Jesus and the religious leaders of the day (I discuss the Sabbath in this article). The short of it is that the religious leaders had made the Sabbath into a day of idleness—and even dread—by laying countless laws on top of the ones God had given them. As a result, even to heal someone from their bondage was an act of sin, as Jesus encountered.

In healing the man born with a withered hand on the Sabbath, the more corrupt Pharisees in the synagogue scoffed at Jesus. As a result, Jesus proposed that doing good was lawful on the Sabbath, pointing out the value of human life and bringing restitution to the sick (12:10-12). Jesus had just given someone a new life in healing his hand, and how did the Pharisees around him respond? They responded not only with indignation but with outfight treachery:

“But the Pharisees went out and conspired against Him, as to how they might destroy Him” (12:14).

Yes—in response to Jesus saving a life, the Pharisees desired to take one. Bear in mind a critical aspect of this: they plotted to kill Jesus on the Sabbath day! While it was “evil” for Jesus to do good on the Sabbath, it was “good” for the Pharisees to do evil on the Sabbath.

Are you seeing the context of this entire issue, and how truly warped their thinking was?

Throughout this entire series of events, it’s clear that the Pharisees’ heart condition was the central issue at work. Their wicked hearts were what caused them to scoff at Jesus for doing good. It’s what made them plot to murder Jesus on the Sabbath, of all days. Most importantly, it’s what led them to say that Jesus was performing miracles with satanic power.

This is precisely why Jesus ultimately responded to them with these words:

“Either assume the tree to be good as well as its fruit good, or assume the tree to be bad as well as its fruit bad; for the tree is known by its fruit. You offspring of vipers, how can you, being evil, express any good things? For the mouth speaks from that which fills the heart. The good person brings out of his good treasure good things; and the evil person brings out of his evil treasure evil things. But I tell you that for every careless word that people speak, they will give an account of it on the day of judgment. For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned” (12:33-37).

The mouth speaks from that which fills the heart. In this, we see that “blasphemy against the Holy Spirit” comes from a truly wicked heart condition, so much to the point that good and evil are being completely reversed. This is also the height of spiritual delusion. It’s just as the prophet Isaiah said in his time:

“Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!” (Is. 5:20).

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What About Us?

All this leaves us with some critical questions: How does this apply to us? How could any of us commit the unpardonable sin?

In practical application, this can play out in a multitude of ways. Anytime that God is blamed for the works of Satan, we see this spirit at work. The accusation that “God brings evil upon us” is, in essence, blasphemy against the Holy Spirit; “God is to blame for my woes. God is the culprit for the world’s evils.”

It can also be seen when God is blamed for our sinful failures; “God didn’t help me with my temptations, so I gave in. God caused me to sin.” This, while Scripture clearly declares that it is not in God’s nature to do so, nor does God tempt anyone to sin (Ja. 1:13).

However, we must always remember that such beliefs and words flow from a corrupt heart. It is the heart condition that condemns, as the actions are simply a result of one’s spiritual state.

Such accusations are hardly the things exhibited by those in right standing with God. More than that, they are the accusations offered by those who have a hatred for God in their hearts. As the Pharisees demonstrated, this also involves a hatred of our fellow man.

Any time we rejoice at the sufferings of others or despise the work that God has done in someone’s life, it reveals a truly corrupt heart. When one goes so far as to accuse God of being in league with Satan, or to suggest that God is the Great Purveyor of evil, they have displayed the truly wicked state of their disposition toward the Lord.

Only a truly corrupt heart could lead one to such brazen accusations.

In the end, we must all check ourselves daily, ensuring that no such thoughts are allowed to give birth to sin in our lives. Such things start small but, if we allow them to take root, they can produce the worst kinds of evil; they can even lead us toward the unpardonable sin.

Yes—“Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil.”

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Footnotes

[1] This is also sometimes called an “unforgivable sin” or an “eternal sin.”

A Woman’s Role—What Does the Bible Really Say?

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It is no mystery that things are out of sorts in our world today.

Who am I kidding? Things are a disaster.

Perhaps nowhere is this more evident than in the way that male and female roles are displayed. The carnage produced affects literally every aspect of society but let’s simply look at marriage for a moment.

Currently, the divorce rate for first-time marriages in the US is right about 50% (plus or minus).[1] That has been known for some time now. Something lesser known is the mess that ensues after one has divorced. While some believe that subsequent marriages tend to fair better—as the people involved are assumed to be more mature, more experienced, more knowledgeable about what they want, and so forth—this could not be farther from the truth. Second marriages, in fact, have a failure rate of 67%, with divorce being the obvious outcome.[2]

Somehow, it gets worse from there. Those willing to brave “walking down the aisle” for a third time would only find success against all odds; amazingly, about 73% of third marriages now end in divorce.[3] Is it even necessary to evaluate fourth or fifth marriages? Clearly, we can see where the trends take us.

Perhaps more disturbing is that we are now seeing a world in which roughly 80 percent of divorces—yes, four out of every five—are initiated by the female partner. This is possibly a conservative estimate, as the number is recorded to be even higher among college-educated women.[4] These are eye-popping numbers, no matter how you look at it.

This is just the tip of the iceberg—as the problems among the unmarried are far too numerous to divulge here—but this should prove the point.

Something is terribly wrong with the way men and woman are getting along (or aren’t, as it were).

With this said, it seems appropriate to discuss the way that the Bible describes gender roles, particularly the way it talks about women. Clearly, this will also tell us much about men. In this article, I will tackle these important issues and hopefully bring some clarity to them.

The Created Order

Though both are equally human, men and women are not the same and are not intended to do all the same things. This was clear from the onset:

“Male and female he created them, and he blessed them and named them Man when they were created.”

Both were human and made in God’s image, but some are “man” and others are “woman.” When we read back further in Genesis, we see a very clear picture of how the relationship between the two was supposed to function. After creating Adam (“man” or “mankind”), God quickly saw fit to add another type of human to the mix:

“Then the Lord God said, ‘It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him.’ Now out of the ground the Lord God had formed every beast of the field and every bird of the heavens and brought them to the man to see what he would call them. And whatever the man called every living creature, that was its name. The man gave names to all livestock and to the birds of the heavens and to every beast of the field. But for Adam there was not found a helper fit for him. So the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and while he slept took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh. And the rib that the Lord God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man” (Gen. 2:18-22, my emphasis).

Note that on two occasions, the woman (Eve) was called a “helper” to Adam. This is critical.

A Strong’s points out, the Hebrew word ezer—meaning “help,” “helper” or “support”—is used in the Bible to denote assistance, support, or help.[5] However, it also adds another critical aspect of this term, which is that it “conveys a sense of strength and support, rather than subordination or inferiority.” In essence, we learn in Genesis that God’s original intent in creating women was that they should provide aid and support to men; they are to be “helpers.” Women were indeed created to assist men and to join them as being one flesh.

Women were not made to rule over men but to join forces with them.

Women were designed to be helpmates for men, for Eve came from Adam. This will come up again shortly. However—and this cannot be missed—this role does not imply lowliness or a lesser degree of humanity.

Female Roles in the New Testament

The apostle Paul had much to say about the relationship between men and women within the confines of the marriage covenant. In 1 Corinthians 7:3-4, he describes the type of union the two are to have:

“The husband must fulfill his duty to his wife, and likewise the wife also to her husband. The wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does; and likewise the husband also does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does.”

First, note something that is often missed: the husband has authority over the woman’s body and, likewise, the woman has authority over the man’s body. Neither have ownership over themselves within the marriage covenant; they exchange this with one another.

This is central to the notion of the two becoming one flesh, as we saw in the Creation narrative. Jesus reaffirmed this reality in his teachings (Mk. 10:8), as did Paul elsewhere (Eph. 5:31).

Additionally, the context of this teaching in 1 Corinthians 7:3-4 involves sexual interactions. Both husbands and wives are commanded—yes, commanded—to fulfill one another sexually (7:5). Neither the husband nor the wife is permitted to lord such interactions over the other. Failing to have sexual relations within the marriage is literally to go against the very commands of God, as given through the apostle Paul.

Elsewhere, Peter gives a lengthy set of commands to men and women within the marriage covenant. After addressing the importance of inward qualities and obedient, godly behavior in women (1 Pet. 3:1-4), Peter addresses the nature of the relationship between men and women:

“For in this way the holy women of former times, who hoped in God, also used to adorn themselves, being subject to their own husbands, just as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord; and you have proved to be her children if you do what is right without being frightened by any fear. You husbands in the same way, live with your wives in an understanding way, as with someone weaker, since she is a woman; and show her honor as a fellow heir of the grace of life, so that your prayers will not be hindered.”

There is much here that could be discussed, but a couple items must be addressed. Women are commanded to be “subject” to their husbands, just as Sarah was to Abraham. On the other hand, men were commanded to treat their wives in an understanding way, having a full grasp of both her created role and her nature. Lastly, note that Peter also called a woman a “fellow heir,” speaking to their equality in salvation and their value before God.

All this is directly in line with the created order of things and the very concept of women being made as “helpers” to men: equally human, Image-bearing helpers. There is more to say in this regard, but I will cover this later when discussing gender roles in the church.

A Quick Note on the State of Marriage

Marriage is a physical union of two lives but, more importantly, it is supposed to be the spiritual union of these lives. The husband and wife have entered a binding covenant not only with one another but also with God. This was established in Creation itself, and Jesus affirmed this sacred covenant during his ministry:

‘Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.’ So they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate” (Mk. 10:7-9). 

Yes, “one flesh.” This was the intention from the beginning, but so were appropriate male and female roles.

Clearly, neither are now intact.

It’s abundantly obvious that many couples who enter marriage do so without ever inviting God into the relationship. Statistically, this is undeniable. A 2018 study showed that the number of marriages that take place at or within a church had dropped by half within the last decade alone.[6] It found that religious venues only hosted about 22 percent of weddings in 2017, which was down a whopping 41 percent since 2009. Instead, banquet halls, hotels, country clubs, wineries, rooftops and museums saw most couples say, “I do.”

Indeed, God has been thrust out of marriages. Is it any wonder why most either fail or operate miserably?

Women in the Church

Without question, this may be the most debated aspect of gender roles within the NT today. The church, at large, has mightily struggled to make sense of these roles. Worse, many have functioned in outright rebellion to what Scripture reveals.

On the one hand, women are given tremendous authority within the church. On the other hand, they are not given unlimited authority. Put another way—and just as it is in most other areas of life—men are largely empowered to lead, and women are empowered to support them in this endeavor.

In his first letter to Timothy, Paul gave instructions that have troubled some—most of whom being female—for two thousand years:

“I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man; rather, she is to remain quiet. For Adam was formed first, then Eve; and Adam was not deceived, but the woman was deceived and became a transgressor” (1 Tim. 2:12-14).

First, the text says what it says; it’s part of Scripture and is the truth. Second, we must understand what was really intended. The word translated here (authenteó) as “exercise authority” means to dominate, govern, or have mastery over. Most specifically, it refers to “one who acts on his/her own authority” or “an absolute master.”

This is exactly the female role that is forbidden throughout all of Scripture—a woman having power and control over a man within a relationship or spiritual endeavor. There is no discrepancy at work here. There should be no domination or mastery. This also fits exactly with what Peter revealed (above) when said that wives should be “subject”—that is, under obedience—to their husbands.

Note that both Paul and Peter ground these ideas in Genesis: Paul referencing the serpent’s deception of Eve, and Peter describing Sarah’s obedience to Abraham. Not only does this show that male/female roles were set from the earliest time, but also that Scripture is consistent throughout on the matter.

Still, women are elevated to high levels throughout the NT as well and are equally critical members within the church. Many women followed Jesus and assisted in his ministry, such as Mary Magdalene and sisters, Martha and Mary. After Emperor Claudius’ Edict of Expulsion and the church was held covertly in house churches, women often organized the gatherings. Women held prayer meetings (Acts 16:13) within the early church and even prophesied (Lk. 2:36-38). Further, women financially supported the church in crucial ways (Rom. 16:1-2).

In the OT, a woman (Deborah, Jg. 4-5) served as a faithful and successful Judge within Israel. Moreover, women were often instrumental in moving God’s plans forward in a host of ways, such as Rahab’s assistance of the Jewish people in Jericho (Jos. 2). In fact, there are far too many examples of prominent women in Scripture to list here but see this article for more.

Oh yeah—did I mention that women birth the children and are instrumental in their development? That seems rather important and worth considering.

Conclusion

I realize that there is a tremendous amount more that could be said, but this article would stretch beyond readability. I do, however, plan to cover this—and much more—in an upcoming book.

In what has been said, I hope some things have become clear. The first thing is that the notion of women being in control of men is clearly prohibited. Men were created to lead, and women were created to follow and support them. However, we undoubtedly live in a world where this is seldom the case. There are just so many reasons for this, and a comprehensive discussion would include the role that feminism has played in society, the effects of dating apps and social media, and the overall godlessness that now exemplifies our culture.

Overall, the problem is best seen in the elevation of women and the devaluation of men. And be sure of this: both genders have joined forces (for once) to create this cataclysmic situation.

As I often say, most men cannot lead . . . and most women would never let them.

Second, it is clear that men and women are also set to occupy different roles within the church. Women are not permitted to hold authority over men, which certainly means leading the congregation as something like the lead pastor, bishop, superintendent, and other positions of high authority (which are worth discussing internally). However, women are a crucial part of the church; they organized prayer meetings, hosted house churches, prophesied, showed feminine hospitality, supported the leaders of the church, and most definitely are critical in the task of raising/leading children.

Finally, the Bible is clear throughout that men and women are both made in the image of God and, as such, are equally human and have equal value before both God and man.

When men and women fill their created roles and come together in submission to God, beautiful things can happen. Relationships can prosper. Families can flourish. The church can be strong and resilient. Life can be fulfilling, and societies can prosper.

If only we lived in a time when this happened with any regularity.

In closing, I leave you with these exhortations, and I can only pray that you follow them. Men—be men. Women—be women. And may all serve the Lord Jesus Christ in solidarity.

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[1] Bieber, “Revealing divorce statistics in 2024.”

[2] Ibid.

[3] Ibid.

[4] See Yenor’s article, “Divorce and Toxic Femininity.”

[5] See Strong’s, “ezer” (5828).

[6] See Lupfer, “Fewer couples are marrying in churches. Does it matter?”

Sinful Living is Unacceptable

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Not long ago, I wrote an article entitled “Go and Sin no More.” This, of course, is what Jesus told the woman who had been caught in adultery and was saved from being stoned to death.

However, it is abundantly clear that there is a dearth of teaching within the church against sin. In fact, there are more voices today telling people that sin is completely acceptable than are opposing it.

Still others would say that pointing out sin in another person’s life is to condemn them. It’s just the opposite; addressing sin is done so the person might avoid being condemned.

Really think about that.

You see, when Jesus convicted the woman caught in adultery of her sins, he was doing the most loving thing imaginable. He was giving her an opportunity that no one else had or ever would. He offered her the path to repentance, forgiveness, a changed life, and everlasting salvation.

As I share some of the almost innumerable commands in Scripture pertaining to obedience and leaving sin, try to bear this in mind.

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The Necessity of Avoiding Sin

Scripture could not be clearer that believers are to avoid sin. This concept is layered throughout the Old Testament but, since we are followers of Christ under the New Covenant, we can see this theme in spades throughout the New Testament.

To be sure, it would be nearly impossible to cover every teaching on this topic. We can certainly cover some of the more powerful ones though.

Let’s start with Jesus. It was already mentioned that Jesus told the woman caught in adultery—after saving her life—exactly what she needed to do: “From now on do not sin any longer” (Jn. 8:11b). He made the same remark to a man who had been ill for thirty-eight years, after healing him (Jn. 5:14).

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus went through a litany of OT teachings and intensified them for his followers. Among these is the seventh of the Ten Commandments, which is against adultery. In addition to making adultery an internal act rather than strictly an external one, Jesus explains that one must get rid of anything that causes them to sin:

“Now if your right eye is causing you to sin, tear it out and throw it away from you; for it is better for you to lose one of the parts of your body, than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. And if your right hand is causing you to sin, cut it off and throw it away from you; for it is better for you to lose one of the parts of your body, than for your whole body to go into hell” (Mt. 5:29-30).

The implication, of course, is that a continued life of sin will lead one to hell. This is stated as clearly as possible, as anything that is causing you to sin must be eliminated. Otherwise, hell awaits.

Moving on to the apostles, they had plenty to say on the matter. Paul, for example, made it clear that a sinful lifestyle is utterly unacceptable:

“Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God” (1 Cor. 6:9-11).

He goes on to reveal that many of the believers in Corinth (and everywhere else) used to be on that very path. However, he clarifies for them: “But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God” (6:11b).

Those who will inherit the Kingdom of God do not live as slaves to sin, because they were washed, sanctified and justified.

Speaking of being slaves to sin, observe his clear teachings in Romans 6:1-4:

“What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.”

He further emphasizes the main point of what Christ’s life and death now means for the believer, saying:

“We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin” (6:6).

Our old self was crucified, along with its passions and desires. The body of sin was “brought to nothing” in Christ, and sin is no longer our master.

Like Paul, the apostle John made this clear in more places than can be mentioned here. One of the most important teachings given by John reveals that habitual sinning—the practice or lifestyle of sinning—is not acceptable among the people of God.

“No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God’s seed abides in him; and he cannot keep on sinning, because he has been born of God” (1 Jn. 3:9).

Much of John’s writings present warnings and exhortations about avoiding sin. Understand that, logically, such things are absurd if it is acceptable to remain in it. As we have already seen, no case can be made for this. Here is another example from John’s writings:

“My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous” (1 Jn. 2:1).

Again, the expectation to avoid sin is clear. John makes sure to mention that sins can be forgiven through Christ, our advocate with the Father. This, as he pointed out in 3:9 (above) does not give us license to remain in the practice of sinning.

Taking the Bible as a cohesive whole—all of which being inspired by God and true in its teachings—the author of Hebrews goes further in explaining this matter. Not only is the continued practice of sinning unacceptable, but there is actually a point where one loses salvation because of it:

“For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a fearful expectation of judgment, and a fury of fire that will consume the adversaries” (Heb. 10:26-27).

For those who have read the preceding passages and believed they found loopholes for sinful living, Hebrews closes that door. Yes, there is a point of no return. It is not necessary to have an explanation for where that point is, as some will request. The point where one has allowed their sinful life to disqualify them from the prize is known by God.

It is our task to ensure that we do not flirt with this line.

There are so many other passages that could be mentioned, but this article would be outrageously long. Besides, the point should be clear to anyone who is being honest with themselves. Unequivocally, habitual sin is strongly forbidden and, at some point, it can cost us our very salvation.

But sure, continue to believe (and tell others) that sin is acceptable.

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But Everyone Sins!

The last comment leads us naturally to this section, which must be addressed.

Virtually any time that sin is being vigorously preached against, some within the church who hear it are bound to chime in with any number of responses. All of them, mind you, lead to the same conclusion and come from the same heart condition.

  • “It’s not about what we do; it’s about what Jesus did.”
  • “God doesn’t see me; He sees the Cross.”
  • “Everyone sins; we’re only human!”
  • “We will always be sinners!”

There is, of course, some manner of truth in these statements. It is true that Jesus alone rescues us from our sins, as he did what none of us could ever do in atoning for the sins of the world. However—and as I have discussed at great length in this important video—Christ did not do our obedience for us.

We still have a very significant part to play in salvation.

The problem with these types of remarks—aside from being half-truths, at best—is that they come from a corrupt place. This is the place that seeks to ask, “how much can I get away with?” Put another way, these are almost always things people say to justify their own sinfulness.

I should know, as I once used similar expressions myself. There’s no way that we can really live apart from sin, right? Paul, John, and the other NT authors didn’t actually mean we are supposed to, you know, leave habitual sinning, did they?

Certainly, Jesus wasn’t commanding us to live truly holy lives! Was he? . . . was he??

As previously demonstrated, the answer to these questions is abundantly obvious. Obvious, that is, to anyone who is allowing Scripture to speak for itself. In case their words weren’t clear enough, let me state this plainly:

The Christian is called to leave a life of sin and, instead, to pursue a life of holiness.

While Scripture clearly delineates (as shown) between falling short at times and living in habitual sin, it is undeniable that the latter is strictly prohibited. Only those who wish to remain in their sins object to this reality.

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Conclusion

It seems to me that the most important thing the church could be focusing on these days is exactly what it most ignores. Worse, it’s the very thing it goes out of its way to excuse.

This, however, is only the practice of the apostate church. The Bride of Christ—that is, the remnant of true believers who walk the narrow path—neither live in perpetual sin nor condone such a practice. This is to live and promote a lie, and we know this is not the way for a genuine follower of the Lord:

“And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments. Whoever says ‘I know him’ but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him, but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him: whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked” (1 Jn. 2:3-6).

Pretty simple; undeniable, even.

The plain truth is that we are doing our brothers and sisters in Christ a disservice—perhaps of the worst kind—by failing to preach against sin. We are fast-tracking them to the gates of hell, helping to ensure they receive a spot in the place “reserved for Satan and the demons” (Mt. 25:41).

Does this mean that the genuine believer will never commit another sin the rest of their days, as so many who wish to continue in sin will quip?

No, it doesn’t.

What it means is that we should make every effort to do so and, without question, that we must leave behind our habitual patterns of sinful behavior. We must do so, and we must teach others to do the same. In conclusion, I urge each person reading this to strive for holy living.

Stop telling yourself and others the lie from Satan, which is that sinful living is inevitable.

As Scripture reveals, it is not inevitable. More to the point, sinful living is unacceptable among those born of God. We cannot persist in sin, nor approve of those who do so.

Make today the day that sin no longer rules over you.

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Decoding the Thief on the Cross

To be sure, there is no shortage of misunderstood and/or misapplied passages of Scripture. Near the top of that list, we find the account of the Thief on the Cross.

Whether it is being used to suggest that believers don’t need to be baptized, that obedience is unnecessary in salvation, or even that we die and go to heaven as disembodied spirits, this event is probably one of the most popular within all of Scripture.

In this article, I am going to explain exactly why the passage cannot be used to prove any of the previously mentioned beliefs. Further, I will explain what the passage can teach us, as well as what we can understand about the events of the story itself.

Let’s start with the latter and work our way backwards.

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The Background

Only the Gospel of Luke contains the events surrounding the Thief on the Cross:

“One of the criminals who were hanged railed at him, saying, ‘Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!’ But the other rebuked him, saying, ‘Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.’ And he said, ‘Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.’ And he said to him, ‘Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise” (Lk. 23:39-43).

While the figure who responded favorably to Jesus is popularly referred to as the “Thief on the Cross,” we do not know with certainty that either of the criminals were indeed thieves. Some have supposed that,[1] but we only know they were criminals who were likely being crucified for crimes against the empire.

For this reason, I will now refer to this individual simply as a “criminal” rather than a thief.

Just prior to this passage, Jesus is being ruthlessly mocked and belittled by the Roman soldiers and other bystanders. It is then that one of the two criminals takes his shot at Jesus, questioning his messianic title and his ability to overcome the dire predicament. This is when the key part of the account takes place. The other criminal took to Jesus’ defense, admitting his own guilt, proclaiming Jesus’ innocence and, most importantly, showing his belief that Jesus is indeed the world’s Messiah: “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”

As a result of the man’s faith, Christ responds with this affirmation: ‘Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.”

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Misapplying the Text: Baptism

Now that we have a brief background in place, we can evaluate how this passage has been understood over time. As previously mentioned, this event is used to promote a wide variety of teachings that it simply does not support.  

Let’s start with the issue of baptism. For ages, people have pointed to the criminal as evidence that one does not need to be baptized to be saved.

The argument always goes that, if baptism is required in salvation, then the criminal could not have been saved. Since the text clearly illustrates that he was, baptism cannot be necessary.

The problem with this view is that it uses a rare exception—a biblical anomaly—to prove a general rule for how salvation operates. In other words, something that may be true in a particular instance does not make it universally applicable to all people and in all generations.

Regarding baptism, we would need to look at passages that are intended to instruct believers as a whole. There are indeed explicit commands that those who have placed their faith in Christ need to go and be baptized. For more on this, I have written extensively about the necessity of baptism here.

This gets us to the final point about using the criminal to prove that baptism is unnecessary. If we are talking about entry into salvation—that is, how one initially becomes saved—then it is accurate the baptism is not necessary. The criminal does prove that. However, here is the problem: for nearly all people, there is a life to be lived after conversion.

Put another way, there is the process of abiding in salvation. I have made a very helpful video (I think) that discusses our part in salvation.

The short of it is that, had the criminal been able to continue with his life, he would have been expected to be baptized just like all other believers. Since he died that very day, there was no opportunity to do so. Given this situation, it is not exegetically forthright to apply the criminal’s experience to those—that is, virtually everyone else—who continue to live after conversion.

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Misapplying the Text: Obedience is Unnecessary

Another thing the event is used to prove is that salvation has nothing to do with our obedience to Jesus. Since the criminal had lived a life of debauchery—as we at least assume—and was saved simply through his belief in Jesus in that instant, some reason that our salvation has nothing to do with our obedience.

Now, this is part of a greater doctrine that is derived—completely erroneously, in my understanding—from various passages of Scripture. It is often called “Free Grace” or “Hyper Grace” theology. I show the heresy in this doctrine in the same video mentioned above in regard to baptism.

(Please see that video if you want more details about the Free Grace doctrine. I believe this to be the greatest heresy going today.)

The simple truth is that using the criminal to prove that obedience is unnecessary in salvation fails for the very same reasons that the baptism argument does. This event is a biblical anomaly, where an individual placed his faith in Jesus but did not have the chance to continue living. The Bible is replete—absolutely loaded—with clear teachings proving that both faith and obedience is necessary in salvation.

My article on faith and works illustrates this clearly.

As with the baptism example, this would only be the case for those who never had a chance to live after conversion. In other words, we would be dealing with “death-bed conversions” almost exclusively. While there are no true statistics to look at on the matter, we understand such events to be exceedingly rare.

Those who reject Christ throughout their lives rarely see the light in their last days or hours, largely because a hardening of the heart has taken place by their consistent and willful rejection of Jesus.

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Misapplying the Text: The Soul Departs to Heaven at Death

There is a final belief that this passage is used to promote, and it’s a great deal more complex. This is the view that, because the criminal is thought to have gone directly to heaven (paradise) immediately following his death, that all believers also do so. This belief is based upon the following verse:

“Jesus answered him, ‘Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise” (Lk. 23:43).

I have covered the full context of this declaration and the issues with how it’s typically understood extensively in this book. To fully understand this problem, it takes a great deal of unpacking.

However, let me briefly summarize some of the key problems and provide other articles I have made specifically on these topics. The first—and really, the biggest—issue is that the overall biblical teachings about the afterlife contradict the idea that believers die and instantly depart to heaven. Likewise, Scripture does not teach that non-believers die and immediately depart to hell.

Overwhelmingly, the Bible—from front to back—teaches that death is the absence of life, and that death is best compared to sleep. The sleep comparisons cannot be missed (see this article), and we can understand the main reasons why as follows:

  1. Both (death and sleep) are unconscious modes of existence.
  2. Both are characterized by the lack of temporal recognition.
  3. Both are merely temporary in nature.

The second issue with this view is that it makes the resurrection events (Jesus’ aside) recorded in Scripture both meaningless and illogical. As I explain in this article, titled Jesus Wept. Lazarus Should Have, Jesus would have been doing the numerous people he raised from the dead a terrible disservice: if, that is, they were actually living in a place of bliss after death.

They would have been living in a more preferable existence (like heaven), only to be put back on earth to later die again.

Another problem is that the passages that are seen to suggest immediate life somewhere after death are often contradictory, if taken this way. In this article, I show why one cannot put such passages together to form a coherent view of the afterlife. Simply put, we cannot go to Abraham’s Bosom and heaven/paradise at the same time.

This is a major problem.

Finally—and I could mention many other issues (again, check this book)—the very idea that “we” are something like a soul trapped within a body is both unscriptural and illogical. Among the myriad problems with this view is what I call “soul damage.” That is, if we are really immaterial souls living within a physical body, then our personalities should not be affected by physical issues like brain trauma.

This is a deep issue, so I also have a blog covering this.

For all these reasons—and those not mentioned here—using the criminal on the cross to prove that all believers die and go to heaven is not exegetically sound. This is not to mention the fact that, like the matters of baptism and the necessity of obedience in salvation, we cannot use a biblical anomaly to prove the general rule about anything.

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Conclusion

If the previous beliefs cannot be justified in the account of the Criminal on the Cross, then what can we really learn from it?

First, we do learn that placing one’s faith in Jesus as Lord is the entry point—again, the entry point—into salvation. In that event, we are justified (declared righteous) in God’s sight and our sins are forgiven. Faith alone forgives sins and ushers us into God’s family.

However—and I simply must emphasize this again—that is where the process begins. As I point out in this video, we then must, as Jesus said, carry our cross and follow him (Mt. 16:24). The criminal proved how salvation begins, but he was unable to show us how it continues.

Another thing the story shows us is that it is possible to repent and turn to Christ late in life, even for hardened criminals and those near death. As previously stated, I do not personally believe this occurs frequently. This is chiefly because we often become too hardened to do so in consistently rejecting God. However, we do see that it can be done through the criminal’s miraculous turnaround, as well as through select others we have observed.

Lastly, it proves the overwhelming mercy that God has upon humanity. Even those who reject Him throughout their lives can—unless reprobate—be accepted into the Kingdom if they so desire to humble themselves before the Lord.

In summary, the account of the Criminal on the Cross is truly miraculous and empowering. If we are careful not to mutilate its meaning, then we can gain great insight and comfort in the man’s salvation, what it means about us and most importantly, what it tells us about the mercies of God.

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[1] See the Pulpit Commentary: “Many commentators suppose that these, were companions of that Bar-Abbas the robber who had just been released. They were not ordinary thieves, but belonged to those companies of brigands, or revolted Jews, which in those troublous times were so numerous in Palestine.”