Bible prophecy of Corporate Church

2 Timothy 4:3.  For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; 4.  and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables.  

Denominations hire their pastors from the graduates of the seminaries of their denomination.  A Baptist church would not hire a pastor that had graduated from a Pentecostal seminary.  Each hire those that have been taught in the ways of their own denomination, as the verse implies, “they will heap up for themselves teachers”.  I cannot think of any better wording that could have been used for this Scripture, prophesying and identifying the conditions of the corporate churches of today.

Where and Whom we’re to Worship

Take notice that Jesus told this woman at the well that the place to worship was in the heart of those committed to the truth found in Christ and this worship was to be directed to God, our divine Father.

John 4:19.  The woman said to Him, "Sir, I perceive that You are a prophet. 20.  "Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, and you Jews say that in Jerusalem is the place where one ought to worship.''21.  Jesus said to her, "Woman, believe Me, the hour is coming when you will neither on this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, worship the Father. 22.  "You worship what you do not know; we know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews. 23.  "But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. 24.  "God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.''

Beware of the Deception  

2 Timothy 3:13.  But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. 

When we study the intent of this verse, we should reason that this verse was written about 2000 years ago and we are being warned that this deception was there then and it was only going to get worse.  So for me, even new bible translations are to be questioned for if we are going to believe the words of this Scripture. New is not going to be more accurate, but more deceptive.

In the following verse we can see that Jesus first prophesied about this deception.  The thing about deception is that we are not warned that much about lies but deception, which are things that seem to be right but are things that will lead us to our destruction.  Notice that Jesus used the word “Christ” along with deception, why would He do that.  I do not believe for a minute that Jesus was referencing that many would take claim to being Jesus but to the anointing, being like God which is the desire of Lucifer as referenced in Isaiah 14:12 in the King James Version.  Consider how he wanted to be like God.  But Jesus used the word “Christ”, not “Jesus”.  Considering that the word “Christ” means anointed, that He was saying that many would take claim of being anointed by God when they weren’t, therefore deceiving many because of the many that remained being carnal, not growing in the knowledge of God through His Spirit. 

Matthew 24:4.  And Jesus answered and said to them: "Take heed that no one deceives you. 5.  "For many will come in My name, saying, `I am the Christ,' and will deceive many.

Warning to the Church / False christs

Matthew 24:23.  "Then if anyone says to you, `Look, here is the Christ!' or `There!' do not believe it. 24.  "For false christs and false prophets will arise and show great signs and wonders, so as to deceive, if possible, even the elect. 25.  "See, I have told you beforehand. 26.  "Therefore if they say to you, `Look, He is in the desert!' do not go out; or `Look, He is in the inner rooms!' do not believe it.

Warning to the Church / False prophets: 

Matthew 7:13.  "Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. 14.  "Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it. 15.  "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.

Matthew 24:11.  "Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. 12.  "And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold.

2 Peter 2:1.  But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction.

When Jesus prophesied that they would say, `Look, here is the Christ!' or `There!' do not believe it., He was talking about, that in the future, which is today, that many would say “my church is the place to find the presence of God” referring to their corporate church as being the place to worship.    The fact is we do not have to look any further than our own heart to find the presence of Christ, if we have truly repented and turned to God for His indwelling Holy Spirit.  Deceptive preachers and teachers was found even back then, now about 2000 years later, can anyone really take on the belief that truth is more likely to be taught today than then.  Just because there are a lot of things accepted as godly and traditional, that does not make it right before God.  Deception is Satan’s tool and he has been doing that for a long time.  Many of the traditions we have today was began by those that were deceived back then.    Deception should not be found amongst the children of God because they have the presence of God to guard them from the evils of Satan deceptive ways by His Spirit.

Committed to the Children of God:   

1 Corinthians 12:25 that there should be no schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another. 26.  And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.

   schism (s¹z“…m, sk¹z“-) n. 1. A separation or division into factions. 2.a. A formal breach of union within a Christian church.   

     b. The offense of attempting to produce such a breach. 3. Disunion; discord.

There are countless reasons that bring division.  Denominational preference is only one of many that has done a lot of damage to our testimony as the body of Christ, the church.  But there are many other reasons that also bring division which can be that of social activity, financial, health and many more.  God’s children are expected to set “self” aside and look deeply into what is the core reason when there is division and work though it in a spirit of love.  When the children of God come together in love and help each other, whether it’s finances, or whatever, they are to come together to exhort each other and be an encouragement by helping in their deeds, not just in their words.  This is the assembling that we are not to forsaken  

Hebrews 10:24.  And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, 25.  not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching. x·hort (¹g-zôrt“) v. ex·hort·ed, ex·hort·ing, ex·horts. --tr. 1. To urge by strong, often stirring argument, admonition, advice, or appeal: exhorted the troops to hold the line. See Synonyms at  urge. --intr. To make urgent appeal.

Discernment for those that are not committed to Christ: 

Matthew 7:15.  "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. 16.  "You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? 17.  "Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18.  "A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. 19.  "Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20.  "Therefore by their fruits you will know them. 21.  "Not everyone who says to Me, `Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.

It is my deepest conviction that the false prophets of today are going to be found amongst those that are ordained ministers, those that have been heaped up as teachers.  Those that are looked up to and respected by many.  Many of these will not realize that they’re actually servants of Satan!  Because they would not be saying to Jesus, Lord, Lord, on that Day of Judgment.  They are of the deceived, deceiving many others, enjoying their easy life of being god over their congregation, never being that example of partaking of the suffering of Christ as defined in Scripture.  But Jesus told us to watch their walk.  When we do that in combination with the direction of the Holy Spirit, we will know them by their fruitless life apart from Christ. Regardless of what others think of them, those in Christ will recognize them by the power of God that is realized within the heart of those that are His.

Just remember: Romans 8:9.  But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His. 

One can claim and believe they are saved all they want, they can even have their pastors assurance, but the bottom line is this, if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His, they are not saved and will be with all the others that were deceived, to include their pastors in a real forever everlasting hell.