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Americans engage in Halloween activities which show that our culture is now thoroughly pagan.  Wherever you go on Halloween each year you see skeletons and pictures of bats and witches and "ghosts." One of the young men in our church told me that everyone where he works has these figures of ghouls and demons and leering jack o lanterns on their desks. The people he works with are offering a prize to the person with the most horrifying display on their desk. He told me that his desk is the only one in the office with no Halloween decorations on it at all! He only has an American flag on his desk!

It seems to me that this emphasis on the demonic each October indicates that we are now moving into the last days. The Apostle Paul wrote about that in our text,

“Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils” (I Timothy 4:1).

We learn at least four things from this verse.

I. First, this prophecy is given by the Spirit of God.

The text says,

“Now the Spirit speaketh expressly…” (I Timothy 4:1).

The Greek word translated “expressly” means “out-spokenly, i.e. distinctly” (Strong), “clearly, unmistakably” (Rienecker). Rienecker says, “The word indicates that these elements of future events have been distinctly made known” (Fritz Rienecker, Ph.D., A Linguistic Key to the Greek New Testament, Zondervan Publishing House, 1980, p. 625).

Thus, we see that this prophecy was not just an idea that the Apostle Paul gave. No, this is a prophecy given distinctly, clearly and unmistakably by the Holy Spirit. God Himself gave the words of this prophecy to the Apostle Paul. Of course that is true of the whole Bible as well for,

“All scripture is given by inspiration of God…”
      (II Timothy 3:16).

Dr. Criswell said, concerning II Timothy 3:16,

The origin of Scripture is stated: It is “God-breathed” (theopneustos, Gk.), i.e. the words of Scripture are to be received as from God Himself. The doctrine of Scripture maintained by the Bible is that its words are “God-breathed” (W. A. Criswell, Ph.D., The Criswell Study Bible, Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1979, note on II Timothy 3:16).

Here in our text, in I Timothy 4:1, we are reminded of the inspiration of the words of this prophecy,

“Now the Spirit speaketh expressly…” (I Timothy 4:1).

This is not a prophecy given on a crystal ball or from an astrology book. It is a prophecy given by God Himself on the page of Scripture. This prophecy is given by God the Holy Spirit. You can always trust the prophecies God gave us in the Bible!

II. Second, this prophecy speaks of the future.

The text says,

“Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times…”
      (I Timothy 4:1).

The Tim LaHaye Prophecy Study Bible says,

“Latter times” in this context refers to the end of the current Church Age (Tim LaHaye Prophecy Study Bible, AMG Publishers, 2000, note on I Timothy 4:1).

Dr. Gill said,

The prophecy is in verses 1, 2, 3. The author of this prophecy is the Spirit of God; the manner in which it was delivered was very clear and express; the time when it should be fulfilled, the last days (John Gill, D.D., An Exposition of the New Testament, The Baptist Standard Bearer, 1989 reprint, volume III, p. 292; note on I Timothy 4:1).

Thus, I am convinced that these words, “the latter times,” refer to the same period of time spoken of in II Timothy 3:1-5, which says,

“This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away” (II Timothy 3:1-5).

The “last days” of II Timothy 3:1 and the “latter times” of our text refer to the same period of time. It seems self-evident to me that they both speak of the day in which we live. I believe that we are now living in that period, in the “last days,” the “latter times.” It could be translated “in later times.” This makes it clear that God gave a prophecy concerning the future which points to the very time in which we live today.

III. Third, this prophecy refers to the final time of apostasy.

“Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith…” (I Timothy 4:1).

The word translated “depart” is from a Greek word that means “to desert,” “to fall away” (Strong). People will desert the Christian faith and depart from the Scriptures. That is a prophecy of what is happening in these terrible days of apostasy.

This end-time apostasy is also given in II Thessalonians 2:3, which says,

“Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first…”
      (II Thessalonians 2:3).

The words “falling away” are the translation of a single Greek word, “apostasia,” which means “to fall away,” to “forsake” the truth (Strong). The great “falling away” predicted in II Thessalonians 2:3 refers to the same apostasy spoken of in our text,

“Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith…” (I Timothy 4:1).

A modern paraphrase might put it, “Some will depart, falling away from the faith.” And that is exactly what the verse in II Thessalonians says, that “there [will] come a falling away” (II Thessalonians 2:3). I believe that this not only includes falling away from the Scriptures, but also falling away from the local New Testament church where the Gospel given in the Scriptures is preached. Many things that are happening in Christianity today indicate that we are living in that period of apostasy right now! Dr. Criswell said,

The phrase “a falling way” may be translated “the apostasy.” The use of the article [the] indicates that [God’s Word is speaking of] a specific apostasy…before the [end of this age] there will occur a marked falling away of professed believers (W. A. Criswell, Ph.D., ibid., note on II Thessalonians 2:3). .

I am convinced that we are now, at this time, living deep in this prophesied time of apostasy. The apostasy of our time has its roots in the ministry of Charles G. Finney and the “decisionist” preachers and evangelists who followed him, who filled our churches with unconverted people by asking them to make a quick “decision for Christ,” rather than making sure they were converted.

Dr. Monroe “Monk” Parker was often called “The Dean of American Evangelists.” His sermons often appear in The Sword of the Lord. Dr. Parker said,

If we could get half of the church members saved, we would see a great revival. In fact, I think if we could get half of the preachers in America converted, we would see a mighty revival (Monroe “Monk” Parker, D.D., Through Sunshine and Shadows: My First Seventy-Seven Years, Sword of the Lord Publishers, 1987, pp. 61-62).

But no one took Dr. Parker seriously when he said that a few years ago. No real attempt was made to make sure church people were converted. Thus, the great apostasy spoken of in our text, and in II Thessalonians 2:3, has swept through the churches, leaving very few real converts in them. That is why the churches in America and the Western world are so confused and weak today, and so filled with heresy and false teaching. These prophecies have been fulfilled before our very eyes!

“Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day [the end of this age] shall not come, except there come a falling away first” (II Thessalonians 2:3).

“Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith…” (I Timothy 4:1).

Leading preachers of the recent past, like W. A. Criswell, B. R. Lakin and A. W. Tozer, warned that most church members are unconverted (see “The Great Falling Away,” R. L. Hymers, Jr., self-published, p. 7). The apostasy has produced millions of professing Christians who are not converted. These lost church members have weakened the churches to such a degree that they are unable to stand up to the attacks on Christianity by paganism, New Age religion, and the cults. Thus, the Western world is now plunging into darkness, demonism, and apostasy, much of it centered in the demonic celebration of Halloween. Dr. John R. Rice said,

The pulpit has failed the churches, and the churches have failed America (John R. Rice., D.D., Bible Doctrines to Live By, Sword of the Lord Publishers, 1968, p. 311).

Dr. Rice was right!  God help us!  A Baptist preacher named F. L. Chapell, writing in 1903, said,

The dark days that preceded the [First] Great Awakening will come again unless somebody stands firmly and clearly and decidedly by the doctrine of a converted church membership (Rev. F. L. Chapell, The Great Awakening of 1740, American Baptist Publication Society, 1903, p. 133).

No one listened to Pastor F. L. Chapell back in 1903. Now it is too late! We are, right now, in the “dark days” of the final apostasy! We are in that final apostasy today! No President can save us now! Only the intervention of God Himself can save us now! But it does not seem that He is going to intervene before judgment falls on America and the Western world.

A deacon in a Southern Baptist church where I once preached said to me a few days ago, “You always preached too loud, always too loud.” I said nothing when he insulted me this way. It would have been inappropriate. But I thought, “My God! Isn’t it time, long past time, for preachers to obey the Bible and raise their voices at times when they preach?” The prophet Isaiah said,

“Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and shew my people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins” (Isaiah 58:1).

The Apostle Paul said,

“Reprove, rebuke, exhort…For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts [desires] shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears”
      (II Timothy 4:2-3).

Yes, we are now in the Great Apostasy predicted in the Scriptures, and the fault lies at the feet of timid preachers, who are afraid to raise their voices and make sure that the people in our churches are converted by hard-hitting, old-fashioned evangelistic preaching, followed by personal counselling from the pastor himself. The pastors are at fault because they are afraid to preach boldly against the sins of our people! God help us! Again, I must repeat what Dr. John R. Rice said,

The pulpit has failed the churches, and the churches have failed America (John R. Rice., D.D., Bible Doctrines to Live By, Sword of the Lord Publishers, 1968, p. 311).

IV. Fourth, this prophecy refers to the apostasy produced by
seducing spirits and doctrines of devils.

“Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils [demons]” (I Timothy 4:1).

Dr. J. Vernon McGee said,

“Seducing” actually means wandering, roving, and it comes from the word [that means] deceiver or seducer. In fact Satan is all those things. They shall give heed [pay attention] to Satanic spirits. “Doctrines of devils [demons]” people [pay attention] to doctrines of demons...even in our materialistic age there is a return to the things of the spirit world and a great emphasis upon it…Paul warns us against being seduced by doctrines of demons (J. Vernon McGee, Th.D., Thru the Bible, Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1983, volume V, p. 447; notes on I Timothy 4:1).

The Bible says,

“Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try [test] the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world” (I John 4:1).

The churches have been admitting thousands of unconverted people into their membership for years. This has so weakened the churches that a great flood of new-age, demonic practices have entered our culture, without the churches being strong enough to stop them. That is why it’s against the law to read a Bible verse in school, but every school is decorated for Halloween with witches, skeletons and demonic “ghosts.” This clearly shows that they want nothing to do with Christ. Instead, they want to play with demons. My friend, we are living in the great apostasy! Preachers and church people all around us are “giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils [demons]” (I Timothy 4:1).

Test the spirits and you will see that they are Satanic. Yes, test the spirits that are behind the demonic celebration of Halloween, and other changes in our culture!

“And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness” (Ephesians 5:11).

That is why I am asking you to avoid anything to do with Halloween. That’s why I am asking you to come to Christ, and be saved from judgment by Him, and be washed clean from your sin by His Blood, and receive eternal life from Him – who died on the Cross to pay the penalty for your sin, and rose physically from the dead to give you life! And that’s why I am asking you to come and be with us here in church on Halloween night. We will have a good time, but it won’t have anything to do with Halloween! We will have dinner and a great time of fellowship beginning at 7:30 PM on Halloween night, October 31. Come and be with Christian people on that night! God bless you as you do it, because

“The Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils” (I Timothy 4:1).

And be sure to come back to church tonight at 6:00 PM as well! Don't let the Devil keep you out of church tonight at 6:00, or on Halloween next Friday night.

(END OF SERMON)
You can read Dr. Hymers' sermons each week on the Internet
at www.realconversion.com. Click on “Sermon Manuscripts.”

Scripture Read Before the Sermon by Dr. Kreighton L. Chan: II Timothy 3:1-5.
Solo Sung Before the Sermon by Mr. Benjamin Kincaid Griffith:
“In Times Like These” (by Ruth Caye Jones, 1944).