Page 25 - The Gate and the Way

Suffering Saints

There is a great deception that Satan has foisted upon multitudes of Christians who are
eager to accept it. The foundation of this deception is the belief that God wants Christians
to have happy, materially abundant, pleasurable lives free of poverty, poor health, sorrow,
or persecution. If someone were to write a book to promote this false doctrine they might
name it “Your Best Life Now.”

Such a book would be bound to be a best seller, for it would proclaim the things the
soul of man wants to hear. It would tell Christians that God wants them to be healthy,
happy, and materially prosperous; to experience success and fulfillment of their soul’s
deepest desires while in this world, with an expectation of entering into the reward and
blessing of God when they die. We should not be surprised that ministers who proclaim this
anti-cross message are widely embraced, that they sell millions of books, and speak in
arenas that seat tens of thousands. The apostle Paul testified that the last days before the
return of Christ would be precisely as we see them today.

II Timothy 4:3-5
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; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to
fables.

Notice the highlighted words, “according to their own desires.” What do men and
women desire? Do they not desire to live materially prosperous lives, to be comfortable and
at ease? An honest review of the most popular Christian books and teachings today will
reveal that the church has indeed “heaped up for themselves teachers” to tell them the
things they want to hear.