SCRIPTURE READING: Galatians 1:1-10.

1. Did Jesus Christ speak of false ministers deceiving many in the time of the end? Matthew 24:11. Would they be able to perform signs and wonders? Matthew 24:24.

2. Would these false ministers outwardly appear in the guise of "Christianity," but all the while actually be wolves seeking to devour God's people? Matthew 7:15.

3. Did Jesus say some would call Him "Lord," yet not enter God's Kingdom? Verse 21. Do some actually preach in Christ's name, yet work lawlessness? Verses 22-23.

COMMENT: The Greek word used here for lawlessness (NKJV) and iniquity (KJV) is "anomia" which means "without law" or "lawlessness".

4. Did God warn His people not to pollute His name by applying it to pagan worship? Ezekiel 20:39, last part.

COMMENT: Webster’s Dictionary defines the word "pagan" as: "HEATHEN 1: especially : a follower of a polytheistic religion (as in ancient Rome), 2: one who has little or no religion and who delights in sensual pleasures and material goods : an irreligious or hedonistic person."

5. Who is it that has perpetuated the lies of paganism - calling them by the name, "Christianity?" Jeremiah 14:14. Does God promise these lying ministers will be rewarded with captivity, famine and death? Verse 15.

6 . The Apostle Paul constantly had to battle the inroads of false teachers who sought to unsettle the Church of God. What was he forced to say to the Thessalonians? II Thessalonians 2: 1-2. Were some sending epistles -letters - that were forged with Paul's own name? Verse 2.

7. Was a mystery system of lawlessness already at work in the time of Paul? Verse 7. Would this same system continue down to the second coming of Christ? Verse 8. By whose power did this mystery system work? Verse 9.

8. Did Paul warn the Galatians about false ministers preaching a false gospel? Galatians 1:6-9. Were the Galatians in danger of slipping back into the pagan rites they had observed as unconverted Gentiles? Galatians 4: 8-11. Were these same pagan days condemned by God in the Old Testament? Jeremiah 10:2-10, Deuteronomy 12:29-32, 8:19-20 and 18:10-14.

COMMENT: The Galatians at one time had been under bondage to idols. Before their conversion, they had been heathens who worshiped idols of stone and wood. Paul was writing to these Gentiles who wanted to return to observing "days, months, seasons and years" - They were wanting to return to their pagan holidays and their idols.

The Catholic Church "father," Chrysostom, admits that these superstitious times which Paul forbids were practiced by "Christians" in his day, but without the idols as in days of old. He says, "Many were superstitiously addicted to the observance of times, and made divination and conjectures upon them . . . In celebration of these times they set up lamps in the marketplace, and crown their doors with garlands." (Bingham's Antiquities of the Christian Church, Pp. 1123, 1124.)

Besides times, the Greeks observed special days in honor of the dead. "The rites took place on the . . unlucky days accompanied by complete idleness and cessation of business" (Webster's Rest Days, p. 79).

During the months of the year, festivals were held in honor of the Greek gods, Apollo [April,October], Zeus [February, June], Artemas [April], Bacchus [January]. (Encyclopedia Americana, article "Festival.")

Also certain years were set aside quadrennially and biennially during which were national idolatrous feasts and the celebration of the Olympic and Pythian games.

9. Did Paul say these pagan days and seasons they had observed before they knew God had put them in "bondage"? Galatians 4:8-10.

10. Did Paul warn the Church of God in Colossae about false teachers? Colossians. 2:4, 8. Were these false ministers teaching the ways -- the rudiments and traditions - of the world? Verse 8. Were they teaching the worship of angels? Verse 18. Did they advocate ordinances of asceticism? Verses 20-22.

11. Aren't all these false teachings to perish since they are only the commandments of men? Verse 22.

12. Were the false ministers of Colossae criticizing God's people for keeping God’s Holy Days? Verse 16. But didn't Paul say no man should judge true Christians for keeping God's days, including the weekly Sabbath? Same verse.

COMMENT: Colossians 2:14-16 is a clear proof that Christians today should keep God's Holy Days regardless of what men might say. Men are not our Judge. God is!

13. What does God say will befall those who follow the way of Babylon and worship according to this ancient pagan mystery system? Revelation 18:1-8.

14. Who is her Judge? Verse 8. Will she receive double punishment for her iniquities-the doctrines of lawlessness that she has committed? Verses 5-6.

15. What is God's command to those who have not yet forsaken her pagan ways? Verse 4.

In Conclusion: What About You? Will you be a partaker of God's plagues upon modern Babylon? (Revelation 18:4.) Or, are you willing to reject the world’s ways and holidays and keep God’s commandments, His Sabbath and His feast days? (Leviticus 23:1-2).

Scriptures

(Gal 1:1-10 NKJV) "Paul, an apostle (not from men nor through man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father who raised Him from the dead), {2} and all the brethren who are with me, To the churches of Galatia: {3} Grace to you and peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ, {4} who gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, {5} to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen. {6} I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel, {7} which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ. {8} But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. {9} As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed. {10} For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ."

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Golden Text:

(Rev 18:4 NKJV) "And I heard another voice from heaven saying, "Come out of her, my people, lest you share in her sins, and lest you receive of her plagues."

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1.) (Mat 24:11 NKJV) ""Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many."

(Mat 24:24 NKJV) ""For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect."

2.) (Mat 7:15 NKJV) ""Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves."

3.) (Mat 7:21-23 NKJV) ""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. {22} "Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?' {23} "And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!'"

4.) (Ezek 20:39 NKJV) ""As for you, O house of Israel," thus says the Lord GOD: "Go, serve every one of you his idols; and hereafter; if you will not obey me; but profane My holy name no more with your gifts and your idols."

5.) (Jer 14:14-15 NKJV) "And the LORD said to me, "The prophets prophesy lies in My name. I have not sent them, commanded them, nor spoken to them; they prophesy to you a false vision, divination, a worthless thing, and the deceit of their heart. {15} "Therefore thus says the LORD concerning the prophets who prophesy in My name, whom I did not send, and who say, 'Sword and famine shall not be in this land'; 'By sword and famine those prophets shall be consumed!"

6.) (2 Th 2:1-2 NKJV) "Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, we ask you, {2} not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us, as though the day of Christ had come."

7.) (2 Th 2:7-9 NKJV) "For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way. {8} And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming. {9} The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders,"

8.) (Gal 1:6-9 NKJV) "I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel, {7} which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ. {8} But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. {9} As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed."

(Gal 4:8-11 NKJV) "But then, indeed, when you did not know God, you served those which by nature are not gods. {9} But now after you have known God, or rather are known by God, how is it that you turn again to the weak and beggarly elements, to which you desire again to be in bondage? {10} You observe days and months and seasons and years. {11} I am afraid for you, lest I have labored for you in vain."

(Jer 10:2-10 NKJV) "Thus says the LORD: "Do not learn the way of the Gentiles; Do not be dismayed at the signs of heaven, For the Gentiles are dismayed at them. {3} For the customs of the peoples are futile; For one cuts a tree from the forest, The work of the hands of the workman, with the ax. {4} They decorate it with silver and gold; They fasten it with nails and hammers So that it will not topple. {5} They are upright, like a palm tree, And they cannot speak; They must be carried, Because they cannot go by themselves. Do not be afraid of them, For they cannot do evil, Nor can they do any good." {6} Inasmuch as there is none like You, O LORD (You are great, and Your name is great in might), {7} Who would not fear You, O King of the nations? For this is Your rightful due. For among all the wise men of the nations, And in all their kingdoms, There is none like You. {8} But they are altogether dull-hearted and foolish; A wooden idol is a worthless doctrine. {9} Silver is beaten into plates; It is brought from Tarshish, And gold from Uphaz, The work of the craftsman And of the hands of the metalsmith; Blue and purple are their clothing; They are all the work of skillful men. {10} But the LORD is the true God; He is the living God and the everlasting King. At His wrath the earth will tremble, And the nations will not be able to endure His indignation."

(Deu 12:29-32 NKJV) ""When the LORD your God cuts off from before you the nations which you go to dispossess, and you displace them and dwell in their land, {30} "take heed to yourself that you are not ensnared to follow them, after they are destroyed from before you, and that you do not inquire after their gods, saying, 'How did these nations serve their gods? I also will do likewise.' {31} "You shall not worship the LORD your God in that way; for every abomination to the LORD which He hates they have done to their gods; for they burn even their sons and daughters in the fire to their gods. {32} "Whatever I command you, be careful to observe it; you shall not add to it nor take away from it."

(Deu 8:19-20 NKJV) ""Then it shall be, if you by any means forget the LORD your God, and follow other gods, and serve them and worship them, I testify against you this day that you shall surely perish. {20} "As the nations which the LORD destroys before you, so you shall perish, because you would not be obedient to the voice of the LORD your God."

(Deu 18:10-14 NKJV) ""There shall not be found among you anyone who makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire, or one who practices witchcraft, or a soothsayer, or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer, {11} "or one who conjures spells, or a medium, or a spiritist, or one who calls up the dead. {12} "For all who do these things are an abomination to the LORD, and because of these abominations the LORD your God drives them out from before you. {13} "You shall be blameless before the LORD your God. {14} "For these nations which you will dispossess listened to soothsayers and diviners; but as for you, the LORD your God has not appointed such for you."

10.) (Col 2:4 NKJV) "Now this I say lest anyone should deceive you with persuasive words."

(Col 2:8 NKJV) "Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ."

(Col 2:18 NKJV) "Let no one cheat you of your reward, taking delight in false humility and worship of angels, intruding into those things which he has not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind,"

(Col 2:20-22 NKJV) "Therefore, if you died with Christ from the basic principles of the world, why, as though living in the world, do you subject yourselves to regulations; {21} "Do not touch, do not taste, do not handle," {22} which all concern things which perish with the using; according to the commandments and doctrines of men?"

(Col 2:14-16 NKJV) "having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. {15} Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it. {16} So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbaths,"

13.) (Rev 18:1-8 NKJV) "After these things I saw another angel coming down from heaven, having great authority, and the earth was illuminated with his glory. {2} And he cried mightily with a loud voice, saying, "Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and has become a dwelling place of demons, a prison for every foul spirit, and a cage for every unclean and hated bird! {3} "For all the nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth have become rich through the abundance of her luxury." {4} And I heard another voice from heaven saying, "Come out of her, my people, lest you share in her sins, and lest you receive of her plagues. {5} "For her sins have reached to heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities. {6} "Render to her just as she rendered to you, and repay her double according to her works; in the cup which she has mixed, mix double for her. {7} "In the measure that she glorified herself and lived luxuriously, in the same measure give her torment and sorrow; for she says in her heart, 'I sit as queen, and am no widow, and will not see sorrow.' {8} "Therefore her plagues will come in one day; death and mourning and famine. And she will be utterly burned with fire, for strong is the Lord God who judges her."