Discerning the Times: Equipping Saints and UFOs

Theology and Politics from a Conservative, Biblical Perspective

Audio for this article here: SermonAudio.com/studygrowknow

Equipping Saints
There are basically two trains of thought regarding the actual purpose of the Church:

1. Evangelizing the lost
2. Building up Christians to maturity

Some fall mainly in the first category, based on Jesus’ own commission of His disciples (Matthew 28:19-20), where He told them (and us), to, “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen. (KJV)

It seems a lot of Christians, pastors included, stop at the end of verse 19 with “…the Holy Ghost.” Evangelizing the lost, telling them of their need of repentance, and to realize that salvation comes only through Jesus is their main focus. Verse 20 is often left out, but refers to living the Christian life; what that means and how to do it.

To this end, many pastors essentially present salvation messages every week or topical messages, usually ending with an “invitation” to receive salvation. A personal invitation to come “down front” is often given to allow folks to make a public decision for Jesus after repeating a simple prayer.

However, if we consider Peter’s sermon on the Day of Pentecost, we don’t see the type of “invitation” often made today from most pulpits (Acts 2:14-36). Peter spoke and hearts were changed as a result of God’s Spirit working in people.

Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, ‘Brothers, what shall we do?’ (v 37)

Peter’s preaching of God’s Word did the job. They were “cut to the heart” and asked a very natural question; “Brothers, what shall we do?” Peter’s answer is listed in verse 38. and where he tells them to “repent and be baptized.”

Verse 40 tells us that Peter, with “…many other words he bore witness and continued to exhort them…” Verse 41 says those who gladly received his words were baptized.

Their hearts awoke to the truth Peter preached and they embraced it, joyfully. Their resultant water baptism was their public testimony of what had occurred in their hearts. Clearly, evangelism is at the very heart of responsibilities that all Christians have to the lost of this world. Jesus said so. Peter proved it as did Paul and others. But is that it?

Ephesians 4:11-13 reveals that equipping the saints is a major part of the Church’s responsibility. This results in living the Christian life in sincerity and power and being a witness for Him to the lost. Without properly equipped saints, too many churches will look like the Corinthian church in Paul’s first letter. They were carnal “babes” in Christ, only wanting “milk,” not “meat” (also echoed in Hebrews).

But what exactly is meant by the word equipping?

And it was He who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to equip the saints for works of ministry and to build up the body of Christ, until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God, as we mature to the full measure of the stature of Christ.…

God equip His children by providing certain gifts to those within His Body for everyone’s equipping.

• apostles
• prophets
• evangelists
• pastors
• teachers

The word “equip” literally means to build, to make ready, to complete. If the main focus of the church leaders is solely evangelistic, a problem exists, like trying to fly a plane with only one wing. While evangelism needs to be part of the whole, it cannot be the only thing that is emphasized.

How are the saints equipped when they go to church?

• worshiping the Lord together
• fellowship with one another
• expositional (verse-by-verse) teaching of God’s Word

Only as Christians are taught doctrine, theology and all aspects of Scripture, will they be in a far better position to go into the world when they leave church and be ready to provide an answer to anyone who asks about the hope that we have in Christ. We should do this with gentleness and respect (1 Peter 3:15). In that verse, Peter also tells us to “sanctify” our hearts, meaning we should actively and continually separate our hearts to God, ridding ourselves of the things in this world that compete for God’s attention. This must be taught and lived by each Christian in order that they might become better evangelists. Obviously Christians have a responsibility to study the Bible on their own as well.

Christians are to live in obedience to God while we reach out to our neighbors with the salvation message. This twofold aspect of Christian living is pleasing to God, brings Him glory and increases our spiritual maturity.

If more pastors would teach God’s Word expositionally (again, going verse-by-verse through books of the Bible, however long that takes), Christians would become equipped and live lives that glorify God. While not all are given the gift of evangelism, we are all called to spread the Gospel.

I’ve talked to numerous pastors who are of this frame of mind: “Whatever it takes to get the lost in the door.” The Church is primarily for Christians; the saved. If all pastors do is focus on those who are lost, they are shirking their responsibilities to help equip Christians to become evangelists. Yes, we should bring the lost to church, but the church is there to equip the saints.

Christians today need answers and stronger faith in God and His Word. Now is the absolute perfect time to be teaching through books like 1 & 2 Thessalonians, Joel, 1 & 2 Peter, Jude, Revelation, Ezekiel, Daniel, Isaiah, etc because we are in the last days. This is what strengthens and equips believers to be about the Father’s business, with resultant evangelism.

UFOs: Evacuation or Rapture?
What does the New Age believe regarding the Rapture or what they call the “great evacuation”? I’ve talked about this before in numerous articles here, here and here.

The idea of a great evacuation of millions of people from the earth to other planets has been part of New Age thought and belief since the days of George Van Tassel when he first wrote about it circa 1950. Barbara Marciniak and other New Age leaders have carried the idea forward and it remains popular today.

Now we learn the Pentagon might possibly release information in June regarding the reality of UFO sightings by military personnel; a number of whom have caught UFOs on video.

Humanity may be just weeks away from finding out the truth about UFOs and potential aliens.  This would be the most profound event in human history.

The author of the article quoted a UFO lobbyist who eagerly awaits this great reveal by our government. This may well lead to an acceptance of Satan’s New Age “rapture” belief, which appears to be gaining momentum.

Consider if in the “twinkling of an eye,” millions of people are removed from the earth at the same time. Wouldn’t Satan think to have an alternative explanation for something as huge as the Rapture if it is actually occurs, the same way he is bringing forward the Antichrist as though he is THE Savior/Messiah of humanity? Satan has prepared.

Based on the Bible and the activity Satan views in the spiritual realm, he understands that the Rapture is likely a coming world event on God’s schedule. If so, it would be ridiculous of him not to have a ready explanation for it.

UFO sightings and abduction of human beings began in the USA in 1961 with Betty and Barney Hill. Their story is interesting but when you remove aliens and replace them with demons, it is easy to see the big deception being perpetrated. I’ve discussed these things at length in my two books on the subject, Demons in Disguise and Nephilim Nightmare, as have many others.

What if the world is being set up to believe that when millions of people instantly disappear throughout the globe at the same time, it will be due to an alien “great evacuation” as the reason? The concocted story of UFOs above earth’s atmosphere (and out of sight of human eyes), vacuuming up and removing people to other planets where they will be allowed to progress “spiritually” at the own pace without holding back the rest of the “woke” people on the earth will offer the perfect cover.

If world and New Age leaders step up to calm people and explain what “really” happened, wouldn’t that bring calm throughout the world for those remaining? Of course it would. The only people who might believe that it was actually the Rapture will be those who heard about it prior but never received salvation, so they were left behind.

Just last night “60 Minutes” did a broadcast in which they stated that the Pentagon has said UFOs are “real.” People would much rather believe in intelligent life on other planets than the fact that God created. The former absolves them of responsibility to God, while the latter comes with huge responsibility to take God seriously.

The world is moving toward greater upheaval and major paradigm shift. Christians need to understand what the Bible says about these days, which is part of the equipping of the saints. Greater biblical knowledge provides greater understanding, greater wisdom, strength and faith, as well as allows Christians to have answers to the lost.

Too many Christians are simply not being equipped.

Theology and Politics from a Conservative, Biblical Perspective