Are You Looking To Your Church for Salvation?
Another one of the inane teachings coming from the Camping Compound is the created belief that those who do not follow Harold Camping in his Depart Out teachings are looking to their churches for salvation. It is interesting that those who make this contrived accusation are doing the very same thing. They have tied Departing out to Salvation. So they are the kettle calling the pot black. Below is a quote from their popular but hidden Latter Rain Yahoo Group. It is message 12912. The author is Chris McCann who has lately become the Propaganda Minister on the East Coast for Harold Camping. Notice the language of this quote. If you notice in this post, his contention is that anyone who does not depart out of their church is unsaved. In months past, they were careful not to tie Depart Out to salvation openly. As with all false teachings, they expand rapidly to the point of being bold, whereas in times past they cloaked their accusatory language.
“I know that you are extremely upset over what the fact that the Bible is declaring that the church era is over. You have a great deal of trust in churches and what you have learned through the church. Much like the 1st century Jews had a great deal of trust in their leaders and in the traditions of their religion.
However, I am afraid that any trust in a church will not save a sinner. Our trust must be in God and in His Word.
And God's Word commands His people to come out of the churches during the great tribulation period which we are now in. God's people (those who are truly saved and born again believers) will obey God's command to come out.
I am going to be very direct with you XOXOX regarding your stance on this issue------your refusal to obey God is giving strong evidence that you may not be a child of God. This is not my judgment but the Bible's. Turn to Daniel, chapter 12:
10) Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand.
“The context of Daniel 12 is one where God is saying that the Words related to the end time events of the great tribulation and the very end of the world are to be sealed up until the time of the end is reached. Once God's people do indeed reach the days that are close to the end of the world then the Lord intends to open up these words which are found in the Bible.
And here we are, right at that period of time that is identified as the "end". And God indeed is opening up truths out of His Word regarding the events of the great tribulation period. One of this things previously hidden from believers understanding is the fact that during the days of the great tribulation Satan is the man of sin taking his seat in the temple (2 Thes 2) showing himself he is god. And another truth that God is opening up to His people exclusively is the fact that the church is no longer being used of God and God's people must flee the churches.
Now, the Word of God says in Dan 12:10 that the wise (believers are identified as the "wise" in the Bible) shall understand these things once they are opened up and the seals are taken off by God in the last days. However, God is also very clear that the "wicked" will not understand these things. As a matter of fact, NONE of the wicked shall understand these things.
Therefore XOXOX, since you obviously are not understanding what God is declaring these days-----I would encourage you to take God's warning in Daniel 12 and examine yourself to see if you are truly in the faith. It may be that you are not a child of God.”
Well there it is. This quote was made July 13, 2002. Do you see how they take the role of Judge of your salvation. In their twisted beliefs, those of us who attend church are unsaved. This is a standard cultic approach to those outside their compound. This is a recall of the Roman Catholic Church who claims that there is no salvation outside of Rome. Here they are saying there is no salvation outside of Harold Camping’s teachings. So what is the difference? What Chris is saying is that the atonement of Christ is insufficient and therefore is only complete in a believer’s life if they obey Harold Camping. Now in Daniel 12:10, it says that the wicked will still do wickedly. Since those outside of Harold Camping’s teachings are wicked, namely those who go to church, what would be the great wickedness that we do? That wickedness would be: going to church, helping at the church, helping other Christians at the church, teaching God’s Word at the church, supporting church missions, etc. Now from everything I can read in the Bible, these things are commanded by the Lord for Christians to do. So, that would mean obedience to Christ is wickedness but obedience to Camping is righteousness. Is something wrong with this perverted view?
Now back to the initial issue. They claim that those who attend church are looking to their church for salvation. Did you see the initial statements in the post concerning trusting in a church? I have been saved 21 years and I have never placed my faith in any church I attended. This is a contrived teaching to show themselves superior to any believer still in the church. It basically conveys the notion that the Campingites are looking to God for salvation, but you, who are in your church, are looking to your church for your salvation. Do you see the Superior/Inferior relationship it suggests? Every believer I know does not look to a church for salvation. There are not two categories in Christianity. All are equal at the foot of the cross.
There are three groups of people in this world who look to their organizations to save them: they are the Roman Catholics, Cults, and religious unbelievers. No true child of God looks to their church for salvation. Our salvation is found in Christ. It is Grace without works, aka departing out of a church. I have been attending Family Radio functions for 20 years, and within that group I have never met anyone who put their faith in a church. I know many who attended good churches and many who had struggles in their churches, but none looked to it for salvation.
(Eccl 10:12-13 KJV) The words of a wise man's mouth are gracious; but the lips of a fool will swallow up himself. {13} The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness: and the end of his talk is mischievous madness.