Visionary (part 1)

One of the better definitions I found, of the word visionary, is: "A person with original ideas about what the future will or could be like".  When searching for an image to represent the meaning of the word visionary, I came across the above picture.  There is a man - with a big telescope - evidently looking far off into the distance: into the future, as it were.  But the more I thought about what it means to be a visionary - especially, in light of things the Lord has been showing to me, lately, I realized that the work of a visionary is not always, necessarily, attempting to see into the future.  Sometimes the more important work of a visionary is to see things in the present, which are unseen by most everyone else, but which things in the present are vitally important to the future.

The following picture is a type of illustration of the principle just mentioned.  The image, below, looks to be nothing other than a group of colorful egg-shaped objects in what appears to be a carefully ordered, repeating pattern.  And so it is.  Try as you might, you are not likely to see anything else; even though I have more or less alerted you to the idea that there is, in fact, something more to be found in the picture.  But there is a secret to discovering the hidden image.  It has to do with how you view the picture.  Do not look at the eggs themselves.  But imagine that you are trying to see through the picture, in order to look at something else that is just a few inches behind the picture itself.  Slowly - and very slightly - scan the picture, but not too near the edges.  When you begin to detect what seems to be a 'layer' of eggs that lie more to the background (in a 3-dimensional field of view), concentrate on that 'plane' - but do not allow your eyes to refocus on the picture itself.  BE PATIENT.  It may take a minute or two before you get the hang of it, because the technique is quite unlike the normal way of looking at a picture.  Here's a helpful tip: you should discover a 3-dimensional image of a bird feeding three chicks in a nest.  The bird is on the left-hand side facing right, with the nest full of chicks on the right-hand side of the image.  Once the 3-D objects come into your view, you will find that you can then look 'right at them' - even with a degree of precision such that you can closely examine individual 'eggs' that make up the form of the 3-D objects.  And the clarity of the 3-D effect is amazing! much sharper, seemingly, than the original picture.  Now, try it.

Here, then, is my own, expanded definition of 'visionary': "Looking at (thinking about) the same things that others do, yet, in different ways than most people do; and, thus, seeing (understanding) things that most people never will".

Thus the stage is set to say something about those "exciting new vistas" I earlier alluded to.  Similarly to how one who did not know the 'secret' to viewing the above picture might spend a long time looking at it and never be able to discover the hidden 3-D image within; I have searched for years trying understand why the contemporary Church is so powerless and ineffectual - and what can be done about that.  Of course, anyone with any spiritual sense at all can see that the visible Church is very weak, at best.  Too, it doesn't require a great measure of spiritual discernment, in order to identify a number of very common problems among professing Christians, i.e.: apathy toward Bible study and the resulting lack of Bible knowledge; prayerlessness; carelessness or indifference toward church attendance; etc.  But all of that is rather like looking at the flat face of the picture, above: those various problems are like the individual colored eggs that appear in a regular pattern 'across the board', so to speak, that is to say, among all churches, all across America.  If Christians would only pray more; if they would read their Bible more; if they would only go to church more often: then, all of those problems would go away and the Church would experience Revival.  Right?

It is not nearly that simple (although, more diligent prayer and Bible study doubtless would go a long way to bring such Christians into a place with God where they could better "hear what the Spirit sayeth unto the churches").  Yet, there are other, deeper problems underlying those problems that appear on the surface.  And those deeper problems, for the most part, can only be seen when one begins to look at the whole picture in a very different way.

I well remember when, within the past year or so, I first began to dare, within my own mind, to consider whether the visible (that is, the professing) Church might now be so compromised as to warrant a complete re-evaluation of its essential spiritual nature.  By analogy, consider the case of an individual who for a number of years professed to be a Christian, and who, by all outward indication, indeed appeared to be a disciple of Christ.  Yet, after a period of time, that same individual, let us imagine, began to show signs of increasing spiritual apathy.  At some point, in the absence of repentance and restoration, even that person himself would no longer profess to be a Christian - if he were at all honest.  Actually, I have personally known a number of such persons whose life, over the course of years, exhibited the pattern of 'falling away' from the faith of Christ as I have just described (and which, the possibility of backsliding and falling away from the faith, the Bible abundantly warns against).  (I must interject at this point, that those who do not think that it is possible for anyone truly to be born-again and, afterward, backslide and die lost, do not rightly understand Scripture.)

Now, let's apply that analogy to the Church-at-large.  Is it possible that the whole, visible Church could backslide en masse, to the extent that one ought to say that such a Church has become an Apostate Church and it is no longer the Church of the living God?  It is not only possible but, in fact, that is precisely the case, regarding the contemporary Church in America.  That should not be a shocking statement, however, in view not only of the Biblical revelation foretelling the "falling away" that would occur at the closing of the Church Age (2Thessalonians 2:3).  Moreover, the history of many generations of Jews, during the centuries prior to Christ - concerning their apostasy, their subsequent judgment by God and their consequent dispersal and/or destruction (excepting, only, a small remnant), demonstrates that it has often happened that many, who once were reckoned as being among God's 'chosen people', finally were cast off by God, due to their intractable willfulness and unfaithfulness to abide under God's care and authority.

Last, but not least, is the testimony of Christ himself, regarding the apostate condition - not of the world - but of the professing Church, at the end of this present dispensation (see, Scripture quotations and introductory remarks in previous blog entry, titled, "breaking the mold").  Christ did not say, in his message to the 'seven churches in Asia', that they never were truly saved.  But he said: "thou has left thy first love" (Rev. 2:3); "remember therefore from whence thou art fallen" (2:4); etc.  At length - and still addressing the Church - Christ said: "I will spue thee out of my mouth" (3:16).

I have written at some length concerning the meaning of the "Harlot Church" (see my blog), which, in the Bible, is called, "Mystery, Babylon the Great, the Mother of Harlots..." (Rev. 17:5).  I am convinced that 'spiritual Babylon' is none other than Apostate Christendom, comprised of Roman Catholicism together with all of the Protestant Denominational Churches (including all other apostate, but professing, 'Christian' churches and individuals).

IMPORTANTLY, God commands true Christians to "come out" from among Apostate Christendom, SO THAT  "ye be not partakers of her sins" (Rev. 18:4).  For, those who stay 'in bed' with that Jezebel, that Harlot Church, shall also "receive of her plagues" (18:4).

Above, I said that "I well remember when...I first began to dare...to consider whether..." (in so many words,) the visible Church is any longer worthy to be acknowledged as being the Bride of Christ; or, whether the visible Church, today, is really that whorish "Mystery" called "Babylon the Great".  The Church that until about three generations or so ago was truly Christian both in creed and in conduct, is no more.  Not in America, at least.  To be sure, the true Body of Christ still exists in America.  Only, that Church is not the visible Church, but it consists of faithful individuals and a very few, almost exclusively small, congregations.

And if those be true facts and a true perspective (and I firmly believe that is so), then, I believe that, in order for the true Body of Christ to be effectual in these very last of the Last Days, in America, we urgently need to reconsider: 1) what should be our relationship vis-a-vis the visible Church (denominational churches, particularly, but by no means solely); and, 2) how we should re-constitute a purer association of genuine Christian disciples both for the purpose of providing much needed support to and within the Body of Christ, as well as to FAR MORE EFFECTUALLY evangelize what is now one of the greatest mission fields in the world, namely, the United States.

I now boldly say that the visible Church, as I have briefly and very generally defined that, is Apostate.  Accordingly, the true Body of Christ is now confronted not with a somewhat wayward Friend, in the context of the visible Church, but with a secret, albeit as yet unsuspecting, enemy.  Yet, not for much longer, I suspect, shall that enemy be content to sleep, as it were, while its members play at being the Church.  For, when the real Church awakens to the truth and begins to move more and more in the power of God (as a direct result of awakening to the truth), it shall soon awaken the sleeping Mistress, Babylon.

It has been a deeply challenging and uncomfortable spiritual journey, coming to this place of understanding.  I feel certain, too, that the insights and perspective I have thus far acquired is more of a starting point than a final destination.  Remarkably, I am more hopeful today than ever before, for genuine Revival.  Those who know me know that I have for several years said that I do not believe that Revival will come to the churches, generally.  I am more than ever convinced that is the case.

It is very important to understand that the true Church must consciously depart from the pattern, that is, from the ritualistic, traditional, approach to 'Christianity' that lays like a thick scab over the soul of this nation.  Since at least the 1960's, the American 'version' of 'Christianity' - among all denominations - has increasingly and purposively sought to compartmentalize spirituality, ultimately separating the Christian Church not merely from the functions of the State but separating Christianity, in every form of expression, from the Culture.  So that, today, Christian ideas and ideals are anathema not only in the culture but also in the churches!

Visionary.  Looking deeply into present realities; focusing upon layers of truth that lie beyond superficial appearances; scanning the scene in ways that are uncommon because essentially unknown to all but a few; and seeing things, - with increased clarity - that others do not perceive; things that have much to do with the future as well as the present.

There is much, much more to be said.  Stay tuned, if you are brave.