264. The Work of the Harlot

Before Christmas, brother Elias Aslaksen and I were in Denmark for a month to preach the Word of God. When we arrived in Copenhagen, we held a couple of meetings, together with brother Bratlie and the Danish friends. Then having travelled through Jutland, we again held a series of meetings in Copenhagen. I am happy to tell the Norwegian friends that the church in Copenhagen is growing in faith, power, and love; and their fellowship in the unity of the Spirit is growing in the body of Christ. They are no longer just two-dimensional Christians; they are becoming increasingly cubic (see Revelation 21:9, 16).

After this we travelled to Fredericia where our dear brother Th. Ellefsen has been living for a couple of years. He continued with us to Kolding, Vejle, Esbjerg, Haderslev, Tinglev, and Büllerup-Bov.

On our travels we met with many upright souls who received the Word with great joy. We also met a number of opposers who had been bewitched by a gospel devoid of commandments. Entire assemblies had been captured and imprisoned by various kinds of denominations, such that they didn’t dare hear a single word from anyone except their own preachers. The enmity of these preachers against the commandments of God is characteristic of their activities. Paul on the other hand strongly urges Timothy to keep God’s Word using these powerful exhortations: “I urge you in the sight of God who gives life to all things, and before Christ Jesus who witnessed the good confession before Pontius Pilate, that you keep this commandment without spot, blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ’s appearing.” 1 Tim. 6:13-14.

The commandments spoken of here are those that belong to the new covenant, commandments that are contained in the Holy Spirit, and are written in our hearts and minds. Heb. 8:10. The harlot, however, has deceived all the nations of the earth by making them drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and she has removed the commandment from the new covenant. Rev. 18:3. The covenant that Jesus Christ established for His people by His precious blood is made null and void if the commandments pertaining to it are removed. This is precisely what the harlot does, such that any upright soul who seeks to keep the commandment holy and with reverence is scorned as being a slave by those who have little understanding about true liberty.

Many people are aware that the Catholic harlot has ravaged and destroyed people and nations. But it is much less known that one of her daughters, who we can call “the harlot of our times,” is trying her best to destroy the people of God. In total opposition to God’s Word, they create denominations. Gal. 5:20. As a result, if they stay within their party groups, they cut themselves off from hearing the Word of God. There is a kind of faithfulness in the midst of their unfaithfulness, and there are many held captive in these prisons who would benefit from a visit. “I was sick and you visited Me.” But the prison guards are keeping a close watch.

The kingdom of heaven is not tangible. Its members are recorded in the Book of Life of God and the Lamb. But these poor sheep that are recorded in the membership lists of various denominations become by necessity enemies and opposers of every person who has not been enrolled in their denomination. They wouldn’t dare to listen to anyone else, even if it were the Master Himself. From this we understand that parties are of the devil, for Christ is not split up and divided.

Denominational leaders set up an organizational structure and use it to demand tithes and to exercise control over their members—a control that God had never intended His people to be burdened with. Then these leaders appoint apostles and prophets in a human way who are untested on God’s way. They are unable to stand on their own two feet, let alone care for their flock and prevent them from sailing their ship onto dangerous rocks and reefs. Moreover, how can such people be tested on God’s way if the gospel they have is without commandments? The requirement to live in obedience to the faith is taken away and instead is decried as bondage. Any chance to be tested is removed since these people teach that sin in the flesh has been taken away by the baptism of the Spirit. Consequently, the old man is vulnerable and liable to fall at any moment, and such falls certainly do occur.

During the 1907 revival and the years that followed, the harlot devastated many through a gospel devoid of commandments, prompting leaders to persuade their listeners that sin in the flesh is removed through the baptism of the Spirit. As a result, God’s commandments were made quite superfluous, though the consequences of following such a gospel were not long in coming. There was great joy in the kingdom of darkness over the harlot’s deception, as many of the leaders turned out to have fallen in adultery. People drank of the harlot’s wine of the wrath of her fornication and became drunk and bewitched. Rev. 17:2, 18:23.

This is what happens when people go beyond God’s Word and preach a gospel that lacks commandments. All the nations were deceived by the harlot’s sorcery, but what does this sorcery consist of? It is that the holy commandments of the gospel are taken away by all Satan’s craftiness and replaced with a dull gospel, devoid of commandments. It is another gospel and another Jesus.

Pastor N. P. Wetterlund writes: “Preach the gospel’s commandments; it will be like sticking a needle up the nose of the harlot preacher.” This is precisely what we have experienced. When we speak about the obedience of faith and keeping God’s commandments, people cry out, “Preach Christ!” In saying this they mean the Christ who has kept all the commandments in their stead so that they don’t have to do anything. The way of error lies close alongside the right way, and people quickly jump straight onto the path that is more pleasant for the flesh. “The harlot’s name is: Mystery, Babylon the great, the mother of harlots and of the abominations of the earth.” Rev. 17:5. It is the harlot of our time that has split the Pentecostal revival into parties. The Spirit baptized us to be one body, which is the church, in order that the world, on account of this unity, might believe. But the harlot has managed to trick the leaders into registering themselves as separate churches, and thus they exclude upright souls while at the same time welcoming those who wish to sneak their way in. Jude 4. For the flesh it is so reassuring to be able to count the numbers, because the greater the headcount, the easier it is to bring in tithing, draw salaries, and make a business out of God’s Word. Every bit of this is the work of the harlot: unbelief, pursuit of financial gain, anxiety over the future, and the desire for power and greatness. It is truly sorrowful that upright people allow themselves to be taken by the nose and deceived and enlist themselves as sheep under such poor shepherds.

“But let these also first be tested; then let them serve as deacons, being found blameless.” 1 Tim. 3:10. The harlot employs people with the form of godliness, who are gifted speakers and can make a good impression according to the flesh. No one questions such people’s faithfulness or their attitude of mind, because such things are hidden. Given such circumstances, you can reckon with apostasy and disorder of every kind because the harlot is in control.

The harlot gospel is presented as the gospel of Christ’s love, and its ministers as the true servants of Christ. These men are popular for their messages about love. There is not a word about commandments or chastening in their mouths. For them everything is liberty, everything is love. The harlot in the time of the Jews crucified Christ and stoned Stephen, and today she pours out her wrath over the Lord’s witnesses, just as she did over Hans Nielsen Hauge.

“And in her was found the blood of prophets and saints, and of all who were slain on the earth.” Rev. 18:24.

To remain unaffected by the harlot, you need to be very awake and much exercised in prayer. The only way we can hate the harlot and avoid its influence is by taking on the attitude of the Bride.

The harlot sits like a queen and a conqueror, clapping her hands, stamping her feet, and heartily rejoicing in her disdain for the land of Israel. “Indeed, therefore, I will stretch out My hand against you, and give you as plunder to the nations [the parties will die out]; I will cut you off from the peoples, and I will cause you to perish from the countries; I will destroy you, and you shall know that I am the Lord.” Ezek. 25:6-7.

On that day people will search for the harlot and not find her. May God give us grace to keep the commandment without spot and blameless, so the harlot is unable to get a chance to cause damage in our midst.