286. What Accord Has Christ With Belial?

“Ephraim has mixed himself among the peoples; Ephraim is a cake unturned. Aliens have devoured his strength, but he does not know it; yes, gray hairs are here and there on him, yet he does not know it.” Hos. 7:8-9.

Ephraim’s sin is also the sin of our time. Power disappears when a person mixes himself among the peoples. Instead of going out from them and not touching what is unclean, he continues to dwell among them. The state church has sold out to worldly power wholly and completely. Parliament and government will make decisions for the church, even regarding whether or not women can be employed as priests. But it is written that women will be saved in childbearing if they continue in faith, love, and holiness, with self-control. 1 Tim. 2:15. In other words, women will be saved by the tribulation and all the tasks included in having a family. There she can learn patience and be trained in godly fear. If women are to become priests now, they will need all the salvation the Scriptures have to offer. Can you imagine a mother in priest’s robes and a white collar sitting down to nurse and to tend the cradle and kitchen, and then afterward racing off to the pulpit? And yet this is the object of serious debate among the highly educated, among progressive women in organizations, and among members of parliament. I believe these people ought to take an extensive course in “common sense.”

“But I want you to know that the head of every man is Christ, the head of woman is man, and the head of Christ is God.” 1 Cor. 11:3.

If the priests of the state church, the leaders, and all the equal rights women knew this, then the question about female priests would disappear by itself.

The head of woman is man. But now the woman, as priest, will become the head of man. She will, in direct contradiction to Scripture, teach men.

This is the fruit of allowing unbelieving people into matters of faith. Everything becomes laughably stupid. Now the priests stand powerless, and worldly powers stand at the helm. That suits precisely. You get what you want, you hypocrites, offspring of the Pharisees! Keep yourselves to Herod and Pilate! Make sure you get a good salary. Report all your lacks to the worldly government. Ask them for bread for your work! For the time of apostasy has come. Women and children have control.

Therefore the Lord says: “Behold, the Lord makes the earth empty and makes it waste, distorts its surface and scatters abroad its inhabitants. And it shall be: as with the people, so with the priest; as with the servant, so with his master; as with the maid, so with her mistress,” etc.

“The land shall be entirely emptied and utterly plundered, for the Lord has spoken this word.

“The earth mourns and fades away, the world languishes and fades away; the haughty people of the earth languish.

“The earth is also defiled under its inhabitants because they have transgressed the laws, changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant.

“Therefore the curse has devoured the earth, and those who dwell in it are desolate. Therefore the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men are left.” Isa. 24:1-6.

This prophecy is about the last days. People have transgressed the laws, changed the ordinance, and broken the everlasting covenant. That is why the curse comes. The land shall be emptied and poured out. People wander from country to country with plundered gold. Entrusted men everywhere cheat and embezzle. No one can be trusted. The priest follows the people, and the people the priest. As it is with the one, so it is with the other. Everything reels and stumbles. Each one grasps after the first and best chaff to have a little support. The superiors fight to the death against their subordinates, and the subordinates struggle to get the upper hand. Everyone strives like Satan himself to ascend the mount of the congregation on the farthest sides of the north.

But will Jesus find faith on the earth when He comes?

Yes, from the far corners of the earth we can hear songs of praise: “Glory to the righteous!” Isa. 24:16.

The righteous crawl all the way out to the farthest reaches of the earth. Out of all denominations and sects. They walk according to the Word of the Lord: “Go out from them, My people.” So they sing songs of praise at the ends of the earth as they await the coming of the Lord. Oh, blessed is the little flock known by the Lord. In Him, their Savior, they have all they need, both now and in eternity.

What accord has Christ with Belial? What agreement is there between the spirit that works in the children of unbelief and Jesus’ Spirit that works in each one who believes? What harmony is there between a priest who is delivered from darkness into God’s marvelous light and the priests who are priests only to make a living?

It is absolutely impossible to be a priest without having been delivered from darkness to light, from Satan’s power to God. In spite of all their priestly education, they are only laypeople compared to the priests who have been instructed by God’s Spirit.

A priest for God does not have any business with the world, except to preach repentance to it. All other mixture is hypocrisy; for friendship with the world is enmity with God. And an enemy of God is incompetent as a priest.

The haughty people of the earth languish; they fade away and become powerless.

All this wretched misery comes from transgressions of God’s law and of the holy covenant. The priests ought to arm themselves against all this wretchedness, but they have mixed themselves with the people and are powerless; they wither.

Oh, if only the Lord would raise up a servant among them in Luther’s Spirit and power! If no one can be found in the so-called priesthood, then He will use someone else. For it is the Lord Himself who is in His Spirit, and He gives power and wisdom to tear down and to build up.