In my studies for the Easter season this year I was fascinated by the recognition of who Jesus’ enemies were. It is not so much that in the past I did not recognize the identity of His enemies, but to think that these enemies were the official leaders of what was at that time the orthodox religion of God is indeed an interesting observation. It leads us to acknowledge that Satan had been successful in nearly fully compromising the God-established orthodox faith.
Imagine with me how corrupted and wicked the very center of religion had become:
Luke 22:1-2 Now the feast of unleavened bread drew nigh, which is called the Passover. And the chief priests and scribes sought how they might kill him; for they feared the people.
I think it is rather difficult for us to believe how corrupt religion can become, even true and supposedly orthodox religion.
This is well illustrated in the reformation period when Roman Catholicism had become such a corrupted form of Christianity that it actually martyred thousand of true believers. And now some five hundred years later that core of orthodox denominations that were born out of the reformation are again being terribly corrupted. Corrupted to the point that most of the major denominations today deny such cardinal doctrines as, the deity of Christ and the inspiration of the Scriptures.
It is interesting to see that some things just don’t change much and to realize how important it is for us to not just declare the faith but also to defend it.
