Is It Wise to Call the NAR an End Times Deception?

[Steven Yeadon]

The New Apostolic Reformation (NAR) believes that this is the End Times. They believe that there is to be a great revival, a Third Great Awakening, in these days more than a great falling away. They believe that all the spiritual gifts, including apostle, are given and in use today. They believe that they have been chosen by God to wield miraculous powers in these days to call people to the Christian faith. And they believe that they are meant to conquer and subdue the whole earth "spiritually" before Christ returns. They often talk of how they are a NT version of OT saints such as Elijah or David.

That said, I commonly see the following scriptures quoted in part against the NAR. The issue is that in full context both of these sections of scripture refer to a supernatural End Times deception. Something I, and it seems many people on the internet, agree with.

Matthew 24:21-25:

At that time if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Messiah!’ or, ‘There he is!’ do not believe it. 24 For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. 25 See, I have told you ahead of time.

26 “So if anyone tells you, ‘There he is, out in the wilderness,’ do not go out; or, ‘Here he is, in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it. 27 For as lightning that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. 28 Wherever there is a carcass, there the vultures will gather.​

2 Thessalonians 2:9-12

9 The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with how Satan works. He will use all sorts of displays of power through signs and wonders that serve the lie, 10 and all the ways that wickedness deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. 11 For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie 12 and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness.​

My Questions:

Now, my questions are:
1. In your opinion, is it wise to call the NAR an End Times supernatural deception?
2. Have we shown sufficient proof or evidence to show this in your opinion? If not, then what more is needed?
3. What are the implications for all Christians if the NAR is actually a supernatural End Times deception at work in our midst right now?

I plan to try and answer these questions, especially number 3, myself as people post their own thoughts.

 

[BobRyan]

The New Apostolic Reformation (NAR) believes that this is the End Times. They believe that there is to be a great revival, a Third Great Awakening, in these days more than a great falling away. They believe that all the spiritual gifts, including apostle, are given and in use today. They believe that they have been chosen by God to wield miraculous powers in these days to call people to the Christian faith. And they believe that they are meant to conquer and subdue the whole earth "spiritually" before Christ returns. They often talk of how they are a NT version of OT saints such as Elijah or David.

That said, I commonly see the following scriptures quoted in part against the NAR. The issue is that in full context both of these sections of scripture refer to a supernatural End Times deception. Something I, and it seems many people on the internet, agree with.

Matthew 24:21-25:

At that time if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Messiah!’ or, ‘There he is!’ do not believe it. 24 For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. 25 See, I have told you ahead of time.

26 “So if anyone tells you, ‘There he is, out in the wilderness,’ do not go out; or, ‘Here he is, in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it. 27 For as lightning that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. 28 Wherever there is a carcass, there the vultures will gather.​

2 Thessalonians 2:9-12

9 The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with how Satan works. He will use all sorts of displays of power through signs and wonders that serve the lie, 10 and all the ways that wickedness deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. 11 For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie 12 and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness.​

My Questions:

Now, my questions are:
1. In your opinion, is it wise to call the NAR an End Times supernatural deception?
2. Have we shown sufficient proof or evidence to show this in your opinion? If not, then what more is needed?
3. What are the implications for all Christians if the NAR is actually a supernatural End Times deception at work in our midst right now?

I plan to try and answer these questions, especially number 3, myself as people post their own thoughts.

Many false Messiahs were arising near the time that Christ was born and began his ministry because Daniel 9 had the 490 year timeline that indicated the time of Christ's appearing.

The "heresy" was not in declaring the coming of the Messiah or that they were in the time when the Messiah was to come, or in claiming that Christ would do a great and miraculous work on the Earth.. the heresy was in claiming that "they" were the Messiah in each case.

Just as in the case of the NAR -- their fallacy is in claiming that their gifts are legit. Claiming that we are living at the end of time or that "This Gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world and then the end will come" Matthew 24 - is not their point of error.

Pure error is the most ineffective sort of error - they need to mix it with truth to supercharge it.

 

[BobRyan]

3. What are the implications for all Christians if the NAR is actually a supernatural End Times deception at work in our midst right now?
.

The stronger and more blatant the counterfeit - the more sure we can be that the genuine is not too far off.

 

[James Donovan]

The SBC would love to bring the NAR under its banner to boost sagging numbers. SBC gave up on sound doctrine years ago so it would not matter.

 

[Steven Yeadon]

1. Whether the NAR is an end times deception, seems to come down to whether you believe it is wise to call what we live in right now the end times. Given that all nations will have the Gospel sometime in the 21st century, I certainly believe this to be so.

2. The real question is whether one believes the NAR has obvious miraculous things going on in it. To me and many people who were in such "churches," this certainly seems to be the case. Thus, I believe "supernatural" should stick to the NAR. I will also add that the NAR is an experiential trap. You must be prepared for counterfeit signs and wonders before you show up, since experience will tell you miracles really are happening in most people.

3. If the NAR is a supernatural End Times deception, then the NAR, and perhaps the whole Pentecostal Movement and Charismatic Movement, are revealed to be an eschatological level lie of the devil in this time. I finally realize that those of us arguing the NAR is a supernatural end times deception may not know the full weight of what we are arguing.

To be an end times supernatural trap of the devil, the NAR could be every bit as deadly as Satan's worst lies and deceptions such as placing Christian tradition, reason, or experience as equal to the Bible. In this case we are we putting those with supernatural ability as equal in say to the bible.

 

[BobRyan]

1. Whether the NAR is an end times deception, seems to come down to whether you believe it is wise to call what we live in right now the end times. Given that all nations will have the Gospel sometime in the 21st century, I certainly believe this to be so.

Agreed -- "this Gospel of the kingdom will go into all the world - and then shall the end come". Matthew 24

With internet, radio, satellite, cell phones, handheld portable devices spreading the gospel out to the most remote villages in the native languages ... let alone various evangelistic efforts - the Gospel is rapidly going to every corner of the world.

 

[James Donovan]

Agreed -- "this Gospel of the kingdom will go into all the world - and then shall the end come". Matthew 24

With internet, radio, satellite, cell phones, handheld portable devices spreading the gospel out to the most remote villages in the native languages ... let alone various evangelistic efforts - the Gospel is rapidly going to every corner of the world.

The gospel of the kingdom will be preached at the end of the age but the gospel of the grace of God is preached to the lost in this Dispensation. Signs and wonders etc are connected with Israel and the arrival of the kingdom not the church and the mystery associated with it right now.