In my book, The Door Is Open, I discuss several signs of antichrist or anti-messiah behaviors, beginning with the scripture from Matthew 23:4-38 in The Message translation. Let’s delve into the fifth sign, as described in verses 13-14 of Matthew 23:
““I’ve had it with you! You’re hopeless, you religion scholars, you Pharisees! Frauds! Your lives are roadblocks to God’s kingdom. You refuse to enter, and won’t let anyone else in either.”
I want to remind you these are the words of Jesus from His time on earth, which reveal the resistance to the authentic gospel that I explore in depth in my second book. One of the aspects I discuss in both my books is how it is by faith and faith alone in who Jesus is saves humanity. The religious scholars back in Jesus’ time and there are those even now place more value on your behavior rather than faith. These people feel compelled to believe their behavior is what gets them to “another level with God” or keeps you in the kingdom of God (both lies). I always come back to the fact if it is our behavior that keeps or gets us into the kingdom of God then why did Jesus even have to be born here on earth, die and rise again?
The fact that our penalty has been paid by someone else flies in the face of our humanity and fallen selves.
