Gary Hall
I was raised as a Roman Catholic and intended to become a priest after I left school, but the Lord had other plans for me. In 1973, at the age of 17, I came to know the Lord Jesus Christ as my personal Saviour at the headquarters of the Liverpool City Mission. This immediately caused problems regarding my family. My mother and father were against what they called my "change of religion". The situation came to a climax when I arrive home one evening from a Christian friend's house only to be met by my father on the doorstep with the words, "You don't live here anymore". So at the age of 18 I would have been homeless but for the kindness of friends. One cannot rely on the goodness of others for too long, so I decided to move into a local boarding house. What I saw and experienced there cannot be written here. Eventually, after spending time living rough and in the Salvation Army hostel, I found my own apartment. I had fallen away from the Lord for two years at this time. My thoughts went back to my childhood desire to become a Roman Catholic priest. I made enquiries and found that the only real option for me was to become a monk in the Franciscan Order. The Saturday before I was due to leave for the monastery in Guildford, Surrey, I pleaded with the Lord, asking, "Lord, is it your will that I should become a monk like St. Francis?" That evening I attended a tent meeting in a local park. A preacher from Northern Ireland, Derrick Bingham, was teaching from the book of Nehemiah. During the service the preacher turned to my direction (there were about 500 people present) and said, God does not want you to become a monk like St. Francis of Assisi." Here was my answer from the Lord. From that moment I made a complete break from the Catholic Church and have come to see it as the biggest cult that this world knows. In 1979 I joined a church, The Mission, in the neighbourhood where I was living. From the moment I walked through the door of that small building I knew that I was home. The godly lifestyle and inspired teaching of Pastor Charles Bolton (promoted to glory 12 December 2003) and his wife brought me back to my first love for Christ. The church had no young people, but I never once felt that I was out of place. These people obviously loved the Lord. In my desire to reach others with the Gospel of Jesus Christ I began to give leaflets out in Liverpool City Centre. Many a Saturday afternoon was spent witnessing to those willing to stop and listen. On one Saturday in late Autumn 1979 I was approached by a girl with an Irish accent. She asked if I was a Christian and where the church I attended was located. The next morning the same girl was found at The Mission. To cut a short story shorter, six months later on March 29 1980, we were married by Pastor Bolton at The Mission. Margaret, my wife, also comes from a Catholic background, but was soundly converted to Christ and from the errors of Rome whilst visiting relatives in New York in the summer of 1979. (You may find her personal testimony one day on these pages.) In 1986 Pastor Bolton retired from the ministry at The Mission. The leadership of the church was handed over to me. To be very honest I did not fully understand what this would entail, but the Lord has been good and has led me each step of the way. Through the Lord's power we have been used to reach many hundreds of people, though our fellowship is actually small in number. In 1988 we changed the name of the church to Living Word. I am convinced that God is about to pour out His Spirit in revival one last time before the Return of the Lord Jesus Christ (see my article on Revival on this site). This revival will not come via the charismatic movement, it will not come from Toronto or Pensacola, it will not come from the ecumenical movement or the so-called Churches Together - these movements are bankrupt of the truth and the Spirit of God. This final revival will come as a result of the true believers in Christ Jesus getting right with Him. The revival will include a return to the Authorised King James Bible. My great desire is to see people coming to know Jesus as Saviour and Lord, to see backsliders returning, and to see the church of Christ revived. Though I have many failings I love the Lord Jesus Christ with all of my heart. I am willing to serve Him wherever and whenever He sees fit. The word of God is the delight of my life for I'm still amazed after all these years just how fresh and new The Holy Bible is each day!
View all articles by Gary HallIntroduction
It is obvious to the Bible-believing Christian that false prophets are in abundance in today’s church, but how do we guard against the doctrines that they teach? The church at Thyatira, as seen in the Book of Revelation, was complacent, corrupt and compromised. The believers tolerated false teachers, especially the self-appointed prophetess whom the Lord called “Jezebel.” Historically Jezebel was the wicked wife of king Ahab of Israel. She was able to influence Ahab to promote Baal worship and all kinds of evil in the nation (see 1 Kings 16:31-33). False worship and false doctrine go hand-in-hand. Today’s church has much to learn from the errors of Thyatira.
Jesus sees it all
“And unto the angel of the church in Thyatira write; These things saith the Son of God, who hath His eyes like unto a flame of fire, and His feet are like fine brass” (Revelation 2:18).
The name “Thyatira” literally means “continual sacrifice” and many Bible commentators suggest that it signifies the age when the Roman Catholic Mass was introduced [around A.D. 500] in defiance of the all sufficient sacrifice of Christ … “But this man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God” (Hebrews 10:12).
The apostle Paul may have ministered to this church during his trip to Asia Minor … “And this continued by the space of two years; so that all they which dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks” (Acts 19:10). Whatever godly foundation it had, this church quickly fell into false unity, humanism and sentimentality. Because Thyatira was known for its trade guilds [unions], which were probably types of freemasonary and associated with various gods, she was highly respected by all. To all outward appearance the church looked like a solid, stable and loving body, but the Lord saw things very differently. The piercing eyes of Christ burns deep into the façade of religion.
“I know thy works, and charity, and service, and faith, and thy patience, and thy works; and the last to be more than the first. Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols” (Revelation 2:19-20).
Thyatira was a noteworthy church by today’s standards. No doubt it was experiencing growth as it diligently promoted the doctrines they stood for. Man might have commended this church, but the Lord condemns it!
The problem was that they permitted and encouraged a false prophetess to minister to the body of Christ. This would be like allowing a Hindu, Moslem or Buddhist to preach from our pulpits. What she taught must have sounded like the word of God, but instead it was satanic sugar-coated poison. Her doctrine was based upon multi-faith unity, thus idolatry began to be introduced to this congregation.
Jezebel’s judgement
“And I gave her space to repent of her fornication; and she repented not. Behold, I will cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they repent of their deeds. And I will kill her children with death; and all the churches shall know that I am He which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your works” (Revelation 2:21-23).
In His mercy the Lord gave this woman time to repent. Does this infer that she was once a true believer who became an apostate? The Lord must have sent messengers to her to warn her about the false doctrines she taught, but she refused to listen. Her teaching ministry was a business to her in this wealthy city. This “Jezebel” was destroying the church; therefore the Lord would destroy her.
The prophetess, and all who followed her teachings, would be severely judged by Christ. There is no salvation for those who persist in false doctrine and turn a deaf ear to the true word of God. This outpouring of wrath would achieve two things: firstly, it would reveal that the Lord does not tolerate false prophets, and, secondly, it would be a wake-up call to all the other churches. Every believer in every church will be judged according to their actions. No one can hide from their sin by blaming it all upon the false teacher.
The overcomer’s reward
“But unto you I say, and unto the rest in Thyatira, as many as have not this doctrine, and which have not known the depths of Satan, as they speak; I will put upon you none other burden …And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father. And I will give him the morning star” (Revelation 2:24, 26-28).
Standing for the truth is often a heavy burden as we watch the church slipping further away from the doctrines of Christ. Prophets may come with “deep teachings” that astound the gullible, but we know them for what they are. Even with this burden the believer can overcome by being obedient to the Lord. Such overcomers are the only ones permitted to share in the victory and glory of the Saviour. We do not need halos when the “morning star” shines upon us.
Endure unto the end
“But that which ye have already hold fast till I come … He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches” (Revelation 2:25, 29).
Are we truly listening to the Holy Spirit in these days? Did Thyatira heed the call to repent? History reveals that she did not. Jesus, speaking of true believers, states, “he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved” (Matthew 24:13). This means that there will always be a church [though a remnant] to promote the pure doctrines of the word of God … Upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it” (Matthew 16:18). Until Christ comes the Scripture will be our infallible authority in all things pertaining to faith and practice.
Conclusion
We live in a society that tolerates everything but Biblical truth, but as Christians we must not tolerate error or false religion in the Body of Christ. We want our lives to measure up to God’s standard of truth, holiness and righteousness. Unlike the church of Thyatira we must commit ourselves to the Lord rather than compromise with Satan.
