A sign of things to come

Plymouth Brethren lose charity status because
'they're doing no public good'

In a sign of things to come the Charity Commission in England and Wales has refused to register the Preston Down Trust of the Plymouth Brethren as a charity because of their restrictions upon who can take Communion at their services. The Plymouth Brethren operate a 'closed communion' practice where only members can sit at the Lord's Table. It also said that the Trust does not do enough good works in the community.

The right of churches to decide for themselves who may partake of Communion is now being challenged by the Charity Commission in England and Wales. This will have a huge impact on the Brethren's ability to claim back Gift Aid on donations.

More than 50 MPs have signed a House of Commons' motion calling on the Charity Commission in England and Wales to think again, amid fears that hundreds of religious groups could be stripped of their tax-exempt status, threatening their very existence. The motion in Parliament accuses the Charity Commission of ‘politically correct bias’ against religious groups.

Dark days lie ahead for freedom of religion generally and true religion particularly. The spirit of antichrist is developing all the time. That spirit is not merely a false version of Christianity, such as Romanism, increasing and manifesting itself in the form of the Antichrist. Rome's power more and more is subsiding in society. The controlling power in wider society, today, is rampant atheism!

This development of antichrist will be along the lines of false ecumenical, whorish, powerless religion fostering and nurturing a spirit of unbelief which will bring about a denial of the very existence of God and will institutionalise a form of humanism where the creature is worshipped instead of the Creator. This is the true spirit of antichrist. When that spirit of antichrist has been fully formed it will destroy the scarlet system of false ecumenical religion that fostered it: And the ten horns which thou sawest upon the beast, these shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire, Revelation 17:16. 

When antichrist will have come to the full he will then abolish all worship of any God but him: And the king shall do according to his will; and he shall exalt himself, and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak marvellous things against the God of gods, and shall prosper till the indignation be accomplished: for that that is determined shall be done. Neither shall he regard the God of his fathers, nor the desire of women, nor regard any god: for he shall magnify himself above all. But in his estate shall he honour the God of forces: and a god whom his fathers knew not shall he honour with gold, and silver, and with precious stones, and pleasant things, Daniel 11:36-38; 

Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God, 2 Thessalonians 2:3,4.

This is the spirit that we can see at work before our eyes presently in society. It is a spirit that will turn against all religion and especially against true religion. The Plymouth Brethren losing their charity status is just the beginning. 

For more information:

Christian Institute - Brethren denied charity status over communion

Daily Telegraph - Churches not necessarily for public good, says charity watchdog

Daily Mail - So much for Christian charity! Plymouth Brethren lose battle for tax relief because 'they're doing no public good'