How apostate is the Church ?

It's a sticky question to even ask. "Apostasy" is ordinarily the cry of those promoting a partisan view (always self-flattering, of course) of who is "really Christian" and who is not. In such cases, it should rightly be regarded as a matter of personal opinion; usually slightly unhinged (not to mention prideful) opinion, at that.

But treating every question as a matter of mere opinion is a teaching of the world's political culture. Given that source, there can be no surprise that it is untrue: and that it is favored by the dishonest. More to the point, the world's teaching is useless in questions of spiritual discernment, as "apostasy" manifestly is.

Christians have access to the Spirit's Own discernment. And we can't but discern that scripture regards apostasy as a reality, and exactly defines it (which definition, for Christians, must be taken as the absolute operative meaning of the word). Christians who blow off all talk of apostasy as "just your opinion" do so contrary to scripture and the Spirit.

Scripture's definition of "apostasy" is neither highly technical nor a matter of theological hair-splitting. Like all scripture, the word is meant to be understandable and readily applicable for all who hear it. "Apostasia" (for example, in II Thessalonians 2:3) means what it says: in Greek, "apo-," away from + "histemi," stand: in its various English translations, "falling away," "desertion," "defection."

Jesus put very simply what it is to be a Christian: "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow Me" (John 10:27), and "A stranger they simply will not follow..." (v. 5). Apostasy is following any-One but Jesus.

The Old Testament's formulation is equally clear and simple: it is when God's people "follow" or ("serve") "other gods." Apostasy is breaking the first commandment: "You shall have no other gods before me." Apostasy is the deepest possible disobedience to what Jesus said was the greatest commandment: "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind." (Matthew 22, Mark 12, Luke 10).

It's not a game of theological inches to say Mormonism's "Christ" is another than He of Biblical Christianity: the highest Mormon "Prophet" says it is so (http://www.ldschurchnews.com/articles/31188/Crown-of-gospel-is-upon-our-heads.html): and no one heeding the Spirit's discernment could mistake the two.

It's not a matter of opinion that our vote shows who we desire to be led by. So the election just past tells us where the heart of the Church in America is: 79% of "evangelicals" desire to be led by the priest of a demon who claims to be Jesus.

Are Christians following Jesus ? Is the Church pure and without blemish, ready to welcome its Bridegroom ?

God, our Father, send your Spirit of deepest repentance on our hearts lest we die !!