The standing symbol of false religion in the Word
of God is whoredom. When men and women worship for God
that which is not God, give their hearts to false gods,
or institute doctrines, ordinances and practices into
the church to replace what God has revealed and
appointed, they have begun to practice adultery and
fornication. Their religion is whoredom. Their church
is a whore. And when they go to their places of worship
in the name of God, they are going to a brothel to buy
gratification for their carnal hearts (Jer. 3:6-9;
Ezek. 16:28-37; Hosea 1 and 2; Rev. 2:22). The woman
which John saw in his vision is called "the great
whore", because she represents all idolatry, false
doctrine, and false religion in the world. This old
whore was not born yesterday. She has been around for a
long, long time. She is the mother of all harlot
churches and abominable doctrines that have ever
existed in the world. They all come from the same womb.
I would be remiss in my responsibility to God and
to you, if I did not plainly identify the most
prevalent and most damning form of idolatry this great
whore has produced in our day. It is not the worship of
stocks, stones and statues. The whorish religion of our
day and our society is the worship of a god who is
weak, frustrated and defeated, the worship of a
redeemer who tries but fails to redeem, and the worship
of a spirit who seeks but is not able to save. The time
for pretty speech and polite words is gone. The souls
of men, the gospel of Christ, and the glory of God are
at stake! With Solomon of old, I warn you to stay away
from the strange woman "which flattereth with her
words." Free-will, works religion is the house of the
great whore. "Her house is the way to hell, going down
to the chambers of death." "Let not thine heart decline
unto her ways, go not astray in her paths."
Don Fortner is pastor of
Grace Baptist Church
Danville, KY