Now we are all witnesses of Camping's failed doomsday prophecy. However, his doomsday prophecy came at a cost to life. There is an interesting and also sad article in Yahoo News with the caption, "Failed Doomsday Has Real Deadly Consequences." I saw and printed this article on 5/25/2011. This article chronicles the death of a man in Taiwan and a woman who slashed the throats of her kids with a box cutter and was about to kill herself but what saved her and the children's lives was that she was apprehended by the police. These are some of the ramifications of false teachings and prophecies. In my book, Seeking Freedom for Those in Bondage: Evangelism & Spiritual Warfare in Today's World, I deal with the methodologies of Satan. In pages 25-30 I deal with the dangers of False Teachings. You can get a copy of the book at www.volumesdirect.com.
As one of my friends indicated in response to my previous write up, Camping has rearranged his doomsday prophecy again. He says that May 21, 2011 was a spiritual doomsday. However, October 21, 2011 will be the actual doomsday. He predicts that this will not fail. Christians are to take these false prophets seriously for obvious reasons. First, they distort the Christians message. Second, they misrepresent Christ in a confused world. Third, they marginalize the gospel and Christianity. Finally, they give ammunitions to the atheists and the enemies of Christ to reject and attack Christianity and what it represents.
Moses instructed the Hebrew people not to believe the prophet whose prophecies failed (Deut. 18:22). Both the Old and New Testaments are replete with warnings concerning false prophets and teachers. Among these warnings are Deut. 13:1-3; Jer. 23:16-28; 1 Thess. 5:19-21; and 1 John 4:1-6. In fact, Jude is explicitly written to warn Christians and counter false teachers and prophets. It is time for Evangelical Christian leaders to denounce Harold Camping and call his attention to the peril he is causing to the Christian gospel and the disrepute he is bringing to the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. We are not to dismiss him as someone who is deranged or a fanatic of prophecy, but rather a false prophet who is causing harm to the gospel and hindering true seekers from coming to Christ.
To update this article, Harold Camping has suffered a stroke and relinquished his position in the Radio Ministry. While we are not to rejoice when a person suffers tragedy, misfortune, or illness now Camping's voice of deception and falsehood has been silent. We hope and pray that he feels better. This should also be a deterrent to his successor that instead of using the Radio to spew false predictions, he should use this given opportunity to preach the Gospel that has the power unto salvation. It is not the responsibility of those who represent God in the world that has lost its way to scare people and fabricate stories that cannot be supported or sustained by the Word of God.
Concerning the Second Coming of Christ, Jesus Himself said that only the Father knows. Therefore, it does not serve the interest of God or promote the cause of Christ when alleged "Ministers of the Gospel" embellish the truth. While the Bible teaches that in the last days false teachers and prophets will proliferate and disseminate their lies, Evangelical leaders should counter the lies with the crystal clear and unadulterated message of the Gospel of Christ. For after all, it is the Truth that sets people free. Falsehood always put people in bondage but the Truth always provides liberty. Therefore, let us continue to preach the Gospel and leave the secret and undisclosed matters to God.
Kennedy A. Adarkwa, PhD.
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