"5. The Bible tells you to turn away from lukewarm Christians. "For (although) they hold a form of piety (true religion), they deny and reject and are strangers to the power of it (their conduct belies the genuineness of their profession). Avoid (all) such people (turn away from them)" (2 Tim. 3:5, AMPC). Now ask yourself, "Why does the Bible tell you to get away from them?" It must be dangerous to hang out with them. They are draining, distracting and disabling you from entering into revival and reformation. Exit their presence and run to the fire and glory!" - Mario Murillo
This one takes more time to break down because Mario tries to pull off a little scriptural sleight of hand. You see, Jesus does speak about lukewarm Christians but He does so in Revelation when addressing the Laodicean church, also known as the false church. I have made the key verses for this devotional above the verses from Revelation because the point is important. Seeing how duplicitous Murillo is in misrepresenting the word is also crucial to exposing him as the charlatan and false teacher that he is. So, what's the problem? First of all the people Jesus is referring to here in 2Timothy are indeed those who belong to the false church (not Laodicea exactly of course). The context Murillo omits is as follows:
But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people. For among them are those who creep into households and capture weak women, burdened with sins and led astray by various passions, always learning and never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth. Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so these men also oppose the truth, men corrupted in mind and disqualified regarding the faith. But they will not get very far, for their folly will be plain to all, as was that of those two men. - 2Timothy 3:1-9 (ESV)
What Murillo cannot see is this describes him and his brand of church. Proud, arrogant, slanderous, reckless, treacherous, swollen with conceit, abusive and having nothing more than an appearance of godliness but denying the very power he readily boasts about. He has no spiritual power. If he did he would not have to rant, bully, and demean people that disagree with him. So, the bible does indeed tell us here to avoid such people. Why? Well according to the text they oppose the truth, are corrupt in mind and already disqualified regarding the faith. This last portion means their doctrine is beyond the faith and rejected by God.
While these people are reprobate they are not lukewarm Christians. As the key verses explain Jesus tells the Laodicean church to not be lukewarm. This plays out on two levels. First relates to the neighboring towns surrounding Laodicea. Some were known for their hot healing springs and others for their cold refreshing waters. Laodicea however had a system of aqueducts to bring water into the city and by the time it arrived it would be tepid and lukewarm. This resulted in people getting sick from the impurities. So, Jesus was saying that those that were lukewarm made Him sick. The being neither hot nor cold, as the false church is, is good for nothing. The second level however deals with how we are as Christians. The hot Christian is zealous. We often refer to them as "on fire" for God. Jesus however laments that the Laodiceans would be either hot or cold. The reason why is the one who is cold towards God is merely agnostic and can still be reached with the gospel. The lukewarm however are far more difficult to reach because they already believe they are hot. The lukewarm are spread out now across the apostate church system. Try explaining to someone at Joel Osteen's church that they are being deceived. How about Hillsong? Even after years of scandal people will not see that they are lukewarm. Same goes for Mario Murillo's crusades. Preaching anger, hatred and vitriol is neither hot nor cold. Go back to the key verses and see that these people are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind and naked. They cannot see who they are.
Beloved, dominionism is the sin of idolatry. Mario Murillo worships and idolizes this country. Most in the NAR are not as brazen as Murillo in at least he doesn't try to hide it. He openly admits in this article that the true enemy of the church is not Satan but rather lefty Democrats trying to steal your freedom. He even latches on the a few cultural wedge issues that might rile the base even more. He advocates for shunning people who disagree with his politics. Not disagree with his theology. So, someone could actually completely agree with Mario Murillo spiritually but if they disagree politically he thinks they should be banished from the camp. Just think about the insanity of his position. He essentially believes that when we stand before Christ for judgment, everyone who voted for Joe Biden, or believes in various Democratic principles are going to hell! Regardless of whether they placed their faith in Christ! That the only people who are saved, will have a pure Republican voting record! Do we need to review all of the completely morally bankrupt people are on the Republican side of the aisle? Start with the last president and his three unfaithful marriages. Do we need to revisit all of the Republican laws and policies that are antithetical to the teachings of Jesus Christ? Neither political party cares one whit about the cause of Jesus Christ. His kingdom is not of this world. Do not be deceived by the likes of Mario Murillo who tells you up front what he worships and it ain't Jesus.
