when professed Christians focus on numbers and being acceptable- it is the path to the "dark side"!!!
The faith is not a popularity contest! We were even warned the world will hate us if we are living for HIm!
I am convinced Romanism is the Jezebel in the letter of Thyatira! we are living in the age of Laodicea and the time of the great falling away.
That great falling away comes right before the end time revealing of the antichrist, man of evil. We have like 3.5 years in a 7 year period where things get serious tough and bad, especially for Christians, and then the LORD returns to save us from this evil age.
Hebrews 9
26 He then would have had to suffer often since the foundation of the world; but now, once at the end of the ages, He has appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself. 27 And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment, 28 so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many.
To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation.
There is our being saved now, but there is also our salvation from this evil age to be accomplished at Christ's return and then we will inherit the earth, and the wicked will be ashes under our feet on the Day of the LORD.
A salvation waiting to be revealed on the last DAY, or the time of the end when Christ returns
1 Peter 1:4-6
New King James Version
4 to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, 5 who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
6 In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials,
Malachi 4
The Great Day of God
1 “For behold, the day is coming,
Burning like an oven,
And all the proud, yes, all who do wickedly will be stubble.
And the Day which is coming shall burn them up,”
Says the Lord of hosts,
“That will leave them neither root nor branch.
2 But to you who fear My name
The Sun of Righteousness shall arise
With healing in His wings;
And you shall go out
And grow fat like stall-fed calves.
3 You shall trample the wicked,
For they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet
On the day that I do
this,”
Says the Lord of hosts.
4 “Remember the Law of Moses, My servant,
Which I commanded him in Horeb for all Israel,
With the statutes and judgments.
5 Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet
Before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord.
6 And he will turn
The hearts of the fathers to the children,
And the hearts of the children to their fathers,
Lest I come and strike the earth with a curse.”
Elijah came as John the Baptist
Then Christ Came the first time as an offering for sin.
And finally Christ comes a second time apart from sin for salvation. (ours, not the unbelieving world's)