The Lord’s Charge: Apostasy and the Restoration of the Gospel

The Lord sounded the alarm with Aimee Kennedy Semple (later McPherson) in 1910, stating that His Word had become sequestered behind denominational lines, describing the damage it had caused, along with a prophecy on how she (and others) could remedy it.

Points

These points were pulled from the Belfast Mandate visionary experience of Aimee McPherson as shared on the Home page. Consult that and its footnotes beforehand.

• "preaching of My gospel" (How did Aimee's gospel differ from others? Heb.13:8, gifts of the Spirit, women in ministry, Foursquare Church, Angelus Temple.)
• "words of power and glory"
• "light of the Book shone forth"
• "priestly robes and ministerial attire"
• "scrolls written with Wisdom of Man"
• "scrolls covered over the pages of The Book"
• "built wall around The Book" (sequestered to churches controlled by clergymen)
• "nations groping in darkness"
• "Messenger of the Lord running swiftly"
• "severed page by page the writing of man"
• "again revealed unto the blinded nations"
• "wall of stone and mortar overthrown" (churches)
• “The Book which thou seest is the Word of the living, the eternal God"
• "writing that obscures it is the dark and foolish sayings and theories of the unbelieving and false church"
• "have I chosen and ordained thee" (like Paul)
• "clear away debris and contamination"
• "chosen thee speak unto My people" [churches]
• "Look not upon the pages that contain the theories of men"
• "but upon the burning, flaming words of My Word as revealed and illuminated by the Holy Spirit"
• "hold thou My Word unto those whereunto I shall send thee"
• "I shall break the fetters that bind"
• "I shall give liberty unto those in bondage"
• "light unto those in darkness"
• "through thee if thou shalt be as clay in my hands"

What is Our Task?

Our task is to know and do the words of the Lord Jesus, unfiltered from any denomination because He warned there would be apostasies by them.

Apostasy

Our Lord described to Sister Aimee a widespread apostasy within the Christian World, and specifically said it was caused by the clergy masking over what the Scriptures said with their own words and ideas.

15 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. (Matthew 7:15)

11 And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. (Matthew 24:11)

24 For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. (Matthew 24:24)

29 For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. 30 For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them. (Acts 20:29-30)

19 For there must be also heresies among you, that they which are approved may be made manifest among you. (1 Corinthians 11:19)

14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness , whereby they lie in wait to deceive; (Ephesians 4:14)

8 Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. rudiments: or, elements make a prey: or, seduce you, or, lead you astray (Colossians 2:8)

3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; (2 Thessalonians 2)

1 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron; (1 Timothy 4:1)

1 But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.
3 And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not. (2 Peter 2:1,3)

1 Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. (1 John 4:1)

Gospel Re-Sent

Due to the prophesied apostasy, the pure, original Gospel that Our Lord taught will need to be re-sent, and the following prophecies indicate this will be the case. And due to the nature of man, this cycle could repeat numerous times since the age of the apostles.

19 Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord; 20 And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you: 21 Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began. (Acts 3:19-21)

6 And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, 7 Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters. 8 And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication. (Revelation 14)

For example, within Aimee's own short lifespan of 54 years, she herself veered off course when she established a new denomination and set about building her own kingdom of churches in competition with those whom she left—Methodists, Baptists, Assemblies of God, and Pentecostals. Because this move was not within her mandate, she lost her protection and died an early death.

A formulation for a new denomination wasn't entirely new to her, but was borrowed (consciously or sub-consciously) from those who went before her. In 1890, A. B. Simpson published The Four-Fold Gospel, organized around:

• Christ our Savior
• Christ our Sanctifier
• Christ our Healer
• Christ our Coming Lord

That was more than thirty years before Aimee's 1922 Oakland sermon. More decisively, the exact Pentecostal adaptation was already in print on December 15, 1917. Andrew D. Urshan opened a message published in the Weekly Evangel with:

“Saviour, Baptizer and Healer, Glorious Lord and coming King.”

That is substantially Aimee's complete four-part formula, five years before she connected it to Ezekiel's four living creatures. Urshan had been ordained by William Durham in 1910. Aimee herself had worked with Durham at Chicago's North Avenue Mission. Sutton notes that Durham directly influenced her early Pentecostal outlook and warned her against denominational institutionalization.

Aimee did not invent the Foursquare doctrines; she gave an inherited fourfold Pentecostal formula a powerful biblical symbol, a memorable name, and eventually an institutional body. The formula contained great biblical truths, but its elevation of “Spirit Baptizer” over “Sanctifier” may have shifted the movement’s center of gravity from repentance and holy transformation toward religious experience, power, healing, and identity.

That is precisely the kind of inherited theological arrangement the Belfast Mandate required her to examine rather than simply enshrine. Holiness was removed from the four headline offices and replaced by a Pentecostal experience. That this did happen is evident in the omission of the topic "repentance" from Raymond L. Cox's mature exposition of Foursquare belief in The Foursquare Gospel; repentance is not merely secondary; it is functionally absent.

Aimee’s own spiritual awakening began with repentance, but the religious system built around her fourfold formula eventually gave far more attention to Pentecostal experience, healing, and the Second Coming than to repentance, which is a more serious failing.

For contrast, consider the Threefold Mission of Christ.

Threefold Mission of Christ

1. He Redeems

The Messiah would save His people from sin, bear their iniquities, cleanse them, and make them righteous.

Messianic prophecies

• Isaiah 53:5–6 — He is wounded for our transgressions, bears our iniquity, and brings peace.
• Isaiah 53:11–12 — The righteous Servant “shall justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.”
• Jeremiah 31:31–34 — The promised new covenant includes God writing His law upon the heart and remembering sin no more.
• Ezekiel 36:25–27 — God promises cleansing, a new heart, a new spirit, and His Spirit within His people so that they walk in His ways.
• >Zechariah 13:1 — A fountain is opened “for sin and for uncleanness.”

Fulfillment in Christ

• Matthew 1:21 — “He shall save his people from their sins.”
• Luke 5:32 — Christ comes to call sinners to repentance.
• Titus 3:5–6 — Salvation includes regeneration and renewal by the Holy Spirit through Jesus Christ.
• 1 Corinthians 1:30 — Christ is our righteousness, sanctification, and redemption.

From sin into holiness.

2. He Restores

The Messiah would heal the broken, free captives, strengthen the weak, restore sight, and bring good news to the poor.

Messianic prophecies

• Isaiah 35:4–6 — When God comes to save, the blind see, the deaf hear, the lame leap, and the mute sing.
• Isaiah 42:6–7 — The Servant opens blind eyes and brings prisoners out of darkness.
• Isaiah 61:1–3 — The Anointed One brings good news to the poor, binds up the brokenhearted, proclaims liberty to captives, comforts mourners, and replaces ashes with beauty.
• Psalm 146:7–9 — The Lord executes justice, feeds the hungry, frees prisoners, opens blind eyes, raises the bowed down, and watches over strangers, widows, and orphans.
• Malachi 4:2 — The “Sun of righteousness” arises “with healing in his wings.”

Fulfillment in Christ

• Luke 4:18–21 — Jesus applies Isaiah 61 directly to Himself.
• Matthew 11:4–5 — The blind see, the lame walk, the sick are cleansed, the deaf hear, and the poor hear the Gospel.
• Acts 10:38 — Jesus went about doing good and healing those oppressed.
• John 14:12 — His followers are sent to continue His works.

The broken through healing, liberty, mercy, and truth.

3. He Reigns

The Messiah would receive the kingdom, rule the nations in righteousness, defeat evil, and reign forever.

Messianic prophecies

• Psalm 2:6–8 — God installs His King upon Zion and gives Him the nations.
• Isaiah 9:6–7 — The promised Son receives government and establishes an everlasting kingdom of justice and righteousness.
• Isaiah 11:1–5 — The Branch from Jesse judges righteously and rules in faithfulness.
• Daniel 7:13–14 — The Son of Man receives everlasting dominion, glory, and a kingdom over all peoples and nations.
• Zechariah 9:9–10 — Zion’s King comes humbly, yet His dominion extends “from sea even to sea.”
• Zechariah 14:9 — “The LORD shall be king over all the earth.”
• Micah 5:2–4 — The ruler from Bethlehem shepherds in the strength of the Lord and becomes great to the ends of the earth.

Fulfillment in Christ

• Matthew 28:18 — “All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.”
• 1 Corinthians 15:25 — “He must reign.”
• Revelation 11:15 — The kingdoms of this world become the kingdom of the Lord and His Christ.
• Revelation 19:16 — KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.

Now as Lord—and He will return as King.