"Come Out of Her, My People"

This warning (Revelation 18:4) is given to all believers who are linked in any way to the end-time apostasy in the church [referred to as Babylon, the great harlot, i.e., the apostate church]. For centuries it was thought by Protestants to apply primarily to the Roman Catholic Church. Now that we have arrived at this time period spoken of, it becomes clear (just as the Jesus Himself warns) that almost the entire Catholic AND Protestant churches - all of Christendom - are involved to varying degrees in that apostasy and are uniting under one global Antichrist umbrella ... one global religion.

"And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues."  Revelation 18:4

This voice from heaven has two reasons for the admonition, both stated in the verse: a) that they not partake of her sins, and b) that you not receive the punishment to be inflicted.

"...that ye be not partakers of her sins..." It is implied here that by remaining they would lend their sanction to its sins by their presence, and would, in all probability, become contaminated by the influence around them. This is a universal truth in regard to iniquity, and hence it is the duty of those who would be pure to come out from the world, and to separate themselves from all the associations of evil. [The word used for 'partakers'  - means "not of frequent occurrence" -and in the entire Bible it is found only in this passage, in Ephesians 5:11 and in Philippians 4:14].

"And that ye receive not of her plagues -" Speaks of the punishment that was to come upon her - as it must certainly do if they remained in her. The judgment of God that was to come upon the guilty would make no discrimination among those who were found there; and if they would escape these woes they must make their escape from her. ["Of this commandment there are two causes: 1) to avoid the contamination of sin and  2) to shun the participation of those punishments that belong to it."  Geneva Study Bible Commentary]

This means:

 * that there might be found in her some who were the true people of God;
* that it is their duty to separate wholly from her - a continuance in communion with apostasy, once the wickedness is revealed, is an act of guilt before God;
* that they who remain in such a communion will be regarded as partaking of her sin; and,
* that if they remain, they must expect to be involved in the calamities that will come upon her. There never was any duty plainer than that of withdrawing from apostasy in the church at the end times. 

God will have a people in the apostate church when its destruction draws near; and these will be called out,  to physically leave the communion of the church, to forsake its false teachings and doctrines and separate themselves from her, and bear witness against her doctrines and worship in a literal sense, just as Lot was ordered to go out of Sodom, and the Jews out of Babylon, and as the Christians were called out of Jerusalem before its destruction. The Lord has specific knowledge of his people, and where they are. He takes care of them and protects them when they obey His word. It is his will they should be a separate people - from the world and from the apostate church.

The Lord instructs them not to be a part of her sins through conniving with them, approving and committing their sins. All who do so and have fellowship with these unfruitful works of darkness, and who are in communion with that church, are in great danger by remaining under the influence of apostasy, and under the force of its power and authority.

It is the individual responsibility of each of us to discern and heed the warnings of the Revelation of Jesus Christ Himself.

Royal Heir