The Great Apostasy
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Falling Away
Falling Away
Have you ever awakened so startled from a dream where you were falling that you were convinced it was real? What about when those dreams are realities or prophecies spoken of which are in front of us now.
When I look back, there are many ideologies, practices, and hobbies which I have fallen away from. I really enjoyed playing soccer while growing up. From time to time, I enjoy playing with the kids in the yard but I do not have the same devotion to it that I used to.
Why do we choose to change our minds about our hobbies, beliefs, and the way we live?
For some, it is just the natural passing of time that causes us to outgrow our childhood fantasies and understand the reality of the world we live in. We learn we must put away childish things and become an adult and therefore, some things must be put away.
Other good things should be held onto however. I know for sure that the exercise I got while playing soccer kept me healthy. That is definitely something not worth putting away.
What do we trade?
When we decide to allow ourselves to be deceived, we trade the truth for a lie (Rom. 1:27). Unfortunately for those of us who continually resist the truth, we are given over to our lies to be deceived by them.
Even when those deceits appear to be good intentioned, we are allowing sin to get a foothold into our minds, our lives, our churches, and the rest of our world.
For instance, there is a video recently claiming the first bible published in America was sanctioned by congress to be printed for and taught in the public school system. Now, while this is something that I wish were true, it is just a plea by some people to appeal to our emotion that our government was fully set up as a Christian government only and that they would endorse this project.
The only problem with this is it is a half truth. On further inspection, checking the sources and citations with which are commonly lacking in TikTok videos, we find that “The first full-length English Bible printed in America was printed by Robert Aitken in 1782, according to exhibit notes for the Library of Congress' Bible Collection.” -
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/factcheck/2021/12/01/fact-check-congress-didnt-print-first-american-bible/8786177002/
A Discerning Mindset
Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, we ask you,
not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us, as though the day of Christ had come.
Paul is said to have been writing to the Thessalonians in this 2nd letter to give them support for their questions regarding the second coming of Jesus Christ. Some heretics were claiming Christ had already returned again and they had not been believers truly so they were not part of the select that would be rewarded with life with Christ.
Of course this would be cause for concern for anyone then or now. People still make claims like this today. However, the full scripture portrays a restoration of God’s creation and this world does not look perfect.
Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition,
Warnings here are timeless! Jesus told the disciples to watch and not be deceived (Matt. 24:4). Paul is just echoing Jesus’ words to the disciples and the rest of humanity.
First, there will be a great falling away of believers.
What would be the signs of that?
Look into the world today and see the blinders, mistruths, and deceit that is being brought into the world and the church.
who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.
Secondly, this will lead way for there to be a person, the man of sin, son of perdition, who places himself above God. How they do this is not specifically stated but it could be in the Jerusalem temple itself, as a head of state exercising power over the world and its religions, or the head of a world religion.
Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things?
Its interesting here that Paul reminds the Thessalonians, did you not listen to what I said before? I guess I’ll have to write it down for you to look back on and remember.
We are the same way. How much of anything would we remember if it were not written down for us? It would be very difficult. Or, how important is something if it is not written down?
We see this in correction of behavior. When a traffic warning later becomes a written ticket because of continued violations. Or, when an employee commits an infraction and is verbally warned and then later written documentation follows as a secondary commitment to the warning.
Here, Paul does the same and all the verses which are referenced beforehand, God reminds us as if He is saying, “Look, I had my prophets speak of this many times and you continue to not listen.”
And now you know what is restraining, that he may be revealed in his own time.
What exactly is restraining? The scripture here is vague and there have been references to many things but we must be cautious to not interpret our own meaning into the verse. While other verses claim it is the Holy Spirit who preserves and restrains, this does not even though Paul may have intended it to allude so.
For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way.
What he does know is that sin and lawlessness is already at work in the world and only when the restraint that holds this lawlessness from completely taking over stops will chaos truly set in that we have not yet witnessed.
Remember, this is a letter to the Thessalonians to remind them of the signs that are to come to warn them of the last days. When there are those out there proclaiming they know exact dates, times, etc. then beware and put on a critical thinking mindset. Its okay to be cynical here and test each truth thrown your way.
And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming.
In Revelation John gives much more detail to the coming of the Lord and his destruction of those who attempt to thwart His coming. The Lord Jesus need only His breath and His arrival to reveal the truth of the lawless.
Nothing can withstand the full glory of God nor the truth which He is.
The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders,
Both Paul and John speak of the lawless one working in accordance with Satan. It is the final onslaught of the forces of evil against God. In the meantime, evil works to deceive those who are not fully set in their beliefs. We must continue to search the scriptures for the truth.
Jesus proclaimed to the disciples that many would come in His name performing miracles, wonders, and setting people up to follow false christs.
and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
Love of the truth is to receive the truth. “Receive + Believe = Become” -Lee Strobel. (John 1:12).
And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie,
Rom 1:24-32. God allows us to be given over to our delusions. If we are not filled with the Holy Spirit, we are emptying ourselves to be filled with something else. Sin, that creeps at the door waiting to gain a foothold only leads to death.
that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
Condemnation and consequence is always on the other side of sin. We condemn ourselves when we choose to enjoy unrighteousness instead of the glory of God.
Paul warns the Thessalonians those who choose to continually strive against the truth of God will find themselves deluded into condemnation if they do not give up their unrighteousness.
Jesus said Matt 12:31
“Therefore I say to you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven men.
It is the Holy Spirit who professes the truth of Jesus through our minds and hearts to be ready to receive that truth when we hear it. (John 15:26; Acts 16:14). Condemnation comes from never believing the truth but holding onto our own pleasure in unrighteousness. We start serving the creation instead of the creator.
Where have you lost your grip?
When you hear that there were great churches who have closed their doors over centuries or great families divided over devastating circumstances you may often wonder what went wrong.
Where in the lifetime of the church did saving hurt feelings override holding each other accountable? If we serve each other’s pride over the glory of God we do so daily.
Where in your lives do you place creation over the creator?
Is it a created government body you place your faith in? Is it a building you have built or a home you have built?
All things that are here for your use are but temporary compared to eternity with God.
God desires that you see the frivolity in maintaining unrighteous pleasure continually outside of His guidance compared to living within His mercy and grace.
How can we maintain a discerning mind for the truth?
Preserve me, O God, for in You I put my trust.
Only in God are we preserved for righteousness. Nothing else will do.
preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction.
Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.
Morris, Leon L.. 1 and 2 Thessalonians : An Introduction and Commentary. Westmont: InterVarsity Press, 2009. Accessed December 3, 2022. ProQuest Ebook Central.