Stabilize Cont.
Paul warned us.
One of the big questions each of us face today is which of these churches is giving us a truth that will keep us out of trouble? The answer to that unfolds for each of us as we study because in the end our Father will be calling His children from every corner of the earth. There isn't one church that is right versus all the others being wrong. God himself put confusion upon those with free will so that they could faithfully pursue their direction, culture, heritage, etc. By doing so He ensured a maximum spread or scattering of His own so they can help others when the time comes. As people draw nearer to the Word the studies bring forth truths and understandings that help us recognize the difference between traditions and truth. That process enables the differences to become clear. We've tapped on a couple of the main traditions already and are about to dig into a couple of more.
No matter what we will always be a problem with people that take good doctrine (or should I say accurate text) and make it mean what ever they need to fit their biblical opinion. Sometimes this is somewhat harmless because it's preferential (like a woman shouldn't wear pants), but sometimes it can be very dangerous (like the anytime rapture theory). The second book of Thessalonians was penned by Paul to address this very type of scripture twisting. One of the topics they were struggling with included the return of Christ.
Paul was concerned about how they worked with his first letter because they were misunderstanding the timeline and details of Christ's return. This applies to our day because there are churches that will tell you of a rapture where God is going to pull you out just in time (and all together). It applies to our day because their timeline will allow for the false one to present himself as the One they think they are seeking. Paul's correction to the Thessalonians in his second letter is God's way of giving you the information you need not to follow the delusion of the end times. It also gave the people of those days a similar test. The difference is their test was doctrinal (speculative of a time to come) and our test is physical and will be experienced by all that are present on the earth.
2 Thessalonians 2: 1
Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him,
Paul is saying listen carefully, this second letter is to give clarity to the return of Christ and how we gather back to him. He needed to clear this up a bit because they were taking the first letter and building a type of rapture doctrine out of it.
On the surface you could say that the first letter wasn't conclusive enough and when they wandered it required a second letter. But we are talking about the Holy Scriptures here. This would be a little sloppy for God's work don't you think? If the first letter were anything short of than pure scripture it would not have been included in your Bible. So just what is behind all this? Without question our Father knew the deception of the end times would be fed by bad doctrine, and He is the one that set aside the "famine for truth" of the end times, and in order for the total plan of salvation to have been a valid formula from the beginning He had to know these details long before the plan was put into motion.
We can leverage this to zero in if it is for us if we are wise enough to work the scriptures. First, we know we are in the generation of the Parable of the Fig Tree, which locks the generation that won't pass before everything written happens. That's end times. Second, Paul is talking about the return of Christ, which happens during the lifetime of the Fig Tree generation and is the final event of our time in the flesh. This is emphasized as Paul specifically addresses our gathering back or reunion with Christ. Third, there are churches today that have taken the scriptures of 1 Thessalonians and twisted them to reflect the same delusion that the Thessalonians gave example. The modern version of this twisted doctrine came from a vision given by a girl in the late 1800's. If you became familiar with the details of her encounter and then asked me? I would teach that familiar spirits delivered that message to her and they could have been lingering ever since the days of Thessalonica just to revive the tainted doctrine for the end days. That's just me though, what about Paul's opinion? Surely his teachings will clear up the confusion that set in. What will be his warning?
2 Thessalonians 2: 2
That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand.
Don't let any of these super preachers, or even the scriptures get you confused about the timing of Christ's return. There is no reason to be confused because the details are very simple to follow. There are things that must happen because they are written as signs and examples for His children to recognize and know the times. So without questions there are some very specific things we must see happen to recognize when the end times are at hand.
2 Thessalonians 2: 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;
Every variety of denominationalism is present and each of these doctrines has their experts to give you their explanation if you want it. Will you accept their entire doctrine based upon one or two comments they make about mainstream events? Don't let anybody trick or fool you because they will try. They have plenty of God sent delusion to help you navigate the reality of the end. There will be those that say it has already happened, or that He is here right now. You will have many choices to select from. If you are wise there are concrete signs you will recognize "before" Christ returns. One of them was just mentioned by Paul… a falling away must happen first, that is the apostasy.
Apostasy - a formal abandonment or renunciation of one's religion.
The apostasy happens when people accept a given reconciliation between their current doctrine and the global doctrine that is about to take center stage. Many people inadvertently switch their alliance without even knowing it. Regardless if everyone thinks they are worshiping God, that is part of the end time delusion. They think they are worshiping Jesus just like they followed Satan in the first earth age many thinking he was the one that sits on the throne. The scenario today is the same as it was then.
Satan is locked into this position because he is the son of perdition. Perdition is apoleia in the Greek (related to the word apollumi). It means damnable, to die, to perish, a waste. We know Satan is the only one sentenced to die by name so he is the only one that can carry the title "son of perdition". Supporting documentation can be found in the great book of John where Christ teaches all are savable except one:
John 17: 12
While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled.
Jesus tied the fulfillment of scripture to the son of perdition, and Paul is clarifying that Christ will not come until that man of sin is shown to us. Christ came to destroy and defeat his plan when He lived in the flesh, but soon Satan will be here with us so you can see the scriptures we're reviewing in 2 Thessalonians happen. The primary difference that puts Satan in such a definitive difference from God's children is we do our best to work within God's expectation and always revere God, on the other hand Satan has no such concept he wants to be revered. He couldn't accept or be satisfied with his place regardless of how high an appointment he received. Not until he could take over and become the highest and above God. That is exactly what the son of perdition does:
2 Thessalonians 2: 4
Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.
Satan has every intention of seeing himself in God's place. This is a tenet of the war, but this particular action has not happened yet. It happens when he comes to present himself to you that he is God during this Fig Tree generation. It said he would be claiming his position from the temple of God. From that we know ground zero for this event will be in Jerusalem. Do you think that might have something to do with why three religions are fighting over the same cornerstone? Paul made it clear that Christ won't gather back to us until after the son of perdition appears in Jerusalem claiming to be God on the return. Get your mind mentally set to see it. Are you ready?
2 Thessalonians 2: 5
Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things?
We talked about this he says. Christ's return should not be in question? But just like the church today they were chasing a doctrine that was counter to what Paul taught in 1 Thessalonians.
2 Thessalonians 2: 6
And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time.
It should be known that Satan must lay claim to the throne first and that is what is holding back the second coming of Christ. The are looking for something to happen before required events take place (the scriptures be fulfilled) and that will be the very downfall of those chasing a rapture.
2 Thessalonians 2: 7
For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.
The plan is already in place and well under way. The scriptures teach that the son of perdition will appear after Michael releases him from being bound in heaven. He who now letteth is based on a transitive verb and that points to Michael because he let's Satan stay in heaven until he kicks him out. Don't let people tell you this is the church. It won't fly. From the time Christ told Satan to get behind him Michael has been holding Satan in chains in heaven until it's time for him to come and be revealed:
2 Thessalonians 2: 8
And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:
After Michael kicks him to earth there will be a five month period where Satan makes his public appeal. At the end of that May to September timeframe his true identity is revealed when the true Lord comes back. The spirit of the Lords mouth is the Holy Spirit. When Christ comes back to find the world following Satan the doubled edged sword of truth will be more than most can bear. At that instant we will transition to the Lord's Day.
2 Thessalonians 2: 9
Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,
We had the dragon, Lucifer, the serpent, etc. All these historical battles within the total spiritual war will be destroyed by the brightness of His coming. And anyone that comes doing Satan's works regardless of their captivation.
2 Thessalonians 2: 10
And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
God is going to let them follow their perverted ways. Is it possible that you "believe" a lie that someone told you in their passion for their traditional truth? I'm not saying they are intentionally lying to you. I'm quite confident they believe 100% of what they say. But we just read that God would send delusion. That means a mental suspension. It allows them to believe their junk.
2 Thessalonians 2: 11
And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:
God is going to let them follow their perverted ways. Is it possible that you "believe" a lie that someone told you in their passion for their traditional truth? I'm not saying they are intentionally lying to you. I'm quite confident they believe 100% of what they say. But we just read that God would send delusion. That means a mental suspension. It allows them to believe their junk.
2 Thessalonians 2: 12
That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
It is fair for those that are offered the truth and refuse to be denied entry into a place that requires those truths to ensure the safety of all. It's really that simple. Those that refuse to accept the truths ensuring our peaceful eternity will not be allowed to participate. God didn't put these people in their current scenario at random. He knew very well what each person did in the first earth age (with full knowledge… but could have been tricked). In this earth age we are born innocent of knowledge from the first earth age, but just by us living life daily is all the evidence God needs to draw appropriate conclusions. It says they had pleasure in unrighteousness. That means they enjoyed what they did even though they knew there was a cost associated. How about you? Does the scenario you find yourself in now give indication you followed the wrong path back in the first earth age? Will you do it again? Or will you heed Paul's warning?
Paul warned us. (You are here.)