Most churches do not talk about this. They talk about revival. They talk about growth. They talk about the church advancing the Kingdom.
But Paul had a different message. He warned about a great falling away. A departure. An apostasy.
The Warning
Paul writes to the Thessalonian church:
"The mystery of lawlessness is already at work. Only the one who now holds it back will continue to do so until he is taken out of the way. And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will overthrow with the breath of his mouth and destroy by the splendor of his coming."
2 Thessalonians 2:7-8The mystery of lawlessness is already at work. There is something happening in the church that is anti-Christ. Something that is building toward a final rebellion.
And then Paul writes this:
"The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with how Satan works in the form of miraculous signs and wonders, and in all sorts of counterfeit miracles and signs and wonders, and every sort of evil that deceives those who are perishing."
2 Thessalonians 2:9-10The lawless one will perform counterfeit miracles. And people will be deceived. Many will be deceived.
The Apostasy
Paul also writes to Timothy about this:
"The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron."
1 Timothy 4:1-2Some will abandon the faith. They will follow deceiving spirits. They will be taught by demons.
This is not a minor matter. This is a major trend. A great falling away.
The Man of Lawlessness
In 2 Thessalonians, Paul calls him the man of lawlessness. The son of perdition. He will oppose and exalt himself above everything called God or worshipped.
"He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshipped, so that he sets himself up in God's temple, proclaiming himself to be God."
2 Thessalonians 2:4He will set himself up in God's temple. He will proclaim himself to be God.
This is the final rebellion. The final apostasy. And it is coming.
Paul warns about a great apostasy. Many will fall away. The church will be deceived. A man of lawlessness will rise. This is not a popular message, but it is in Scripture. We cannot ignore it.
The Call
So what is the call? To be on guard. To hold fast to what we have been taught. To test everything against Scripture.
We are not meant to be naive. We are not meant to be unprepared. We are meant to know that this is coming.
Try This Today
The day is coming when deception will be everywhere. False teachers will be abundant. The lawless one will be revealed. In that day, you need to hold fast to what you know. Stay in the Word. Stay in prayer. Do not be deceived.
The Hope
But there is hope. The Lord Jesus will overthrow the lawless one with the breath of His mouth. He will destroy him by the splendor of His coming.
The end is not in doubt. Christ wins. But we have to hold fast until He returns.
That is the call. Be ready. Be alert. And hold fast.
"But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen you and protect you from the evil one."
2 Thessalonians 3:3Father, help me to hold fast to your truth in a day of deception. Give me discernment to test everything against your Word. Protect me from the evil one. Help me to stay alert and ready for your coming. In Jesus Name, Amen.
With honesty and hope,
Claire