Alba 3-17-2024
THE FALLING AWAY COMES FIRST
II Thessalonians 2:1-12
My wife, Janine, tells about a dream she had when she was very young, likely no more than four years old. At that time her family lived on a farm in North Dakota. There was a long driveway from the road to the house.
In her dream she was playing, and she looked up and saw Jesus coming at the end of the driveway. She said in her dream, all of the family became very excited and started to run out to meet Him.
But, because she was feeling guilty about some little thing, she didn't go with them. Instead, in her dream, she hid herself under the bed and felt ashamed. Being so young, it would be difficult to tell what terrible thing she had done to make her afraid, but even little minds are capable of big thoughts.
The church in Thessalonica also had some fears. In their case, their fear appears to be that they thought “the day of Christ had come” and they had missed it.
1. So the apostle Paul writes in II Thessalonians 2:1-2 to give them comfort saying, “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.” And he assures them “that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first.”
I don't know if little Janine thought she had fallen away, or just experienced a childish feeling of guilt for some naughty thing she had done. It is true that even four year old's can do something wrong at times.
And it is true that the prospect of Jesus' return to this earth can be frightening for some. For others it will be a time of rejoicing. The Thessalonians were looking forward to His coming. But something caused them to be “shaken in mind and troubled.”
The assurance Paul gives to them gives assurance to us as well: the Lord has promised to return for His own, and we have not missed it. Many have tried to predict a specific date when Jesus should return. But obviously they were wrong.
We know from Jesus' own words that no one knows the day nor the hour. I agree with the fellow who said that we can be quite sure that any date that someone predicts for Jesus to return will not be the day that He comes. But that does not mean that He will not fulfill His promise. So do not be “shaken in mind or troubled”. Jesus is coming again!
The apostle Peter had to deal with a similar issue in his second letter chapter three. He acknowledges “that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, and saying, 'Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation.'” (II Peter 3:3-4)
And after pointing out what the scoffers had missed in history (like the flood), Peter offers this comfort to believers.“ But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.”
( II Peter 3:8-9)
Jesus, when describing end time events in Matthew chapter 24, said that there are things that must come to pass before He returns. What Paul tells the Thessalonians agrees with that. As I said, many have tried to figure out where we are in that time line. For me, I'm willing to leave the timing to the Lord.
We have much to look forward to, we have not missed it! So don't become discouraged or troubled. Keep the faith!
2. Then Paul, assuring them “that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first,” warns them in verse three, “Let no one deceive you by any means.” In this letter to the Thessalonian church, it appears that they had been deceived with information, either by spirit or word or letter, that Jesus had already come. And they apparently thought it was from Paul. Right away, he wants to correct that fake news.
But what the Thessalonians were told should make us aware of the kind of deception that we will face before Jesus returns. It will come from the one described as “the man of sin”, “the son of perdition”, “the lawless one.”
At this point, don't get distracted by picturing someone dressed in a red outfit with horns carrying a pitchfork. Or a comical little guy sitting on your shoulder trying to tempt you. The words are pretty serious: sin, perdition and lawless. He is a deceiver.
Deception is what turns our eyes away from the truth. Con men count on deception; shell games deceive the eye. Shell games got their name because shysters would use walnut shells in their game to deceive. You know how it works. Usually there are three shells, one of which covers an object. As they are quickly moved around, you are supposed to follow where the object is. Did you know there was even a cups and balls routine that was practiced in ancient Egyptian times. The shell game has some origins in this old trick.
Losing some money when playing a shell game is not as deadly as deception in the area of spiritual truth. And the devil is a master at his game. Verse nine says that the “lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved.”
Actually none of this is new. Verse seven says “the mystery of lawlessness is already at work”. That same spirit has been at work since the fall of Adam in the garden when the devil deceived Eve, and then both she and Adam were led into sin and disobedience to God. And it has continued to increase in power and influence as is evidenced in the degrading culture around us.
Another term used to describe this son of perdition is found in I John 2:18 where it says, “Little children, it is the last hour; and as you have heard that the Antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come, by which we know that it is the last hour.”
In other words we don't have to wait for the very last days of the last days to experience the trouble the devil is going to give. We have some of those issues now!
Yet as bad as it is now, what is prophesied to come is worse. I must admit that I'm afraid for our country if we continue to go down the path that takes us further from the righteousness of God. It can be discouraging. But we as believers must never have the mentality of "If we can’t beat’em, join’em."
Looking ahead, what kind of deception will it be? The greatest power of deception that Satan has is to compromise the convictions in the heart of a Christian. We must remain faithful to the Word of God, faithful to speak the truth, and faithful to take a stand for decency, and morality. Because we know the time will come when God will judge those who don’t.
But we are forewarned that the deception will be successful in many ways. It will cause a “falling away”. “Falling away” is a phrase in the Greek language from which we get the word apostasy. The word is used twice in the New Testament, and it means "defection" or "departure". In other words, people who say they are Christians will give up their faith.
Paul writing to Timothy tells us what it will be like. He says, “But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away! For of this sort are those who creep into households and make captives of gullible women loaded down with sins, led away by various lusts, always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.”
(II Timothy 3:1-7)
In I John 2:22 we are told what is the ultimate deception. It says, “Who is a liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist who denies the Father and the Son.” To deny that Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah, who came to offer Himself for us, removes a person from under the blood of Christ that was shed on that cross for our forgiveness.
You may have heard the story about a church service that was interrupted by a visit from the devil. When he came in, he was just as scary as you think he would be. People started running for the doors. Most of the people got out except one man who had run himself into a corner. The closer the devil came to him, the more afraid he became. Finally, seeing there was no escape, he blurted out: “Wait, wait! I've been on your side all the time!”
Of course, that's a scenario that won't happen. At least not in that way. But sadly, there will be a time when the true colors of one's faith will be clearly seen. And there will be a “falling away.”
There are too many people who claim to know Jesus and yet they are convinced (or deceived) that they can continue to live like the world, to act like the world, and still be saved. Darkness and light cannot exist in the same place. We can’t be serving God and Satan at the same time.
Even in the Old Testament God's people were warned about deception. Deuteronomy 11:16 says, “Take heed to yourselves, lest your heart be deceived, and you turn aside and serve other gods and worship them.”
We are living in a sinful world and we will all be tempted. Our Lord knows that we are flesh and subject to temptation. He was also tempted in the wilderness by Satan. God knows that we have our weaknesses, so that’s why he promised us that with every temptation we would be given the power to overcome that temptation, if we will use it.
I Corinthians 10:13 says, “No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.”
Some people think that means that God knows how strong each of us are. So in our own strength we should be able to overcome. They miss the point that says God “will also make the way of escape.” We need to look for His way of escape, and use it!
But it takes clear vision not clouded by sinful, deceitful desires. II Timothy 2:25-26 says that it takes a repentant heart for someone to “know the truth” and then be able to “come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil.”
Writing to the Ephesian church in Ephesians 4:17-19 Paul tells them, “This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind, having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart; who, being past feeling, have given themselves over to lewdness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.”
But then to those Christians he adds: “But you have not so learned Christ.” And he says, put off the deceitful lusts. In order to fight the devil's deception we are told to “be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.” Don't fall for the devil's traps! Don't be deceived! Stay in the Word. Do not just accept what you see and hear as Truth. Go to the Bible as your first resource and anchor in this life for what is true. And filter what you are hearing and believing through the Bible first. And if you fall, keep returning to the One who truly loves you.
3. Because judgment is coming. The falling away will happen first and then the deceiver will be revealed. The longer this world exists in this sinful state, the more powerful that spirit of the Antichrist will become. Every day, his power to deceive grows stronger and everyday more people fall under his delusion.
Some have thought that they knew who this anti-christ is. Possibilities suggested have gone from Hitler to Henry Kissinger to the Pope. All I know is that this one will be doing the work of Satan. And he doesn't win. Because verse eight says that this one, this son of perdition, “the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming.”
Revelation 20:10 tells us what will happen to this evil one. It says, “The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are. And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.”
When Christ Jesus returns in final victory, evil will finally and forever be done away with. Everything that causes pain will be a thing of the past. All diseases, all fears, all
persecution, all meanness, will perish along with the ruler of this age. And we will live with God in His love forever!
Yes, the coming of the Lord Jesus is something for Christians to look forward to. Something for Christians to watch for. Something for Christians to pray for. It is our hope, not our fear!
Francis of Assisi, hoeing in his garden, was asked, “What would you do if you knew Christ were coming back today?” He answered, “I would keep on hoeing.”
He would keep on doing what the Lord had called him to do. He would keep on working for he knew that what he was doing was within the will of God. There was nothing to
be afraid of.
When we are held by the perfect love of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, it casts out all fear.
By the way, now every time Janine sees light shining through the clouds, she rejoices, and hopes that it means Jesus is coming. She is no longer afraid!
CLOSE:
We usually think that none of us could be deceived by the devil into falling away from our faith in Jesus. But there is a warning in I Corinthians 10:12, “Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall.”
Whenever we play with temptation, it is easy to drift into great danger. A woman was swimming in the Gulf of Mexico. She was enjoying the comfort of relaxing on an inflated cushion that kept her afloat.
When she realized that she had been swept about a half mile out from the beach, she began to scream, but no one heard her. Thankfully, a coast guard craft found her.
She was five miles from the place where she first entered the water. She did not see her danger until she was beyond her own strength and ability.
To be saved from our sins is beyond our strength and ability. Without Jesus, there is no promise of a home in heaven.
Jesus calls us to Himself. And when we respond with faith, repenting of our sins, confessing His name and are baptized into Christ, then we can live for Him a life that is true, striving to please Him in all that we do.
