"For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness."
2 Thessalonians 2:11-12 [NIV]
Perhaps we are witnessing a singular moment in history. With the ascent of America as the unchallenged super power, some dubious preconceived misconceptions have ascended also. It would appear that this administration is claiming "manifest destiny" again as its mandate to impose its will on the world community. The last time this claim was made it resulted in the enslavement of a race of people who were denied the right of personhood and the inalienable rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Now again "manifest destiny" has emerged in doctrines such as "pre-emptive war," "regime change," and the vague "national security."
It would appear that the Bush administration and the majority of America’s citizens (if one is to believe the polls) are content to use the name of the Lord to advance their own agendas and to cloak their selfish and evil intents behind a veil of ’religiosity’. We were told that the main reasons for invading Iraq was the imminent threat of that regime to use nuclear and biological weapons of mass destruction and the connection of the government of Iraq to the 9-11 attack.. Yet so far, not one trace of anything biological or nuclear or any connection to 9-11 has been discovered. We were told there was incontrovertible proof of these weapons; yet nothing has materialized.
And the sad fact about all of this is that most Americans are not alarmed as to the implications of these truths. Most do not care whether they were lied to or not, all in the name of "patriotism." Most Americans believe that God is on our side and therefore whatever we do carries the divine sanction. Hence comes the importance and import of our devotional text. "For this reason God send them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness."
Webster defines a Delusion as: a) "something that is falsely or delusively believed or propagated"; b) "a persistent false psychotic belief regarding the self or persons or objects outside the self."
Perhaps the height of arrogance and the depths of depravity is to wrap ourselves in a self-made cloak of superiority and moral certitude. This pseudo-sensed perception of Americans being better by nature than those Muslims or Arabs over there and elsewhere in the world is cause for deep alarm and should provoke from clergy all over this nation a call for repentance before the Lord God Almighty. No nation or people on this earth is better than any other! The mercy of God on this nation so far as it relates to power, prosperity and upward mobility is no indication of living under the grace of God but attests to the unmerited goodness of God our Creator. For He has mercy on whom He will have mercy.
"Strong delusions" have been sent by God upon many of this nation and they cannot help but to believe the lie rather than receive the truth about ourselves, our morality and ethics and our arrogant grasp for superiority. Many believed that American has been destined by God to be NUMBER 1. But the truth of the matter is that life is not a game to be played by rules of our own making nor are the results of the consequences of our evil actions to be edited out of the record when they make us look bad. The truth of the matter is that "all unrighteousness is sin" and God is not mocked.
"Strong delusions" are surfacing in the photographs that have come to light recently depicting a strategy by men in high places to win at all costs. Delusions, when brought to the light of truth, have a way of humiliating the proud and exposing our wickedness to the world. For many have placed blind trust and implicit faith in a government that is not the The Christ, and now when confronted with their blind trust, most act as though they are "shocked" and "appalled" and disgusted" and "sickened" by the consequences of their beliefs.
"Strong delusions" have been propagated by this government; "strong delusions" have been the persistent false psychotic belief of the masses regarding the rightness of the cause of the War in Iraq and our supposedly God-given right to spread democracy and freedom to "those folk over there." We have been deluded into believing that we are the Liberators of the world, that it is our "Manifest Destiny" to democratize the world for the coming of Christ. OH what Arrogance and Evil!!!
As I read the Scriptures and human history, I find that God has only one Liberator, one Chosen Ruler, only One Savior whom He has deputized to act in His name to bring about the advent and establishment of His Kingdom. And His kingdom is not called America neither is His government denominated "Democracy," nor is His method of bringing about righteousness the use of weapons of war and military might. I read somewhere that He said, "Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit, saith the Lord of hosts" (Zechariah 4:6).
"Strong delusions" are the the product of so-called religious leaders who think themselves to be fundamentally moral individuals. Yet morality has absolute nothing to do with Righteousness and Regeneration. For history has taught us that men and nations can be basically fair and yet evil and wrong. Fairness is not the mark of righteousness and market-theology is not the standard of justice. So-called "men of faith" have palmed off on ignorant people the false and destructive doctrines of pride-based religion and race-conscious nationalistic morality. And in the wake of this evil, policies and practices pursued over the past ten years are now coming home to roost.
I detest those who, in the name of Jesus Christ, speak lies from their own evil imaginations and hide behind the Book called the Holy Bible. I denounce those hypocrites who know nothing of a saving relationship with the Christ of God proclaiming "another gospel" in the name of decency and order. I am at war against those false prophets of modernity who are in league with "spiritual wickedness in high places." These are enemies of the Cross of Christ!!!
Whether they be white, black, brown, red or yellow makes no difference with me. The individuals are haters of the Christ of God and are heralds and forerunners of the Antichrist who is yet to be revealed. Any so-called man of God who preaches the equality of God and country is an enemy of God. Any so-called prophet who tries to equate Almighty God with any other creature or institution is a false prophet! And delusional people have come to hold God and country on an equal footing. They believe patriotism to be of equal importance to allegiance to the Lord Jesus Christ. STRONG DELUSIONS, I TELL YOU!!!
But to return to our text. The scary part about this text is the fact that moral people, religious people, so-called fundamentally sound people can and do pray to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ AND HE ANSWERS THEIR PRAYERS WITH STRONG DELUSIONS!!! To be Moral yet not Merciful Is Scary. To be religious and yet not righteous Is Scary! To be patriotic yet not Persuaded of the Truth of God Is Scary! To be a Christian and yet Not Saved Is Scary!!! And yet for that cause God shall send them strong delusions.
Not just delusions but Strong Delusions! That implies that the dye is cast and there is no possibility of redemption. That’s Scary! Thus, Truth is not an objective reality to be determined by individuals, systems, societies or nations. Truth is not the contrivance of one set of people who have cornered the market on reality as it is. Truth is not a conceptual exercise of the intelligent or the people of power and means and might. Truth is not a product of a people’s deliberation or judgment. Truth is the subjective reality of the real nature of things as it is in The Mind and Mover of the Universe, who is God over all, blessed forever!!!
Truth is not determined by the person who declares that he/she believes the Bible to be the inerrant Word of God and yet interprets those truths independently of the Spirit of Truth. Truth is not prescribed by a people who draw near God with their lips but whose hearts are far from Him. Truth is not a commodity whose value is determined by the market price. Truth is not possessed by those who are "shocked, appalled, disturbed and saddened" by acts of the depraved nature of man, as though they are surprised to learn of what is in every man. Truth is the integral and internal character of the God who is light and in Him is no darkness at all.
Truth is not an option to be chosen by fallible creatures but the standard and measurement by which we shall all be judged.
The truth of the matter is that right is not determined by might or the ability to persuade or dissuade others. It is not predicated upon technology or economic policies or national security. For the coming of the Antichrist is characterized as that of "the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders." The "shock and awe" of military might is a precursor of something altogether deadlier. Deception and lies are the marks of Satan and his antichrist and his false prophets.
The truth of the matter is that we are not saved by race nor by religious beliefs nor by national security. We are saved totally by Grace through Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, who is God’s standard of righteousness. And "Repentance" is a work of grace wrought in the soul by the Spirit of God and not by the agency of man. Repentance is God turning the individual from his/her back being turned to Him to looking Him contritely in the face and in that glorious light seeing the holiness of God and the wretchedness of the individual. It is a change in one’s viewing of oneself and one’s environment. It is being turned from "the lie" to "the truth as it is in Jesus Christ."
Repentance toward God and Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ are the twin gifts of grace given by the Spirit of God that result in the actualization of a right relationship with God through Christ Jesus the Lord. Deep heart work or soul work is not a product of morality or upbringing or status or social standing. It is the Work of God and God Alone!!!
Thus, I call into question any person’s claim of saving faith in the Lord Jesus Christ who has not denied self, taken up his/her cross to follow the Lord daily in crucifying "the lie." I call into question the authenticity of those who profess to be Christian and yet who deny the Christ as Sovereign. I call into question the claim of any person who tries to equate God Almighty with anybody or anything else. God is God all by Himself, and as Grandpa used to say, "He don’t need nobody else!"
The essence of "wickedness" is open rebellion and defiance of the Sovereignty of God. And those who shout the loudest of freedom and liberty are those who deny the sovereign right of God to rule their very lives!!! This false notion of their "freedom of choice" is used to deflect their open rebellion of the rule of God in their own lives.
As we continue this dialogue on Delusional People, I desire the Elect of God to yield to the leadership of the Holy Spirit and stay clear of the arguments of the flesh and the pull of emotions as God sets the stage for His eternal plan and purposes to be revealed in this last of days. I plead with the People of God to let their ears try words in these deceitful times. I implore the people of God to be on guard against being caught up in the frenzy of the moment and to be still while the salvation of the Lord is being revealed.
Let no man or institution or organization call into question your patriotism. This is not an issue of nationalistic pride. This is the Lord’s Battle!!!
Recall please, that the test of one faithfulness to the Lord is not whether or not an individual was loyal to Ceasar or not. Tribulations, as it relates to believers, come as the result of our faithfulness to the Lord, not denying His name and holding fast His doctrine!!!
