During the early years of high school, I remember watching an interview on TV with a prominent world leader. I paid attention to what he was saying, but something about his words and facial expressions seemed off. Most people at the time believed what he was saying, but I didn't. As he spoke, I remember asking my father, "Why can't people tell that he's lying?"
That moment stuck in my mind, and it became a question I frequently came back to. I wondered why that leader was able to convince so many people that he was telling the truth even though it seemed plain to me that he wasn't. Years later, the truth came out and my suspicions of that man were shown to be 100% correct. Why was I able to see what so many were missing?
In time, I learned that I wasn't the only one who could perceive his dishonesty. Others picked up on it as well, and there was a common thread that ran throughout those who understood. It became clear that followers of Christ were able to discern something the rest of the world couldn't see. I believe the Holy Spirit was intervening in our lives to help us see these truths. He was opening our eyes to catch what many didn't want to accept or understand.
Deception is one of Satan's favorite tools to use against humanity. He tries to keep us in the dark so we'll walk in darkness. In 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12, we're told of a future day when deception and lawlessness is going to be rampant. This Scripture describes a future day when deception is going to be so prevalent, it will be treated like obvious truth, but those who believe in Christ don't need to succumb to it.
I. You don't need to be easily shaken
“Now concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered together to him, we ask you, brothers, not to be quickly shaken in mind or alarmed, either by a spirit or a spoken word, or a letter seeming to be from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come. ”
When Paul was with the Thessalonians, he taught them many things about the Christian faith and what Jesus was still going to accomplish at a future date. But soon after Paul left the city of Thessalonica, it appears that false teachers attempted to distort Paul's teaching and confuse the Thessalonian believers.
Some were saying that the day of the Lord had already come, and the Thessalonian Christians had missed out. I imagine that must have been terrifying for some of these young believers. Their day-to-day lives involved regular persecution and pain, but through it all, they reminded themselves of the hope they had toward the future. To be told that much of what they were looking forward to was no longer an option would have been painfully alarming.
So Paul reminded them that they didn't need to be easily shaken or alarmed about this subject. Whether a deceitful spirit tried to propagate false information, or if it came through conversation, or even a forged letter, these believers could stand on the truth, and Paul was about to lay it all out for them in abundant clarity.
This is good counsel for us when we're trying to assess what's taking place during the course of our lives. Many people find themselves easily shaken and at times over-reactive. Why? In many respects, it comes down to believing the wrong information sources or failing to hold all sources of information up to the light of Scripture. For that reason, I would encourage us to begin immersing ourselves in the teaching of God's word so that we can better discern truth from error.
II. The lawless one will be revealed
“Let no one deceive you in any way. For that day will not come, unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, who opposes and exalts himself against every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God. Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things? ”
In multiple places, Scripture teaches us about the coming day of the Lord. It's a day of judgment and blessing. Those who have rejected Christ will be condemned, while those who have fully trusted in Jesus will receive eternal life and heavenly rewards. In this passage, Paul explains some of the historical events that will precede the coming of that day.
Prior to the day of the Lord, there will be a rebellion against the Lord and against biblical wisdom. People will throw off restraint and show utter contempt for the teaching of Scripture. Then the man of lawlessness, also referred to as the Antichrist, will be revealed. He will be a powerful world leader who will enjoy great influence and the affection of many people. He will be elevated to his position and will have great authority to rule the earth.
During the days of the Antichrist, he will present himself as an object of worship. He will exalt himself as if he is higher than God. Satan will empower the Antichrist, and will do so with the same proud and rebellious attitude he always conveys toward God. We already live in a time when people worship celebrities and political leaders, so this form of deception from a future leader demanding worship doesn't strike me as shocking. We already see a picture of it.
III. The lawless one will be destroyed
“And you know what is restraining him now so that he may be revealed in his time. For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work. Only he who now restrains it will do so until he is out of the way. And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will kill with the breath of his mouth and bring to nothing by the appearance of his coming. The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders, and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. ”
While the Antichrist will have the opportunity to rule for a season of time, his reign will eventually be ended. Even now, the ability of Satan to raise up the Antichrist is being restrained. I believe the Holy Spirit is presently restraining Satan from doing this. I believe He restrains Satan through the influence of the church on the culture, through human governments, and through other divinely empowered means that are mysterious to me. But the day is coming when this restraint will be lifted.
When that restrain is lifted and the Antichrist is enabled to do his bidding in this world, Satan will empower him and employ false signs and seemingly miraculous acts that will be done through this man of lawlessness, in order to deceive those who do not know Christ. The Scripture tells us that those who refuse to love the truth, and those who reject Christ's offer of salvation, will fall under the Antichrist's deception.
But the reign of the man of lawlessness will not continue forever. When Christ comes again to rule, reign, and restore righteousness on this earth, the Antichrist will be destroyed. We're told here that the Antichrist is the one who, "the Lord Jesus will kill with the breath of his mouth and bring to nothing by the appearance of his coming." Christ will have His victory, and will end the deceptive and destructive reign of the Antichrist which Satan empowered.
IV. If you take pleasure in unrighteousness, you are more likely to be deceived
“Therefore God sends them a strong delusion, so that they may believe what is false, in order that all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.”
So what's the value in knowing all these things ahead of time? What if we aren't even here to experience these events? Is there still something we can learn from this teaching? I believe there is.
First of all, I think we're able to keep our present trials in context when we understand the ultimate future outcome the Lord has planned. Our confidence in the Lord can remain strong even when we're enduring difficulty because we know He has a perfect plan that He is bringing to fruition.
I think it's also valuable to know about these things so we don't fall prey to Satan's schemes like so many will in that coming day. We're told that those who reject Jesus will be locked in that state forever. They will continue to believe what is false because they take pleasure in unrighteousness.
Let me ask you a highly personal question that I hope you'll take to heart. At present, do you take pleasure in unrighteousness? Is that what you crave? Is giving in to the lusts of the flesh, the lusts of your eyes, and the boastful pride of life the way you're currently living? If so, please understand what the outcome will be. If your greatest pleasure is found in the things that offend the holiness of God, you will be deceived by Satan or by those who do Satan's bidding.
But if on the other hand, you want to understand the truth of Christ, walk in the light of His gospel, and truly comprehend the will of God for your life, you'll need to renounce your allegiance to sin. You can be free from sin or you can be a slave to sin, but you can't be both. And if you're struggling to find perfect peace, or you're struggling to understand God's will for your life, I'd encourage you to start asking yourself some hard questions about the sin you've invited to take hold in your mind and your heart.
I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. (Romans 12:1-2)
In the future, this world may be deceived, but you don't need to be. In the present, this world may be deceived, but you don't need to be. If Christ is truly Lord of your life, your eyes will be opened to the truth, and the deluding power of sin that likes to keep us deceived and depressed will be utterly destroyed by the breath of Christ's mouth.
© John Stange, 2020
