2Th 2:1 Now as to the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ, and our meeting with him, it is our desire, my brothers,
2Th 2:2 That you may not be moved in mind or troubled by a spirit, or by a word, or by a letter as from us, with the suggestion that the day of the Lord is even now come;
2 Th 2:3 Give no belief to false words: because there will first be a falling away from the faith (APOSTASY), and the revelation of the man of sin, the son of destruction,
2Th 2:4 Who puts himself against all authority, lifting himself up over all which is named God or is given worship; so that he takes his seat in the Temple of God, putting himself forward as God. Bible in Basic English.
Often times it is very difficult to observe or analyze something while we are in the middle of it, and that is why history is usually recorded after the fact. However, the Books of the Bible record history before the fact…the Bible calls this foretelling of history PROPHECY.
Jesus foretold of a time when every nation on earth would eventually hear the good news of the gospel.
Mat 24:14 And this good news of the kingdom will be given through all the world for a witness to all NATIONS; and then the end will come.
NATIONS: G1484, ethnos, eth'-nos
Probably from G1486; a race (as of the same habit), that is, a tribe; specifically a foreign (non-Jewish) one (usually by implication pagan): - Gentile, heathen, nation, people.
The Greek word ethnos is where we derive our English word ethnicity.
I remember when I was a teenager, I saw a world map with little red dots showing the location of all of the Assembly of God missionaries, and there was a big empty spot on the map with zero missionaries in the Middle East. I remember back then, and even today, the televangelist and missionaries were always saying, “Jesus can’t come back until the gospel is preached all over the world.”
I didn’t know then, and I have only recently realized, THE GOSPEL HAS ALREADY BEEN PREACHED TO ALL ETHNICITIES IN THE WORLD! I dare say that you would be hard pressed to find any nation in the world where the majority of adults have not heard about the death AND the resurrection of Jesus Christ AND of His Second Coming…that in a nutshell is the gospel.
Whether people understand or believe the gospel is another matter! What I did not realize back then was that over a thousand years ago all those Middle Eastern countries with no missionaries were once majority Christian nations. Now it is illegal to preach the gospel in those Middle Eastern countries because they are APOSTATES. As a matter of fact, the good news of the kingdom has been witnessed to all nations long before anybody currently reading this article was ever born. https://joshuaproject.net/resources/maps
The Apostle Paul foretells us that for a short time just before the return of Jesus’ and His prophecy of the end times, Paul says that in the LAST DAYS after the whole world has heard the gospel of Jesus Christ, the good news will be REJECTED, the Apostle calls this time period the “falling away” or the APOSTASY!
APOSTASY: G646, apostasia, ap-os-tas-ee'-ah
Feminine of the same as G647; defection from truth (properly the state), (“apostasy”): - falling away, forsake.
First, let me make one thing clear, I do not believe everybody must believe exactly like I believe to be saved. Everybody has their own journey of faith, and I still have a long ways to go…most everybody does! I believe most of the major Church denominations teach the correct fundamental doctrines of the Church which are: 1) Jesus Christ is the physical incarnation of God (Jesus is LORD). 2) Jesus physically died for our sins. 3) Jesus physically rose from the dead on the third day. Therefore, people who belong to these Christian denominations, and really BELIEVE these basic Christian tenants of faith ARE SAVED!
Cults and false religions tend to attack one or more of these fundamental beliefs of Christianity. 1) They deny that Jesus Christ is the physical incarnation of God. 2) They deny Jesus Christ died for our sins. 3) They deny that Jesus Christ rose from the dead.
If you notice, I emphasized the “physical” incarnation of Jesus Christ. The ancient Gnostics, and many modern cults, often deny that Jesus Christ was an actual physical man who died to save a physical world.
Most cults also teach that if you do not belong to their specific group or organization, you are on the fast track to hell. I believe the Bible actually teaches that MOST people in the last days will actually make it into heaven.
Rev 7:9 After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands;
Rev 7:10 And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb.
However, that being said, I also believe a vast number of people are going to end up in hell because of APOSTASY! They will hear the good news of Jesus Christ and they will emphatically reject Him as their personal savior.
Now I am going to talk about the three main reasons for the currently unfolding Last Days APOSTASY: A) Materialism, B) Secular Humanism, and C) False Religion.
MATERIALISM is specifically warned against in the The New Testament; however, it has progressively overtaken the modern Church. Modern televangelism preaches that wealth and ownership of material things is part of God’s blessing, and modern Christianity does not question this apostate teaching regardless of what Jesus or the Apostles may have said about the love of money.
Mat 6:24 No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.
What exactly was Jesus warning us about?
Money in and of itself is not evil, but the “love of money” is the ROOT OF ALL EVIL according to the Apostle Paul. Perhaps it would be wise to give this warning serious attention if we are concerned about our relationship with God.
1Ti 6:8 And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.
1Ti 6:9 But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.
1Ti 6:10 For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
We know from the Bible, and from our own experience, that striving for wealth can crowd out our relationship with God, and with everybody and everything else for that matter.
How can we know whether we love money or not? Jesus made it pretty clear that if we “lay up” or “accumulate, stockpile, and hoard” money and things, our heart is in the wrong place!
Mat 6:19 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:
Mat 6:20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:
Mat 6:21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
Jesus specifically told His followers to seek the kingdom of God FIRST! We should all examine ourselves and determine whether or not God’s kingdom is our number one priority.
Mat 6:31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?
Mat 6:32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.
Mat 6:33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
I dare say that most people spend far more time thinking about what they are going to eat for lunch, and what they are going to wear in the morning, than they ever do about the kingdom of God. Our society is awash in materialism. All of our time and energy is monopolized by striving to buy the nicest house we can afford, and to drive the shiniest car we can afford, and to wear the finest clothes we can afford. It takes revelation from God and a whole lot of His grace to escape the modern materialism rat race!
MATERIALISM in the Church is probably one of the main signs that we are in the last days. Listen to what the LORD tells the Church of Laodicea.
Rev 3:17 Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:
Rev 3:18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.
The Laodicean Church is the last Church the LORD addresses in the 3rd Chapter of the Book of Revelation and many commentators believe Laodicea is an allegory of the Church in the last days.
3:20 In the closing verses, we have what Scofield calls “the place and attitude of Christ at the end of the church age.” He is outside the professing church, politely knocking and inviting individuals (no longer the mass of the people) to leave the apostate church in order to have fellowship with Him. Believer’s Bible Commentary.
SECULAR HUMANISM is the second belief system that has made the deepest inroads into our modern education system and it is warmly embraced by our pseudo-intellectual classes.
…in 1943, the then Archbishop of Canterbury, William Temple, was reported as warning that the "Christian tradition... was in danger of being undermined by a 'Secular Humanism' which hoped to retain Christian values without Christian faith." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Secular_humanism
The main contention of secular humanists is that atheists and non-believers can retain high moral standards apart from, and without a strong faith in, God. In order for secular humanists to maintain this erroneous belief they have constantly lowered the bar of morality until even the worst reprobate can easily pass themselves off as a good citizen…as long as their conduct is done in private AND does not hurt anybody but themselves!
Secular humanists have targeted the children for a very long, long time and now have a stranglehold on the modern education system from earliest childhood education up and through the University system…including most modern “Christian Education”. Young people are encouraged to be open minded, and to be accepting of people’s beliefs whether or not the activities that they are involved in are condemned by the Bible.
Being open minded and accepting of sin is exactly why God condemned ancient Israel.
Isa 32:5 The vile person shall be no more called liberal, nor the churl said to be bountiful.
SECULAR HUMANISM was the basis of the atheistic French revolution of the nineteenth century, and of the communist Russian, and the communist Chinese revolutions in the twentieth century, these atheistic governments were responsible for the murder of millions of Christians, the destruction of countless churches, and the criminalization of owning Bibles or preaching the Word of God. Secular humanism is one of the oldest satanic doctrines, which tells foolish people they can live just fine without God.
Gen 3:3 But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.
Gen 3:4 And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:
Gen 3:5 For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.
Frankly, if you have gone to public schools, you will have a very difficult time unlearning all the ungodly, atheistic, and demonic doctrines that you were taught while you were young and impressionable. I will go so far as to say that most of the problems our Christian faith is experiencing today is directly linked to the secular humanism that was taught in public (and religious) schools for the last fifty or sixty years.
Psa 14:1 To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good.
If you think I am just some poor ignorant hick that is jealous of the well-heeled and the well-educated, I can assure you that I have also had the unfortunate privilege of being demonically indoctrinated in the public school system, and I have also attended several ivy covered bastions of higher (lower) learning. I can only thank God that His Holy Spirit that He is not done re-educating me with the Truth of His holy Word! The Devil first targets children before they are born with abortion, then if they escape being murdered in the womb, Satan determines to weave a web of lies, from which a child can never escape…in other words SECULAR HUMANISM AND APOSTASY!
FALSE RELIGION is the last hurdle every child must finally overcome if they are to escape the Devil’s landmines, traps, and snares.
1Co 10:19 What say I then? that the idol is any thing, or that which is offered in sacrifice to idols is any thing?
1Co 10:20 But I say, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God: and I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils.
1Co 10:21 Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord's table, and of the table of devils.
Universities are simply awash in materialism, atheism, and every kind of cult and false religion. If by some chance you finally walk down the aisle in a cap and gown, while you clutch a diploma to your breast, and you are still a strong believer in the LORD Jesus Christ, congratulations because you have overcome all the odds. Many young saints of God have fallen under the spell, and the siren call of academia’s ivory towers, and her ivy covered walls.
I suspect many, many young saints have wilted beneath the icy stares and bemused smiles of atheistic professors when they dared to question the truth of what they were being taught in these bastions of higher learning. However, if you want to achieve some worldly success, it is almost impossible to avoid these satanic strongholds. If you think I am questioning the value of going to public school and getting a University education… you may be right.
Satan is a spirit and I suspect that even he is amazed that so many people are dumb enough to believe everything that exists in the universe is an accident. Therefore, the Devil has prepared a plethora of false religions and false gods to suit everybody’s character or individual needs: There are peaceful religions and violent religions. There are religions for poor people and for rich people. There are religions for materialists and for spiritualists. Just pick a religion that suits you, don’t worry about whether it is the truth or whether it is a lie.
When secular humanism begins to make a young Christian question the truth of the gospel, there is a spiritual vacuum that needs to be filled. Therefore, they may begin to “experiment” with other belief systems. Perhaps they take some “yoga” classes at the University gym. Maybe they see a witches’ coven advertised at the student HUB, and decide to dabble a little in the “secret” arts. It really does not matter to Satan as long as they are led away from the truth of Jesus Christ.
In the end, they possess an advanced degree and a well-paying job, but they have stopped reading the Bible or attending Church. They buy a nice condo in the city and have a Porsche in the parking garage. Maybe they burn incense to a statue of Buddha in their living room, and tell themselves that all roads lead to God… after all isn’t that what Oprah says? In the end, they are well paid, well-educated, materialistic APOSTATES. Congratulations mom and dad, you have worked so hard to make sure your child was a success in the world, but too bad they are going to hell!
Jas 4:3 Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.
Jas 4:4 Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.
APOSTASY is one of the very “last” signs of the Last Days according to the Apostle Paul. APOSTASY has a stranglehold on the world’s ruling class, there is nothing that can prevent a person from climbing the hierarchy of success in this world UNLESS they are a Bible believing Christian. This last days apostasy is preparing the world for the arrival of the final sign before the second coming of Jesus Christ.
2Th 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.
2Th 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;
2Th 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.
Now we are only waiting for the man of sin to be revealed, the son of perdition (the son of Satan), who demands to be worshipped as God by the whole world. I believe that all who have fallen into apostasy WILL worship him and take his mark!
Luk 12:4 And I say unto you my friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do.
Luk 12:5 But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him.
