In 2 Thessalonians Paul delivers to the church a warning from God that before the return of Jesus Christ she would experience a great apostasy. This mass “falling away” from the Lord would be orchestrated by the rider on the white horse introduced to us in Revelation 6:2 who went forth “conquering (people) and to conquer (more people).” The white horse rider was Satan who would conquer the world using his most effective weapon of mass spiritual destruction–false religion (Catholicism/Protestantism, Islam, Hindu, etc.). Question? How did the devil manage to conquer billions of people? How could he persuade the entire world to bow down and serve him when the Bible has been available to most of mankind for many years? How does he continue to deceive the masses of God-seekers (Rev. 12:9) today when the various media outlets place God’s Word literally at mankind’s fingertips? Why does uber-religious, God- invoking, Bible-toting, Scripture-quoting, cross-wearing man reject the One Who supposedly saved them and embrace Satan?

Relative to the Institutional Church’s apostasy, the Lord answers the “why” question in 2 Thessalonians 2:11,12. In verse 11 He said: “For this cause” He would send her “strong delusion so that she would believe a lie.” Why did He want some church members then, and all Institutional Church members today to believe a lie? He answers in verse 12: “(So) that they might be DAMNED.” He then tells us why they would be damned: “(Because they) BELIEVED NOT THE TRUTH, but had/have pleasure in unrighteousness”–they chose/choose man’s way over God’s way. While on earth Jesus had spoken to this sin in Matthew 15:7-9 where He called such super-religious people “hypocrites,” saying: “These people draw nigh unto Me with their mouth and honor Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me. But in vain they do worship Me, teaching for (My) doctrines the commandments of men.” Jesus defined “the Truth” as God’s Word (Jn. 17:17). He is the Lord; He changes not (Mal. 3:6), neither does His Truth. Today, as in ancient times, He sends the church strong delusion because they reject His Truth, choosing heathenism instead. The church, Jesus laments, “takes pleasure in unrighteousness.”

Now that we know why God damns the church (for rejecting His Word), we need to identify the “lie” and the “delusion.” The answers can be found only through much diligent, open-hearted Bible study combined with careful observation of church doctrines and customs. Having done this, the serious God-seeker will find that church doctrine in no way resembles God’s doctrine. At this point the lie and the delusion become obvious. Because of her rejection of His Word, God has deluded the church into believing that she is obeying Him–the delusion. He has also deluded her into believing that she is saved, making obedience to Him unnecessary–the lie. Here we are referring to those who should know better. Just as we do not expect adult behavior from children, God does not expect strict obedience of His Word from babes in Christ. It is to the chronological adults in the church–those who claim to know and obey Him but do not–that He sends “strong delusion.” Unfortunately, these false Christians invariably infect spiritual babes with their deadly faith infirmity, causing them to follow in their footsteps. This cycle of generational unbelief produced and maintains the Catholic/Protestant religious system that pollutes the world’s religious landscape today. For those who do not believe that God is at the center of the church’s apostasy, read on. To be continued. L.J.