Like all of the many church “truths’ that are the opposite of God’s Biblical Truth (Word), the deadly misunderstanding highlighted by the name of this series has a cause. Regardless of the subject in question, the cause of any spiritual problem can be summed up in the following Biblical warning about the Lord’s “Cause and Effect Law”: man sows the wind (the cause) and reaps the whirlwind (the effect).” This often-proved Truth is found in Hosea 8:7. That this includes those who call themselves by God’s name is brought out graphically in Second Thessalonians 2:7-12. Here the Apostle Paul is writing to the church of that day as well as the church today concerning the “falling away” (apostasy) of the church that would take place just before Christ returns to earth at His Second Advent. That is the Laodicean (final) Church Era in which we now live. Read Revelation 3:14-18 for the Lord’s characterization of today’s church system.

This church-wide apostasy began many generations ago. Its seed began to take root during the time of the first apostles (read Gal. 1:6-9/ 2 Cor. 11:4/ 1 Jn. 2 3-6 and 3:1-10). Today the apostasy Paul warned about is in full bloom as hundreds of Bible-rejecting religious organizations (“churches”), each claiming to be “THE” one and only church in which God dwells and through whom He works. All who inhabit them have been affected by the Lord, but not in a positive way. Instead, they have received His curse–a self-inflicted wound that only He can remove. Removal of His curse(s) is possible only upon justification, true conversion and total obedience to His Holy Word/Law/Gospel/Truth until the end of the convert’s life (Mat. 10:22).

The problem is that Satan’s false prophets have infected the church with “truths” that have been borrowed from Chaldean/Babylonian mystery religions and embraced as Biblical Truth by the billions who refuse to search out God’s Holy Bible, learn, believe and obey what they find. And when someone tries to show them His Truth, they summarily reject it. In Second Thessalonians 2:7-12 we learn how this resistance to the Lord (hatred toward Him and His Son–Lk. 10:16) comes to dominate their minds. Let us now turn to the Thessalonian letter.

In verse three Paul warns about the falling away of the church, noting that the “mystery of iniquity” (Lawlessness) was already at work in the church of His day. This was about 25 years after the establishment of God’s church on the Day of Pentecost 31 A.D. Within one generation Satan had made significant inroads into the Body of Christ and had done what Jesus had warned about in Matthew 24:4,5. Satan had lured away “many” from the Lord’s strait gate (to His true church) and His narrow, Christ-like “walk” that leads to eternal life. Today billions of people enter Satan’s wide (“come as you are”) gate and walk his broad (“stay as you are”) way that leads to death. This is the “way that seems right to a man but leads to death” (Prov. 14:12). The ultimate question is: WHAT CAUSES PEOPLE TO FALL AWAY FROM THE LORD AFTER ANSWERING HIS CALL TO HOLINESS AND RIGHTEOUSNESS, THE END RESULT OF WHICH IS ETERNAL LIFE (Rom. 5:21; 6:22)? The answer will surprise readers who have not learned this gut-wrenching Truth which we will uncover in the following posting.

In verses 7-10a we find that the “mystery of iniquity” (Lawlessness) was already at work in those whom Satan deceives. These are they who will perish “BECAUSE THEY REFUSE TO LOVE GOD’S TRUTH (HIS WORD/LAW–JN. 17:17). (ONLY BY DOING SO) CAN THEY BE SAVED” (vs 10). This tells us that the salvation seeker must rid himself of all that he has been told by church leaders. Otherwise he will not believe what he is about to read. In verse 11 Paul states that because God’s people do not love His Truth (Law), “GOD SENT THEM STRONG DELUSION SO THAT THEY WOULD BELIEVE A LIE.” Note that it is God Himself Who sends Law-haters strong delusion. The question is, why?

Does God want people to believe Satan’s lies? Does He not “love the world?” as we are told in John 3:16. Does He not want all people to be saved and to spend eternity with Him and His Son in his paradise on earth known as Kingdom of God? Yes, He does. So why does He delude those who reject His Law? Let us not forget that He sent His fellow God (the Word through Whom He made the universe–Jn. 1:1-4,14) to earth as His human Son in order to BECOME SIN ITSELF AND DIE A HORRIBLE DEATH in order for all to have the opportunity to spend eternity with Them in paradise. Because of the price His Son paid for that honor, God commands faith in and strict observance of His Holy Scriptures “SO THAT THEY (CHURCH PEOPLE) MIGHT BE SAVED” (vs 10). But aren’t those in “the church” already saved? as we are told. For the answer, read Hope and Salvation. Key word–Hope.

So why does God send sinners in His church STRONG DELUSION SO THAT THEY BELIEVE SATAN’S LIE? which condemns them to hell fire. I have a slogan that angers some people, probably many people. It goes like this: “IF A MAN WANTS TO COMMIT SPIRITUAL SUICIDE BY REFUSING TO OBEY GOD’S WORD, GOD WILL PROVIDE FOR HIM THE ROPE, THE TREE AND THE STOOL.” But that is not His desire (Jn. 3:16,17). So let us determine why He sends strong delusion to rebels in the church who insist on living according to their own rules.

The question is answered in Romans 1:21-32 where we find that when man refuses to obey the Words/Law of God, He “turns him over (gives him up) to a reprobate mind.” To “give him up” means to allow the rebel to give in to the sins HE WANTS TO COMMIT. God wills that “all people come to repentance” and receive eternal life. If a man persists in rebellion against God’s will, then God gives him up (over) to his own ways (will) which damn his soul. In order to spend eternity with God we must walk with Him in agreement with Him. We can do this only by believing and obeying His will. His Holy Bible is His Will in print. God cannot save people who insist on damning their own souls. God made the Law of Sowing and Reaping. It is through that Law that He is involved with man’s self-determined destiny. Back in Missouri we had a saying that sums up this Truth: “You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink.” God offers His Law as his spiritual “roadmap” to eternal life. We decide whose (God’s or Satan’s) map to follow. Just as Adam and Eve were given the choice of eating of the Tree of Life or the Tree of death, we all have that same choice to make. As the saying goes: “We pack our own parachute.” How we land is up to us. L.J.