Loyal
During the times of the early Church there were many false teachers who looked like real Christians living among the children of God. Their purpose was to deceive the Church into believing something false. Most of these false brothers were self deceived, so what they taught they really believed to be true. This is how Satan works by blinding the mind, and heart of the unregenerate man so that the light of the Gospel would be hidden from them.
Paul the Apostle wrote first, and second Thessalonians to correct some false teaching that had been spread through out the Church. There was a false teacher(s) who wrote letter(s) to the Church(s) telling them something to the effect that they had missed the rapture, and that the second coming of Christ was about to happen. They even forged the Apostle Paul's name on these letters saying that it came from Paul. Obviously this upset many in the Church, because this was opposite what Paul had taught them earlier.
2Th 2:1 Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him,
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.
Paul again tells the Church that the second coming of Jesus Christ (not the rapture) will not happen until a couple things happen first.
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;
It is very interesting that the word for, “FALLING AWAY” is the Greek word, “APOSTASIA” which means, “DEPARTURE, TO DEPART”. There must be a “DEPARTURE” first, and then the man of sin be revealed. In other words the man of sin can not be revealed until there is a departure first!! Some people believe that the departure would be some in the Church departing from the faith. Well, that has been going on since the beginning of Christianity, that's nothing new. Many, many people who have not kept the Word of God in themselves who go to Church will always fall away eventually. Jesus tells us this in the parable of the “sower”.
In the Amplified bible, in its foot notes, it says the word “FALLING AWAY” means “THE DEPARTURE OF THE CHURCH!! Of course, there will for sure be a DEPARTURE of a certain group of people from another group of people, so that what happens to one group of people, will not happen to the other!!!
This is why Jesus told his followers to “watch, and pray that you may be counted worthy to escape those things that will come upon the earth”(Luke 21:36)
The tribulation period can not even begin to start, until the Antichrist is revealed, and that can not happen until the Church has left the building!!! If we don't believe verse 3 as the departure of the Church, don't worry, because the Apostle Paul tells us the exact same thing a couple verses later.
2Th 2:5 Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things?
2Th 2:6 And YOU KNOW WHAT IS RESTRAINING HIM NOW SO THAT HE MAY BE REVEALED IN HIS TIME.
2Th 2:7 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.
2Th 2:8 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. (ESV)
There is a “POWER” that is “RESTRAINING” this man of sin (Antichrist) from being revealed in his time. Who could this person be who is “RESTRAINING” the wicked one from being revealed? It is the exact same people who have already departed the earth, who alone had that power over all the works of the evil one!!!
Jesus Christ himself gave his Church that “AUTHORITY” in his “NAME” to have dominion over all the works of the devil including the devil himself!!! (Luke 10:19) The “POWER” that backed up that
“AUTHORITY” was the Holy Spirit, and he too was given unto the Church!! (Acts 1:8)
Someone might say, “it will the Holy Ghost (Spirit) who will be taken away, so the Antichrist can be revealed”
There is only one small problem with that kind of thinking. Jesus said when the Holy Ghost (Spirit) comes he will abide with be us forever!!
John 14:16 And I will pray the Father, and HE SHALL GIVE YOU ANOTHER COMFORTER, THAT HE MAY ABIDE WITH YOU FOR EVER;
John 14:26 BUT THE COMFORTER, WHICH IS THE HOLY GHOST, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
If the Holy Spirit goes, so does the Church!!!
The body of Christ, which is the Church, is the only thing restraining, and holding back the Antichrist from being revealed to this world. Once the Church is gone (raptured, taken out of the way) the Antichrist will be revealed, and all hell is going to break out on planet earth. May God have mercy on all those who remain!!
Paul the Apostle wrote first, and second Thessalonians to correct some false teaching that had been spread through out the Church. There was a false teacher(s) who wrote letter(s) to the Church(s) telling them something to the effect that they had missed the rapture, and that the second coming of Christ was about to happen. They even forged the Apostle Paul's name on these letters saying that it came from Paul. Obviously this upset many in the Church, because this was opposite what Paul had taught them earlier.
2Th 2:1 Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him,
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.
Paul again tells the Church that the second coming of Jesus Christ (not the rapture) will not happen until a couple things happen first.
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;
It is very interesting that the word for, “FALLING AWAY” is the Greek word, “APOSTASIA” which means, “DEPARTURE, TO DEPART”. There must be a “DEPARTURE” first, and then the man of sin be revealed. In other words the man of sin can not be revealed until there is a departure first!! Some people believe that the departure would be some in the Church departing from the faith. Well, that has been going on since the beginning of Christianity, that's nothing new. Many, many people who have not kept the Word of God in themselves who go to Church will always fall away eventually. Jesus tells us this in the parable of the “sower”.
In the Amplified bible, in its foot notes, it says the word “FALLING AWAY” means “THE DEPARTURE OF THE CHURCH!! Of course, there will for sure be a DEPARTURE of a certain group of people from another group of people, so that what happens to one group of people, will not happen to the other!!!
This is why Jesus told his followers to “watch, and pray that you may be counted worthy to escape those things that will come upon the earth”(Luke 21:36)The tribulation period can not even begin to start, until the Antichrist is revealed, and that can not happen until the Church has left the building!!! If we don't believe verse 3 as the departure of the Church, don't worry, because the Apostle Paul tells us the exact same thing a couple verses later.
2Th 2:5 Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things?
2Th 2:6 And YOU KNOW WHAT IS RESTRAINING HIM NOW SO THAT HE MAY BE REVEALED IN HIS TIME.
2Th 2:7 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.
2Th 2:8 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. (ESV)
There is a “POWER” that is “RESTRAINING” this man of sin (Antichrist) from being revealed in his time. Who could this person be who is “RESTRAINING” the wicked one from being revealed? It is the exact same people who have already departed the earth, who alone had that power over all the works of the evil one!!!
Jesus Christ himself gave his Church that “AUTHORITY” in his “NAME” to have dominion over all the works of the devil including the devil himself!!! (Luke 10:19) The “POWER” that backed up that
“AUTHORITY” was the Holy Spirit, and he too was given unto the Church!! (Acts 1:8)
Someone might say, “it will the Holy Ghost (Spirit) who will be taken away, so the Antichrist can be revealed”
There is only one small problem with that kind of thinking. Jesus said when the Holy Ghost (Spirit) comes he will abide with be us forever!!
John 14:16 And I will pray the Father, and HE SHALL GIVE YOU ANOTHER COMFORTER, THAT HE MAY ABIDE WITH YOU FOR EVER;
John 14:26 BUT THE COMFORTER, WHICH IS THE HOLY GHOST, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
If the Holy Spirit goes, so does the Church!!!
The body of Christ, which is the Church, is the only thing restraining, and holding back the Antichrist from being revealed to this world. Once the Church is gone (raptured, taken out of the way) the Antichrist will be revealed, and all hell is going to break out on planet earth. May God have mercy on all those who remain!!