The Falling Away.
2Thessalonians
2.1 Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto Him, 2 That you soon not be 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. 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.
Falling away:(Gk: apostasia:- defection from
truth: English: apostasy:- abandonment of one's religeous faith).
The falling away must pertain to the churches.
As
the world does not have faith nor the truth, the apostasy must be in the churches.
Many
churches have been built by man: built on man's theological interpretations of God's Word; man's compromised
gospel; and by man's iniquitous works, which has resulted in the seperation of the called.
Psalm 127.1 Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.
The church, built by the Lord, of living stones, the Body of Christ, the chosen few, will not be deceived.
Eph.1: 22 And he hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church. 23 Which is his body, the fullness of him that filleth all things.
Eph 2:16 And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby:
Eph.4:4 There is one body,
and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling:
Col.1: 18 And he is the head of the body, the church:
1Cor.12:12 For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ. 13 For by one Spirit
are we all bapitsed into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free, and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. 14 For the body is not one member, but many.
1Cor.12:27 Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.
1Cor.1:2 Unto the church of God
which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours:
This epistle by Paul is accepted to have been written around 54 AD. And by the time that John wrote the book of Revelations, around 96 AD, the
churches in the cities of Ephesus, Pergamos, Thyatira, Sardis and Laodecia had, to some extent, fallen into deception; the Council of Nicea, was convened by the Emperor Constantine in 325 AD to address the divisions that were by this time rampant in the church.
By 1054 AD those who deemed themselves to be the leaders of the church, found that they had rivals, and so the pope in Rome, the leader of the church in the west, excomunicated the patriach, the leader of the church in the east, in Constantinople, and so Roman
Catholicism and Orthodoxy were cerated.
1Cor.12:27 Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.,
was written a thousand years before there were any denominations, therefore the particular members of the Body of Christ are not the donominational churches, but the individual Living Stones of Jesus' disciples, built by the Lord Himself, into the unity of
the one Body of Christ.
Follow the ever-present, in-dwelling living Word of God, in Spirit and in Truth.
Matthew
24.24 For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.
These days, many false prophets have been, and are, teaching that
the second coming of the Lord is at hand. This false teaching has caused, and will cause, many to fall away.
Luke 12.45 But and if that servant say in his heart, My Lord delays His coming; and shall begin to beat the menservants and maidens, and to eat and drink and to be drunken: 46 The Lord of that servant will come in a day when he looks not for Him, and at an
hour when he is not aware, and shall cut him in sunder, and will appoint him his portion with the unbelievers.
Luke 21.8 And He said, Take heed that you be not deceived: for many shall come in My name, saying, I am Christ; and the
time draws near: go you not therefore after them.(see study on:'the Lord's Return' on this website).
Falling
away had already crept into some of the church in apostle John's time. When John recorded the Revelation of Jesus Christ, he was reputedly 92 years of age; and so would have born record of the Revelation about 60 or 70 years after the ascension of the Lord.
The Church of Ephesus had left it's first love; the church in Pergamos had the doctrines of Balaam and of the Nicolaitanes; some of the church in Thyatira were seduced by the self- proclaimed prophetess Jazabel; most of the church in Sardis were in dead works;
and the church of the Laodiceans was lukewarm and rejoiced in their riches and material possessions.
Falling away was already occuring in Paul's time.
2Thessalonians 2.7a For the mystery of iniquity does already work:
The many workers of iniquity in the churches will fall away.
Matthew 7.21 Not everyone that says unto Me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he
that does the will of My Father which is in heaven. 22 Many will say to Me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name ? and in thy name have cast out devils ? and in thy name
done many wonderful works ? 23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from Me, you that work iniquity. 24 Therefore whosoever hears these sayings of mine, and does them,
I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: 25 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. 26 And everyone that hears these sayings of mine, and does them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: 27 And the rain descended, and the floods came,
and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it. (See study on:'Workers of Iniquity').
Those
who do the will of God; those who have living faith; those
who obey the Word of God; will be the Elect, the Chosen and will not fall away.
Those who use the Word of God, and the name of God, to get material things for this
life; those who take pleasure in unrighteousness, walking daily in unconfessed sin; workers of iniquity with dead or blind faith: will fall away.
Others in grave danger are the unwise virgins. (Mt.25.1-12)
Those without wedding garments. (Mt.22.2-14)
The
lukewarm. (Rev.3.14-19)
Those who have left their first love. (Rev.2.4)
Those who hold the doctrine of Balaam; and of the Nicolaitians.
(Rev.2.14,15)
Those who follow Jezebel. (Rev.2.20-23)
Those with blind, or dead faith. (Rev.3.1).
Another reason for the falling away is the confusion caused by the many,(around 3000) and varied translations of the bible, all published within the past one hundred
and fifty years, with most published within the past fifty years. Many of which have been revised, and therefore changed, and are riddled with untruth. (see study on 'Different Bibles' on this website.)
For
most of the Christian era, most believers followed manuscripts called the Majority Texts ( because they were over 90% of manuscripts in existance), and Bibles translated from these texts . Since the seventeenth century the New Testsment was translated mainly
from the 'Received Text' of Desiderius Erasmus and Robert Estienne.
Modern Bibles however are translated from what are known as the Minority Texts (Alexandrian Text and Cordices Vaticanus
and Sinaiticus); and contain the New Testament translated from a Greek translation by Wescott and Hort, and a Greek translation by the United Bible Society from a translation by Nestle and Aland.
A
comparison of these translations is made in the study: 'Different Bibles', on this website. Please read, and judge for yourself as to what you consider to be truth.
Matthw 24:5 For many
shall come in my name, saying I am Christ, and shall deceive many.
Matthew 22: 14 For many are called, but few are chosen.
It is vital that we receive the love of the truth.
2Thessalonians 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.
When the man of sin and the
false prophet are in power, all who have not received
the love of the truth, will fall away.
2Thessalonians
2.8 And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of His mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of His coming: 9 Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, 10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish, because they received not
the love of the truth, that they
might be saved. 11 And for this cause God
shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: 12 That they all
might be damned who believe not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness. 13 But we are bound
to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God has from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth.
(see study on 'How are we Saved?' on this website.)
Many are called; few are chosen.
The majority of the called, put more trust in their particular denominational
doctrines and programs and rituals, and their own understanding, than they do in the ever-present,
in-dwelling living Word of God.
2Ti.3.5a Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof:
The many called who will not be chosen, are in unrighteousness,
deception, iniquity and apostasy.
For example, many
have been deceived into believing that they are already saved, and do not see that salvation is of hope (Rom.8.24,25); and so are not trying to work out their own salvation with
fear and trembling (Ph.2.12): believing that they are saved by grace without works, and ignoring the truth that righteousness is by grace through faith (Eph.2.8), and that
faith must have works (of faith) to be living faith (Ja.2.14-26). This misunderstanding of God's Word comes about because of man's
theological study of scripture through the blunt sword of intellect and reason; noting only one edge of the sharp two edged sword of
God's living, powerful Word, while ignoring the other sharp edge which qualifies and clarifies scripture; and therefore not discerning the truth, even of the one edge that they do espouse. (see
study on: 'Two Edged Sword' on this website.) And also because of the many different and differing Bibles available these days (see study on:'Different Bibles').
1Ti.6.20 O Timothy,
keep that which is committed to your trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called (Science: Gk: gnosis:
knowledge): 21a which some professing have erred concerning the
faith.
This has come about because many have come but can not see. This is the reason that Jesus wept at the grave of Lazarus: many had come to Him, but could not see; could not understand,
what He was saying to them. (see study on:'Come and See' on www.gospel-songs.info).
Before Jesus called any of the disciples to follow Him, He called them to Come and see.
Jn.1.35 Again the next day after John stood, and two of his disciples; 36 And looking upon Jesus as he walked, he said, Behold the Lamb of God! 37 And the two disciples
heard him speak, and they followed Jesus. 38 Then Jesus turned, and saw them following, and said unto them, What seek you? They said unto him, Rabbi,(which is to say,
being interpreted, Master,) where dwelleth thou? 39 He said unto them, Come and see. They came
and saw where he dwelt, and abode with him that day: for it was about the tenth hour.
Jn.1.43 The day following Jesus would go forth into Galilee, and finds
Phillip, and said unto him, Follow me. ........ 45 Phillip found Nathanael, and said unto
him, We have found him, of whom Moses in the law and in the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph. 46 And Nathanael said unto him, Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth? Phillip said unto him, Come and see.
The woman of Samaria at Jacob's well: Jn.4.28 The woman
left her waterpot, and went her way into the city, and said to the men, Come see a man, which told me all things that ever I did:
is not this the Christ?
Rev.6.1 And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals, and I heard as it were the noise of thunder, one of the four beasts saying, Come and see.
Rev.6.3 And when he had opened the second seal, I heard the second beast
say, Come and see.
Rev.6.5a And when he had opened
the third seal, I heard the third beast say, Come and see.
Rev.6.7
And when he had opened the forth seal, I heard the voice of the forth beast say, Come and see.
Jesus came to Bethany four days after the death of Lazarus.......Jn.11.19 And many of the Jews came to Martha and Mary, to comfort them concerning their brother. 20 Then Martha, as soon as she heard
that Jesus was coming, went and met him: but Mary sat still in the house. 21 Then said Martha unto Jesus, Lord, if you had been here, my brother had not died. 22 But I know that even now, whatsoever you shall ask of God,
God will give it you. 23 Jesus said unto her, Thy brother shall rise again. 24 Martha said unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day. 25 Jesus said to her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believes
( Gk:pisteuo: has faith) in me, though he were dead (in his sins), yet shall he live (be born again). 26 And whosoever lives (is born again) and believes (has living faith) in me, shall never die. Do you believe this?
27 She said unto him,Yes, Lord: I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world. 28 And when she had so said, she went her way, and called Mary her sister secretly, saying, the Master is come, and
calls for you. 29 As soon as she heard that, she arose quickly, and came unto him. 30 Now Jesus was not yet come into the town, but was in that
place where Martha met him. 31 The Jews then which were with her in the house, and comforted her, when they saw Mary, that she rose up hastily and went out, followed her, saying, She goes unto the grave to weep there. 32 Then when
Mary was come where Jesus was, and saw him, she fell at his feet, saying unto him, Lord, if you had been here, my brother had not died. 33 When Jesus therefore saw her weeping,
and the Jews also weeping which came with her, he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled. 34 And said, Where have you laid him? They
said unto him, Lord, come and see.
35 Jesus wept. 36 Then said the Jews, Behold how he loved him! 37 And some of them said, Could not this man, which opened the eyes of the blind, have
caused that even this man should not have died? 38 Jesus therefore again groaning in himself came to the grave. It was a cave, and a stone lay upon it. 39 Jesus
said, Take away the stone. Martha, the sister of him that was dead, said unto him, Lord, by this time he stinks: for he has been dead four days. 40 Jesus said unto her, Said I not unto you, that, If you would believe, you should see the glory
of God? 41 Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank you that you have heard me. 42 And I knew that you heard me always: but
because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou has sent me. 43 And when he had thus spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth. 44 And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot
with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus said unto them, Loose him, and let him go. 45 Then many of the Jews which came to Mary, and had seen the things that Jesus did, believed on him.
Jesus groaned in His spirit, and was troubled, and wept, because those who had come to Him, had said to Him, Come
and see; but He saw that they could not see
exactly what He was saying. The same is true today, when the many who have come to Him, cannot see exactly what He is saying.
The truth is exact. (see study on 'The Truth' on this website.)
Is28:17 Judgement also will I lay to the line, and righteousness to the plummet.
This is the time of the falling away.
Please do not fall for
man's different interpretations of God's Word; but dilligently seek the Truth (see study on: 'The Truth'); and walk in the Way, and the
Truth, and the new Resurrected Life, in the
presence of Christ Jesus, in the Holy Spirit of the everpresent, omnipresent, indwelling, living Word of God.
2Th.2.13 But we are bound to give thanks to God for you, brethren, beloved of the Lord, because God has from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit
and belief of the truth.
1Pe.1.2 Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you,
and peace, be multiplied.
I Am The Way, The Truth, and The Life: no one comes unto the Father but by Me.
Follow Me.
Do not follow deceptive diverse denominational doctrines about Him; follow Him. The ever-present, in-dwelling, living Word of God; Jesus Christ.
The wise, who hear the Word of God with open spiritual ears, and who do His Word in Spirit and in truth;
those who continue in His Word; those who believe and understand; those who love the truth; those dwelling in the secret place of the Most High, those abiding in the Vine, and waiting
upon the Lord, those who live in His presence, in newness of life, walking in the Light, fellowshipping with our Father and being conformed unto the image of His beloved
Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, as His disciples, as Christians, will not fall away.
Hallelujah!
Love God