The Falling Away

We are told in 2 Thessalonians 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;" The falling away mentioned here by Paul has to do with the saints of God being overcome by the LIES and deception of the Devil, and by his SPIRIT, which is the spirit of a LIE. This spirit of a LIE is also shown as the false prophet SPIRIT which works in MANY (many deceivers.)

Paul was playing off the words of Jesus when he referred to "THAT MAN" and "son of perdition" in the above verse. But this is not to be misunderstood as a SINGLE individual man yet to come in the future, but rather it speaks of the SIN nature of man being RAISED BACK UP AGAIN in the world, and also in the MAN-made church system. This is symbolized in the book of Revelation as the BEAST that comes up out of the bottomless pit, that WAS dead, but is being made ALIVE AGAIN in the hearts and minds of many.

Notice how Jesus refers to a whole wicked generation as "A MAN" and " THAT MAN" (like Paul said) here in MATTHEW 12:43-45 "When the unclean SPIRIT is gone out of A MAN, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none.44 Then he saith, I will RETURN into my house from whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished.45 Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more WICKED than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of THAT MAN is worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this WICKED GENERATION."

Now notice the wording Jesus used showing the "LAST STATE of that man" compared to Peters concerning this same falling away in 2 PETER 2:20-22 "For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, THEY ARE AGAIN ENTANGLED THEREIN, and overcome, THE LATTER END IS WORSE WITH THEM THAN THE BEGINNING.21 For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, TO TURN from the holy commandment delivered unto them.22 But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire."

This being OVERCOME is shown here in Revelation 13:7 "And it was given unto him to make war with the SAINTS, and to OVERCOME them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations." So this SPIRIT of deception and LIES would also OVERCOME the saints as is also confirmed here in DANIEL 7:21 "I beheld, and the same HORN made war with the saints, and PREVAILED against them;" That horn is the TAIL of the RED Dragon, which speaks of THE SPIRIT OF A LIE working in all the WORLD to practice and prosper and cast the truth and some of the host to the ground.

So was Paul talking about a single man, or a WHOLE WICKED GENERATION like Jesus said? Well if you read the whole chapter in 2 THESSALONIANS 2:8-12 "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: Even him, whose coming is after the WORKING of Satan with all power and signs and LYING wonders,And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness IN THEM that perish; because THEY received not the love of the truth, that THEY might be saved.And for this cause God shall send THEM strong delusion, that THEY should believe a LIE:12 That THEY ALL might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness."

Part one, continue to next.

Credit: masonsofheaven.blogspot.com