R sbc
February 19th 2006
Sunday Morning
Series: Christ the Sum & Substance
Sermon # 72
Subject: “ The Anti-Christian Deceivers”
Text: II Thess 2:1-17
Intro: It is very important that you listen closely to what I am going to say today in this message so that you will not misunderstand what I am preaching. Since Christ is the sum and the substance of the Bible, it stands to reason there would be those whom would falsify him. Those that would make claims that they are who they are not. Lu 21:8 And he said, Take heed that ye be not deceived: for many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and the time draweth near: go ye not therefore after them
The LORD JESUS CHRIST warned of such deceit in his public ministry. Listen as I read the word of God to you:
Mt 24:24 For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.
Also the Lord warned in his day of those who would teach wrong doctrine and that they were to be aware of it. A half truth is just as bad as a outright lie. Deception today is world-wide and continuing to grow..
Mt 16:6 Then Jesus said unto them, Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.
I... THE CAUSE SPOKEN OF: VS 2
A misunderstanding of either his epistle to them, or someone else had written one and signed Paul’s name to it. They were shaken, because they thought that Christ had already come...
This was a pressing problem in his day, some had taught that the resurrection had already passed, if that was so, then Christ had come. We have people in our day that teach this very same thing, that Christ came in 70 A.D. which denies the second coming of Christ and the bodily resurrection of the saints...
How can people get caught up into such doctrines: look at what he says about this very thing in the beginning of the next verse: Let no man deceive you! Vs 3
(1.) Because the human heart is easily deceived:
Jer 17:9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?
(2.) Because it is easy to be deceived with vain philosophy
Col 2:8 Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. Since Christ is all that we need, and his teachings supersede any and all teachings of men. Don’t believe anything that comes along in the name of Christ.
Paul warns: 2Co 11:15 Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.
II... “ TWO THINGS THAT WOULD HAPPEN BEFORE CHRIST WOULD COME” VS 3
(1.) The falling away:
What is this falling away. It is a departure from the truth. It is an apostasy that would take roots and would expand till the Lord Jesus Christ comes back. I want us to see if this apostasy began in their day and then has it continue even to our present day...
Winston Churchill said: “Men occasionally stumble over the truth, but most them pick themselves up and hurry off as if nothing ever happened.” I seldom recommend a book to anyone but there is a book that is written called “ENDTIME DELUSIONS by Steve Wohlberg that is excellent with regard to some historical facts about many subjects concerning the coming of Christ, and recommend that you get it read it. I bought it the Christian book store in Bartlett.
Paul said to Timothy:
2 Time 4-3-4 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.
Note the two obvious things:: teaches that will please them, and they would turn away from truth. This happened in Paul’s day and the early churches... This apostasy had to come and Christ would not come until this happened.
Isa 59:14 And judgment is turned away backward, and justice standeth afar off: for truth is fallen in the street, and equity cannot enter.
2Pe 2:1 But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.
I consider myself to fairly taught and read on this subject of false teachings in order to earn my THM I was required to do massive research on this very thought...it took me two yrs...and the many people who have fallen away since the early movement began in Paul’s day and has continued until this very hour.
False religion has risen tremendously and truth is fallen in the streets. Cultism and it’s kind has taken over the world. The attach’s on the bible, the attach’s on Christ teachings, the liberalism of our seminaries, and bible colleges and bible schools is widespread.
Acts 20-29 For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock.30 Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.
Jude 1-4 For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.
I think I have established that the fallen away has come:
(2.) The uncovering of Anti-Christ...
Essentially any thing, or anyone who is against the truth of Christianity is anti-christ. Was he revealed in their day...I think so. John that beloved only surviving Apostle of Christ living in exile under the power of the Roman government... is the only inspired writer that tells us all we need to know about the Antichrist, and antichrists.
a. The early churches knew this doctrine: 1Jo 2:18 Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time.
b. Those who deny that Jesus is the Christ: 1Jo 2:22 Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son
c. Antichrist intends to turn and seduce away from Christ: 1Jo 2:26 These things have I written unto you concerning them that seduce you.
d. The spirit of antichrist: 1 Jn 4-1 ¶ Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.
2 Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:
3 And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.
II John 7 It is clear from my study of these verses that the Antichrist and Antichrist were revealed in the early churches day.
The son of perdition appears only twice in the Bible.... guess who is called son of perdition if you guessed Judas Iscariot you guessed right...John 17-12 While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled.
The only other times Paul uses it our text and calls the Antichrist the son of perdition. What does this word mean? It means one who utterly destroys. Volumes have been written to prove that this is one super evil man...
In our day: Henry Kissinger, Hitler, Mussolini, countless hundreds of particular men have been named as the AntiChrist. I had a book called Antichrist optimism it listed all kinds of men people and other things as the antichrist...
Paul wrote and gave other description of this man of sin, vs 7 & 8 Daniel calls hm the little horn who had eyes like a man... Dan 7:8 in Revelation 13-2 John calls him a beast..
If you go back to the texts... you will see how clear Paul makes it that the Antichrist would be eventually revealed...
(1.) He exalts himself above the Lord...vs 4
(2.) He sets as GOD...vs 4
(3.) He reveals himself as God..vs 4
Look at verse 5-6
The controversy lies in who is he that witholdeth till he betaken out of the way: It appears to me that Paul has in mind the spread of the gospel till it is established where the LORD wants it to be preached and churches established. Then the LORD shall loose the reins on Satan so that the development of his kingdom of deception and darkness shall take hold.
Gill, MH, Calvin, Barnes all agree technically that what withholds this from actual coming to light is the Roman Empire. This did not come about in weeks and days, but years. Some believe that which witholdeth is the Holy Spirit of God, when the saints are taken out of the world the Spirit would be taken also, then the man of sin would be revealed.
It is believed by some that it came to pass when the seat of Rome was moved to Canstanople and the first bishop of Rome was named. Thus a revealing of the man of sin, who heads up the greatest anti-christian force in the world today.
He alone refers to himself as God and sets in the temple:
He alone claims no responsibility to God’s laws, or mans laws:
He alone in King in heaven and on earth:
He alone takes the title the Most Holy Father:
He alone has both a powerful influence in the world, and a army that could fight for him:
He alone claims the power to make Mary the co-redempter with her Son Jesus Christ:
He alone demands national attention when he speaks the world listen...
He alone has an office that is succeeded with men of like character as he:
Gregory the great said and I quote” The king of pride is near, and an army of priest are prepared to serve him as their general. This happened in AD 688 A pope obtained the Pantheon the temple of devils, and consecrated it to Mary and all saints...
My friends it is clear that the lawless system of Antichrist and anti-christian is alive and well with the power that only a man of sin could run...
(3.) He will not be destroyed until the Lord comes: vs 8-12
a. Since Satan is restrained he spun’s out this wicked one:
John 8-42 Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me. 43 Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word. 44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it. 45 And because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not.
b. The deception of the Antichrist vs 9
c. The source of their delusion ..vs 11-12
What are the lessons of this:
(1.) Do not be deceived by religion:
(2.) Do not wonder after every wind of doctrine that comes along:
Eph 4:14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;
(3.) Be Loyal To JESUS CHRIST and his gospel till you die: