2Th 2:1-12; A Felony – Living Under the Influence.
Thursday September 7, 2023
2Th 2:3-4
Let no one in any way deceive you, for it will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, 4 who opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God.
2Th 2:9-10
that is, the one whose coming is in accord with the activity of Satan, with all power and signs and false wonders, 10 and with all the deception of wickedness …
Apostasy is departing from the authority of God. The things that describe the antichrist all stem from a rejection of God’s authority.
Let’s couple the characteristics of the kingdom of the antichrist to come with their corresponding views.
The mind of the false kingdom.
Lawlessness – minimize the evil of sin.
Opposes – stubborn.
Exalts – pride.
Demands worship – Approval.
Deception of wickedness – delusion and denial.
You cannot escape these once. You have to keep escaping day by day.
If your foundation is a lie then your life is one marred by sin and prolonged sin produces death (Jam 1:15).
Chart
Deception has many faces. There are idols. There are lies. It is anything that calls itself proper or acceptable that hinders a life of love, joy, and peace in the Lord.
The result is LUI (life under the influence).
The result of LUI is a child of God living as an orphan.
LUI worships idols
Money
Approval
Physical lusts (addictions)
Work
Family
Idols teeter and fall over.
Isa 41:5
And he fastens it with nails,
So that it will not totter.
The result is pain. Boredom, loneliness, self-doubt, rejection, confusion, despair.
As believers we should recognize that Christ came to give us a whole lot more than this.
But a child of God can live life like an orphan.
Gal 5:4
You have been severed from Christ, you who are seeking to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace.
This results in more pain. From here you can resist the Holy Spirit and self-justify.
Resisting the Holy Spirit.
Minimize the evil of sin (everyone else is doing it. I’m not as bad as so-and-so).
Lie to yourself (It’s not that bad. I’m surviving.)
Blame
Deny
Throw contempt (The life in the Bible isn’t so hot. It’s not real. I’m living in reality.)
False repentance.
But there is good news (gospel). And in every case of falling away from grace, the believer has to go right back to the beginning, his or her beginning, at the cross.
Redemption – you (believer) are forgiven of all sins.
Christ has made you a child of God and opened your eyes.
Christ healed the man born blind just after professing that He was the light of the world.
Look into the mirror of the word of God and behold God’s glory.
2Co 3:18
But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord … are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.
Stand firm on Him.
2Th 2:15
So then, brethren, stand firm and hold to the traditions which you were taught, whether by word of mouth or by letter from us.
1Th 3:8
for now we really live, if you stand firm in the Lord.
Idols teeter and fall over.
We started with all the views of the false kingdom.
The mind of the true kingdom.
Love of the truth and hatred of sin,
Teachable,
Humility,
Adore and Worship Him,
Awake to who you were and are.
You have to return to the word, though at times you come to it as a broken person to remind, encourage, edify correct, reprove, train, and equip yourself for every good work.
Our world is one of undulation. Evil rises and falls, as does good in the various pockets of civilization. Your own life is one of undulation. You feel great one day and like dirt the next, and that happens when nothing happened to explain it. We must not live by how we feel but by what God says is true and what Christ has accomplished through His amazing sacrifice for us. And if we do that, we will begin to feel a great deal better.
God and the life He gave us through His Son gives us purpose. The deaf and dumb idols cannot give it to you. They only take purpose for themselves, and your life with it.
Chart #2 The Gospel Eight by Ruthie Delk.
Explain the chart.
http://cravinggrace.org/gospel-eight-diagram/
You must daily hold to the truth (knowledge) of eternal life.
You must daily know the truth and your destiny in Christ.
You are a son or daughter of God.
You are an heir of God.
You are blessed of God.
You are forgiven by God.
You are loved by God.
You are the bride of Christ.
You are a priest of Christ.
You are elected and predestined to be conformed to the image of Christ.
Running around in that bottom circle is an orphan’s life. You will survive, but you will not experience the unfathomable riches of eternal life.