Kingdom Disciples

The Mystery of Lawlessness prepares the way for the release of the Lawless Man and his attack on the Church - 2 Thessalonians 2:6-8. The Mystery of Lawlessness is active in the world, and this is especially so in the Body of Christ. This force is preparing hearts and minds for the arrival of the Man of Lawlessness. It will continue to do so until the appointed time when the Son of Destruction is unveiled in the Sanctuary of God.

The Man of Lawlessness, the Son of Destruction, will be unveiled when he takes his seat in the House of God - 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4. Jesus will not arrive in glory until two events occur – The Apostasy and the revelation of the Son of Destruction. Not only will this deceiver cause many believers to apostatize, but his true identity will be disclosed when he takes his seat in the Sanctuary of God.

Many Christians will abandon the faith when the Lawless One, the Son of Destruction, places himself in the Sanctuary of God . Before Jesus returns and judges the nations, a powerful deceiver will appear. He will lead many believers to deviate from the true faith and betray their Savior. His identity “ will be revealed ” when he takes his place in the Church.

Two events must occur before the Day of the Lord begins: The Apostasy and the unveiling of the Man of Lawlessness in God’s House . Certain men were spreading rumors in the church of Thessalonica, raising false expectations about the imminence of the arrival of Jesus. The Apostle Paul warned the congregation not to be distracted or deceived by such reports. Two pivotal events must occur before that day:

The New Testament warns of an apostasy before the Day of the Lord caused by the Son of Destruction, the Man of Lawlessness . The New Testament warns us that before Jesus returns, his Church will be invaded by deceivers, including “ false anointed ones ” and “ false prophets .” Before the “ Day of the Lord ” begins, we will be confronted by the “ Man of Lawlessness , ” whom the Apostle Paul links to the “ Apostasy ,” the great “ falling away ” from the faith. That time is upon us.

Jesus refused the political power of Rome when Satan offered it. So, why do we insist on seeking the very thing our Master rejected? The teachings of Jesus and his Apostles in multiple ways summon Christians not to be “ unequally yoked together ” with this world and its values. What humanity needs is the Good News of the Kingdom of God and the salvation provided by Jesus Christ. Since the “ forms ” of this present age are in the process of “ passing away ,” the Church should not waste its efforts on “ working for the meat that perishes ”?

The Son of Destruction will use deceitful signs and lying wonders to mislead many saints into abandoning the Faith – 2 Thessalonians 2:8-9. The “ Day of the Lord ” will not begin until the “ Man of Lawlessness ” is revealed when he “ seats himself   in the Sanctuary of God .” His arrival will coincide with the “ Apostasy .” This Master Deceiver will be characterized by his ability to hoodwink believers using “ signs and wonders .”

The Spirit of the Antichrist is raising up deceivers in the Church, but a final Master Deceiver will appear at the end of the age . The Apostle John applied the term “ antichrists ”, plural, to false teachers who were disrupting his congregations, deceivers who denied that “ Jesus is the Christ ” and “ came in the flesh .” They were driven by the “ Spirit of the Antichrist ” that has been operating in the world since the beginning of human history.

Since it was founded, Satan has sent counterfeit christs and false prophets to destroy the Body of Christ from the inside . Popular preaching portrays the Antichrist as a totalitarian global leader bent on subjugating the nations of the Earth. While this may turn out to be the case, the New Testament is far more concerned with deceivers and “ false anointed ones ” who work inside the Church, causing confusion and apostasy.

The New Testament warns that false prophets will appear, causing many believers to abandon their faith and betray Jesus Christ . Jesus warned his disciples to beware of deceivers, the false messiahs and false prophets who are determined to seduce his followers and thus destroy the Church from the inside. These warnings are reiterated and expanded in the writings of the Apostles.

The Spirit of Antichrist is working to destroy the church through deceptions spread by false teachers and charlatans . In popular preaching, the Antichrist is a political tyrant determined to conquer the world. However, only the Apostle John uses the term ‘Antichrist’, and he applies it to false teachers who originated in his congregations.

Jesus will arrive to gather his saints on the Day of the Lord, but only after the apostasy and the unveiling of the Son of Destruction . In his second letter to the church of Thessalonica, Paul refutes claims that the Day of the Lord is imminent or has even begun. That Day will not arrive until the apostasy occurs and the man without law is revealed, the Son of Destruction, whom Jesus will destroy when he arrives in glory .

( False information about the Day of the Lord caused alarm and confusion among the believers of Thessalonica  – 2 Thessalonians 2:1-2). The Apostle Paul addresses false claims about the Day of the Lord in his second letter to the Thessalonians. Incorrect information concerning Christ’s return is disrupting the congregation. Paul attributes the source of the disinformation to either a “ spirit ,” a word (‘ logos ’), or a letter, “ as if from us ”; supposedly, from Paul and his coworkers .

To identify the Antichrist, we must first understand what the relevant passages of the Bible say about him, his methods, and his objectives . The subject of the Antichrist raises many questions. Who is he? When will he appear? How will we recognize him? In popular culture, he is a global political leader who uses military might to subjugate other nations and attack the modern nation of Israel.

Paul warns of the coming Apostasy, which he links to the unveiling of the Man without Law when he takes his seat in the Church . Paul responds to misleading claims about the imminence of the Day of the Lord by declaring that it will not begin until the Apostasy occurs and the Son of Destruction is revealed. Disinformation about the return of Jesus was circulating among the members of the Thessalonian congregation .

Believers prepare for the Apostasy and the coming Man of Lawlessness by committing themselves to the traditions received from the Apostles . After explaining the coming “ Apostasy ” and the “ Man of Lawlessness ,” Paul instructed believers on how to avoid the coming deception and thereby find themselves standing “ blameless ” before Jesus when he arrives on the Day of the Lord. We must “ stand fast ” by adhering to the teachings and “ traditions ” the Church has received from the Apostles.

Jesus will deal with the “ Lawless One ” at his “ arrival ” or  Parousia . In describing this, Paul employs language from Daniel’s vision of the “ little horn speaking great things ,” originally, an image representing the Seleucid ruler who attempted to destroy the Jewish faith and nation through deceit and persecution.

The “ day of the Lord ” will not commence until the “ Lawless One ” is “ revealed in the sanctuary of God .” His arrival coincides with the “ apostasy ,” and he will be characterized by his ability to deceive, especially with “ lying signs and wonders .” Satan himself will equip him to destroy as many saints as possible.

Paul has explained why the “ day of the Lord ” has not commenced. Neither the “ apostasy ” nor the “ revelation of the man of lawlessness ” has occurred. Next, he describes the “ mystery of lawlessness ” that is setting the stage for the “ arrival ” of the “ Lawless One .” He will be unveiled when this “ mystery of lawlessness ” completes its preparatory task.