Remember ye not, that when
I was yet with you, I told you
these things? And now ye know
what withholdeth that he might be
revealed in his time. For the mystery
of iniquity doth already work: only
he who now letteth will let, until he
be taken out of the way. 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:
2Thessalonians 2:5-8
Paul is now reminding them to remember what he had taught them before that they were taught about the man of iniquity, this one who deceives, and that iniquity was already at work, but hope is secure in Jesus Christ due to this fact: Jesus will destroy the wicked, including the wicked one. When? Not as some teach, and teaching is about Jesus coming twice, once for the Church and then coming a second time. Scripture does not teach that, for when Scripture speaks of Jesus coming it is only Him coming once. When will Jesus come in brightness? John in writing the Revelation wrote under inspiration: "And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. His eyes ere as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood; and his name is called the Word of God" (Revelation 19:11-13). There is no two comings, only one, and when Jesus comes the man of iniquity will be done away with, gone. There is no plan "B", only "A" for Jesus comes once for His bride and by taking His bride with Him this world comes to an end and His bride enters into the world prepared for them for eternity.
The question is: Are you now preparing for eternity, or are you living as though Jesus is not coming? Do you believe with all faith that the words of the Bible are true and reliable so that you follow what God has inspired men to write? John wrote: And a voice came out of the throne, saying, Praise our God, all ye his servants," (Revelations 19:5-7). Again: are you preparing? Or are living this world's culture? Only you can answer that question but others can see the answer in your living.
Who is this man of iniquity? Who is the deceiver? Can we look at history, even in the present to see if there is one who claims authority of Jesus Christ. Is there one who sits on a seat and claims to be the vicar of Jesus Christ. Can we see anyone, or one religion that has hid from the people as long as they could the Bible? Is there any religion making people pay indulgences to remit sin for themselves or for the dead? Is there a religion that is joined at the hip with secular governments? Does this one claim to be Christian and yet has within its doctrines and practices idolatry, or the wearing of certain clothing as though this separates them as godly? Or teaches, or better yet, does not teach, the truth of the Bible and the followers of this religion have little knowledge of the Bible? There is if one will take the time to examine anyone claiming to be Christian.
When Jesus comes, on a white horse to take His bride home with Him, then the wicked one, and the wicked will be revealed and destroyed. God is patient, but do not think His patience is permission. Live now for God, not to acquire some blessing, you already have the greatest blessing that any person can receive: salvation, eternal life.
For the LORD watches over the way
of the righteous but the way of the
wicked will perish.
Psalm 1:6
Live now for God
Richard L. Crumb
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