The falling away

[InSpiritInTruth]

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.[SUP]44 [/SUP]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.[SUP]45 [/SUP]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.[SUP]21 [/SUP]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.[SUP]22 [/SUP]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:[SUP]12 [/SUP]That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.”

Part one, continue to next.

 

[InSpiritInTruth]

Clearly Paul was talking about more than one single individual man. But what about the son of perdition? It speaks of the same thing, as was first symbolized in Judas (one who broke bread at the Lords table) who also sold out the Truth for a pocket full of silver, just as the firstborn Esau sold his birth right for some red pottage. Look at what Peter had to say about the “son of perdition.”

Peter goes on to quote scripture concerning Judas, (son of perdition) in the Psalms Acts 1:20 “For it is written in the book of Psalms, Let his habitation be desolate, and let no man dwell therein: and his bishoprick let another take.” Now, in order to confirm my point about there being more than one “son of perdition” or son who goes into destruction, let’s look at the Psalms from where Peter was drawing this from.

In Psalm 69 we see this same language used in verse Psalm 69:25 “Let their habitation be desolate; and let none dwell in their tents.” Notice the Psalm says “their” as in more than one. As a matter of fact, if you read the whole Psalm the Lord is speaking of many, like in verse 4 the Lord says “they that hate me without a cause are more than the hairs of mine head”. The Lord repeatedly uses the words “they their, them”, in the Psalm just as Paul also used the same language in 2 Thess 2:10-12 describing the man of sin, and son of perdition.

Now let’s confirm the same message in another Psalm which speaks of what Peter quoted in Psalm 109:8 “Let his days be few; and let another take his office.” Now that sounds more like what Peter was quoting from when he said in Acts 1:20 “Let his habitation be desolate, and let no man dwell therein: and his bishoprick let another take” Which does speak specifically about the single man Judas. (Which has already been fulfilled as Jesus noted in John 17:12.)

But let’s now look at that Psalm in the greater context of what is being said.
Psalm 109:1-13 109 Hold not thy peace, O God of my praise;[SUP]2 [/SUP]For the mouth of the wicked and the mouth of the deceitful are opened against me: they have spoken against me with a lying tongue.[SUP]3 [/SUP]They compassed me about also with words of hatred; and fought against me without a cause.[SUP]4 [/SUP]For my love they are my adversaries: but I give myself unto prayer.[SUP]5 [/SUP]And they have rewarded me evil for good, and hatred for my love.[SUP]6 [/SUP]Set thou a wicked man over him: and let Satan stand at his right hand.[SUP]7 [/SUP]When he shall be judged, let him be condemned: and let his prayer become sin.[SUP]8 [/SUP]Let his days be few; and let another take his office.[SUP]9 [/SUP]Let his children be fatherless, and his wife a widow.[SUP]10 [/SUP]Let his children be continually vagabonds, and beg: let them seek their bread also out of their desolate places.[SUP]11 [/SUP]Let the extortioner catch all that he hath; and let the strangers spoil his labour.[SUP]12 [/SUP]Let there be none to extend mercy unto him: neither let there be any to favour his fatherless children.[SUP]13 [/SUP]Let his posterity be cut off; and in the generation following let their name be blotted out.”

So though him was referring to the single man Judas in this Psalm, as both Jesus and Peter confirmed, I believe it is very clear that Paul was not talking about a single man yet to come, but rather a whole wicked generation who would fall away from following after the Truth in Christ, and also go into destruction.

Hebrews 6:4-8 “For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost,[SUP]5 [/SUP]And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come,[SUP]6 [/SUP]If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.
[SUP]7 [/SUP]For the earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed, receiveth blessing from God:[SUP]8 [/SUP]But that which beareth thorns and briers is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing; whose end is to be burned.”

 

[Mitspa]

The "falling away" happened with the rising up of religion to justify and not the grace of God..... "ye have FALLEN from grace, you who seek to be justified by the law"...../.The falling away has already happened and we yet suffer with its bitter fruits.

 

[InSpiritInTruth]

The "falling away" happened with the rising up of religion to justify and not the grace of God..... "ye have FALLEN from grace, you who seek to be justified by the law"...../.The falling away has already happened and we yet suffer with its bitter fruits.

Yes, I agree it started long ago, even in the days of the apostles. This confirmed here in Revelation 2:4-5 "Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. [SUP]5 [/SUP]Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent."

But falling back to justification by the works of the law was just a portion of what this bigger falling away represents. It also speaks of those who would take up the ways of the world, doctrines, traditions, false beliefs, and even false religions branching off of the God of Abraham, just like Islam is also "of the ways of the world" which speaks of the Harlot and "Mystery Babylon"

 

[notuptome]

Since Jesus said He would build His church and the gates of hell would not prevail against it your initial premise is faulty. The church is never overcome but is an overcomer in her Savior.

The falling away can only occur after the church is removed by Christ when He returns in the clouds.

For the cause of Christ
Roger

 

[InSpiritInTruth]

These verses show those who leave their first love in Christ for the "ways of the world" (Harlot)

James 4:4
Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.

1 John 2:15
Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

 

[InSpiritInTruth]

Since Jesus said He would build His church and the gates of hell would not prevail against it your initial premise is faulty. The church is never overcome but is an overcomer in her Savior.

The falling away can only occur after the church is removed by Christ when He returns in the clouds.

For the cause of Christ
Roger

There is a true church=heavenly tabernacle (Bride of the Lamb) and their is a false church=earthly tabernacle (Harlot)

The Body of the Beast is the opposite of the Body of Christ (Lamb) The Body of the beast is made up of many, just as the Body of Christ is made up of many. The Body of Christ are those who are of Jerusalem above (true heavenly tabernacle); the body of the beast is those who are of the world, (children of the flesh) symbolized by the earthly Jerusalem.

The true tabernacle of the Lamb is not of this world.

John 15:19
If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.

 

[Jeff_56]

that's a good example()**) of a lie widely accepted as the truth,

because the falling away was so long ago, error (false religion/false gospel/lack of Truth/departure from Jesus) has been the 'norm' for thousands of years,

and still
the return to God's Word has been so long in coming and so slow - most people still prefer the world or their religion that
they inhabit,
instead of God's Word.

()**) the idea that the falling away hasn't happened already, long long ago,
and the likewise false idea that the falling away refers to the church being removed or anything similar to that.

 

[notuptome]

These verses show those who leave their first love in Christ for the "ways of the world" (Harlot)

James 4:4
Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.

1 John 2:15
Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

Either that or they were tares and not wheat. They went out from us because they were not of us.

For the cause of Christ
Roger

 

[notuptome]

There is a true church=heavenly tabernacle (Bride of the Lamb) and their is a false church=earthly tabernacle (Harlot)

The Body of the Beast is the opposite of the Body of Christ (Lamb) The Body of the beast is made up of many, just as the Body of Christ is made up of many. The Body of Christ are those who are of Jerusalem above (true heavenly tabernacle); the body of the beast is those who are of the world, (children of the flesh) symbolized by the earthly Jerusalem.

The true tabernacle of the Lamb is not of this world.

John 15:19
If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.

Fails to address the point. The church prevails even though the gates of hell come against her.

For the cause of Christ
Roger

 

[InSpiritInTruth]

Either that or they were tares and not wheat. They went out from us because they were not of us.

For the cause of Christ
Roger

I believe the scriptures are clear to whom the falling away refers to.

Hebrews 6:4-8 “For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost,[SUP]5 [/SUP]And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come,[SUP]6 [/SUP]If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.
[SUP]7 [/SUP]For the earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed, receiveth blessing from God:[SUP]8 [/SUP]But that which beareth thorns and briers is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing; whose end is to be burned.”

 

[InSpiritInTruth]

Fails to address the point. The church prevails even though the gates of hell come against her.

For the cause of Christ
Roger

The point is, the true Church (Bride of the Lamb) remains faithful, but there are those who would fall away from the faith and the Truth, and be in bed with the "ways of the world" (Harlot)

 

[InSpiritInTruth]

Psalm 55:11-15[SUP]11 [/SUP]Wickedness is in the midst thereof: deceit and guile depart not from her streets.
[SUP]12 [/SUP]For it was not an enemy that reproached me; then I could have borne it: neither was it he that hated me that did magnify himself against me; then I would have hid myself from him:
[SUP]13 [/SUP]But it was thou, a man mine equal, my guide, and mine acquaintance.
[SUP]14 [/SUP]We took sweet counsel together, and walked unto the house of God in company.

[SUP]15 [/SUP]Let death seize upon them, and let them go down quick into hell: for wickedness is in their dwellings, and among them.


Psalm 41:9 "Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me."

 

[notuptome]

The point is, the true Church (Bride of the Lamb) remains faithful, but there are those who would fall away from the faith and the Truth, and be in bed with the "ways of the world" (Harlot)

Then they were never part of the church. Tares look just like wheat but bear no fruit. Only God can separate them and He does in the end.

For the cause of Christ
Roger

 

[InSpiritInTruth]

Then they were never part of the church. Tares look just like wheat but bear no fruit. Only God can separate them and He does in the end.

For the cause of Christ
Roger

If a man had a wife and she went and left him for many other lovers, would not that woman be called an harlot?

Jeremiah 3:1
They say, If a man put away his wife, and she go from him, and become another man's, shall he return unto her again? shall not that land be greatly polluted? but thou hast played the harlot with many lovers; yet return again to me, saith the Lord.

Jeremiah 3:8
And I saw, when for all the causes whereby backsliding Israel committed adultery I had put her away, and given her a bill of divorce; yet her treacherous sister Judah feared not, but went and played the harlot also.

Revelation 18:4
And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.

 

[ISeeYou]

Here if they repented that would still be open no? Because although he put her away, he also says,

Jerm 3:14 Turn, O backsliding children, saith the LORD; for I am married unto you: and I will take you one of a city, and two of a family, and I will bring you to Zion:

 

[InSpiritInTruth]

Here if they repented that would still be open no? Because although he put her away, he also says,

Jerm 3:14 Turn, O backsliding children, saith the LORD; for I am married unto you: and I will take you one of a city, and two of a family, and I will bring you to Zion:

Shows the same here. Revelation 18:4
And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.

2 Peter 3:9
The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

 

[ISeeYou]

Shows the same here. Revelation 18:4
And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.

2 Peter 3:9
The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

Gotcha, okay thats how you were seeing it. Thank you bro!

 

[InSpiritInTruth]

Gotcha, okay thats how you were seeing it. Thank you bro!

Your welcome. Also think about this concerning marriage, as it was in the beginning. (which is a sign of Christ and His Bride the Church)

Matthew 19:4-9[SUP]4 [/SUP]And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female,
[SUP]5 [/SUP]And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh?
[SUP]6 [/SUP]Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.
[SUP]7 [/SUP]They say unto him, Why did Moses then command to give a writing of divorcement, and to put her away?
[SUP]8 [/SUP]He saith unto them, Moses because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so.
[SUP]9 [/SUP]And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery."

So the Lord being more merciful and longsuffering than any man, is able to forgive when his Bride turns away from her sins, and her fornication with the ways of the world, and back to Him.

 

[veryelect]

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.[SUP]44 [/SUP]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.[SUP]45 [/SUP]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.[SUP]21 [/SUP]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.[SUP]22 [/SUP]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:[SUP]12 [/SUP]That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.”

Part one, continue to next.

The falling away is when the devil gets here and those that dwell on the earth (except the elect) worship him. They think he is JESUS so they fall away to the devil instead of staying with The TRUE CHRIST:

2Th 2:1 Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him,
2Th 2:2 That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand.
2Th 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;
2Th 2:4 Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.