THE POPULAR ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIBLE PROPHECY

APOSTASY Part II

WARNING OF COMING APOSTASY

In 2 Thessalonians 2: 1 – 12, Paul describe the work of Satan and the Antichrist at the midpoint of the Seven years Tribulation. “In accord with the activity of Satan, with all power and signs and false wonders” ( Verse 9 ), the “man of Lawlessness” will reveal his true colors and take “his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God” ( verse 3 -4 ) But the apostle paul warns the believers in Thessalonica not to be disturbed because the day of the lord, the Tribulation, has not come yet ( verse 2 ). Before that day, the “departure” ( apostasia ) must take place first ( verse 3 ). Paul tells the Thessalonian church that they may see an “apostasy” long before the Antichrist makes his move in the tribulation. Blindness will overtake the professing church— the same blindness that have already darkened the moral and biblical sense of those who have rejected Christ. In the final hours of the dispensation of the church, many who confess biblical truth and professed a relationship with God will simply be acting, living a lie, walking as religious charlatans. Apostasy will be intense in the final days. before the rapture of the church. The apostles John, Peter, and Paul all speak of apostasy existing in their own days. They refer to apostasy being both present and future in the church. Ryrie ( P. 140 ) observes: “Apostasy is something that plagues the church in every generation, though at the end of the church age the great apostasy will come on the scene before the day of the lord.” In First Timothy 4: 1-3, Paul writes that the spirit explicitly speaks of a latter falling away from the faith. The words “falling away” come from the Greek verb ephistemi and can be rendered “they shall dismiss themselves” from the faith. These people are not believers in christ. Paul adds they will be paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrine of demons.” Their consciences will be scared as with a branding Iron.

In 2 Timothy 3: 1- 9, Paul speaks of “the latter days” in which difficult times will come. He write of men being lovers of self and money. He call the people of the future days revilers, boastful, arrogant, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, “Lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God. They are holding to a from of godliness, although they have denied its power.” The apostle Peter describes false teachers who will bring upon themselves swift destruction.” He speaks of their sensuality, how they malign the truth and exploit with false words ( 2 Peter 2: 1- 3 ). John the Apostle ( 1 John 4: 3 ) warns that the ” Spirit of antichrist” is coming, and even now already it is in the world.” In Revelation, John writes of apostasy that even than was choking the life from the churches. He speaks of the Nicolaitans ( Revelation 2: 15 ) and the of the Cult like immorality of a Jezebel” who was sapping the spiritual strength of churches such as Thyatira ( 2:20 – 23 ).