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biblical discernment, Biblical truth, Christianity, Dception In The Church, discernment, original sin, pride, Sandy Simpson, Satan, sin, spiritual deception
“They will believe the lie”
by Sandy Simpson, 1/16/14
2 Thessalonians 2:9-12 The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with how Satan works. He will use all sorts of displays of power through signs and wonders that serve the lie, and all the ways that wickedness deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness.
This has always been an interesting passage to me for a few different reasons. What is “the lie” that is talked about here in verse 9? What are the ways that “wickedness deceives those who are perishing” and how long has this been going on or does this only begin to happen at the coming of the lawless one? In what way does “the lie” cause those who do not believe the truth to “delight in wickedness”?
To briefly answer those questions, the lie is the lie of Genesis 3:5 which we will look at in a moment. If this verse were only specifically about the lie the antichrist tells about claiming to be “God” then it would have likely read “they will believe his lie”. Notice that the passage says “wickedness deceives those who are perishing” and not “those who will perish” under the rule of the antichrist. So apparently this “lie” has been affecting mankind for a long time because the phrase “are perishing” is present tense when this was written by Paul being guided by the Holy Spirit. The fact that the “lie” causes men to “delight in wickedness” also seems to indicate that this is not simply talking about the time of the antichrist but all those who believe the lie and do not believe the truth.
There have been many varying explanations for this passage in 2 Thessalonians by some of the best commentators of the past, though no real specific agreement is reached by them. John Gill focuses on this being brought to fruition in the Pope, the so-called “Vicar of Christ” who has historically summed up what the Antichrist will be revealed in claiming that he is Christ. Some state more generally that those who reject the truth are rejecting who Christ is. JB Philips says that the lie is that Antichrist claims to be God. Matthew Henry says it is a rejection of the Gospel of grace with parallels to the passage on blasphemy (Matthew 12:31) where Henry claims that rejection of Grace is what constitutes blasphemy of the Holy Spirit. Matthew Poole names a number of lies such as lying wonders, false doctrines, false prophecies, idols etc. as constituting “the lie”.
These are all good explanations and certainly play a part in our search for “the lie”. But I have come to the conclusion that “the lie” is a root cause, not a symptom as I see in most explanations. So where can we find out what this “lie” is? I believe we have to go back to the beginning to find it.
Read the rest of this article here.
Related article: Can Christians Be Spiritually Deceived and How Can They Avoid It?
The Narrowing Path 
Most lies come from the placing of a false doctrine grid over the Holy Scriptures. God bless you:)
http://holdingforthhisword.wordpress.com/2014/02/14/the-grid/
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Thanks, dear sister! God bless you too. xx
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Hi Sandy Simpson,
I read your comments on John Bevere. I think you have completely misunderstood him. From what you quoted him saying such as his comments on rapture and the coming revival, I think you need to ask the Holy Spirit to give you the spirit of love so that you can have your eyes open to see the truth. John Bevere does not mean what you said he means. These are your own interpretations of what he said. The Bible says that “who are you to judge another man’s servant?” Romans 14:4. Please spend more time hearing your own message from The Lord and let us stop pointing fingers and dividing the Body of Christ. There are souls out there who need to be saved from Jehovah Witness and Mormons, John Bevere is the least of our problems. He believes 100% in rapture. Have you asked him directly? Or we are just speculating. Nse from Nigeria.
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Hi Nse,
Thank you for taking the time to comment here at the Narrowing Path. I hope that the resources here will be helpful to you.
I feel it is important to clarify for other readers that John Bevere is indeed a false teacher of ‘new age’ self-actualization and ‘word of faith’ heresies. I know this is very hard to accept of someone who may be a favourite teacher, but it is important to for Christians speak out in defense of biblical doctrine (which is the point of this blog).
Here is a quote from John Bevere’s book ‘Relentless’:
“Lack and poverty are not life in all its fullness; therefore they cannot be God’s will for your life.”
This is patently false teaching and is an offense to the body of Christ, many of whom live in poverty. Having lived in the Philippines as a missionary kid for over 10 years, I see no evidence that Christians living in poverty are not blessed by God. I remember meeting a pastor who lived with countless others on the Tondo garbage dump in Manila, ministering to people and proclaiming the gospel. Not only was he blessed BY GOD, but he was also a great blessing FROM GOD to others. In fact, there are many times in my own life (including right now) when financial lack has been proved great lesson (and blessing) in teaching me to depend on the Lord every day for my material needs…and what a great and faithful provider our Lord is! Surely you too have seen this in your own life and home country?
Here are various reviews by others Christians (of varying theological pursuasions), addressing the teachings of John Bevere as clearly displayed in his books:
http://www.reclaimingthemind.org/blog/2009/04/under-cover-authority-obedience-abuse/
http://trutheran.blogspot.ca/2011/12/book-review-relentless-by-john-bevere.html
And a sermon review from pastor and apologist Chris Rosebrough:
Nse, here is an excellent starting point to seriously compare the teachings of the Word of Faith movement to the Scriptures:
Nse, if you read this reply, I pray that you will at least consider what other brothers and sisters in Christ are saying about John Bevere and his teachings. We are called to be ‘Bereans’ and search the Sriptures to see if what Christian teachers and leaders say is true. However, this means we must also take into consideration all of the Scriptures, in their proper context.
A dangerous practice of the ‘word of faith’ teachers is to take literal, historical promises made by God to the Israelites and inappropriately claim them as promises to the church today. Yet the New Testament is clear that the life of the Christian until Christ returns holds no promise of material prosperity, business success, a happy marriage or any other material blessing. “Give us this day our daily bread” is what the Lord Jesus taught the disciples to pray. Not “give us this day a kingdom business”.
This is not to say that God can’t or won’t bless Christians with these things at times, but there is no promise of this. For John Bevere to say that poverty and lack “cannot be God’s will for your life” is simply not true or biblical. Consider Romans 8 and 2 Corinthians 4, and also the church in Sardis (Revelation 2:8-11) which was materially poor but spiritually rich.
Nse, I pray that the Lord in his great mercy will open your eyes to the false teaching being offered in the name of Christ, including by John Bevere. It grieves me to think of so many caught in these false teachings.
Here are two sermons from the late Martyn lloyd-Jones that may aslo be helpful:
http://www.mljtrust.org/sermons/reactions-to-suffering/
http://www.mljtrust.org/sermons/not-ashamed-of-the-gospel/
In Christ’s love, Sherryn
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Hello, yes I’m a Holiness Preacher and who else would say that holiness preachers are false but the devil who would have people continue in their wrong doings, in Acts:2;42 they continued in the teaching of the Apostles and in Romans 6:1-16 Did not Paul say that we should not continue in sin. We are baptized in the name of Jesus and filled with the Holy Ghost with speaking in tongues and we can and do live holy, and no we aren’t all the way there but by the grace of Jesus we are transforming everyday. We see that through Christ we can over come our wicked habits. The Apostle Paul commanded that we aught to mordify our sins and through Jesus we have power to put to death our old ways. Yes we are saved by what our lord did and not us and now we can overcome our selves because of him. We are being changed because of our Jesus you are telling people they don’t have to change, putting the teachings of the Apostles that we follow in sharp detail aside, just as the devil does. You have no part in this matter. I turn you into the hands of the devil that is using you. In
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Craig,
I am rather puzzled at your comment. This article has nothing to do with the preaching of holiness. It is about the possibility of being deceived by the false teachings in the visible church.
Regards,
Sherryn
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