Men will give up anything rather than what they want to believe. And hate you for telling them there’s nothing to believe. And even if you prove it to them, they’ll continue to believe, and hate you for proving them foolish.”
–Louis L’Amour (Over on the Dry Side)
“The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved.”
–2 Thessalonians 2:9-10 (NKJV)
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The time is coming, woe, it is already at hand. People, including Christians are already giving themselves over to believe lies. I used to wonder how the Antichrist could come to power. I never doubted these verses in 2 Thessalonians, I just couldn’t conceive how it could be done. How could people so blatantly turn away from the truth. And now, it is happening right in front of us. Wonder no longer!
“And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie.”
–2 Thessalonians 2:11 (NKJV)
First, what is a delusion? It has been defined as “a belief or altered reality held despite evidence or agreement to the contrary, generally in reference to a mental disorder.” Notice that it will come from God and it would be “strong.” People will believe what is contrary to the truth. Read again Romans 1:18-2:9, keeping in mind what is going to happen just prior to the return of the Lord. Look at verse 25, “who exchanged the truth of God for the lie.” People are going to trade, barter off God’s truth, for a lie. It sounds crazy, but it is happening now. Because of this and its results, “…God gave them over to a debased mind…” (vs 28, NKJV) Some versions use, “worthless minds,” while most of them use the term, “reprobate minds.” These are people who cry for infanticide and abortion–they are debased, reprobates.
“I don’t have faith in the current administration to keep the US safe from this growing pandemic,” so said a former student of mine. A minor delusion, words not thoroughly thought through, but the person is taken up in it. I’m not saying that this virus is not serious or that it cannot become worse. Compare it right now with the flu; the deaths are not close to being comparable. Pandemic? That is yet to be seen. But the thing that struck me is that he does not trust this administration, one that is trying to secure borders, yet he will trust an alternative administration that seeks to have “open borders.” Delusion.
There are people running for President who openly mock the Word of God, yet call themselves Christian. One is married to a man and flaunts openly same-sex marriage saying that the Bible must be interpreted according to the culture of today. Delusion! One candidate says there will be no Christians serving in public office when he is President.
Who are these people that will send a “strong delusion” to? Read just above in verses 9 and 10: those who succumb to the working of Satan, those with unrighteous deception because they would not receive the truth. Unrighteousness is calling truth a lie, and that a lie is the truth along with living a life not in accord with the Bible. These people, those who are deluded, those who believe the lie will be “condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.” (2 Thessalonians 2:12, NKJV)
The end is not yet, but only around the next bend in the road. It’s coming, therefore, guard the truth. Do not give into lies; do not be deceived.
P.S. I like 2 Thessalonians 2:10-12 in the Phillips translation so have included it.
“To those involved in this dying world he [the lawless one] will come with evil’s undiluted power to deceive, for they have refused to love the truth which could have saved them. God sends upon them, therefore, the full force of evil’s delusion, so that they put their faith in an utter fraud and meet the inevitable judgment of all who have refused to believe the truth and who have made evil their play-fellow.”