We live in the very last of the last days. Many deny doctrines found in the bible. The rapture is denied by many false xians who do not really believe the bible. Many use 2 thes 2 to make a false assumption about the rapture. They do it by quoting a verse and ignoring the context of the following verses. Beware of rapture deniers. Let no man seal your crown.
lets study deeper by looking at 2 Thess 2:
2 thess 2
1 Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him,
Notice this first verse. We see the coning of the Lord Jesus mentioned with an "and" showing another event. Our gathering together unto him. This is a reference to the rapture. Many just do not notice this in the bible.
lets look further as this is the only thing rapture deniers quote...
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.
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;
Here the rapture deniers stop reading/quoting. They say: here is proof that the falling away comes before the antichrist rises to power. So somehow ... he comes later onto the scene after the falling away. This is where they start making the ridiculous claims about the rapture. Well guess what, the falling away is happening right now. Today churches and "religious" people have forsaken sound bible doctrines. Many have gone into hearesy and false teaching. The falling away is now and is not some later event. As each day passes the apostasy grows worse and worse until the antichrist rises to power. Literally if all the antichrist needs is a falling away to rise to power. He is read to comie right now because the falling away is here now. Lets not be like the rapture deniers and keep reading further into the scriptures.
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.
5 Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things?
6 And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time.
7 For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.
8 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:
These verses state that the antichrist/beast cannot rise to power until he that letteth (restrains) is taken out of the way. Then and only then, he will be revealed. So what is the restrainer. The answer is simple. It is the Holy Spirit working in and through the saved church. When the saved church is removed at the rapture, the antichrist/beast may then rise to power.
A quick point... The restrainer cannot be the Holy Spirit by Himself. He is God and is omnipresent. He is everywhere in creation and cannot be removed from anywhere. But, the Holy Spirit filled saved Church can be removed at the rapture. When this happens at the rapture, the restraint on evil is removed. Then the antichrist is free to be revealed to the world.
So reading 2 thes 2 in context we see 2 conditions needed before the rise of the antichrist/beast. Here they are:
1... apostasy. A falling away from sound bible doctrine. Guess what. We are at the great falling away now. Churches have gone apostate. The fail to teach on sin, salvation, heaven, hell and how to be saved in the Lord Jesus alone. One is saved by grace through faith alone and totally apart from works. Sadly, many church people do not know these facts. Also, these apostate churches also purposly omit the doctrine of bible prophecy. Here we are right before the return of the Lord Jesus to rapture home His saved.. and these apostate churches refuse to teach prophecy. What are they afraid of? Could they fear big doners getting "offended" and leaving their apostate church and take their money with them?? Like I said, apostasy is here right now.
2... The restrainer must be removed. Curently God the Holy Spirit is restraining evil through the saved church still here on earth. At the rapture the restrainer is removed as the saved church is taken to heaven. That is good news and can literally happen any day now.
When you heae a rapture denier quote 2 thess 2.. They will always quote the apostasy part and ignore the rest. (the restrainer removal part) That is how servants of satan twist scripture. Technically, the apostasy is here now so the antichrist could rise at any moment now. But that does not make sense until one looks at the removal of the restrainer part. When there is both apostasy and the restrainer is removed, then the antichrist beast is free to rise to power.
You can easily refute their foolishness by showing them the verses following the few they quote. But sadly.. many rapture deniers have no heart at all for sound bible doctrine. So do not be surprised if they reject all you have to say. My opinion is after the rapture, these doctrine deniers will be left behind. It is their well deserved judgment. So do not be deceived and do not let any man take your crown. I say this because all who look forward to the coming of the Lord Jesus will receive a crown.
Now is the time to be saved. Salvation is today as tomorrow may be too late for you. First, repent by admitting you are a lost sinner before God.
Romans 3:23
“For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;”
Realize that sin pays a wage, and that wage is death. There are 2 types of death: 1... physical death 2... eternal death and separation from God. This is torment forever in the lake of fire.
Romans 6:23
“For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
Realize that God has a free gift of salvation that is available to all willing to receive it.
John 3:16
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
As many as trust in the Lord Jesus alone for salvation are saved and have eternal life. After this life is over, They have a home in heaven, forever.
John 1:12
“But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:”
So do not wait. Choose to be saved now. You have a short time on earth to make this decision. Choose wisely.
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