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Showing posts with the label Apostasy

Hold Fast to the Word

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The first literary section of  Hebrews  concludes with an exhortation and ominous warning. Any disciple of Jesus who fails to heed the far “ better word ” that God is now speaking in His Son will suffer an even “ sorer punishment ” than the rebellious Israelites received when they disobeyed the Mosaic Law. The  Torah  was delivered to Moses by angels. Nevertheless, it was God’s word, and therefore, lawbreakers were punished severely.

Do Not Drift Away

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The first chapter of  Hebrews  emphasizes the supremacy of the High Priest who now sits at the “ right hand of the Majesty on High .” In the chapter’s second half, the eternal sovereignty of God is described (“ Your throne, O God, is to times everlasting ”), then the qualifications of the Son for the priesthood are stated (“ You loved righteousness and hated lawlessness ”). This leads to the exhortation at the beginning of Chapter 2.

Another Gospel

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The epistle to the Galatians opens with a stern warning. What some believers contemplated doing would replace the true Gospel with something quite alien to the Apostolic message. To turn from the “ faith of Jesus Christ ” to the “ works of the law ” for justification meant abandoning the grace of God and rejecting the message preached by Paul, which is why he summoned God to “ curse ” any man, even “ an angel from Heaven ,” who preached “ another gospel .”

The Apostasy

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The Apostle Paul responded to false reports about the “ Day of the Lord ” by pointing to the expected apostasy and the “ Man of Lawlessness .” Jesus would not “ arrive ” to gather his saints until the “ Apostasy ” occurred and the “ Lawless One ” was revealed “ in the Sanctuary of God .” In doing so, he reiterated warnings found elsewhere in Scripture about the “ falling away ” and “ deceivers ” in the “ Last Days ,” including those made by Jesus in his ‘Olivet Discourse’.

Key Predicted Events

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The New Testament warns the disciples of Jesus about several things that will characterize the period between his first and second comings, ones that will intensify as the end approaches. They include a great many deceivers that will infiltrate the church along with deception, apostasy, the rise of an especially significant deceiver just prior to the end, and Satan’s final assault on the church.

Two Missing Events

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Two events must occur before the Day of the Lord comes, the Apostasy and the unveiling of the Man of Lawlessness .  The men who were spreading false rumors in Thessalonica about the immediate future were deceiving believers by raising false expectations about the imminence of the “ Day of the Lord ” and the “ arrival ” of Jesus when he will gather his saints. Paul warned the church not to be alarmed or deceived by such rumors, especially such reports that claimed (falsely) to be from him or his coworkers.

Forerunner of the Lawless One

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The Little Horn in Daniel is the model for the Man of Lawlessness described by Paul to the Thessalonians . In his visions, Daniel sees a malevolent ruler called variously the “ Little Horn ,” the “ King of Fierce Countenance ,” the “ Contemptible One ,” and the “ King who does according to his will .” This figure is an arrogant ruler with a “ mouth speaking great things .” He profanes the Sanctuary, causes the cessation of the daily burnt offerings in the Jerusalem Temple, erects the “ Abomination that Desolates ,” and “ exalts himself against God .”

Howling Imposters

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In his final recorded discourse, Jesus included several warnings about coming “ deceivers ,” “ false messiahs ,” and “ false prophets ,” men and women intent on misleading his disciples. His warnings were reiterated and expanded in the writings of the Apostles. He began his discourse on the Mount of Olives with a stern warning - “ Beware lest anyone deceive you! ” - “ MANY ” deceivers are coming who will “ deceive MANY .” Deception working its way through the Body of Christ is  NOT  a new phenomenon.

Let Us Draw Near

After urging believers to enter God’s “ rest ,” the  Letter to the Hebrews  provides an eloquent description of the powerful word of God, then it returns to the subject of the Son’s priesthood “ after the order of Melchizedek .” Believers must strive to enter His “ rest ” while the opportunity remains - “ TODAY, hearken to His voice .” In contrast, ancient Israel refused to believe the words of Yahweh, therefore, Joshua could not lead the nation into the Promised Land.

Enter His Rest

The Letter continues with its analogy to  Israel’s rebellion  in the wilderness, thereby summoning believers not to make the same error of unbelief and fail to enter God’s “ rest .” In the desert, Yahweh decreed that the generation of Israelites that fled from Egypt would not enter the Promised Land. And so, disciples of Jesus who fail to “ hold fast the beginning of their confidence firm unto the end ” will face a similar fate. They will not inherit the promises of God.