WORKING OF SATAN

Sunday Morning:  October 8, 2000

Text: 2 Thessalonians 2:7-14

LAWLESSNESS

2 Thessalonians 2:3-4  "Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that [the] man of sin [lawlessness] be revealed, the son of perdition;

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, showing himself that he is God."

ALREADY WORKING

2 Thessalonians 2:7  "For the mystery of iniquity [lawlessness] doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way."

DECEIVABLENESS

2 Thessalonians 2:9-10  "Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, 10. And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness . . ."

FATHER OF THE LIE

John 8:44  ". . . the devil, . . . He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a [the] lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a [the] liar, and the father of it."

THROUGH SUBTLETY

2 Corinthians 11:3  "But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtlety [craftiness], so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ."

THE ANTICHRIST

1 John 2:18  "Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that [the] antichrist (the lawless one) shall come, even now are there many antichrists (teachers of lawlessness); whereby we know that it is the last time."

BE NOT DECEIVED

1 Corinthians 6:9-10  "Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, 10. Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God."

ANTICHRIST IS A DECEIVER

2 John 1:7  "For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ (the anointed Son of God) is come in the flesh. This is a [the] deceiver and an [the] antichrist."

THE LOVE OF THE TRUTH

2 Thessalonians 2:10  "And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish [present middle]; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.

THE TRUTH

John 16:13  "Howbeit when he, the Spirit of [the] truth, is come, he will guide you into all [the] truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will show you things to come."

GOOD THINGS TO COME

Hebrews 9:11  "But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle [heavenly], not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building [earthly];"

OUR HEAVENLY INHERITANCE

Hebrews 11:20  "By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come."

SALVATION IN CHRIST

2 Timothy 2:10-12  "Therefore I endure all things for the elect's sakes, that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal [agelasting] glory. 11. It is a faithful saying: For if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him: 12. If we suffer [endure], we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us:"

ACCORDING TO PAUL’S GOSPEL

2 Thessalonians 2:13-14  "But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth: 14. Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ."

PAUL’S GOSPEL, THE TRUTH

2 Corinthians 4:2-4  "But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God.

NO LOVE OF THE TRUTH

3. But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost [present middle, perishing]:

THE PERISHING

2 Thessalonians 2:10  ". . . in them that perish [present middle]; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved."

SATAN BLINDED THEM

4. In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light [gospel comes here] of the glorious (glory) gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them."

THEY CHANGED THE TRUTH

Romans 1:25  "Who changed the truth of God into a [the] lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen."

HOLD DOWN THE TRUTH

Romans 1:18  "For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold [present active, hold down] the truth in unrighteousness;"

THEY KNEW THE TRUTH

Romans 1:19  "Because that (the truth) which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath showed it unto them."

THEY ESCAPED THE POLLUTION

2 Peter 2:20-21  "For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge [epignwsiv, added knowledge] of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. 21. For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them."

THESE KNEW GOD

Romans 1:21  "Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened."

REPROBATE MIND

Romans 1:28  "And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge [epignwsiv, deeper knowledge], God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;"

THEY WERE DECEIVED

Romans 1:29-32  "Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, 30. Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 31. Without understanding, covenant breakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: 32. Who knowing [epignwsiv, added knowledge] the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death [qanatov, perishing death], not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them."

BE NOT DECEIVED

Galatians 6:7-9  "Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. 8. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. 9. And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not."