Preserved From the Great Falling Away
Christ's second coming will not take place until many who once knew God fall away from the truth and the Antichrist is revealed, but God has made a covenant promise to give us victory over sin through the power of Christ's cross.
David Wilkerson emphasizes the urgency of remaining steadfast in faith as he discusses Paul's warning to the Thessalonians about the 'day of the Lord.' He highlights that before Christ's return, a significant falling away from the truth will occur, with many believers succumbing to sin and deception. Wilkerson warns that the spirit of lawlessness is already at work, leading many to believe they can indulge in sin without consequence. However, he reassures that through Christ's power, believers can overcome sin and avoid deception by committing to a disciplined study of God's Word. He encourages prayer for a deeper reverence for scripture and a commitment to resist sin.
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In a letter to the Christians at Thessalonica, Paul speaks of a future event he calls "the day of the Lord." He writes, "Concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to him, we ask you, brothers and sisters, not to become easily unsettled or alarmed by the teaching allegedly from us--whether by a prophecy or by word of mouth or by letter--asserting that the day of the Lord has already come. Don't let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed" (2 Thessalonians 2:1-3, NIV).
Some theologians believe the "day of the Lord" Paul refers to here is the final judgment. However, I believe with most scholars that Paul is speaking of Christ's second coming. And Paul states that Jesus' return will not take place until two things happen:
Many who once knew God will fall away from the truth of the gospel they've known.
The Antichrist, or man of sin, will be revealed.
It should be obvious to every lover of Jesus that a "falling away" is already taking place. Many believers, as well as Christians throughout the past few decades, have grown cold in their love for God. In a scheme to pervert Christ's gospel of grace, Satan is convincing masses of believers they can indulge their sins without paying any penalty. This turns Christ's gospel into a message of licentiousness! Tragically, many lukewarm Christians are succumbing to this spirit of lawlessness, making them ripe to accept the man of sin (the Antichrist) when he comes on the scene, working miracles and solving problems.
You may think, "I would never be fooled into following the Antichrist." But Paul warns that people will be blinded and deceived by their own sin (2:9-10). Satan will convince the world, just as he convinced Eve, that God doesn't punish for sin (2:11).
Beloved, it doesn't have to be this way for any of us. God has made a covenant promise to remove all delusion from us and give us victory over sin, through the power of Christ's cross. All he asks is that we declare war on our sin, saying, "I won't make peace with this habit. I refuse to abide it. Deliver me, father, by your Spirit!" When he hears this prayer, he'll send such Holy Ghost power and glory from heaven, the devil won't stand a chance!
Pray right now that God implants in you a great reverence for his word. Ask him to help you be disciplined in your reading of the scriptures. And ask the Spirit to help you take to heart what you read -- to believe that God means what he says!
Sermon Outline
- I. The Day of the Lord
- A. A future event spoken of by Paul in 2 Thessalonians
- B. Not the final judgment, but Christ's second coming
- II. The Falling Away
- A. Many who once knew God will fall away from the truth
- B. A result of Satan's scheme to pervert the gospel of grace
- III. The Man of Sin
- A. The Antichrist, revealed after the falling away
- B. Will work miracles and solve problems, deceiving many
- IV. The Warning
- A. Paul warns that people will be blinded and deceived by their own sin
- B. Satan will convince the world that God doesn't punish for sin
- V. The Solution
- A. God's covenant promise to remove delusion and give victory over sin
- B. Through the power of Christ's cross, we can declare war on sin
Key Quotes
“Satan will convince the world, just as he convinced Eve, that God doesn't punish for sin.” — David Wilkerson
“When he hears this prayer, he'll send such Holy Ghost power and glory from heaven, the devil won't stand a chance!” — David Wilkerson
“God has made a covenant promise to remove all delusion from us and give us victory over sin, through the power of Christ's cross.” — David Wilkerson
Application Points
- We must declare war on our sin and ask God to give us victory over it through the power of Christ's cross.
- We must stay true to God's word by declaring a great reverence for it, being disciplined in our reading of the scriptures, and asking the Spirit to help us take it to heart.
- We must pray for God to implant in us a great reverence for his word and help us be disciplined in our reading of the scriptures.