Posted by Lisa Laree to Beer Lahai Roi
The holidays have come and gone like a snowstorm in the South...which also happened the day after Christmas (a whole half inch, lol)...and now it's time to get back into the little 'let's skim a book a week and see what verse/ passage Holy Spirit will highlight'. We are in the T books of the New Testament and this week we have 2 Thessalonians.
Paul had mentioned the return of Jesus in his first letter to the Thessalonians (the last post, two weeks ago), and he returns to that topic in this letter. I kinda suspect that Paul had had news of these folks, which prompted the second letter, and there may have been a mention of their interest in this topic, because he writes, 'Concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to him...' in 2:1. This leads to a discussion of what will precede this event, namely, the revealing of 'the lawless one' (2:3), who will deceive 'those who are perishing' (2:10a).
This brings me to the verse that jumped out at me this week; maybe it's because I've been in conversations lately discussing our human tendency to be dishonest with ourselves, which is where all true deception starts.
They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. For this reason, God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness. -- 2 Thess. 2: 10b- 12
They refused to love the truth. That's where it ALL starts. All the deception, all the pain, all the rebellion, all the ...sin. It STARTS with a refusal to love the truth.
What is the Truth, Eve? God loves you and wants to fellowship with you and gave you ONE THING to do in order to obey him. The Deception...God is holding out on me and I need to make up my own mind.
What is the Truth, Cain? You know what God expects from you, why not simply do what he asks? You know...the right thing? The Deception...I should be able to show God my love and worship how I think fit, if he doesn't accept it, that's his problem and I shouldn't have to change. If I remove the one he prefers to me, then he will have to accept me, right?
What is the Truth, Pharoah? The God of the Israelites has decreed that they should go into the desert and worship him. The Deception...The God of the Israelites is nothing in Egypt; I am not under his authority. I am the ruler here.
What is the Truth, Achan? God said all the plunder from this battle was his. The Deception...I don't have to give him everything, I can slip some of this wealth into my pocket. No one need ever know.
What is the Truth, Uzziah? Burning incense in the Holy Place is the task of the Priests, who are anointed and set apart to do that. The Deception...I am king, I am above the Law, I should be able to show God my love and worship as I see fit. I am as worthy as you priests.
What is the Truth, Sadducees and Pharisees of the 1st Century? The Messiah has come from God and is standing before you now, doing signs and wonders and teaching everyone to love the Lord their God with all their heart, soul, mind and strength...and to love others (even Samaritans!) as they love themselves. The Deception ...This can't be the Messiah...he doesn't fit our expectations. And he's going to upset the status quo and we'll lose the limited autonomy that we have, as well as our positions of honor and privilege. He is a threat we must eliminate.
Do you see? Truth is clearly before all these folks, yet they chose to believe something else. And that sets up the pattern for rebellion and destruction.
Some will argue that it's God's fault...that he sends the delusion so they believe the lie. But that's not strictly correct. They CHOSE first...to reject the truth. The delusion is part of the consequences of that choice. They choose a lie...so God gives them what they chose.
Anyone in honest pursuit of THE truth will find it. Anyone seeking to define THEIR truth...rejecting THE truth...is headed for destruction.
And that's the truth.
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