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Scripture: 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12

Three areas of discernment that we need in these last days to spot the counterfeit and remain fixed on truth:

1. Discern the Counterfeit Message. (vs. 1-3)

a) The problem with deceit is that it raises alarmism and causes hysteria, shaking people from what they once held to be true

b) Deceit often comes from within our own camp – this is one of the greatest threats to Christianity

- To fight false teaching, we must study, and hold in our hearts, the original and sound doctrine of the apostles (vs. 5)

- Do not be deceived by:

i. A spirit – which could be through a false prophet

ii. A spoken word – which could be through a false teacher

iii. A letter – (or a teaching of so-called new revelation) – which is through a counterfeit apostle

2. Discern the Counterfeit Mission. (vs. 3, 10-12)

a) Apostasy - a military term to denote the abandonment of one’s post or position = professing believers walking away from the faith

- Cf. Matthew 24:10-12: And then many will fall away and betray one another and hate one another. And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold.

- THE apostasy coming is a global church crisis of epic proportions! Be alert and ready… guard your walk with Christ NOW!

b) To be apostate is to be on a counterfeit mission.

- Apostates:

i. Refuse to love the truth and so be saved. (vs. 10)

ii. Pleasure in unrighteousness (vs 12)

iii. Are handed over to the deception in their hearts by God (vs. 11)

c) Deception leverages our sinful nature, taking full advantage of the lust of the eyes, and the lust of the flesh and the pride of life (1 John 2:16) making it possible for even once professing believers, once full of zeal, lose their love for the truth, turn their backs on what is good, and return to living like the rest of the world. This is an in-house tragedy!

3. Discern the Counterfeit Messiah. (vs. 3-4, 6-10)

a) The man of lawlessness has a few names: man of sin, son of destruction, son of perdition, the Antichrist (1 John 2:18)

b) The man of lawlessness:

- Is a man (not some other form of supernatural being or an institution or government (vs. 3)

- He is a man lawless by nature (vs. 3)

- He is entirely bent on opposing the One True Living God (vs. 4)

- Is inextricably linked to the final apostasy (vs. 3)

- His mission is to exalt himself to such a level that he is the only thing to be worshipped in all the earth (vs. 4)

- His mission is to usurp the authority of the One true living God (vs.4)

- Is fueled by Satan’s power (vs. 9)

c) We must understand that the man of lawlessness has not yet been revealed BUT “…the mystery of lawlessness is already at work.” (cf. 1 John 4:3 – “This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already.”)

a. We must see the counsel in these words and take stock of our own hearts. The lawlessness already at work and the spirit of antichrist already in the world seeks to destroy you and me by distracting us from the truth and moving us towards love for all the things of this world so that we develop a warped perspective on life. So, will we be the kind of people that profess with our mouth that Jesus is Lord BUT not back it up with the way that we live? Or will we be fully devoted disciples of Christ to the very end?

I pray that you and I will be very discerning in these last days, fully committed to studying the truth, keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus, being on mission solely for Him and always spotting the counterfeit trying to take us under.

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