THE THREE STAGES OF END-TIME DELUSION - STAGE 3

READ 2 Thessalonians 2:10-12

The final step in being overcome with strong delusion is judgment or condemnation.  Sure damnation is waiting for everyone deceived by the Antichrist.  2 Thessalonians 2:12 states, “That they ALL might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.”

The word, damned, means to be condemned. Paul is saying that if a person makes a conscious decision to enjoy sin and love sin instead of Jesus, he is opening himself up for the next step, which is to reject the truth. The next step is to fall for satanic deception and after that is strong delusion, and then to believe the lie.

What's the final step? Paul gave it to us in chapter 1:9. In verse 8 he talks about those who obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. That is, they receive not the love of the truth. Verse 9, "Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord..." That final step is damnation, to be God-abandoned.

Part of being in hell is to be forever without God. There is no light in hell because God is light.  There is no life in hell because God is life. There is no love in hell because God is love. What an awful thought, to be forever and forever and forever without God.

There was a plantation owner in the Civil War days who had a wayward son.  He did everything he knew to reach that boy to turn his life around and get him going in the right direction, but the boy insisted on a wayward, godless life.

One day that plantation owner, the boy’s father, walked out into the cotton fields on his plantation, and all of the workers on that farm heard the most awful screams human ears had ever heard.  He screamed, and he screamed, and he screamed. He turned and walked out of that field and never mentioned his boy's name again.

God in heaven has sent His Son, Jesus. And with a voice of love, God has called out to you and to me, "Come, all things are now ready. Come, I'll save you. Come, I'll change your life." God is crying out.  

There may come a day when God will send you strong delusion. You have a choice. You can reject the love of the truth, and this makes you a prime target for deception, destruction, and damnation.  But the good news is you can receive the love of the truth. You can say, yes, to the Lord Jesus Christ and receive the truth of the Gospel.

If you say yes to Christ, you will become a prime target for life, and for love, and for forgiveness, and for peace, and for power, and for heaven, and all of the other good things that come from the heart of a loving God.

It's your decision. What will you do with it? I hope you will choose to walk in truth, rather than to believe the lie.

Your Friend and HIS,

Pastor Abbott

MEDITATIONS

1.  Have you accepted the Christ of the Gospel?  If not, why not?

2.  Sure damnation awaits every person who loves unrighteousness.  Have you or someone you know given themselves to living a life of unrighteousness?

3.  How can a person know he or she is going to heaven when they die?

4.  Do you see God’s great love in giving us His Son to die for our sins?  How has your accepting Christ changed your life?