Who shall be Able to Stand part 2

 The Working of Satan

The Saviour said that at the time when His coming is at the doors, Matthew 24:24 There shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.

When falsehood shall have gained such power as that, every person who will not be deceived will have to have such a connection with the truth and with its Author, that falsehood, even in its most powerful manifestation, shall not affect him.

Power, Signs, and Lying Wonders

In 2 Thessalonians, Paul, writing particularly of the second coming of the Lord, says:

2 Thessalonians 2:9 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 in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.

In other words, immediately preceding the coming of the Lord, God will give to men full opportunity to accept the truth, the love of which will save them from deception, and from the destruction that will surely come upon all who do not receive the love of the truth.

But many will reject that truth, they will not receive the love of it, and in rejecting the truth they place themselves on the side of falsehood, and in a position where Satan can and will work in them with all deceivableness of unrighteousness. When men reject the truth and will not receive the love of the truth, what then can they receive but lies? what can they love but falsehood?

11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie; 12 That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

God will send them strong delusion, by simply giving them up to their own delusion, by letting them have their own way. This is shown by Paul’s reference to the heathen of old:

Romans 1:25 Who changed the truth of God into a lie, [and] 26 For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections. 28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; 29 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, inventorsof evil things, disobedient to parents, 31 Without understanding, covenant-breakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful.

Now with that read this description of men in the last days:

2 Timothy 3:1 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters,proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent,fierce, despisers of those that are good,4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more thanlovers of God;5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof:from such turn away.

Thus it is seen that in the last days men having a form of godliness will reach the same condition in which stood the heathen of old; and that they reach that condition by the same means as did the heathen of old:

• They did not like to retain God in their knowledge, so God gave them up to their own vile affections;

• They would not receive the love of the truth, so God gave them up to their own delusion, that they should believe a lie;

• They “had pleasure in unrighteousness,” and as “all unrighteousness is sin” this is only to say that they had pleasure in sin, therefore God gave them up to their own wishes and their own ways.

As they love sin more than they love God, and then persist in their love of sin by rejecting the very means by which God endeavors to save them, the Lord can do nothing more; it is impossible to reach them; they will have their own way; that way is in the love of sin; and in choosing that way rather than the love of the truth that they might be saved, they give themselves over to Satan, who works in them...

2 Thessalonians 2:9 ...with all power and signs and lying wonders, 10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness.