It has been a matter of debate among Bible scholars for centuries whether this verse refers to an apostasy among those who once followed God, or a general worldwide rebellion. In fact, Paul may have two things in mind. This apostasy could easily be on two fronts. One by the general population and the other by terrorism. We saw quite a round of riots - revolts and rebellion that took place after the last election. I think after the next election it's going to be even worse. Couple that with terrorism and voila - you have the prophesied apostasy!
Papyri documents that were written in the 3rd century and found during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries are a group of manuscripts that used the word APOSTASY politically of rebels.
Most Christians do NOT know what apostasy is and that's because of what they are taught. Christianity is the only World Religion that has the incorrect understanding of APOSTASY.
Other World Religions view apostasy as 'ABANDONING THEIR FORMER POLITICAL OR RELIGIOUS AFFILIATION AND ACCEPTING ANOTHER or as a revolt and a rebellion as well as a total abandonment of a previous affiliation.
This is the web definition of apostasy.
Apostasy - (noun) 1. The act of abandoning a party or cause.
2. The state of having rejected your religious beliefs, political party, cause or sports team in favor of opposing beliefs, causes or teams.
3. A defection, renunciation, disaffiliation, abandonment or revolt from a previous association.
4. (Islamic definition) Rejection in word or deed of one's former religion.
5. (Christian definition) To fall away from the truth.
It's a political or religious revolt just like what's taking place in the Arab Islamic world today,
I've read and pondered verse 3 and I do believe it may have NOTHING to do with Christians and the Church.
Verse 3 shows no indication this implies the Church. It shows the opposite.
From the word 'except' to the end of verse 12, the church IS NOT implied in any way. In fact the words "BUT WE" in verse 13 prove that Christians (the church) is not part of the apostasy! "The word 'but' is a conjunction that shows distinction and opposition to a previous statement. It opposes persons to persons or things previously mentioned or thought of. The distinction in this passage is between the Parousia and the followers of Christ as opposed to the man of sin and his followers. The church is not implied whatsoever."
Bible scholars like John MacArthur, David Jermiah, Hal Lindsey, and a host of others are an abomination to the Lord because they attribute this to the APOSTATE Church and esp. Catholicism. (There is no such thing as the apostate Church) They demonized God's Church and Christians have fallen for it because Christians believe these EXPERTS. They think they're the ones in the KNOW so they accept their teachings line, hook, and sinker.
"The secret power of lawlessness; the lawless one; whom the Lord Jesus will destroy; counterfeit signs, miracles, and wonders; every sort of evil that deceives those who "are perishing"; who refuse to love the truth and so be saved; and delight in wickedness; and God sends them powerful delusion so that they will believe a lie! "
Does the passage sound like the Church? Why would God send His own Christians powerful delusion? To attribute this to the end-time church is blasphemy and say's nothing good about the power of God's Holy Spirit whom He says He will pour out in the last days! To teach that this is the kind of thing God's church will support in the last day's is blasphemy. Why would anybody want to convert to Christ knowing that the church teaches it goes bad, accepts and produces the man of sin, becomes an end-time harlot. This is self-demonization.
Papyri documents that were written in the 3rd century and found during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries are a group of manuscripts that used the word APOSTASY politically of rebels.
Most Christians do NOT know what apostasy is and that's because of what they are taught. Christianity is the only World Religion that has the incorrect understanding of APOSTASY.
Other World Religions view apostasy as 'ABANDONING THEIR FORMER POLITICAL OR RELIGIOUS AFFILIATION AND ACCEPTING ANOTHER or as a revolt and a rebellion as well as a total abandonment of a previous affiliation.
This is the web definition of apostasy.
Apostasy - (noun) 1. The act of abandoning a party or cause.
2. The state of having rejected your religious beliefs, political party, cause or sports team in favor of opposing beliefs, causes or teams.
3. A defection, renunciation, disaffiliation, abandonment or revolt from a previous association.
4. (Islamic definition) Rejection in word or deed of one's former religion.
5. (Christian definition) To fall away from the truth.
It's a political or religious revolt just like what's taking place in the Arab Islamic world today,
I've read and pondered verse 3 and I do believe it may have NOTHING to do with Christians and the Church.
Verse 3 shows no indication this implies the Church. It shows the opposite.
From the word 'except' to the end of verse 12, the church IS NOT implied in any way. In fact the words "BUT WE" in verse 13 prove that Christians (the church) is not part of the apostasy! "The word 'but' is a conjunction that shows distinction and opposition to a previous statement. It opposes persons to persons or things previously mentioned or thought of. The distinction in this passage is between the Parousia and the followers of Christ as opposed to the man of sin and his followers. The church is not implied whatsoever."
Bible scholars like John MacArthur, David Jermiah, Hal Lindsey, and a host of others are an abomination to the Lord because they attribute this to the APOSTATE Church and esp. Catholicism. (There is no such thing as the apostate Church) They demonized God's Church and Christians have fallen for it because Christians believe these EXPERTS. They think they're the ones in the KNOW so they accept their teachings line, hook, and sinker.
"The secret power of lawlessness; the lawless one; whom the Lord Jesus will destroy; counterfeit signs, miracles, and wonders; every sort of evil that deceives those who "are perishing"; who refuse to love the truth and so be saved; and delight in wickedness; and God sends them powerful delusion so that they will believe a lie! "
Does the passage sound like the Church? Why would God send His own Christians powerful delusion? To attribute this to the end-time church is blasphemy and say's nothing good about the power of God's Holy Spirit whom He says He will pour out in the last days! To teach that this is the kind of thing God's church will support in the last day's is blasphemy. Why would anybody want to convert to Christ knowing that the church teaches it goes bad, accepts and produces the man of sin, becomes an end-time harlot. This is self-demonization.
