Post #666 - Love of the Truth

If we think we can revel in our sin and then turn to Jesus for salvation at the last minute, when Antichrist is given authority over the world by God (Rev. 13:7), we need to take a look at what the Bible says…

2 Thessalonians 2:3,4, 8-12

"...the man of lawlessness…the son of destruction, who opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God…that lawless one will be revealed…the one whose coming is in accord with the activity of Satan, with all power and signs and false wonders, and with all the deception of wickedness for those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved. For this reason God will send upon them a deluding influence so that they will believe what is false, in order that they all may be judged who did not believe the truth, but took pleasure in wickedness."

Antichrist will have the ability to perform amazing signs and wonders, to deceive those who have not loved Jesus and embraced Him as the truth.  If we have rejected Him and His truth, taking pleasure in sin instead, God will cause us to buy into Antichrist's lies and signs and wonders.  We will believe Antichrist is God and will not recognize Antichrist for who he really is, the hater of the one, true God, energized by Satan. 1 John 2:22 defines the antichrist as the one who denies God the Father and Jesus, God the Son.

Antichrist is referred to as the beast in the book of Revelation.  Like the 2 Th. 2 passage, Rev. 13:4 also says his power is going to be great.  He is also going to speak blasphemies against God - Rev. 13:6.  I believe Antichrist is going to say horrible things about Jesus.  I believe from what we are told in 2 Thessalonians 2, those who have heard the gospel and rejected it will not be bothered in the least by these blasphemies.  Instead, they will become mockers and haters of Jesus and His followers - Mt. 24:9.  But the follower of Jesus will be cut to the core and deeply grieved.  To blaspheme against God will feel like a knife twisting in the heart of believers because it will be an attack on our beloved Savior.  

According to Rev. 13:7 the beast is going to go to war against believers and many will be killed by him.  We are told that there is another beast that will arise.  He too will perform great deceiving signs and wonders and he is the one who will direct the world to worship the first beast, or Antichrist.  He will tell people to make an image of the beast and to worship it.  The image of the beast will speak.  He will cause those who do not worship the image of Antichrist to be killed.  He will cause people to take a mark on their right hand or forehead in order to be able to do business.  The mark is either the name of the beast or the number of his name and the number is 666.  You can read it in Rev. 13:11-18.

John 14:6 - Jesus is the only way to the Father.  Jesus is the truth.  There are no lies in Him.  No deception.  No half truths.  Just pure, beautiful, truth.  Whatever He says, He means, and it will happen just as He says.  Jesus is abundant life.  He offers crystal clear, all refreshing, life giving water.  To follow Jesus leads to eternal life.  To follow Antichrist ultimately will lead to eternal destruction, only it won't be recognized at first.  His followers will think they are under the umbrella of peace and safety - 1 Th. 5:3.  Jesus offers forgiveness of sins.  He offers Himself.  The truth is that He went to the cross and bore the wrath of God for our sin, if we will turn away from our sin and accept His death in our place, believing that He is the one and only true God, bending the knee to Him as Lord, and King.  He promises to be with those who love Him as The Truth, during the coming reign of Antichrist - Mt. 28:20.  Antichrist's reign will last three and a half years - Rev. 13:5.  It will begin when He makes His God declaration.  Then, He will go after those who refuse to worship him and who hold to the testimony of Jesus, but his ability to slaughter will be cut off by the return of Jesus, sometime before the three and a half years is up - Mt. 24:22.  The Father knows the day and the hour (Mt. 24:36) and Jesus has given us the signs that will precede His return - Mt. 24:3-31.  Those who put their faith in Jesus Christ will be overcomers of Antichrist, even in death.  (See the verse just under my blog title at the top - Revelation 12:11.)  

The days that are coming are going to be extraordinary.  Antichrist will perform signs and wonders.  He will say deceiving things.  He will spout half truths that only the child of God will recognize as deceiving, because we have loved the truth.  The revealing of Antichrist is a revealing to Christ followers of his true identity, a man whose power comes from Satan.  The second beast will also perform signs and wonders.  And God, in His grace, is going to send an angel making this announcement:

"And another angel, a third one, followed them, saying with a loud voice, "If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives a mark on his forehead or upon his hand, he also will drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is mixed in full strength in the cup of His anger; and he will be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb.  And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever; and they have no rest day and night, those who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name."

Revelation 14:9-11

"Whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life."

John 4:14

"And the Spirit and the bride say, "Come."  And let the one who hears say, "Come."  And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who wishes take the water of life without cost."

Revelation 22:17

Protection for a short time, under a deceiver, and then God's wrath forever, and ever, and ever, 

or tribulation for a short time and possible death, but Jesus, The True Life-Giver,
forever, and ever, and ever?

I plead with you, choose Jesus, now.