THE APOSTASY - THE GREAT FALLING AWAY
The Bible says there must be a time of falling away, a time of apostasy, and that the son of perdition, the Antichrist, must be revealed before the coming of the Lord and our gathering together unto Him. It also says not to be swayed by anyone who says differently. This includes even famous preachers and theologians of today who say otherwise.
In our “gathering together” to the Lord, the original word for “gathering together” to the Lord is “episynagoge” which according to “Strong's Greek and Hebrew Dictionary” means a complete collection assembling or gathering together especially for worship. This section of Scripture is in direct reference to the rapture.
The original word from which “falling away” comes from, is “apostasia.” According to Strong's, it means: a defection from truth, apostasy, falling away, forsake. So this “falling away,” is a forsaking and deflection from truth. "Deflection" means “changing direction and going away from.”
Some say that the apostasy only applies to the church. I believe the meaning of apostasy used here involves all of mankind and that a large majority will forsake “the truth of what is good and moral.” God put a measure of faith and the ability to know right from wrong, in every person. The root of “apostasia” is “apostasion” which is like a divorce. “Apostasion” is a derivative of “aphistēmi” which is akin to remove, revolt, desert, refrain, withdraw.
What would cause people to deflect from and forsake the truth of what is good and moral? It has been said, that if you put “a frog” into a “pot of boiling water,” that it will “leap out right away” to escape the danger. However, if you put a frog, in a pot that is filled with cool and pleasant water, and then “gradually heat the pot until it starts boiling,” the frog will not become aware of the threat, until it is too late. This is a great analogy and shows one of the ways in which Satan gradually draws people away from the truth about what is right and wrong.
Little by little, wickedness has crept more and more into society. Almost all systems of communication and mass media have become infected. Most forms of mass media are owned by people with agendas and whatever comes from them, is either filtered or spun to meet their purposes. Even public education has been corrupted so that many children have become adults with warped concepts, not realizing that they were misled. Most parents did not even realize it was happening.
The devil has many modes of operation in the world we live in. Deception is so rampant; one can hardly know which report to believe about anything. More people are willing to deceive others for whatever their agendas are. Political correctness has become like adult peer pressure. People live in fear of offending someone or being ridiculed; and will not speak up at times when the truth needs to be stood up for. Silence is consent. Temptation is more available than ever. There is an epidemic of the “desensitization of sin” from the devil’s “little by little” technique. The attitude of self-importance is out of control. There is an epidemic of “my wants, my needs, my group, my ethnicity, my rights, including to sin, etc. There are many more "tools" in the devil’s bag of tricks, but these are some that are very obvious.
It seems that often there is little difference in the lives of those who profess to be Christians, and those who do not. The Lord has said, “to be friends with the world, is to be at enmity with God.” Our carnal, human nature is selfish and directs us to "please that nature.” It is in direct opposition of seeking to please God. Human nature seeks self-gratification and is even righteous in its own eyes. The darkness in this world, both human and demonic, hate the Light and are getting bolder and bolder in showing that hate.
Why do people not recognize this evil agenda and the toll it is taking? No matter what trick the devil uses, “people who reject God” are defenseless to recognize the snares set for them and the enemy takes full advantage of it. The more a person rejects the conviction of the Holy Spirit, the more they lose their ability to hear His voice and their moral reasoning, the discernment to recognize right from wrong. Sometimes it has been described as having a seared conscience. When a person continues in a sin, knowing it is wrong, but loves the sin the most, they begin to justify it and become unable to hear correction for their situation. Usually, the only hope of ever being free, is to be given over to it. We are slaves to whatever or whoever we obey, and this is especially true to sin. Sin opens the door to the devil and his demons. He has demons of pride, addiction, hate, greed, lust, rebellion, witchcraft and more. Once those demons have someone, they can only be free if they want it bad enough and sincerely call upon the Lord. This great falling away will be possible because of the love of sin and the refusal of God’s correction.
Couple this with generational curses that come from sin. In order for blessings to be carried down in families, it has to also be possible for cursing. Children are literally blessed for having godly parents and the opposite is also true, children suffer for having ungodly ones.
We have a spiritually dark planet that is growing darker. This type of apostasy is what happened before the Flood and also led to the Tower of Babel. It will happen again but in a greater measure. Many people "playing church" or who are not "truly grounded" in the Lord and His Word, will be drawn into the deceptions of Satan that are increasing from every direction.
Paul wrote in 2 Timothy 4:4, that many will "turn their ears away from the truth." To what extent will the deflection from the truth be? It will be so huge that even some of the elect will fall. Tremendous deception is here already, and even more is coming.
What does “because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold” mean? When deception and iniquity increase, people hurt each other. Trust will decrease and fear will increase. Life will become more and more dangerous, despite an increase in government. Good will be hindered and evil will be tolerated and even encouraged.
Great delusion and deception will come, that the wicked will be deceived by, because of their spiritual condition.
When a person wants to believe a lie more than the truth about anything, they will be deceived. A person in this condition does not want the truth to be saved from the mistake. This is the case for the wicked of the last days on a large scale. It is not that God does not want them saved but rather that their hearts will brazenly love sin and unrighteousness the most. Please consider this next section of Scripture about the fate of those of "mankind" who reject God and His goodness.
The above verses from the book of Romans, really show how societies (and individuals) that continually reject God, are given over to their own wickedness. Put it on a global scale and we can understand the final global apostasy of this age. Here are some of the other verses about the wickedness of the last days:
The move toward a global apostasy has already begun. This global rebellion against God and His ways will make the wicked easy prey for the delusion of the Antichrist.
- 2 Thessalonians 2:1-4 Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, we ask you, not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us, as though the day of Christ had come. Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.
In our “gathering together” to the Lord, the original word for “gathering together” to the Lord is “episynagoge” which according to “Strong's Greek and Hebrew Dictionary” means a complete collection assembling or gathering together especially for worship. This section of Scripture is in direct reference to the rapture.
The original word from which “falling away” comes from, is “apostasia.” According to Strong's, it means: a defection from truth, apostasy, falling away, forsake. So this “falling away,” is a forsaking and deflection from truth. "Deflection" means “changing direction and going away from.”
Some say that the apostasy only applies to the church. I believe the meaning of apostasy used here involves all of mankind and that a large majority will forsake “the truth of what is good and moral.” God put a measure of faith and the ability to know right from wrong, in every person. The root of “apostasia” is “apostasion” which is like a divorce. “Apostasion” is a derivative of “aphistēmi” which is akin to remove, revolt, desert, refrain, withdraw.
What would cause people to deflect from and forsake the truth of what is good and moral? It has been said, that if you put “a frog” into a “pot of boiling water,” that it will “leap out right away” to escape the danger. However, if you put a frog, in a pot that is filled with cool and pleasant water, and then “gradually heat the pot until it starts boiling,” the frog will not become aware of the threat, until it is too late. This is a great analogy and shows one of the ways in which Satan gradually draws people away from the truth about what is right and wrong.
Little by little, wickedness has crept more and more into society. Almost all systems of communication and mass media have become infected. Most forms of mass media are owned by people with agendas and whatever comes from them, is either filtered or spun to meet their purposes. Even public education has been corrupted so that many children have become adults with warped concepts, not realizing that they were misled. Most parents did not even realize it was happening.
The devil has many modes of operation in the world we live in. Deception is so rampant; one can hardly know which report to believe about anything. More people are willing to deceive others for whatever their agendas are. Political correctness has become like adult peer pressure. People live in fear of offending someone or being ridiculed; and will not speak up at times when the truth needs to be stood up for. Silence is consent. Temptation is more available than ever. There is an epidemic of the “desensitization of sin” from the devil’s “little by little” technique. The attitude of self-importance is out of control. There is an epidemic of “my wants, my needs, my group, my ethnicity, my rights, including to sin, etc. There are many more "tools" in the devil’s bag of tricks, but these are some that are very obvious.
It seems that often there is little difference in the lives of those who profess to be Christians, and those who do not. The Lord has said, “to be friends with the world, is to be at enmity with God.” Our carnal, human nature is selfish and directs us to "please that nature.” It is in direct opposition of seeking to please God. Human nature seeks self-gratification and is even righteous in its own eyes. The darkness in this world, both human and demonic, hate the Light and are getting bolder and bolder in showing that hate.
Why do people not recognize this evil agenda and the toll it is taking? No matter what trick the devil uses, “people who reject God” are defenseless to recognize the snares set for them and the enemy takes full advantage of it. The more a person rejects the conviction of the Holy Spirit, the more they lose their ability to hear His voice and their moral reasoning, the discernment to recognize right from wrong. Sometimes it has been described as having a seared conscience. When a person continues in a sin, knowing it is wrong, but loves the sin the most, they begin to justify it and become unable to hear correction for their situation. Usually, the only hope of ever being free, is to be given over to it. We are slaves to whatever or whoever we obey, and this is especially true to sin. Sin opens the door to the devil and his demons. He has demons of pride, addiction, hate, greed, lust, rebellion, witchcraft and more. Once those demons have someone, they can only be free if they want it bad enough and sincerely call upon the Lord. This great falling away will be possible because of the love of sin and the refusal of God’s correction.
Couple this with generational curses that come from sin. In order for blessings to be carried down in families, it has to also be possible for cursing. Children are literally blessed for having godly parents and the opposite is also true, children suffer for having ungodly ones.
We have a spiritually dark planet that is growing darker. This type of apostasy is what happened before the Flood and also led to the Tower of Babel. It will happen again but in a greater measure. Many people "playing church" or who are not "truly grounded" in the Lord and His Word, will be drawn into the deceptions of Satan that are increasing from every direction.
Paul wrote in 2 Timothy 4:4, that many will "turn their ears away from the truth." To what extent will the deflection from the truth be? It will be so huge that even some of the elect will fall. Tremendous deception is here already, and even more is coming.
- 2 Thessalonians 2:9-10a The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish...
- Mark 13:22 “For false christs and false prophets will rise and show signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.”
- Matthew 24:11-13 “Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. But he who endures to the end shall be saved.”
What does “because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold” mean? When deception and iniquity increase, people hurt each other. Trust will decrease and fear will increase. Life will become more and more dangerous, despite an increase in government. Good will be hindered and evil will be tolerated and even encouraged.
- 2 Timothy 3:1-5 But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!
Great delusion and deception will come, that the wicked will be deceived by, because of their spiritual condition.
- 2 Thessalonians 2:9-12 The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
When a person wants to believe a lie more than the truth about anything, they will be deceived. A person in this condition does not want the truth to be saved from the mistake. This is the case for the wicked of the last days on a large scale. It is not that God does not want them saved but rather that their hearts will brazenly love sin and unrighteousness the most. Please consider this next section of Scripture about the fate of those of "mankind" who reject God and His goodness.
- Romans 1:18-32 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man--and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things. Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due. And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting; being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful; who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them.
The above verses from the book of Romans, really show how societies (and individuals) that continually reject God, are given over to their own wickedness. Put it on a global scale and we can understand the final global apostasy of this age. Here are some of the other verses about the wickedness of the last days:
- Titus 1:15-16 To the pure all things are pure, but to those who are defiled and unbelieving nothing is pure; but even their mind and conscience are defiled. They profess to know God, but in works they deny Him, being abominable, disobedient, and disqualified for every good work.
- 1 Timothy 4:1-3 Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron, forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth.
- 2 Timothy 4:3-4 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables.
- 2 Peter 3:3-7 ... that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, and saying, "Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation." For this they willfully forget: that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of water and in the water, by which the world that then existed perished, being flooded with water. But the heavens and the earth which are now preserved by the same word, are reserved for fire until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.
- Jude 1:14-19 Now Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about these men also, saying, "Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of His saints, to execute judgment on all, to convict all who are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have committed in an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him." These are grumblers, complainers, walking according to their own lusts; and they mouth great swelling words, flattering people to gain advantage. But you, beloved, remember the words which were spoken before by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ: how they told you that there would be mockers in the last time who would walk according to their own ungodly lusts. These are sensual persons, who cause divisions, not having the Spirit.
- Revelation 9:20-21 But the rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands, that they should not worship demons, and idols of gold, silver, brass, stone, and wood, which can neither see nor hear nor walk. And they did not repent of their murders or their sorceries or their sexual immorality or their thefts.
The move toward a global apostasy has already begun. This global rebellion against God and His ways will make the wicked easy prey for the delusion of the Antichrist.
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Psalms 24:1
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Copyright 2015 E. Cockrell May be used for personal study or instruction but shall not be copied and/or distributed in whole or part without permission or for financial profit.