We have seen that during the tribulation period the antichrist will rise to power through great deception. He will make a treaty with the Jews, but after 3 and ½ years, he will break that treaty. He will turn on the Jews and all believers with all of the fury of Satan’s power. Paul warned the Thessalonian believers about the antichrist.

II Th 2:3-4
3 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,
4 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. (NKJ)

Paul said that, during the tribulation period, there will be a great falling away in which the religious world will be deceived by the antichrist.

II Th 2:8-12
8 And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming.
9 The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders,
10 and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
11 And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie,
12 that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness. (NKJ)

However, Paul told Timothy that there will be a Satanic plot to corrupt doctrine within the Christian churches even during our present age.

1 Tim 4:1-2
1 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;
2 Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron; (KJV)

I once heard a minister say that anyone who criticizes Christian churches has attacked Jesus Christ because the church is the Body of Christ. In light of what we learn from Paul in I Timothy, it would appear that we should be particularly critical of the earthly Christian churches. The earthly Christian churches have a long history of deception and tyranny. Should we think that the earthly Christian churches of our time are immune to the demonic influences of the past. No. Paul says that those influences will increase in the latter times.

It would behoove each believer to question every doctrine taught in the Christian churches to see that the word of God is faithfully taught. As the Apostle Paul went preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ, he found resistance in every city, but he praised those in Berea because they searched the scriptures to see if the things he taught were true.

Acts 17:10-11
10 And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea: who coming thither went into the synagogue of the Jews.
11 These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so. (KJV)

Write me at: jimjoan77@juno.com

Other church links:
http://www.peacechurch-ok.org/
http://www.eleventhavenuechurch.com/
http://gracebiblechurch-fw.com/

James III’s link:
http://www.jeditime.blogspot.com