Summer 1991

The Workings of Deception in the Last Days
(Bethel 1930's)

"But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober" 1 Thess 5:4-6.

The Lord has not left us in ignorance, nor is His Word silent concerning the conditions which will prevail during these last days. Just as Jesus plainly told His disciples about His death and resurrection, the Holy Spirit has revealed to us the condition of the Church, and of the workings of evil in the latter days. All who read their Bible can know what to expect in this, the closing out of the Gentile age.

No thoughtful, earnest Christian can doubt that we have indeed entered into the days immediately preceding the Second Coming of Christ. Indeed, God is working in such a rapid and marvelous way upon the earth, moving swiftly yet quietly, that the sounding of the midnight cry, "Behold the Bridegroom cometh," has already commenced to go forth.

Presently, there is too great a reliance upon the blessings and manifestations which are being experienced. It is today as it was during the life of Christ upon the earth. Unless people see signs and wonders, they will in no wise believe (John 4:48). This craving "to see" is a sign of unbelief, and is recognized as such by our precious Lord. "Hope that is seen is not hope" Rom 8:24b. God gives signs and does wonders, and there are manifestations and blessings which are from Him, but the enemy also shows signs and does wonders, and there are manifestations which are from him.

We must be established in the Word of God that we may be able to discern what is from God, and that which is not. When men, with their works and theories, have passed away, when Satan is eternally shut up, when heaven and earth have passed away - throughout eternity, "THE WORD OF GOD ABIDETH FOREVER." We have something that we can anchor to, which God has made a "Lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path" Psalm 119:105. We should know what He has said about these things, rather than placing our trust in the opinions of man. We are blameworthy if we ignore the light which has been given in His Word.

Concerning the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ, Paul said "Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first" 2 Thess 2:3a. From the beginning, there have been many" fallings away." Indeed, as many as there have been revivals and mighty workings of God. In every case, a falling away has always followed the moving of God, and much of the visible results have disappeared.

We may ask what it is that is fallen away from. I Timothy 4:1 makes it very plain, "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." It is from the truth of the Gospel that the people will fall away, in such numbers as to make our precious Lord exclaim, "When the Son of Man cometh, shall He find faith on the earth?" Luke 18:8b. Again in II Timothy 4:3-4, "For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine ... and they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables."

In order to fall away from a place, a man must first be there. He cannot fall away from where he has never been; neither can he fall away from the faith if he has never been in the faith. Nor can he fall away from the truths of the Gospel if he has never heard and partaken of them. These Scriptures are not referring to sinners or to nominal Church members, but to those who have known the Truth and have been in the Faith.

"And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders" 2 Thess 2:8-9. This speaks of the "wicked" who are of Satan, working miracles and doing wonders, and precede the return of our Lord to the earth. This is proven by our Lord's own words in Matt 24:24-25. "For 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. Behold I have told you before." All this is previous to the coming of our Lord, and applies to the days in which we are now living.

Let us notice especially that these false prophets will show great signs and wonders. We are told that we need not be surprised at anything that is done through the power of the enemy in these days. The very signs which accompany them are intended to prove that they, and what they do, are of God. This is an attempt to deceive the Lord's people into believing that God is working through them, when in reality it is the power of Satan.

"And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie" 2 Thess 2:10-11. This is because they did not hold fast to sound doctrine; because they loved not the Truth; because they were not filled with faith but craved for signs, to see miracles and mighty works; therefore, "God sendeth them an inward working of error" that strikes down into the heart and works there.

All that is exterior is unimportant compared with that which gets into the heart; for out of the heart are the issues of life. And the grave part is that God not only permits it, but sends it in order "that they may believe a lie." Because they did not believe the Truth of God, He sends them that which they prefer, the opposite of the Truth, which is a lie.

There is an attitude which many of the Lord's people take toward the Word and the doctrines of Jesus Christ, which is injurious to the ones who hold it. It is the feeling that they need not stand for the truths of the Gospel, nor even declare their position, in order to be true to God.

We are commanded to "Earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints" (Jude 3). We are to "Fight the good fight of faith" (I Tim 6:12).

In II Tim 4:7, Paul says "I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith." There is no uncertain sound in these words.