Bible Text: 2 Thessalonians 1 | Preacher: Rev. Dr. Lou Saldiveri | Series: Sunday Morning Worship

What does the Bible have to say about false teaching?

— Pastor Lou’s Notes —
Intro:

We need to be aware of how easily we can be deceived. There is a show on television called, “Masters of Illusion”. It is a show that shows that art of magic is all based upon lies, distractions, and illusions. Likewise, since the inception of the early church, there have been and continues to be masters of illusion. The Bible calls them false teachers. False teachers who teach false doctrine in order to accomplish their own goals and glory. These false teachers are, in some aspect, preparing the way for the man of lawlessness e.g. the antichrist.

Deceivers, that is false teachers, will sound so convincing and true, that many unsaved people will believe their lie. Let’s not take this lightly, believing their lie can be the difference between life and death.

This deceptive lie had its origin in the Garden of Eden. Satan challenged Adam and Eve to believe the lie that God really doesn’t mean what He says and that we do not need God because we can be god.

So, how do we guard our hearts against false teachers? How do we recognize the false teaching? How should false teaching be confronted?

Paul in this passage gives us three principles that are necessary to correct the serious error of false teachers.

1. Identify the error and correct the error with Biblical truth v. 1-5
1. False teachers were contradicting Paul’s teaching about the future Second Coming of Christ
1. They taught the the first coming has already happened. It was invisible. Therefore, there is no future coming of the Lord,
2. Paul reminds his readers that he had taught them that two events needed to happen before the Second Coming
1. The man of lawlessness e.g. the Antichrist will be revealed when a great rebellion occurs
2. First, the Antichrist will rebel against the rule of law and promote anarchy
3. Second, the Antichrist will rebel against God and set himself up as god and demand to be worshiped. Worship of the true and living God will be prohibited.

2. We Need to Constantly be Reminded the true teaching V. 5-12
1. Paul challenges the church to remember the teaching on the Second Coming
1. He probably taught from the Old Testament and Christ’s teachings
2. Paul seemed to indicate that the church will be raptured before the time of the tribulation

2. Paul says that the power of lawlessness is being held back
1. The secret of the power of lawlessness is already at work
2. BUT the One who holds it back will do so until he is taken away
1. I believe this is the Holy Spirit
2. I believe these are the governments and the law enforcement authority God puts in place to keep evil in check

3. The Antichrist and Satan will be working together v.8-12
1. The Antichrist will be empowered by Satan who is the grand deceiver and counterfeiter
1. The Antichrist will be empowered to use signs and wonders to deceive others and raise himself above God
2. God ultimately gives the people who reject the rule of law and the gospel of Christ over to their own blindness.

4. What does this mean for us?
1. Check every teaching by the Word of God
1. The more you know the genuine truth, the more readily you will be able to identify the counterfeit
2. Seek the counsel of sound biblical teachers and theologians

2. Be an active part of a Bible believing church that handles Scriptures with integrity and teaches sound doctrine.
3. Live life for the glory of God and Jesus Christ
1. We know the end of the story
2. We need to be reminded every day that God is God and there is no other
3. Jesus is the only way to be made right with God
4. We need to be ambassadors for Christ in this world the has believed the lie that there is no God and Christ.

5. There is a life lesson.
1. Remember the dangers to civilization v. 5-12
1. Civilizations always have and always will get progressively evil when the rule of law is disobeyed or changed and God is replaced by people who think they don’t need God or His Word
2. People are deceived and they believe this lie
3. This all started in the Garden of Eden.

Closing:
We need to be reminded of what Jesus taught. No one knows the time of date when Christ is coming back again. Only God The Father knows. In the meantime, we need to live as if He is coming at any moment. Jesus also said to discern the signs of the times. We need to be a very discerning people realizing the urgency of sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ.