II Thessalonians 2:8 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:
There were already many antichrists in the churches in the days of the early church when the apostle John wrote to the church warning them.
I John 2:18 Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time.
The churches went forward in "another doctrine" saying there would be one antichrist in the days ahead, so for decades church people looked for one antichrist. And they looked for that one antichrist to come through governments of men, not dreaming antichrist would come through many in churches as the churches fell away from scripture, setting up doctrine opposite to scripture, approving various sins in the church.
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We know by the Bible that the early church was very simple, meeting in homes of believers, nothing like we see in today's churches.
As men broke away from the early church, various churches were established by antichrist through these men. And the apostate church formed naming itself Baptist, Church of Christ, Methodist, Presbyterian, Catholic, Assembly of God, Episcopal, and such.
I Corinthians 3:1-4 And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able.
For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?
For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal?
For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?
For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal?
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And which of these churches resemble what Paul told us the church was to be when we come together?
I Corinthians 14:26-40
How is it then, brethren? when ye come together, every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying.
27 If any man speak in an unknown tongue, let it be by two, or at the most by three, and that by course; and let one interpret. 28 But if there be no interpreter, let him keep silence in the church; and let him speak to himself, and to God.
29 Let the prophets speak two or three, and let the other judge. 30 If any thing be revealed to another that sitteth by, let the first hold his peace. 31 For ye may all prophesy one by one, that all may learn, and all may be comforted. 32 And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets. 33 For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.
34 Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience, as also saith the law. 35 And if they will learn any thing, let them ask their husbands at home: for it is a shame for women to speak in the church.
36 What? came the word of God out from you? or came it unto you only?
37 If any man think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord.
38 But if any man be ignorant, let him be ignorant.
39 Wherefore, brethren, covet to prophesy, and forbid not to speak with tongues.
40 Let all things be done decently and in order.
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Is this what our churches today look like?
Or do they have a platform where men approved by themselves sit and rise up and speak by their own will and by their own appointment.
If Jesus returned today, HE would not be permitted to speak in these church groups.
Only the men approved by the church groups could speak.
In the early church it was not like this. The Holy Spirit spoke through whom HE willed.
* How is it then, brethren? when ye come together, every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying.
Men spoke as the Spirit gave utterance. It was not preplanned but they depended on the Holy Spirit to bring forth the various messages and to speak those messages through whom HE willed.
But Paul said after his departing it would change and the following would happen:
Acts 20:29-30 For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.
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By these scripture, we can see that the early church was nothing at all like these highly structured Sunday services where the Holy Spirit is basically shut out of the gathering of the church, even in those groups which say they are Holy Spirit churches, for the speakers are those persons who are approved by the church leadership.
In the early churches "every one" attending was free to share what God had shown him by the Holy Spirit.
A restriction was placed on the women.
God explained it to me this way: "Look at what these women had been doing."
When I reread this scripture I saw what they were doing.
* Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience, as also saith the law. And if they will learn any thing, let them ask their husbands at home: for it is a shame for women to speak in the church.
One problem with the women is they were speaking, asking questions, disrupting the gathering of the church.
Then God took me to Acts showing me Phillip had 4 daughters who did prophesy.
Acts 21:8-9 And the next day we that were of Paul's company departed, and came unto Caesarea: and we entered into the house of Philip the evangelist, which was one of the seven; and abode with him. And the same man had four daughters, virgins, which did prophesy.
Prophecy is for the church. To prophesy, they would have to speak.
By this, it was confirmed to me that Paul's restriction was against those women who were asking questions in the gathering of the church, disrupting the service.
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Even in "home churches" I have found much perversion from the doctrine of Christ in the Bible.
Antichrist was restrained by scripture. When portions of the Bible were removed, the restraint against antichrist was removed, and antichrist (a spirit) moved in and brought doctrine that is opposite from that spoken in the Bible and the church group became the apostate church which Paul said had to happen before Jesus could return.
II Thessalonians 2 (NASB) Let no one in any way deceive you, for it (the day of the Lord) will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, 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.
* the man of lawlessness is revealed... sounds like one man but it is one spirit, the spirit of antichrist who is opposite to scripture.
The main thing antichrist does is to exalt himself above scripture, refusing to allow scripture to rule over himself, setting up other doctrines which rule over scripture in the church group.
The people in the group blindly follow like sheep to the slaughter, following the church leaders to destruction, ignoring the change from the Bible.
Scriptures begin to disappear in part ... what was once upheld is cast aside and new rules are set up for the church group. They fall away from scriptures such as the following:
Now divorce and remarriage is sanctioned in the church group where antichrist reigns and men are now permitted to marry the woman who has been divorced.
This is the apostate church, which will be very severely judged by God at the return of Jesus.
For when they fell away from portions of scripture, they fell away from Jesus who is the WORD.
Hebrews 10:26-31 For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.
He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses:
Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?
For we know Him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto Me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge His people.
It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses:
Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?
For we know Him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto Me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge His people.
It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
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II Thessalonians 2:9-12 For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.
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, 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:
That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
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, 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:
That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
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