Apostasy & False Christs

“False Christs will come,,,”

The Apostle Paul said “with regard to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and our gathering to Him”—the Rapture—that “the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed” (2 Thess. 2:1,3). While we already see much apostasy among Christians, it will increase as the Antichrist—the man of lawlessness—arises.

He will appear at first to obey the laws, and the treaties of peace, that he makes with many nations. He will stun the world by achieving a seemingly impossible Mideast peace with Israel. Moreover, He will even enable the rebuilding of the Jewish Temple Mount—where the Islamic Dome of the Rock now stands! (See Dan. 9:27; Rev. 11:1).

Such incredible accomplishments will gain him the reputation of a world statesman extraordinaire. The end-times apostasy will begin when churches and Christians turn to him as a messiah of world peace.

But they will not realize he is actually a master deceiver. “And through his shrewdness, he will cause deceit to succeed by his influence, and he will magnify himself in his heart” (Dan. 8:25).

His desire to magnify himself above all gods will be revealed when he takes God’s place in the Jewish Temple (2 Thess. 2:3-4). He will also magnify himself above all laws. Therefore the Antichrist will become known as the man of lawlessness.

Accordingly, he will break his peace treaties with Israel and with other nations (Dan. 9:27). Their power will then depend not on law, but on their allegiance to him. For “he will give great honor to those who acknowledge him, and he will cause them to rule over the many, and will parcel out land at a price” (Dan. 11:39).

The Antichrist will not allow anyone to buy or sell, or even stay alive, unless they take his mark and worship him. At that time professed Christians will have to make a choice with eternal consequences.

Christ, Antichrist or false Christ

Either choose Christ and try to escape with their lives. Or acknowledge the Antichrist, take his mark, gain “great honor” in this life, and suffer hell in the next.

Some Christians will take flight wondering why Christ and the Rapture have not yet come for them. They will hide in the wilderness or in concealed inner rooms. There they will hear that Christ has in fact already come, showing great signs and wonders.

“Then if anyone says to you, ‘Behold, here is the Christ,’ or ‘There He is,’ do not believe him. For false Christs and false prophets will arise and will show great signs and wonders, so as to mislead, if possible, even the elect. Behold, I have told you in advance. So if they say to you, ‘Behold, He is in the wilderness,’ do not go out, or, ‘Behold, He is in the inner rooms,’ do not believe them. For just as the lightning comes from the east and flashes even to the west, so will the coming of the Son of Man be.” (Matt 24:23-27)

See 3 1/2 Years of False Peace