The Mystery of Lawlessness
The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan,
with all power, signs and lying wonders (2 Thes 2:9).
Paul wrote in AD 52 about a widespread
satanic attack coming in the Church. He warned of a mass “falling away”
(NKJV) or apostasy – led by a “man of sin” (NKJV), literally “man of
lawlessness”.
With hindsight, we can see that occurred,
although the process is not yet complete. More is still to occur to
fulfil the prophecy.
The emergence of the Catholic Church was
a major part of its fulfilment, with the pope setting himself up as God
over Christians (2 Thes 2:4). He established a hierarchic ecclesiastical
order to rule over people – something that Jesus forbade (Matt
20:25,26). He “changed times and
law” (Dan 7:25) – Catholic domination tried to stamp out Sabbath keeping
and replace it with Sunday observance. Likewise, God’s festivals (Lev
23) were replaced with humanistic substitutes. And most Christians, and
the major organised churches, have followed these apostate trends ever
since, despite the Reformation.
But that is by no means the only way this
prophecy was fulfilled.
Some have simplistically thought that the
man of lawlessness is only one man. Not so. He is a figure- head for a
whole system of lawlessness that Satan promotes. That becomes logically
apparent when you assess all the revelations about apostasy in the New
Testament.
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Paul warned of many men
leading others astray after themselves (Acts 20:29,30).
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Peter likewise prophesied
of false teachers and their destructive heresies (2 Pet 2).
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Jude repeated these
warnings about men who would demolish the faith once delivered (Jude
3,4).
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John spoke of the
Antichrist, and of ‘lesser’ antichrists (1 Jn 2:18,22; 2 Jn 7).
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He related his own
experience of being thrown out of the assemblies by Diotrephes (3 Jn
9,10).
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And Jesus gave warnings in
Revelation about whole churches that would be swayed by impostors (Rev
2:9, 14-15, 20; 3:9).
It is clear that, while there is a major
contender for the title of “man of lawlessness”, there is more than one
who fits the bill.
The movement of Antichrist is ongoing and
is very widespread. It affects the ENTIRE CHURCH!!
Paul labelled it as “the mystery of
lawlessness” (2 Thes 2:7). Do you know why?
A mystery is something hidden from human
perception. It has to be revealed to be seen.
While the chief player in this saga is
the pope (the final one who will be on ‘his throne’ when Jesus returns
in a few years’ time, and whom Jesus will destroy – see 2 Thes 2:8), do
not overlook other ‘lesser’ antichrists who may have much more influence
upon you!
Deceptive Supernatural Power
With the rise of the ‘Charismatic
Movement’, it has given Satan many more opportunities to delude.
Supernatural power is powerful – not just for good, but for evil, too!
And when the devil wields power to deceive, he has a very potent weapon
to lead many Christians astray! So, apostasy is now widespread in such
circles.
The following account provides one
example:
The Chinese introduced genuine snake oil
as a cure-all to North American railroad workers in the 19th century,
evidently believing (as many ancient cultures did) that serpents possess
supernatural healing power. Such “miracle” remedies have long been
fraudulently sold to desperate souls lacking discernment but who muster
up enough misplaced faith (and fortune) to “buy” the claims of a
hypnotic huckster. In the name of Christianity, innumerable shysters
have sold so many bills-of-goods (such as bottled “healing water”) to
trusting victims, that the true Gospel – the free gift of Eternal Life –
is difficult to give away to dying souls.
Today’s New Spirituality, however, has
created a more “discerning” Christian marketplace for sophisticated aids
to healing, prayer, and “worship” – in the form of exclusive oils,
candles, and incense. In search of greater “prophetic” power and
blessing, an increasing number of professing evangelicals are purchasing
expensive accessories to enhance their prayer life and worship
experiences. In contrast to the greedy grifters who in former times
pedaled “snake oil” placebos, not all of the modern-day purveyors of
these “prophetic” wares are corrupt. Some are undoubtedly “deceived and
deceiving others” but a few seem to take genuine pride in their exotic
concoctions.
One such company, prominently featured
by the web-based Elijah List (a promotional network for the
prophets and apostles of the Word-Faith, New Apostolic Reformation, and
Kingdom-Dominion camps), manufactures “Third Heaven Vision Anointing
Oil.” [This is a reference to Paul’s testimony in 2 Cor 12:2 and to the
dwelling place of God.] What is interesting about this oil, however, is
not its ingredients or its intended use but the story of its origin and
its alleged effects on individuals:
Tom [Panich] had been blending
fragrances for several years when one day while he was in the shower,
what seemed like a lightning bolt from God’s Glory came down upon him
and the voice of the Holy Spirit began to speak to him about what to
call His oil. Tom was caught up in a stream of God’s manifest Glory (as
an open vision), and he began to tremble vigorously under the power of
the Lord. After the shaking stopped, excitedly, he ran into the kitchen
to tell his wife that the Holy Spirit had told him to name His anointing
oil “Third Heaven Vision.”
The critical concern over “Third Heaven
Vision Anointing Oil” is not just whether it is properly concentrated or
that the producer is making an unfair profit (though at $10 per 1/2 oz
and $8 per 1/4 oz, it sells for 40 to 70 times more than olive oil
alone!) but the testimony of the maker – with the endorsement of
the increasingly popular Elijah List (a non-profit company that
bombards a rapidly growing e-mail list with “prophetic words” and
related product offers) – that there is some extraordinary, supernatural
blessing conferred upon the contents that transfers to the user or
recipient:
Many intercessory prayer warriors who
use “Third Heaven Vision” anointing oil mention that the oil has a
strong breaker anointing upon it. This is consistent with the reports
received of the breaker anointing that is upon Tom’s drumming. The
breaker is the Lord God Almighty inhabiting the praises of His people.
What exactly is a “breaker anointing”?
Mr. Panich shares in his testimony that he used to “drum for the spirits
of the world,” but he now believes that his warlike drumming can somehow
“break” the powers of darkness. This, of course, is unbiblical
mysticism. In addition (if his account is accurate) the process by which
the oil is made, and its apparent effect on people, is occultic in
nature. Tom (a self-described “apothecary and drummer for God”) seems to
brood over each batch of oil with a manner and care that is also used by
his pagan counterparts who brew designer potions for spell-casting:
Each time Tom blends a batch of oil [a
mixture of frankincense, myrrh, spikenard, rose of Sharon, cassia,
calamus and olive oil], a strong presence of the Lord’s Glory comes upon
him and he trembles vigorously (“vibrating all over the place,” his wife
would say!) Also, on various occasions when Tom has put full boxes (144
bottles) of the anointing oil in the hands of two separate strong
intercessors, they have both been hit by the anointing and power of the
Lord, nearly falling to the ground.
In addition to placing emphasis on a
magical number of bottles in a case, and ascribing a “breaker” anointing
to the oil (practitioners of vodoun anoint with oil to make or
break curses), another red flag – endemic to New Wave prophetic
adherents – is the warlike nature and purpose of their mission:
The Lord has given [the creators of]
“Third Heaven Vision” anointing oil as a means of providing funds (Acts
18:3) to forcefully advance His Kingdom across America and to the
nations.
The fallacy of Kingdom-Dominion theology
has long been addressed in The Berean Call; but regardless of
these aberrant views, Panich is not alone in his pursuit of
“heaven-scent” funds. A simple internet search turns up dozens of
purveyors of oils and incense used for religious purposes – a surprising
number of which claim to distil and bottle “biblical” scents for a
variety of needs. One company proudly specializes in “all natural
Biblical Aromatherapy Candles for prayer and worship,” with the claim
that their “In His Presence” anointing oil (made with pure,
therapeutic-grade essential oils from Israel) is “preparing the Bride of
Christ” for “personal encounters with the Lord.” Other companies seem
less concerned with an evangelical slant but appear convinced
nonetheless of the mystical and magical powers of “biblical” oils:
We strive to bring you the purest
quality (not synthetic) of biblical anointing oils available.... We
believe in the holy teachings of the Bible and that there is a basic
theme throughout all religions, and that is honoring God and His love
for all people. No matter what religion you choose, these anointing oils
can be used by you.
Another company’s product promises even
more lofty results to starstruck customers for the stellar price of
$98.00 per quarter-ounce:
Experience the superconductor that the
ancients kept hidden away.... It has been called the Fruit of the Tree
of Life, and Star fire – Gold of the Gods. White Powder Gold is the
residue from the golden calf that Moses melted down [and] is believed to
have been used in his anointing in order to enhance the receiver’s
blessing. It allowed the recipient to align his will to the Divine Will
of God. It empowers your prayers into a much higher level of
understanding.
These obviously unbiblical claims are
patently false; but still more websites feature a dizzying array of oils
to anoint and dress the body, as well as sacred objects for ritual
purposes. Are all of these people crooks? Not necessarily by criminal
definition; whether Wiccan, Vodoun, or “Christian,” some are
quite sincere. So why is it wrong for Bible-believing Christians to
create custom oils, scents, and candles for worship? There are two
reasons:
First, attempting to recreate oils or
incense used by Old Testament priests – or to experiment with original
recipes as a means to enhance one’s spiritual “experience” – is
ignorance at best and an abomination at worst. We are now part of a new
priesthood that offers “spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus
Christ” (1 Peter 2:5-9). Second, all of the above examples share mutual
error in claiming that some spiritual power or benefit can be derived
from a physical substance – this is witchcraft! Unfortunately, the
acceptance and practice of occult techniques is on the rise in
evangelical circles. One woman concerned with her husband’s TV watching
habits was advised by another professing Christian, “Rub it down [with
oil]! It works for me!”
There is no question that the process of
anointing with oil is a biblical procedure, used at various times and
for specific purposes both in the Old and New Testaments. However, as
with other customs and ordinances (i.e., baptism and communion) the
methodology and materials have been subject to much embellishment and
corruption. Biblical Christians may still anoint as prescribed by
Scripture (only for the sick... James 5:12); but any healing is not a
by-product of the oil’s rarity, purity, or spiritual preparation (common
olive or cooking oil will suffice). Just as biblical communion is a
symbol, so is the use of oil for external anointing. Nowhere in
Scripture is it used for “breaking” or “binding” or for creating a
prophetic “power boost” nor are there any recipes or formulas for
“worship aids” of any kind.
But as mystical beliefs, pagan
practices, and shamanic techniques continue to infiltrate the church,
one thing is clear: an increasing number of well-intentioned (but naïve)
believers will continue to misplace their faith and money – deceived
anew by the lure of the Serpent’s “miracle cure.”
Mark Dinsmore, The Berean Call,
p
8, May 2006
(From www.thebereancall.org, USA.)
In Conclusion
Anything that substitutes God in your
worship, or that you come to rely upon instead of Him, is an idol, an
antichrist! Satan has deluded many Christians!
Paul explained how to avoid being
deceived: Love the truth of God; live by it, practice it (2 Thes 2:10);
have no pleasure in unrighteousness (2:12). Those who do not love the
pure truth of God, but who choose Christ only for selfish reasons,
they end up deluded (2:11). Thus, apostasy will continue further,
sweeping many away with it to perdition!