The falling away described here is one of two conditions that must be met before Jesus Christ returns. Both of the letter Paul wrote to the Thessalonians were to instruct them in part about details of the Lord's return. The two conditions mentioned in 2 Thessalonians 2 are the falling away (apostasia, or great apostasy), and the revelation of the man of sin, the son of perdition (apoleia, destruction).
Some immediately argue the apostasia for two reasons. The growing popularity of the pre-tribulational rapture view (the Lord could return at any moment) argues that the return of Jesus Christ to the Earth will be signless. This is clearly incorrect. A distortion of the scripture is being used in recent days, equating apostasia, which means to defect from a commitment or to betray someone, instead with the idea of departure.
Let me diverge for a moment. In the late 80's and early 90's, a similar distortion of scripture became popular. Jesus had told the disciples after the episode of the rich young man that "It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich (wealthy) man to enter into the Kingdom of God." (Matt. 19:24) The simple idea behind this verse is that if anyone loves and holds onto the riches of this world, their chances of seeing the Kingdom to come are not good. 1 John 2:15 states this truth quite simply. However, leave it to charismatic speakers to twist the meaning around to make everyone happy.
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| The Kiss of Judas The Apostate by Giotto |
What happened is that a teaching arose stating the needle mentioned was actually the gateway in a city wall, that had to be opened to let travelers in through, especially late at night. There was a long drawn out story with this fairy tale, all designed to make the wealthy at ease with the love of their money. However the word needle used by Jesus in the verse is rhaphis, and is the word for a sewing needle. Of course modern preachers would want to placate the wealthy, because they wanted the offerings to continue to roll in. However the whole teaching was a blatant deception. I know. I heard my own pastor preach this sermon. My pastor later went on to become President of the Southern Baptist Convention. You cannot make this stuff up.
Anyway, today, word manipulators are trying to say apostasia doesn't mean betrayal or defection, it means departure. Therefore, the apostasia is talking about the rapture. The only problem is the words used. apostasia is NEVER used to mean departure. The word used for rapture is harpazo, which means snatching away. Episunago, meaning to gather together, may also be used to refer to the rapture. But never apostasia. So lets move on.
Even if the word did mean departure (which it does not), it would mean the Antichrist would be revealed at the same time. That's still not a signless rapture. The second concern with the apostasia is that it somehow negates the simplistic view many take of "eternal security". I could go through a lot scripture to contend with this, but let me take the short way out of this argument.
First, it is written clearly as a major sign of the Lord's return. Secondly, it is confirmed in scripture that Jesus spoke. Namely in Matthew 24:9-13, where Jesus warns of a soon coming period of time where believers will be delivered up to be oppressed and killed (vs. 9), and "many (believers) shall be offended and shall betray one another...(vs. 10). "Because iniquity shall abound, the love of many (believers) shall wax cold." (vs. 12) So Jesus clearly foretold what Paul is confirming. A day is soon coming when many who claim outwardly to be Christians will turn, both against brothers and sisters in Christ and against Jesus Christ the King Himself.
And what of eternal security? Perhaps the whole idea is not as simple as we have all been taught. Perhaps many that commit this apostasy are those that never really gave their heart and soul to Jesus. They gave lip service, they gave effort, as long as the effort was convenient and they were rewarded in some way, but they never gave their whole lives to Jesus Christ. We see an example of this in 2 Timothy 4:10, where Paul writes that Demas, a former co-worker for Christ has "forsaken me, having loved this present world, is departed to Thessalonica." Say what you want of eternal security, but some who claimed the faith (see Judas Iscariot) would later depart the faith.
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| The Kiss of Judas by Cornelis Engebrechtsz |
However you choose to view eternal security, the great apostasy is still one of the major signs that must be fulfilled before the Lord returns. And reading further in 2 Thessalonians 2 we see a primary cause of this defection is the one "whose coming is after the working of Satan, with all power and signs and lying wonders." When the Antichrist appears, with the full power of Satan on display through this man of sin, many will turn from the faith believing that the Antichrist is actually the true savior, leading them to depart from the faith and their brethren.
The great apostasy is an actual event that will occur one day, probably quite soon, and the church needs to be spiritually prepared for what they will face when the Antichrist reveals himself in power to the whole world. People get ready...
