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Wednesday, August 29, 2018

Worship and the Coming Antichrist

I generally subscribe to the idea that we are in the last days. As I have stated in a previous post on the topic, we may still be a few decades from the consummation of the related events and the Tribulation itself, but being awake to this age, I wouldn't be surprised if the end is much closer.

In light of the appearance of the Antichrist and the general works of Satan, we need to be reminded that Satan is not in the carnal sin business, he is in the spiritual sin business. As Charles Welch taught over a half a century ago (already seeing the seeds of the end in his time):

"Deception everywhere. You would not be deceived by outrageous witnesses. You're more likely to be deceived by a gentleman. And we remind ourselves that the apostle Paul told us that the ones that are the ministers of the evil one ('he himself is transformed into an Angel of Light'), [they] are the 'ministers of righteousness.' He doesn't make men commit sin, he makes men feel independent of the Son of God. He interferes with the worship element, not with the business element. 'Out of the heart of man' proceed all these other things, not an outside tempter. His business is in the religious world, and what a mess he's made of it... take heed that no man deceive you..."

-Charles Welch (message on the Second Coming in Matthew 24)

"Another interesting thing and a very important thing: [Scripture] doesn't say that this 'man of sin,' this 'son of perdition,' is trying to organize murder and adultery and theft all over the earth. It doesn't say that. He's right up to his neck in the question of worship. Nothing to do with wickedness (as we understand it). What is the first of the Ten Commandments? Is it about thieving? Is it about lying? No. It's about the worship of God and avoiding any possibility of compromise with the worship of idols. That comes first. And if that's broken, it doesn't matter much about the others." 
-Charles Welch (message on the Second Coming in 2 Thess)

We reference the scriptures.

The Antichrist will be involved with religion and worship.
Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.
-2 Thess 2:3-4
The Antichrist will have signs and wonders and other outwardly religious actions.
For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.
-Matt 24:24
 The deception will cause religious awe and false worship.
And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live.
And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.
-Rev 13:14-15

A final warning from the former head of Scotland Yard:
“[Satan’s] temptations are aimed, not against morals, but against faith. He is the ‘god of this world’, and influences and controls, not its vices and crimes, but its religion - hence the neglect and rejection of [true] Christianity.”
- Sir Robert Anderson (The Silence of God)