--- The "Man Of Lawlessness"? ---

Religionists teach your life depends on your recognizing the Man of Lawlessness. Question, though, can you be sure "they" know who he is!
Written May of 2022

They take their warning about the Man of Lawlessness from the Apostle Paul in 2 Thess 2 verse 3, where we read: NWT 3 Let no one seduce YOU in any manner, because it (the end and/or the tribulation) will not come unless the apostasy comes first and the man of lawlessness gets revealed, the son of destruction.

So, Paul clearly did tell us Religionists are correct in saying we should not expect the end (the tribulation) of this wicked old world system until we first recognize and identify the "Man Of Lawlessness." Most Religionists are still waiting for the revealing of that "Man of Lawlessness." Should they be? Remember, Paul wrote those words about 2000 years ago and just a few years after Christ died (was resurrected). Is it possible to learn more about who Paul was talking about if we read that single verse into the context of surrounding scripture? As we do so, note two things: The first is Paul said the Man of Lawlessness was already present in his day and that Paul and his friends knew who he was. Then secondly, we learn the man of lawlessness would be openly revealed as soon as he was no longer being restrained. Restrained by who?

To begin, though, recognizing the Man of Lawlessness probably requires you understand the difference between Christians and Religionists. Let me clarify: Christians are all those "individuals" who truly believe in, and follow, the teachings of Jesus. Then, Religionists are just everybody else. Religionists are all those who follow anybody and everybody besides Christ. Christians realize from Bible history, when God sent messengers, his message was always accompanied with miracles by those bringing God's word. Moses and Jesus brought God's word to men, and both performed miracles to prove they came from God. Jesus's early followers, those who had served in his presence, were left holy spirit by Jesus enabling them to also raise the dead and heal the sick; thus providing an absolute proof their writings (now contained in the Bible) came from God. (Acts 4:8‑13) Christians realize when the men granted those gifts of the spirit by Christ died off, (1 Cor 13:8‑13) the Bible cannon was closed. So, Christians accept nothing as God's Word beyond that Bible. (1 Cor 4:6) The followers of Christ call themselves only by the Bible inspired name for his followers: Christian! (Acts 11:26) All Christians thus staunchly guard against becoming Doegs or Religionists. Most Religionists do believe, of course, they are also following Christ. They are not: Christians recognize Jesus's warning about the danger of false prophets (Mat 7:15‑20) and carefully guard their heart against the teachings of men, many of whom do sincerely believe their own teachings. (Mat 7:21‑23) Christians realize Christ's warnings mean they have to be certain they base their faith only on the Bible as God's inspired word. (1 Cor 4:6; Rev 22:18‑19) And the point you should glean is this: All Religionists are defined by being unable to make that distinction between carefully following Christ, and being deceived to follow other men! • Catholics, for example, believe the succession of Popes have all been stand-ins or replacements for Christ. Truly faithful Catholics must express faith the teachings (edicts) of the Pope are from God and are infallible. • Mormons believe the Book of Mormon appearing over 1800 years after Christ is an extension of the Bible and infallible. • Jehovah's Witness believe a subgroup among them (they interchangeably refer to as the "Anointed of God" or the "Faithful and Discreet Slave") are inspired by God to produce "new spiritual food" for the sect; and so, their group's teachings can not be challenged. • All the many self named sects of Christendom (Baptists, Methodists, Lutherans etc.) who belong to the World Counsel of Churches, must accept as part of their faith the doctrine produced by the Nicene Counsel about 300 or 400 years after Christ. • Almost every single one of the small churches and organizations not belonging to the World Counsel of Churches, also have their own doctrine of faith and membership; even if it's just a few pages scratched down with a pencil in a tablet by the preacher or group who founded their church. • For each of them, which ever doctrine they have chosen, it is necessary for all Religionists to have "their" own doctrine of faith. It is necessary, you see, because their doctrine is what defines and identifies those who qualify for membership and approval by their group. That leads to probably the only thing Religionists share, besides imagining they are following Christ, is their conviction those who refuse membership in their sect are lost to God. All Religionists believe "their sect" is made up of the only true Christians; and thus, really imagine they have the right and the ability to judge who is pleasing God. Christians, on the other hand, have recognized Jesus's warning about the danger of false prophets, (Mat 7:15) and about how a lot of those false prophets (Religionists) would be so deceived as to actually approach Jesus in the last day, expecting his help, only to be rejected. (Mat 7:21‑23) Real Christians thus avoid becoming followers of men. They realize Religionists will be rejected simply because they haven't been careful they are listening only to Christ. (Luke 13:25‑27; Mark 12:24)

Don't imagine or believe this is just me being angry with some of theses churches. This is a war now raging for about 6000 years, between Satan and God, for your very soul (for your faith). One interesting thing about what I said above is this: The leaders of any one of those groups would assert I am absolutely right about all the other sects. They each one imagine, however, their sect is somehow immune to that same test. All religious sects are tools of Satan: Satan doesn't care what he can get you to believe, as long as he can keep you from giving attention to God's only later day command; to listen to Christ Jesus. (Mat 17:5)

Retuning from my digression to the point I'm writing to make: Many Religionists say what we are seeing in the world today is not "the" tribulation Jesus warned us to be on the watch for; as he said it was a prelude to our deliverance. (Mat 24:21‑22) They have convinced themselves we can't be witnessing the tribulation because they have failed to yet recognize the "man of lawlessness" Paul warned about in 2 Thess 2:3 above. So, who is he! While not using the same turn of phrase, Jesus also spoke about (rebuked actually) a group of the people Paul referred to as the composite man of lawlessness: John 8:43‑44 Why is it YOU do not know what I am speaking? Because YOU cannot listen to my word. 44 YOU are from YOUR father the Devil, and YOU wish to do the desires of YOUR father. That one was a manslayer when he began, and he did not stand fast in the truth, because truth is not in him. When he speaks the lie, he speaks according to his own disposition, because he is a liar and the father of [the lie]. Paul spoke again about those making up the man of lawlessness at 2 Cor 11:12‑15: Now what I am doing I will still do, that I may cut off the pretext from those who are wanting a pretext for being found equal to us in the office of which they boast. 13 For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ (into the Man of Lawlessness). 14 And no wonder, for Satan himself keeps transforming himself into an angel of light. 15 It is therefore nothing great if his ministers also keep transforming themselves into ministers of righteousness. But their end shall be according to their works.

So, realizing the Bible refers to Satan's followers, trying to convince us they are Christian, as the "Man of Lawlessness," shouldn't we be asking whether modern day Religionists are correct in asserting the Man of Lawlessness hasn't yet appeared? To understand, please consider in context what this scripture actually teaches; being careful, of course, not to build ourselves a religion around this one scripture. Every single thing Jesus (and his first century spirit anointed followers) taught fits together to form one mental picture. Reading this one verse about our need to recognize the man of lawlessness in context, then:

2 Thessalonians 2:1-12 GNB (1) Concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered together (by faith in his teachings) to be with him: I beg you, my friends, (2) not to be so easily confused in your thinking or upset by the claim that the Day of the Lord has come. Perhaps it is thought that we said this while prophesying or preaching, or that we wrote it in a letter. ESV (3) Let no one deceive you in any way. For that day will not come, unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, GNB (4) He will oppose every so-called god or object of worship and will put himself above them all. He will even go in and sit down in God's Temple and claim to be God. (5) Don't you remember? I told you all this while I was with you. (6) Yet there is something that keeps this from happening now, and you know what it is. At the proper time, then, the Wicked One will appear. CEV (7) His mysterious power is already at work, but someone is holding him back (held back by the holy spirit left active among Jesus's hand picked disciples). And the wicked one won't appear until that someone is out of the way. (8) Then the Wicked One will be revealed, but when the Lord Jesus comes (returns), he will kill him with the breath from his mouth and destroy him with his dazzling presence (the truth of God). (9) The Wicked One will come with the power of Satan and perform all kinds of false miracles and wonders, (10) and use every kind of wicked deceit on those who will perish. They will perish because they did not welcome and love the truth (the words of Christ) so as to be saved. (11) And so God sends the power of error to work in them so that they believe what is false. (12) The result is that all who have not believed the truth (only available in Christ's words), but have taken pleasure in sin, will be condemned.

We see in 2 Thes verses 1-3, that the individuals who would recognize the man of lawlessness are Christians, not the world in general. Those who recognize the Man of Lawlessness are the individuals listening to the spirit inspired letters (2 Tim 3:16‑17) and directives of Christ (and his first century spirit anointed apostles - who restrained the man of lawlessness in their day).

Next, in verses 4 and 5, we are told the man of lawlessness lifts himself up over others and sits in the temple of God, even asserting himself to be a god. Paul learned what he taught us from Jesus, so his words remind us of Jesus's warning about the religious leaders he exposed: Matthew 23:1‑12 NWT 23 Then Jesus spoke to the crowds and to his disciples, saying: 2 “The scribes and the Pharisees have seated themselves in the seat of Moses. (Moses was God's appointed judge while religious leaders are not.) 3 Therefore all the things they tell YOU, do and observe, but do not do according to their deeds, for they say but do not perform. 4 They bind up heavy loads and put them upon the shoulders of men, but they themselves are not willing to budge them with their finger. 5 All the works they do they do to be viewed by men; for they broaden the [scripture-containing] cases that they wear as safeguards, and enlarge the fringes [of their garments]. 6 They like the most prominent place at evening meals and the front seats in the synagogues, 7 and the greetings in the marketplaces and to be called Rabbi by men. 8 But YOU, do not YOU be called Rabbi (teacher), for one is YOUR teacher, whereas all YOU are brothers. 9 Moreover, do not call anyone YOUR father on earth, for one is YOUR Father, the heavenly One. 10 Neither be called ‘leaders,’ for YOUR Leader is one, the Christ. 11 But the greatest one among YOU must be YOUR minister. 12 Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.

Refusing Christ's command to humble themselves, hypocritical religious leaders sit down in the house of God and assert they are God; or that they have the right to speak his words. They imagine they have the right to judge what is right and wrong by actually making additions to the Bible; doing so by asserting they are producing "new spiritual food" in these last days. (Rev 22:18‑21) The followers of Christ are then warned by Paul not to be deceived by Religionists: Who can't ever recognize the man of lawlessness because they are him. Take special note Paul said in verse 7, the lawless one was already at work in his day, but temporarily restrained. So, sincere Bible students should be able to recognize the man of lawlessness starting from Paul's day in time. Paul said in 2 Thes 2:6 that Christ and his first century disciples were the ones who acted as a restraint to the revealing of the man of lawlessness. After Christ was murdered, and his hand picked spirit anointed disciples died off, that "restraint" was ended and the "Dark Ages" were thrust upon mankind. The man of lawlessness was openly revealed (but only to Christians who could see him for what he really is through Christ's words). The horrible "Holy Roman Church/Government" rose up about 300 or 400 years after Christ. They overwhelmed the earth with their form of polluted Christianity at the point of a Roman sword, as they darkly forbade ownership of the Bible by the common man; under penalty of death. That so called Church (actually the Man of Lawlessness) burned William Tyndale at the stake in the 1500's for translating (and mass printing) the Bible into English; which had become the most common world language. The Church of the Dark Ages (the Man of Lawlessness) has since splintered into the thousands of modern Christendom religions, but they all brought some of her doctrines. Rather than simply turning to Christ's teachings as their only doctrine of faith, they produced and/or follow doctrines of men. (Mat 15:7‑9) Many people have elevated those sects of men to be their God, by seaking and fearing group judgment (approval) of themselves. Such Religionists, however, are being destroyed and taken out of the way in the mind of all who know the words of Christ. All who are listening to Christ can now see Christendom's churches for what they really are; the disgusting lying "Man of Lawlessness." As they continue to try and produce additions or changes to Christ's words recorded in the Bible, they make themselves "the disgusting thing that causes desolation"... (Mat 24:15 of 15‑22)

In the verses that follow 6, Paul describes how the man of lawlessness fails to simply love the truth; (Mark 12:24; Heb 4:12‑13) the truth living by spirit in the words of Christ. (John 6:63) Rather, they have conjured up elaborate means of salvation through the teachings by their sect. Please realize: Any Religionists who are teaching your salvation is somehow tied to being approved by their sect, well, they are just part of the man of lawlessness.

All Religionists are all working to hide God's very simple truth. [The truth our Father (Gal 3:26‑29) sent Jesus to bring.] God's truth is:

So, if someone is telling you all these millions and millions of people suffering and dying from the tribulation consuming our world, that this world's existent tribulation can't be "the real" tribulation, because the man of lawlessness hasn't been revealed, don't you believe it! They are him...

Religionists fail to recognize they must be drawn together in God (2 Thes 2 verse 2 above) by Christ, as individuals, through their personal knowledge of what Jesus taught. They rather imagine they are drawn together in some sectarian judgmental religious group doctrine, which they follow to establish their membership in what they imagine and judge is Christianity. They fail to realize group worship was done away with when Judaism was replaced by Christianity. (John 4:21‑23 of 5‑26) If you know Christ, you know him through your personal knowledge of his teachings. That includes understanding: No religious membership has anything to do with pleasing God. You must recognize and understand: Those who teach you need to be a member of their sect to please God have made themselves a part of the "Man of Lawlessness."

Just please consider in closing: I don't embolden myself to assert I "know" this is the tribulation. I have faith! I'm just a Christian Bible student trying to know God by learning from his Christ. (John 18:37b) But please do know, I am compelled by what I have learned from the Bible to openly and clearly assert I do "believe" we are witnessing the tribulation Jesus told us to be on the watch for! (That means I do believe it is absolutely true, of course, in my own faith! I just refuse to judge you wicked if you disagree with my understanding. We each and all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. - Rom 14:10‑12) There is certainly no scriptural reason to support those who say we are not witnessing the tribulation... If you choose to believe from these scriptures that what we see is the tribulation Jesus promised, and you're wrong, you're just a bit early. If you believe Religionists, on the other hand, and so fail to recognize the tribulation Jesus said we should be watching for, how can you be among those being chosen for protection to survive? (Mark 13:19, 20 NWT 19 for those days will be [days of] a tribulation such as has not occurred from [the] beginning of the creation which God created until that time, and will not occur again. 20 In fact, unless   Jehovah     יהוה   [ יהוה is God's Hebrew Name, sounds like Yea•Vah] had cut short the days, no flesh would be saved. But on account of the chosen ones whom he has chosen [and/or is choosing] he has cut short the days.) Danger: If this is the tribulation Jesus promised and you refuse to recognize it, and even teach other people this isn't it, you may be dead wrong. Teaching lies could make you soon be, just dead! (Luke 21:25‑28; Rev 22:16‑21) Even after God sent Christ to warn you, do you think you can say believing and even teaching lies is OK because so and so group, who is very religious and sincere, told you it was so. It seems no different than when Satan lied to Eve about the forbidden fruit. If Eve had been listening to God, she wouldn't have been deceived. And the point of it all: If you don't want to be deceived, listen only to Christ! (Mat 17:5; Mat 7:15 of 15‑20: Matthew, Mark, Luke and John)


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