A Strong Delusion

[Goodboy]

So that Satan does not put this thought in anyone's mind, I am not at all referring to anyone on this forum.

2 Thessalonians 2:10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
2 Thessalonians 2:11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:
2 Thessalonians 2:12 That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

Have you ever found yourself in a debate with someone who is not saved and no matter what you say or even prove to them, they refused to agree with you. If you run into this, at some point you may need to understand that they may be a result of the Strong Delusion that God has sent them at this juncture in history. So if it becomes too frustrating you may need to stop the debate all together or at least wait until you can respond calmly to them.

Just my two cents...

 

[Hol]

I have a friend like that. She and I spent hours talking about the Bible.

After several years I did get frustrated and we stopped getting together.

 

[Baby Yoda]

ey may be a result of the Strong Delusion that God has sent them at this juncture in history.

Yes that would explain a lot.

 

[Armor of Light]

I have a nephew that will not even listen to anything related to Jesus or the Gospel. I have hunted and fished with him many times since he was young(now 36), and with his dad who is my brother(now deceased) and last year while duck hunting at his farm I tried to engage him thinking losing his dad that he may be open. He is closed and straight up said he's not ready to be forgiven for his sins, so I have left it in God's hands. My brother was the same way as is the rest of the family, I blame the RCC for some of the outcome, and the enemy of course for most . I still pray for all of them daily to repent and be saved before the door of Grace is closed.

 

[Ghoti Ichthus]

When I run into this, I put it in Jesus' in-box and leave it up to The Holy Ghost. I have had to do this with four people in the past couple months (non-muslims). God has given me peace over this in each instance.

Since my conversations with unsaved people are almost exclusively with muslim women and girls, they are usually extremely short due to safety concerns for them, so it's very rare that I have an in-depth conversation with an unsaved person (about Jesus or the Bible). If I do have an in-depth conversation, that person has sought me out and invited (or even demanded) that I answer questions, and we are in a safe, secure place.

Going about whatever I'm doing out-and-about, I just rely on the Scripture verse printed on my T-shirt and The Holy Ghost, so it's not really a conversation unless an opportunity presents itself. The Gospel and The Holy Ghost never return void
John 3:16 or John 14:6

Sometimes, there's passive or active "resistance" Again, just leave it to The Holy Ghost

 

[lismore]

Hello Goodboy. I think this could also be referring to another group as well:

In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evildoers and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived (2 Timothy 3:12-13).

Impostors, deceived, deluded. Jesus also talked about watching out for wolves in sheep's clothing in Matthew 7:15. Those in churches who are teaching something other than the gospel, they might even sincerely believe they have been called by God, but are sincerely deluded. They could check out their beliefs against the word of God of course, but for some reason feel themselves above this, perhaps part of the delusion.

One example could be those who preach some form of extreme prosperity gospel, buy your way into God's favour. But:


Isaiah 55:1 “Come, all you who are thirsty,
come to the waters;
and you who have no money,
come, buy and eat!
Come, buy wine and milk
without money and without cost"

Sadly prosperity gospel seems to be very popular in some circles these days, it seems to be increasing in the last days. No matter how much you seem to say that God's gifts are given freely and for free, it seems to bounce off when speaking to someone in this teaching.

God Bless

 

[Andy C]

I agree with parts of the OP that there are many who are delusional, but the scripture quoted when taken in context is referring to the times in the tribulation, and the strong delusion they will believe is the ACs claim he is god. It is clear from the below Paul is talking about the AC.

2 Thessalonians 2
5 Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things? 6 And now you know what is restraining, that he may be revealed in his own time.
7 For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way.
8 And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming.
9 The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders,
10 and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
11 And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie,
12 that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

 

[Goodboy]

I agree with parts of the OP that there are many who are delusional, but the scripture quoted when taken in context is referring to the times in the tribulation, and the strong delusion they will believe is the ACs claim he is god. It is clear from the below Paul is talking about the AC.

Great point that I agree with!
Context is everything!

 

[Matthew6:33]

I agree with you. Even though the context of those verses is a bit different as Andy said, I think Romans 1 fits well with what you are describing and what I have experienced as well. I think the key is witnessing in the Spirit. We need to be discerning to those who are open to hear. If not, God has not brought them to a place where they can hear yet. Debating them in man's power is foolishness and a waste of time at that point usually just feeding into their pride as well as our own.

[Rom 1:18-32 NKJV]
18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness,
19 because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown [it] to them.
20 For since the creation of the world His invisible [attributes] are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, [even] His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse,
21 because, although they knew God, they did not glorify [Him] as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened.
22 Professing to be wise, they became fools,
23 and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man--and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things.
24 Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves,
25 who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.
26 For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature.
27 Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due. 28 And even as they did not like to retain God in [their] knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting;
29 being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; [they are] whisperers,
30 backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,
31 undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful;
32 who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them.

[Ecc 3:7 NKJV]
7 A time to tear, And a time to sew; A time to keep silence, And a time to speak;

 

[lismore]

I agree with parts of the OP that there are many who are delusional, but the scripture quoted when taken in context is referring to the times in the tribulation, and the strong delusion they will believe is the ACs claim he is god. It is clear from the below Paul is talking about the AC.

Yes. I'm thinking a lot of deception might feed into it. Society will accept the A/C, many seemingly contrary groups. As goodboy said, people who have heard the truth but refuse to accept it. Every true believer will go up in the rapture, but there are nominal Christians, false gospels, some churches might continue as normal as this will feed into it, some 'church' leaders will wholeheartedly accept the A/C. Even the deception of other religions, they'll all accept the A/C too. 'A strong delusion' one that draws in all sorts of different groups.

A prefigurement might be the protests we have seen on the streets, pro-Palestine and Anti-Israel, all sorts of different groups united by their deluded hatred of Israel. I have watched some of the live footage of the protests from London. You have all sorts of Islamic groups plus 'gays for Palestine', 'Socialist Workers', Hindus and Bhuddists for Palestine, various church denominations for Palestine, nothing in common apart from their deluded hatred of Israel. (I don't think Islamic fundamentalism approves of homosexuality, other belief systems or trade union/left wing causes). Afterall no-one is protesting about Syria, Yemen or the Sudan, it's Israel, the only democracy in the Middle-East that is seen as the oppressive state.

Perhaps the A/C will be able to bring a similar deluded coalition together.

God Bless

 

[Muckah]

I agree with parts of the OP that there are many who are delusional, but the scripture quoted when taken in context is referring to the times in the tribulation, and the strong delusion they will believe is the ACs claim he is god. It is clear from the below Paul is talking about the AC.

I agree with that. It doesn't add up that God would send believers or even unbelievers' strong delusion. I think this is referring to those who follow the religion of the beast.

 

[Betty52]

Some people have hardened their hearts to the truth. You cannot talk to them about God. They refuse to listen. All you can do is pray for them.
Betty

 

[Muckah]

So that Satan does not put this thought in anyone's mind, I am not at all referring to anyone on this forum.

2 Thessalonians 2:10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
2 Thessalonians 2:11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:
2 Thessalonians 2:12 That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

Have you ever found yourself in a debate with someone who is not saved and no matter what you say or even prove to them, they refused to agree with you. If you run into this, at some point you may need to understand that they may be a result of the Strong Delusion that God has sent them at this juncture in history. So if it becomes too frustrating you may need to stop the debate all together or at least wait until you can respond calmly to them.

Just my two cents...

My two cents...

Strong delusion is attributed to an apostasy. Many interpreters if not most, believe apostasy is being lukewarm, backslidden, false doctrine or heresy and involves the spiritual condition of a church or of an individual which create the conditions that would reveal the man of sin and cause people to accept him. In my studies, I believe it has nothing to do with the church whatsoever.

The ONLY places we can go to understand 'apostasy' is 2Thes. 2 and Acts 21 because that's the only two places the word 'apostasy' is used in the NT.

Other religions view apostasy as abandoning their former political or religious affiliation and then accept another, or nothing at all. It's a revolt and rebellion and a total abandonment of your previous affiliation.

Notice how the other religions define apostasy and how those definitions are similar. It's only the Christian definition that's different.

This is the web definition of apostasy.
Apostasy - (noun)
1. The act of abandoning a party or cause.
2. The state of having rejected your religious beliefs, political party, cause or sports team in favor of opposing beliefs, causes or teams.
3. A defection, renunciation, disaffiliation, abandonment or revolt from a previous association.
4. (Islamic definition) Rejection in word or deed of one's former religion.
5. (Christian definition) To fall away from the truth.

In 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12 from the word 'except' in verse 3c, to the end of verse 12, the church/Christians are not implied in any way. In fact the words "but we" in verse 13 prove that this is about the followers of the man of sin.

The word 'but' is a conjunction that shows distinction and opposition to a previous statement. It opposes persons to persons or things previously mentioned or thought of. The distinction in this passage is between the followers of Christ as opposed to the man of sin and his followers. I've concluded that the church is not implied whatsoever.

V. 13 - But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth: