The apostle Paul said Jesus could not return for the church until the following happened.
There had to be a "falling away" (II Thess. 2) where churches would depart from Holy Scripture, explaining away scripture and often completely omitting the subject of many issues such as divorce/remarriage and the man marrying the divorced woman which Jesus spoke about as follows:
Mt. 5:32. But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery.
Jesus said the man who marries a divorced woman commits adultery.
Jesus said the divorced woman commits adultery if she remarries while her husband is living.
Jesus said the man who divorces a faithful wife will be the cause of her adultery if she remarries.
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These scriptures were the "restraint" which held antichrist back. Once scriptures were removed, lawlessness could move into the congregation and antichrist would reign in the church groups.
II Thess. 2 ... NASB ... And you know what restrains him now, so that in his time he will be revealed. 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. Then that lawless one will be revealed.
The scriptures were that which restrained antichrist. Once those scriptures were removed, lawlessness could come into the church group.
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The apostle John said there were already "many" antichrists in his day.
I Jn. 2:18 ... Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time.
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When I was born again, 1975, the churches I attended were teaching there would be "one" man who was antichrist and at that time those churches thought Henry Kissinger was antichrist.
In 1812, the Russians thought Napoleon was the antichrist.
None of this makes sense nor does it fit scripture.
John said there were many antichrist already there in his day.
Paul said antichrist would sit in "the temple of God" (the church), showing himself to be God.
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Antichirst is not "one man" any more than the devil is "one man".
Both antichrist and devil are spirits that operate through men.
Thus there were "many" antichrist when the apostle John wrote, and today with restraints of the scriptures removed, antichrist is operating in the majority of church groups that we see in our time!
Often you will hear church people say the churches are "watered down" today. This is removal of certain scriptures which opens the congregation to sin without repentance.
Certainly it is sad but it is exactly what the apostle Paul said would happen "in the last days."
II Tim. 3:1-5 ... This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;
Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.
They deny the power of the scripture to rule over them.
All these end time things are happening today in the church groups.
Jesus could come for the "believing" church at any time since that which had to happen before Jesus returns has happened and is happening right now before our eyes.
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How should we be, we who have the Holy Spirit and cling to the scriptures as Holy?
We live in peace by turning to God in faith and prayer and by surrounding our minds with Bible and godly exhortations in spite of all these horrors we see in churches and in people who say they are Christian.
For these causes, we write these volumes of Exhortations for the Church to encourage us and strengthen us daily in the scriptures and in things of the Spirit of God.
Joan Boney