Falling Away, Last Days' Deception — Aaron Hurst

Welcome, in Jesus' name, to each of you. Greetings in Christ. Last Sunday, Brother Tim shared a message. I think I am right. Am I correct in that title? I think I am right. I have been meditating on that quite a bit.

The Deception of Self-Righteousness

Appreciated that word from the Gospel of John. And basically, there were those who were saying we have Abraham to our fathers, therefore we're right. Our righteousness is of the law. What do you mean we're sinners?

What do you mean we're born in sin? We have Abraham to our fathers, and they had that sense of I'm right because I keep the law. Jesus had very strong words for them. I don't know of any group of people that Jesus would have spoken more forcefully, words that were very, very serious.

When they said we are of our father, Abraham, Jesus responded with that if you were, you would do the works of your father, but you're actually mistaken. You're wrong. You're of your father, the devil.

Those are very strong, sobering words that the Lord Jesus, who knows all men, could speak. But I was thinking about the thought of the deception that was upon their hearts and the blindness that was upon their hearts.

And as I was seeking the Lord for what to share today, I thought of another group of people who think I am right. And this one is very sobering, just as the other one is as well. Open your Bibles to 2 Thessalonians chapter two.

The Coming of the Lord and the Falling Away

2 Thessalonians chapter two. And let's stand together for the reading of God's word. 2 Thessalonians chapter two, beginning in verse one. Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and by our gathering together unto him, that ye be not soon shaken in mind or be troubled, neither by spirit nor by word nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand.

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 opposes and exalteth himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped.

So that he, as God, sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God. Remember ye not that when I was yet with you, I told you these things? And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time.

For the mystery of iniquity doth already work, only he who now letteth will let until he be taken out of the way. And then shall that wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming.

Even him whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders and with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish, because they receive not the love of the truth that they might be saved.

And for this cause, God shall send them strong delusion that they should believe a lie, that they might all be damned who believe not the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness. But we are bound to give thanks all the way 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.

Whereunto he called you by our gospel to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, brethren, stand fast and hold the tradition which you have been taught whether by word or our epistle.

Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God, even our Father, which hath loved us and has given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace, comfort your hearts, establish you in every good word and work.

Father, we come in Jesus' name here this morning. And Lord, we ask that by your Holy Spirit you would speak clearly, lovingly, specifically to our hearts, Lord. Father, I pray in the name of Jesus that this would be a day of exposing deception, of exposing blindness of heart.

Father, that light and truth would come. Father, that salvation would come. Deliverance, Father, we ask these things in the name of Jesus that you would be glorified and your people be delivered from the great deception in this our day.

We pray in Jesus' name, amen. You may be seated. He's writing to brethren. He says, I beseech you, brethren. And when I think of the word beseech, to me it has a bit of a stronger meaning than just simply I'm telling you, brothers, or for your information, by the way.

Rather, it's I beseech you. Listen up, take earnest heed, brethren. By the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, who shall come from heaven in great power and all the tribes of the earth shall mourn. They shall see the Son of Man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.

Jesus is coming. I beseech you, brethren. Keep in mind, keep it upon your hearts. The Lord is coming and we're gonna be gathered unto him by our gathering unto him. Yes, the Lord shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, with the trump of God.

The Lord shall come. Yes, he shall come. Hallelujah, the dead in Christ shall rise first and then we which are alive and remain. We shall be caught up together with him in the clouds and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

I love the way he introduces and opens this subject that he's talking about here in this chapter. First, he gets our focus on the coming of the Lord. Jesus is coming. We're gonna be gathered together unto him.

And then he says, now brethren, don't be soon shaken in mind or troubled, neither by spirit nor by word nor by letter as from us. As that day of Christ is at hand. You know, there were some who were saying, the Lord has come, he has come in secret and or he's gonna come this way or that way or many, many different philosophies of men.

But he says, don't be soon shaken or troubled by all these different thoughts that are floating around or all these different ideas. Because I'm gonna tell you very, very clearly, explicitly. In 1 Thessalonians 5, one he said, but the times and seasons brethren, you have no need that I write unto you.

For you yourselves know perfectly well that the day of Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. For when they shall say peace and safety, then sudden destruction shall come upon them as travail upon a woman with child and they shall not escape.

But ye brethren, ye brethren, you're not in darkness. That that day should overtake you as a thief. For you're all the children of light and the children of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness.

Let us therefore not sleep as do others, but let us watch and be sober. The Lord is coming. To some he will come as a thief because you're not ready. They're not prepared, they're not watching. But he says to you, brothers, you're not in darkness that that day should overtake you as a thief.

You're the children of the day. You're walking in honesty and in righteousness before God. He goes on to say, let no man deceive you by any means. Let no man deceive you by any means. In Ephesians 5 .1, we read, be ye therefore followers of God as dear children and walk in love as Christ also has loved us and given himself for us and offering in a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savor.

But then he gives this warning, but fornication and all uncleanness or covetous, let it not be once named among you as become a saints, neither filthiness nor foolish talking nor jesting which are not convenient, but rather giving of thanks.

For this ye know that no whoremonger nor unclean person nor covetous man who has an idolater has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no man deceive you with vain words. For because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience.

Be not ye therefore partakers with them. For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord. Walk as children of light. Let no man deceive you. When Jesus was asked about his second coming of his return, one of the things that Jesus emphasized repeatedly was that there would be deception in the last days.

Apostasy, Lukewarmness, and the Signs of Falling Away

Let no man deceive you by any means. For that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first. What does that mean? A falling away. What comes into our hearts and minds as we think about that term?

A falling away first. Anyone wanna call it out? What comes to your heart and your mind when you think about the falling away? The Christians will err from the truth. All right, thank you. Love of many growing cold.

Apostasy, lukewarm. A fall is often unintentional. All right, the falling away. What's their hand over here? Those who are carnal may very well end up just wholeheartedly throwing themselves into the world, just giving up.

That day shall not come, except there be a falling away. Now, who are the ones that are falling away? Who are they? Are they people that go to church or are they people who don't profess Christ at all?

Who are these people? Are they professors? Yes, yes. It goes on to speak about the man of sin being revealed, the son of perdition who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or is worshiped, so that he as God sit as upon the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.

Are we living in a day where this scripture is being fulfilled? It's coming, it's becoming reality before us? Do we see a falling away? Do we see a falling away? It's rather grievous and really almost shocking that the name Christian is still attached, where there's acceptance of things that God calls an abomination.

But the name Christian is still attached. Isn't that very sobering? We could very easily just keep this out there at a safe distance away, looking at those that are perverse and very wicked and evil. Am I falling away?

You know, in the Christian life, we are either growing in grace and in our love for Jesus and in the knowledge of the truth and pursuing after the Lord and walking in humility as was taught in the children's lesson and where our hearts and lives are open and we're, like Brother Tim shared in the song this morning, search me, oh God, or in his prayer after we sung a song together, try me, Lord, are there any dark places in my life?

Are there any areas in my life where they're not pleasing to you, they're not bringing you glory? 1 Timothy 4 .1, now the Spirit speaketh expressly that in the latter times, some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils.

Speaking lies in hypocrisy and having their conscience seared with a hot arron. The conscience is so violated by repeatedly sinning against God that it doesn't function anymore. It's like seared. I think these two are very related.

The falling away and the departing from the faith, departing from the faith that was once delivered unto the saints, the true faith of Christ Jesus, the true faith of the Lord, the true reality of what it means to be a disciple of Jesus.

Nations are in perplexities. Never before have I seen, and I don't know that it ever took place before on such a large scale, where a virus has affected the nations to the point of where things have been greatly affected.

And you may have your thoughts about that. There may be thoughts about that it's not really what it's made up to be. There's all kinds of theories. And I'm not here to talk about that this morning, but I'm rather here to say that as long as nations are strong and functioning healthily and the economy is vibrant and everything is going well, they're not very ready to accept a one world government and a Christ system.

But when the nations are in distress and things are in decline and declension and they're looking for an answer, may that be the moment and the timing of the Lord where the Antichrist will be revealed to set up his kingdom.

And you know, we look at the United States and we say, well, things are very strong and solid, but you know, the collapse could come very quickly. It could come very suddenly. Lawlessness is growing in the streets.

Hatred toward God, hatred toward Christians. There's blood on the hands of this nation. Abortions outnumber by multiplied volume those who have died from COVID. Just one area. What time is it? Where are we in the events and the unfolding of the last days?

Loving and Receiving the Truth

As we look in Thessalonians chapter two, we want to zero in on a verse, a few here. It speaks of the Antichrist. And then it tells us in verse 10 that he will be working signs and wonders, verse nine, and with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish, because they receive not the love of the truth that they might be saved.

I want to ask us this morning, do I love the truth? Do I receive the truth when it comes to my heart? This is very important. They receive not the love of the truth that they might be saved. In these last days of the falling away, it seems quite evident at this stage yet that there are many professing with the name Christian attached to themselves.

It might still in a way be a little bit popular to be a Christian, a professing Christian. But what we see taking place is a denial of the truth of the word of God. The things that God has spoken and decreed that those who name the name of Christ should not once be involved in.

It should not be mentioned among them. It should not be there. It is weak that today. It's like I receive the Lord Jesus as my savior, but not as my Lord. Obedience to the Lord is as optional. I want Jesus as my savior, but I don't want to deny myself.

I don't want to take up my cross and follow. When conviction comes by reading the scriptures or hearing a message preached or someone speaking into my life, I decide whether I want to obey or not. It's optional.

You can disobey God and go to heaven at last is popular modern day thought among many. So brother, sister, I don't want any of us to be surprised on judgment day, to be deceived. This is amazing. This is terrifying really.

Because they receive not the love of the truth that they might be saved for this cause, God shall send them strong delusion that they should believe a lie. You know, we often think of, well, you know, the deception, you know, the devil is out to deceive the whole world and my own flesh and my own carnality is deceitful.

The flesh is deceitful. But I want you to take notice when there is a rejection of truth that God has shown me and you clearly showing us and we reject that truth, there is a grave danger to the one who rejects truth and does not receive it, does not love the truth.

And this truth I'm talking about, I believe is primarily when God shows us sin in our lives. I don't think it's necessarily a doctrinal truth or something as such about the deity of Christ or so, but it could be.

But it's often rather when God shows me truth in my heart of where I am falling away or where I am in sin. Do I love that truth and receive it and walk in repentance? Who does it say that shall send a strong delusion?

Who does it say in verse 11? For this cause, who shall send him? God. I can hardly fathom that. The God who loves us and who wants all men to be saved and is not willing that any should perish, that God would send a strong delusion that they should believe a lie and that they might be damned who believe not the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

Brother, sister, this is very serious. I cannot overemphasize it. Am I falling away? Do I accept things in my life now that at one time when my life was more on fire for God, I would have never done? It would have affected me.

It would have grieved me. I wouldn't do it. But now, one little sin leads to another little sin. One little quenching of conscience leads to another quenching of the conscience. You know, a lot of times when you see a person who loses their way with God and falls away, it doesn't happen just like a snack.

Is that right? Many times it doesn't. It's a gradual departing. It's making allowance for sin in my life. Well, that's not so bad, comparing myself with another person. Well, they do this, and they're a Christian.

I ask you this morning, is your life growing in grace and love toward Jesus? You know, the falling away happens in the heart. It starts in the heart. If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be anathema, let him be accursed.

Brother mentioned lukewarmness. Love growing cold was mentioned. And you know, this is love for Jesus. This is love for truth. This is love for God and his word. Jesus said to those that obey me, I'm gonna reveal my glory.

I'm gonna reveal myself. The disciples were a bit in perplexity. How are you gonna reveal yourself to us and not to the world? Well, he said the world doesn't obey. They don't keep my commandments. But to those who love me and keep my word, I will reveal myself to him in the last days.

There will be a falling away. In the latter times, some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils. Speaking lies in hypocrisy. You know, they know better deep down, but they're hypocrites.

Jesus had strong words for the hypocrites. I think because of time, I won't go to Romans 1. I had considered going there. Romans 1 is very similar. I will get a few excerpts from Romans 1. For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who hold the truth in unrighteousness.

Holding Truth While Practicing Unrighteousness

How can that be? Holding truth, but unrighteous. You know, sometimes a person can be such a vehement defender of a certain doctrine or truth. Holding that truth. Oh, just digging in their heels to the point of disfellowship of brethren, disassociation of other truth from God's word.

I believe that's a way to get very deceived, very easily, to pick out a one certain pet truth and doctrine and hold that thing, but there's unrighteousness. There's un-Christ-likeness. There's pride.

There's arrogance. There's disobedience. God says some very strong things. They professed themselves to be wise, but they became fools. When they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful, and their foolish hearts were darkened.

Darkness. It's awful. It's terrible. And now here God says these words. Wherefore God also gave them up. He gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts. He gave them up. He gave them up to the point of reprobation, lesbianism, homosexuality.

He gave them up to vile affection, and because they didn't like to retain God in their knowledge, he gave them over to a reprobate mind. Sounds like a conscience seared with a hot iron. God gave them over.

That's awful. It's terrible. It's a little bit like where God says he resists the proud. God resists. God is against. Brother, sister, we need God for us. We need to walk in such a way in humility and brokenness and repentance that God is for us.

God gave them over to all unrighteousness, being filled with all unrighteousness. Fornication. Oh, but today fornication isn't a sin anymore among many professed Christians, but God says that's sin. Covetousness, oh, it's not so bad.

God says it's unrighteousness. Envy, full of envy, it's unrighteousness. Proud, oh, pride is so subtle, so wicked. Lord, deliver me from pride. Show me my pride, Lord. God gave them over to be disobedient to their parents.

That stubborn, rebellious heart, disobedient to parents. The falling away. Jesus says, strive to enter in at the straight gate. For many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in and shall not be able. Luke 13, 24.

Many will seek to enter in and shall not be able. When once the master of the house has risen up and has shut the door, and ye begin to stand without and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us.

And he shall answer and say unto you, I know you not whence ye are. Then they shall say, we have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets. Putting it in today's language, but Lord, I went to church.

I was a member at Charity Christian Fellowship. I heard the preaching. I helped to sing. I put money in the offering. Lord, but he shall say, I tell you, I know not whence ye are. Depart from me, ye workers of iniquity.

And there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth when ye shall see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God and you yourselves thrust out. This is so serious. Awake, awake.

Awake, thou that sleepest. Awake, that thou art drunk with worldly pleasures and lusts of other things, crowding out the Lord. Awake, awake. You'll see the others going into the kingdom, the prostitutes, the harlots, who knew they were wicked sinners and needed a savior are gonna go in before the self-righteous.

They're gonna go in before the Pharisee. They're gonna go in before the false professor. And you yourselves thrust out and you will be powerless to stop it at that day. God's mighty angels. Imagine being picked up by one of God's mighty angels and being thrust out of the kingdom, out of the presence of the Lord into outer darkness where there's weeping and gnashing of teeth.

The Narrow Gate and the Necessity of Perseverance

Enter ye in at the straight gate. Strive to enter in at this gate for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leadeth to destruction. And many, many there be which go in there at. There's many on the broad way.

Why? Because straight is the gate and narrow is the way which leadeth unto life. In few there be that find it. Brother, sister, the great falling away. Turn with me to Matthew 7. I want you to see this in your Bible for yourself.

The words of our Lord Jesus, speaking the truth to us today so that judgment could come to our hearts today and we could repent today and we could be saved today and we could love the truth today. Matthew 7, 21.

Not everyone that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven, but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name?

And in thy name have cast out devils and in thy name have done many wonderful works. And then will I profess unto them I never knew you. Depart from me ye that work iniquity. Not everyone that saith Lord, Lord.

Oh, but those who love Jesus and are obedient. Those who delight to do thy will, O God. Those who say, here I am, Lord, search me, try me. Deliver me from secret fault, from secret sin. Deliver me from presumptuous sin.

Deliver me from pride. Lord, whatever you show me, oh, I love what brother Elmer Peachy tells us. He says, I love conviction because it shows me that my loving heavenly Father, he's speaking to my heart.

He's showing me areas in my life. Every son whom the Lord receiveth, he correcteth and scourges. Do we love the correction of the Lord today? Do we love his truth coming to our hearts? Did Jesus always tell the truth?

When he says few and contrasts it with many, do you think that was an exaggeration or was that really true? I believe the word of Jesus. I believe it's really true. When he says that there are few that find that straight and narrow way and there are many on the broad way, I have to believe Jesus' word.

Therefore, we strive to enter in. I believe one of the damning, ideologies of our day is that we can be at ease and go to heaven at last. We don't have to strive. We don't have to persevere and press into the kingdom.

And I'm not talking works salvation. Please don't misunderstand me. But I'm talking about a salvation that works. We are called unto good works that God has foreordained that we should walk in them, those who are saved.

And see, this thing of separating works out and saying it has nothing to do with our salvation, it doesn't initially becoming saved. We're all sinners. And by works, no one shall be saved. But by the deeds of our body and by our works, we shall be judged.

Is that scriptural? Is that right? By our works, we shall be judged. And the word that I have spoken, Jesus said in John 12, shall judge them at the last day. And so here we have Jesus' loving words, Jesus' sharp words, Jesus' kind words, Jesus' rebukes that we might be saved.

Obedience to the Gospel and Genuine Transformation

Because Jesus is coming back. As the scripture we began, he's coming back in great power and glory. And in 2 Thessalonians 1, 8, it says he's coming back in flaming fire, taking vengeance on them that know not God and obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Obedience is not optional. Take it or leave it. The disobedient, those who obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, he will come in flaming fire, taking vengeance on them. And they shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power.

I don't know that I have a title for this message, but you know, the things that were really deeply on my heart said there would be none under the sound of my voice who are falling away and are departing from the faith and aren't warned, aren't given a wake up warning, wake up.

I also thought of these, just a shallow conversion, just saying I recognize I'm a sinner and I want to be saved, but not a sellout to God, not a denying of self and taking up the cross and all out for God.

Could it be there's some that are deceived into thinking they're saved when they haven't deeply repented and they haven't been transformed by the power of God into a new creation in Christ Jesus where the old things pass away and all things become new and they have a new affection for God and they love God and his righteousness?

Or did they just add a little bit of Jesus to their life? Just enough to get to heaven, not enough to change my life radically and cause me to die to myself and I tell you, I have a grave concern, just a slow cooling off, just a slow drifting, a drifting of the heart, an allurement from the world into all these other things and the cares of life and the pleasures of other things entering in choke out the word and it becometh unfruitful and you're no longer abiding in the vine and every branch that is not abiding in the vine, then it shall be cut off.

They shall cut it off and it shall be cast into the furnace of fire. Brother, sister, this is dead serious. Sorry, I wasn't gonna use that word. This is serious. Strive to enter in for many shall seek to enter in and shall not be able.

The Final Call to Repentance and Watchfulness

Today is the day of salvation. Today, if you hear his voice, harden not your heart. Today, if you hear his voice, love the truth and receive it and come to Christ and be saved and be saved. God bless you.

I'm not angry at you. I love you and I wanna see us with those that are expectantly waiting for the Lord to return. Oil in our lamps and oil in our vessels as you would have read further in the scripture there.

Oh, he's coming back and the saints are gonna admire him. Oh, praise God. Praise God, Jesus is coming again to receive his bride that he has purchased with his own blood. Today is the day of salvation.

Don't harden your heart.