Quote:
Originally Posted by byHismercy
But I think I see what you are saying, that the plural them, the damned group, you see as once knowing the truth and having fallen away because of the translation of apostasia? That they must be fallen believers? Am I understanding your position correctly?
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Yes, you're correct. And I mean believers in the sense of having knowledge of the truth but are unregenerate. When the restrainer (the Holy Spirit) is removed these believers will eventually fall away from the true gospel and into deceitful doctrines taught by demons.(1 Tim 4:1).
An example of this would be what Paul alludes to here in 2 Thess 2:9-10;
"
The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with how Satan works. He will use all sorts of displays of power through signs and wonders that serve the lie, 10 and all the ways that wickedness deceives those who are perishing."
Christ first talked about this in Matthew 7:22;
"Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?"
So here is an example that shows that in the end-times there will be professing Christians who prophesy and even preform miracles in Jesus's name yet are cast away from his presence not ever actually having known the truth.
It's scary to think that in the last days there will be individuals outwardly professing Christ and preforming miracles yet they won't be empowered by the Holy Spirit but by Satan.
