(263) – COHERENCE X

263 – COHERENCE  – X

Paul declared: “For the mystery of lawlessness already works. Only there is one who restrains now, until he is taken out of the way. Then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will kill with the breath of his mouth, and destroy by the manifestation of his coming” (2 Thess. 2:7-8). The Bible is the book of mysteries. The wisdom of God is hidden in mysteries. (1 Cor. 2:7). There is the mystery of the rapture of the militant Church (1 Cor. 15:51). The mystery of grace (Eph. 3:2-3).The mystery of marriage (Eph. 5:32). The mystery of the Gospel (Eph. 6:19). The mystery of Christ(Col. 2:2; 4:3). It is obvious that the mystery of injustice is just one among so many (2 Thess. 2:7-8).

Theology has been busy with discerning the mystery of injustice, interpreting that verses three and four, of 2 Thessalonians speak of the antichrist. But this is an interpretation, for it is not written the word “antichrist”. According to this interpretation, the antichrist would be a political leader elected by ten nations to war against the Russian communism, which would at last end in a world war. The mystery of injustice, according to this exegesis, would be the empire of iniquity, for all virtues, such as love, justice and kindness, faithfulness, honesty, etc. will cease in men.

With the fall of communism the writers silenced. Certainly they are seeking new formulas to sell books to the unwary.

The apostle John describes the character of the antichrist, which, according to him, was not a man, but a spirit that was already in the Church of his time (1 John 2:18). The antichrist did not lead the political movement, but was the author of the doctrine that denied that Jesus was the Messiah — the Christ (1 John 2:22). The priests, the Pharisees, Sadducees and the scribes had the spirit of the antichrist. John further said: “And every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God; and this is the spirit of the antichrist, of which you have heard that it is coming, and now it is already in the world” (1 John 4:3).

Let us return to the mystery of injustice. The mystery of the kingdom of God existed from the beginning of the world. The mystery of the grace already existed before the beginning of the world, and was revealed only to Paul (Eph. 3:1-9). So the mystery of injustice already existed, and would be revealed(2 Thess. 2:7-9).

What is the mystery of injustice? Well, if the justice of God, the Father, has only been manifested to men in the person of Jesus Christ, through the cross, it follows that before Christ the mystery of injustice was operating.

We mention a few Bible verses that are clarifying and corroborating.

  1.  The justice of God begins to be fulfilled in the baptism of Christ (Matt. 3:15).
  2.  Paul declares: “He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, that we might become the righteousness of god in Him” (2 Cor. 5:21). Now, if all righteousness finds fulfillment in the baptism (Matt. 3:15), and if Christ was made sin for us, so that in Him we would be made the righteousness of God, it is obvious that in baptism Christ takes upon himself our sins, and dies on the cross on our place.
  3.  This is why we are forgiven in baptism (Acts 2:38) and washed (Acts 22:16).
  4.  Israel knew the righteousness of the Law, but did not know the righteousness of God, which is the faith in Jesus Christ; and by the Law, seeking to establish his own righteousness; they were not subjected to the righteousness of God (Rom. 3:21-23; 3:28).
  5.  The Law of Jehovah does not operate the righteousness of God, for men are justified only through the faith in Jesus Christ (Rom. 3:21-23; 3:28).
  6.  The righteousness of God was manifested only when Christ was baptized and died on the cross(Rom. 3:26), not when Jehovah gave the Law, 1,600 years before.

WE ARE GOING TO PROVE THAT THE PERIOD OF THE LAW OPERATED THE MYSTERY OF INJUSTICE.

  1.  The commandments of the Law of Jehovah were weak and useless; therefore they operated the mystery of injustice (Heb. 7:18).
  2.  The Law did not make anything perfect, therefore, it operated the mystery of injustice, for Jehovah affirmed that whoever kept the Law would live (Lev. 18:5; Ezek. 20:11; 20:21; Heb. 7:19).
  3.  The Law operates the passions of sins, that lead to death, not to life, and therefore the Law operates the mystery of injustice (Rom. 7:5).
  4.  The power of sin is the Law of Jehovah; therefore the Law operates the mystery of injustice (1 Cor. 15:56).
  5.  The commandment of the Law operates the lust of the flesh; therefore, the Law operates the mystery of injustice (Rom. 7:7-8).
  6.  The Law is holy, good and spiritual, but its effect is disastrous, as we saw above; therefore it operates the mystery of injustice (Rom. 7:12-14).
  7.  The Law of Jehovah comprises the ministry of death; therefore it operates the mystery of injustice(2 Cor. 3:6-8).
  8.  The apostle Paul declared that the justice of the Law was refuse and, as he was a zealous Pharisee, he threw away the refuse, to keep the faith in Christ (Phil. 3:5-9).
  9. Any Christian that may have kept the Law, or part of the Law, has fallen off the faith, and has lost the salvation that is in Christ (Gal. 5:1-4). It is then proven that the Law operates the mystery of injustice.
  • The absurdity is that, in face of so many biblical proofs of the imperfection and inutility of the Law — for this reason Christ has changed the Law (Heb. 7:12; John 13:34) — Jehovah would affirm that there was righteousness of God in the Law. Moses said, speaking from Jehovah, “It shall be righteousness to us, if we observe to do all this commandment before Jehovah our God, as he has commanded us” (Deut. 6:25).
  • And the prophet Isaiah says, inspired by Jehovah: “Listen to me, you who know righteousness, the people in whose heart is my law; don’t fear the reproach of men, neither be dismayed at their insults. For the moth shall eat them up like a garment, and the worm shall eat them like wool; but my righteousness shall be forever, and my salvation to all generations” (Is. 51:7-8).What big lie! And WHAT INCOHERENCE! “For the mystery of lawlessness already works. Only there is one who restrains now, until he is taken out of the way. Then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will kill with the breath of his mouth, and destroy by the manifestation of his coming; even he whose coming is according to the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, and with all deception of wickedness for those who are being lost, because they didn’t receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved” (2 Thess. 2:7-10). The mystery of injustice exists because the god of this world has blinded the understanding of the unbelieving (2 Cor. 4:4).

 by Pastor Olavo Silveira Pereira

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