Wow! I have heard others reference this verse during the past couple years in relation to what has happened with the fake news and huge deception the world over. Now countries are banning the treatment/poison some call a vaccine.
When Paul prophesied about the apostasy of the last days, listen to how pertinent his words are today.
“And now you know what withholds, that he might be revealed in his time; for the mystery of iniquity does already work, and he it is who now works. And Christ suffers him to work until the time is fulfilled that he shall be taken out of the way. And then shall that wicked one be revealed whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming; yea, the Lord, even Jesus, whose coming is not until after there comes a falling away by the working of Satan with all power, and signs, and lying wonders, and with all deception of unrighteousness, in them that perish because they received 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 all might be damned who believed not the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness” (RE 2 Thessalonians 1:5; KJV 2 Thess. 2:6-12).
So prophetic! And he explains, “in them that perish because they received not the love of the truth that they might be saved.” The love of truth is what leads us upward, maximizing our opportunities in this life to become more like God. If we are in tune with his spirit, we can discern what is a lie and a deception. If we humbly seek answers from God, he will teach us. If we seek counsel from those with initials and titles in front of or behind their names, we will be taught their ways. Their ways are not God’s ways. Their ways have proven to be a deception often.
Paul also explains here that the “falling away” from truth and Jesus, who is truth personified, happens because of the “working of Satan with all power, and signs, and lying wonders, and with all deception of unrighteousness…” Deception of unrighteousness. The unrighteous are willing to lie and feign righteousness. When Nephi explained that all churches would be corrupt, he meant it.
He taught, “
- Yea, they have all gone out of the way, they have become corrupted; because of pride, and because of false teachers, and false doctrine, their churches have become corrupted, and their churches are lifted up; because of pride, they are puffed up. They rob the poor because of their fine sanctuaries; they rob the poor because of their fine clothing, and they persecute the meek and the poor in heart because in their pride they are puffed up. They wear stiff necks and high heads, yea, and because of pride, and wickedness, and abominations, and whoredoms, they have all gone astray, save it be a few who are the humble followers of Christ. Nevertheless, they are led, that in many instances they do err because they are taught by the precepts of men” (RE 2 Nephi 12:2; 2 Ne. 28:11-14).
