The mystery of iniquity

Whoever has no hope and believes that everything ends with death, will also never really overcome or ignore his sadness (1 Thessalonians 4:13-14). Death does not bring us joy! Such a person also mocks and blasphemes over the Christian's hope of the return of Jesus (Psalm 35:16). The Bible does not leave us in the dark with regard to life after death (for everyone). The resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead is the reason and evidence for it. Therefore, the Son of God returns so that His eternal Lordship can be established. In Romans 14:9 we read “For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that He might be Lord both of the dead and living.” That is our hope and joy, that our salvation will appear visibly in the Person of the glorified Son of God in great strength and glory. Without this concrete hope, which has been made possible only through the resurrection of Christ, we would not be Christians. We would in fact, according to the Bible, be “of all men most miserable” (1 Corinthians 15:19). Then we would have an empty faith, revolving around ourselves and ending nowhere – similar to Buddhism. Without faith in the resurrection and return of Jesus (which belongs together) our faith would be a fairytale and a huge stupidity and senseless self-adulation. The coming of Christ is closely connected with events and current affairs in Israel and especially with the holy city of Jerusalem. This city is the “cup of trembling unto all the people round about” (Zechariah 12:2). We have also been informed and forewarned in a particularly forceful manner by the Apostle Paul, with regard to this awesome event of the Second Coming. We should not allow certain news items to scare, unsettle or seduce us, regardless of whether they come by way of words, alleged prophecies, signs and wonders, a letter or in whatever manner – even within our inner circle.

We will receive information (keyword: media age) which pertains to the coming of Jesus, or even alleges that He has already returned. However, we know that before the coming of Jesus, the “son of perdition” and with him “the falling away” must first come. We will hear of earthquakes, wars, famine and plagues (Luke 21:11). The adversary stands and falls with the “mystery of iniquity” and must first be exposed, and then will be destroyed (2 Thessalonians 2:1-7). The second coming of Jesus will not take place until all this has happened. Christians are therefore also waiting, so to speak, on the Anti-Christ, because with his appearance and his claim to be God, the end will be heralded in. We cannot answer questions with regard to where the evil one comes from – it is in fact a dark secret. But, we will find out. The forgiveness of our sins is, in any event and foremost, what is of importance. And it is only God's profound, eternal grace which saves us from all evil. At the end our LORD and Savior comes upon the scene, the evil one will be revealed and the Lord will consume him with the spirit of His mouth and destroy him with the brightness of His coming (2 Thessalonians 2:8). At the second coming Jesus will not come quietly, but for all to see in the clouds (Revelation 1:7), descending from heaven like lightning (Luke 17:24). The mockers and doubters will reject Jesus, disqualify Him, assess Him historically too lightly, ridicule and judge Him and also the Christians – this we should know. But the victory is ours - through the risen Savior and eternal and glorious Heavenly Father. God will bring us who believe home (Revelation 22:7: “Behold, I come quickly”) and then our joy and gratitude will have no end – Hallelujah!

Jörg Bauer