October 1924
T H E
K I N G ’ S
B U S I N E S S
669
LAWLESSNESS (Continued from page 617) Matt. 5:14: “ Ye are the salt of the earth.’’ No matter in what age it was spoken, the “ YE’’ refers to the disciples (followers) of the Lord Jesus. Salt is a preservative, that which retards decay; thus the true Christian is right now retarding some lawlessness. But mark you, when decay reaches a certain stage and the blow flies gather and the maggots work, the salt is no longer able to prevent rotten ness. Furthermore when a certain stage of lawlessness is reached the salt will be taken away, and the lawless will be left to revel in their own lawlessness. The second passage I would have you note brings to notice a restraining power, none other than the Holy Spirit (2 Thess. 2:7 R. V.). “ For the mystery of Lawlessness doth already work; only there is one that restraineth NOW, until He be taken out of the way.” " With the preservative force gone and the restraining One taken away such lawlessness as the world has never thought possible will result. The Cause of Lawlessness The Bar Association Report, before mentioned, continues: , "A® to the reason fo r this persistent Increase in crimes of violence in a country where general conditions o f living are the most favorable in the civilized world, we come to the inescapable conclusion that it is entirely due to the lax way in which we adm inister our crim inal law .” This is a portion of the trouble but there is a much more definite cause than this. Lawlessness has been under the direction of a person and will ultimately head up in the manifestation of that person. The same chapter which tells of the taking away of the Holy Spirit tells us this also, (2 Thess. 2:8 R. V.). of the taking away of the Holy Spirit tells us this also : then shall be revealed the LAWLESS ONE, whom the Lord Jesus shall slay with the breath of his mouth, and bring to nought by the manifestation of his com ing; even he whose com ing is according to w orkin g o f Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, and with all deceitfulness of unright eousness for them that perish; because they receive not the love o f the truth that they m ight be saved.” This description connects the coming “Lawless One” so definitely with the first “ Lawless One” that we must give it consideration at this point. I The First Lawless One 1- Lucifer. In Isa. 14:13 we read of a created being called Lucifer: “ O, Lucifer, son of the morning.” In Eze kiel 28:13, 15, we find that he was in the holy mountain of God; that he was the anointed cherub; that every pre cious stone was his covering; that he was perfect in all his ways from the day he was created, TILL INIQUITY (LAW LESSNESS) WAS FOUND IN HIM. 2 . Satan. When Lucifer rebelled and became lawless his name was changed and we now know him as Satan. The particular cause of this rebellion and the result thereof are given as follows: For ^ ou bast said in thine heart I w ill ascend into heaven, I w ill exalt my throne above the stars of God: I w ill sit also upon the mount o f the congregation, in the sides of the north: I w ill ascend above the heights of the clouds; I w ill be like the most H igh.” Isa. 14:13, 14. “Thine heart was lifted up because o f thy hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason o f thy w ill cast thee to the ground.” Ezekiel 28:17. beauty, thou brightness: I Of this event the Lord Jesus, who was a witness of the event, says in Luke 10:18: “ I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven.” The .relationship between the First Lawless One and the Coming Lawless One is so plain that none need be mistaken; for bearing in mind what we have just read of Satan, we find the same terms used describing the coming Lawless One. “Let no man deceive you by any means; for that day shall not come, except there be a falling away first, and that MAN OP SIN BE REVEALED, the son o f perdition: who opposeth T
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