10.5 Spiritualism in the Last Days: Part 2
Preserving Hope and Faith Amid End-Time Deceptions
Our hope of salvation is firmly anchored in Christ. His bloodstained hands, nailed to the cross for us, call us to accept the sacrifice He made for us—an infinitely precious and freely given sacrifice. This hope of redemption will be fulfilled by the second coming of Christ, which Titus 2:13 refers to as the “blessed hope.” Soon, Christ will return to gather the believers and fulfill the promise of eternal salvation.
Satan, on the other hand, has a clear goal: He seeks to destroy this hope. He will use supernatural events, signs, and wonders to lead people away from biblical truth and salvation in Christ. Through these deceptions, he tries to confuse people and distract them from their faith.
Revelation 14:12 says: “This calls for patient endurance on the part of the people of God who keep his commands and remain faithful to Jesus.” These words remind us that in the final battle, Satan will do everything possible to prevent people from either keeping the “commands of God” or maintaining the “faith of Jesus”—or both. The saints who remain steadfast during this challenging time are distinguished by their adherence to both God’s commandments and their unwavering faith in Jesus.
Therefore, it is of utmost importance to beware of any teaching that diverts us from either of these two characteristics of the remnant, even if accompanied by signs, wonders, and supernatural acts. In an era where spiritualistic deceptions and false miracles are increasing, it is crucial to hold firmly to biblical truth and not let anything deter us from the hope of salvation in Christ. Only in this way can we resist Satan’s deception and preserve the blessed hope of Christ’s second coming.
Read Matthew 24:23–27; 2 Corinthians 11:13–14; and 2 Thessalonians 2:9–12. What do these verses tell us about the deceptive power and workings of Satan?
The cited Bible verses, along with additional insights from secondary literature, provide us with deep insights into the nature and methods of deception that Satan will use in the last days. Let us examine the verses and passage in detail:
Bible Verses:
Matthew 24:23–27: “Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There he is!’ do not believe it. For false Christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect. See, I have told you beforehand. So, if they say to you, ‘Look, he is in the wilderness,’ do not go out. If they say, ‘Look, he is in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it. For as the lightning comes from the east and shines as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.”
These verses warn us that in the last days many false Christs and false prophets will appear, performing great signs and wonders to deceive people. Jesus emphasizes that His coming will be obvious and unmistakable, like lightning in the sky.
2 Corinthians 11:13–14: “For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.”
This passage explains that false apostles and deceitful workers will pose as true servants of Christ. Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light to make his deceptions appear credible.
2 Thessalonians 2:9–12: “The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders, and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. Therefore God sends them a strong delusion, so that they may believe what is false, in order that all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.”
This section describes that the “lawless one” comes with the power of Satan, with false signs and wonders, to deceive those who did not accept the love of the truth. God allows this deception so that those who did not believe the truth may be condemned.
Commentary on Secondary Literature:
The cited passages from secondary literature (VSL 569–570) describe Satan’s final deception, where he will stage terrifying supernatural appearances and wonders to deceive people. Satan will influence the kings of the earth and the whole world, and people will pose as Christ and perform miraculous healings to deceive others. The climax of this deception will be Satan himself posing as Christ to create the illusion that the Savior has come.
Summary:
These Bible passages and the supplementary secondary literature clearly show the deceptive power and workings of Satan in the end times. Satan’s goal is to deceive people through false signs, wonders, and appearances, leading them away from true salvation in Christ. He and his servants disguise themselves as bringers of light to make their deceptions appear credible. Believers are urged to remain vigilant and firmly hold onto biblical truth to avoid falling prey to Satan’s lies and deceptions. The Bible emphasizes that Christ’s second coming will be unmistakable and obvious, in contrast to Satan’s hidden and deceptive appearances.
Why is it very important to understand the truth about the second coming of Christ and the state of the dead to avoid being deceived?
Understanding the truth about the second coming of Christ and the state of the dead is essential to avoid deceptions. Here are some key reasons why this knowledge is so important:
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Preparation for Satan’s Final Deception: Satan will employ intense and impressive deceptions in the last days to lead people away from the truth. As mentioned in Matthew 24:23-27 and 2 Thessalonians 2:9-12, false Christs and false prophets will appear, performing great signs and wonders. These deceptions could be so convincing that even the elect might be deceived. However, if believers understand the biblical truth about Christ’s second coming, they can recognize these false appearances as deceptions.
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Unmistakable Signs of Christ’s Second Coming: The Bible describes Christ’s second coming as an event that will be visible and unmistakable to all (Matthew 24:27). If someone claims that Christ has appeared secretly or in a specific location, it is a clear contradiction to biblical teaching. This understanding protects believers from falling for false claims and appearances.
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Recognizing False Teachings about the State of the Dead: The truth about the state of the dead is also crucial. Many spiritualistic deceptions are based on false notions about life after death. According to the Bible, the dead are in a state of sleep, without consciousness, until the resurrection (Ecclesiastes 9:5; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17). If people believe that the dead consciously continue to exist, they can be more easily deceived by alleged ghost appearances or messages from the deceased, which are actually of demonic origin.
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Resisting Spiritualistic Deceptions: Spiritism and communication with the dead are, according to biblical understanding, forms of deception by demonic forces. When believers know the biblical truth about the state of the dead, they can recognize spiritualistic practices and supposed ghost appearances for what they are: Satan’s deceptions. This enables them to resist such temptations and remain in the truth.
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Preserving the Purity of Faith: Holding to biblical truth helps believers maintain their faith pure and untainted by false teachings. By understanding the teachings about Christ’s second coming and the state of the dead, they remain firmly anchored in biblical truth and are not distracted by sensational but false teachings and appearances.
Conclusion:
Understanding the biblical truth about the second coming of Christ and the state of the dead protects believers from deceptions aimed at leading them away from true salvation and hope in Christ. It is a fundamental basis for remaining in the truth and being able to resist the temptations and deceptions of the end times.
The connection of our daily life and faith with the themes in “10.5 Spiritism in the End Times, Part 2” is that we must consciously and actively prepare for the challenges of the end times. The deceptions that Satan will use in the last days aim to lead us away from our faith in Jesus Christ and destroy our hope of salvation. Here are some practical applications and connections to our daily life and faith:
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Vigilance and Discernment: In daily life, this means being constantly aware that not everything impressive and supernatural comes from God. It is important to cultivate spiritual disciplines such as prayer, Bible study, and fellowship with other believers to sharpen our discernment.
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Holding to Biblical Truth: Knowledge of the Bible and understanding of biblical teachings about Christ’s second coming and the state of the dead are crucial to protecting us from deceptions. Therefore, we should regularly study the Bible and engage deeply with the teachings of Scripture.
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Preserving Hope and Faith: Our hope of salvation is anchored in Christ, and we must renew and strengthen this hope in our daily lives. This means relying on God’s promises and remembering that Christ will return to gather the believers.
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Avoiding Spiritualistic Practices: Belief in the biblical truth about the state of the dead helps us recognize and avoid spiritualistic practices and supposed ghost appearances as deceptions. In daily life, this means staying away from all forms of spiritism and occultism.
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Strengthening the Faith Community: Fellowship with other believers is an important source of encouragement and protection. By actively engaging in the church, we can support each other and warn against deceptions.
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Patience and Steadfastness: Revelation 14:12 reminds us that the saints in the end times are characterized by patience and steadfastness. This means practicing patience in our daily lives and remaining firm in our faith, even when facing difficulties and temptations.
In summary, this means consciously and actively living our faith in daily life and holding firmly to biblical truths. Through vigilance, discernment, fellowship, and a deep understanding of Scripture, we can resist end-time deceptions and preserve the hope of Christ’s second coming.
Holding to biblical truth and vigilance in faith are our shields against the deceptions of the end times, preserving our hope of Christ’s second coming.
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