By: Larry Young
Pastor Morris Venden shared an unforgettable story that needs retelling: Satan came up to a man and offered him a million bucks (a billion dollars today), and the man was allowed to do anything he wanted to with that money… live as lavishly as he desired and go anywhere he wanted, have power over peoples and nations, build the most awesome mansions with every amenity, let his imagination run wild, even do all kinds of good things. But there was just one little catch: when his life is over, he must join Satan in the lake of fire! So the real question is: If you were that man, would you then take the million bucks?
Satan faced Jesus with an even stronger version of that same story. Jesus was shown all the kingdoms of the world in a moment and all their glory, and Satan told Jesus that all of that would he His, but that Jesus must fall down and worship Satan (Matthew 4: 1 – 11). Take note that Satan didn’t tell Jesus that He couldn’t do all kinds of good things… because the real issue has always been about who worships whom. Jesus said: “Enter by the narrow gate: for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it” (Matthew 7: 13-14). That makes it even clearer that the vast majority of the world has taken Satan up on his offer.
Jon Beaty’s recent two articles regards “The Wheat and the Tares” is directly connected with “The Mystery of Iniquity” because they both ask the same questions: Why would anyone in their right mind choose to be a Tare instead of Wheat and end up eternally destroyed in the lake of fire? Why would anyone in their right mind choose to accept the devil’s deceptive offer of wealth and power if they also end up eternally destroyed in the lake of fire?
The Apostle Paul helped answer both questions in 2 Thessalonians 2: 7,8: “For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work…And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming.” One theological concordance adds: “The mystery of iniquity refers to the power of sin and lawlessness in the world,” and according to James 1:15: “sin, when it is fully-grown brings forth death.”
So is there a bottom line? The vast majority of people in this world choose to be destroyed eternally rather than be saved eternally. But that makes NO sense at all. Exactly!! That’s why it’s called “the mystery of iniquity.” The Bible does tell us that Satan is the author of sin, lies, deceit, and that he is the lawlessness one that the Lord will destroy in the lake of fire.
Here’s my personal take on all this: Everyone is given a measure of faith, but it’s up to each person where that faith is directed. Those who ultimately choose to be destroyed have one thought process in common: a lack of faith in the Lord. They can be so attracted by the pleasures of sin, power, deceit, greed, lies, selfishness and/or hatred, that they want little or nothing to do with genuine love, selflessness, truth, kindness, or humility. They are further led astray by the devil, being given a false picture of an eternal burning Hell… and especially if Hell includes unending torment for endless trillions of years by a supposedly loving God. For the lost who think there is a heaven, they are given an evil twisted view that heaven must be totally boring and a merciless killjoy… or that they must spend their time in heaven helplessly watching and stressing over living family and friends back on earth who are going through horrible trials, suffering and pain.
I also believe that the devil is constantly yelling in our ears that we have sinned one too many times, and that we are wasting our time asking for forgiveness…again, and to just give it up and throw in the towel. This all wreaks of “The Mystery of Iniquity,” but the truth is that Jesus is leaving no stone unturned to save us… that is, without compromising our power of choice. Jesus wants us to love Him because we choose to love Him. You have the power of choice to redirect your faith to Jesus, and He will never let you go. God said: “Turn to me and be saved, all you ends of the earth; for I am God, and there is no other” (Isaiah 45: 22).