Originally posted by JLB,
It doesn't get any more carnal than to suggest that a "man" of sin can "sit" [occupy] another man, let alone all the Christians collectively.
It is not ANOTHER MAN
JLB - it is
YOU.... and it is
ME! On an individual level, each of us are a temple. You are the "man of sin" within your own temple. I am "the man of sin" within my temple. If an entire religion is an apostate religion and has fallen away, it is because "each member" has the "man of sin" ruling within themselves - thus the "man of sin" rules that "body" of worshipers collectively.
The man of sin is ruling within everyone who cries,
"Lord, Lord,..." They know that HE is supposed to be LORD in their life, the message of HIS LORDSHIP has reached them, but they still continue to take their
OWN WAY, rather than God's, and try to operate in the Kingdom on their
OWN TERMS. These
"Workers of iniquity" would work according to their own designs and programs, THEIR OWN INTERPRETATIONS OF SCRIPTURE, their own plans and objectives, and forget, forsake, cast aside, disannul the laws of God, the ways of His Spirit, the principles of His Kingdom. They boast in their
OWN works, for they have prophesied, cast out devils, held large meetings, touched many lives, and done mighty things - BUT NOT ACCORDING TO THE
WAYS OF GOD. They refuse to follow the leadings of the Holy Spirit, but instead follow the ways and doctrines of men. They boot Christ off of the Throne in their hearts (the Temple) and instead sit on that throne
themselves, following their own carnal beliefs instead of listening to God's Word.
Rather than ministering by the law of the Spirit of life, much of their ministry, teaching, prophesying, praying, healings, etc. are but a cloak to conceal a servitude to
the same old flesh and ego of the carnal nature as they seek a following. They seek to build a name for themselves, and on a
corporate level; a kingdom, to usurp control over other men's lives, and to fleece the people of their hard earned money to support their many schemes to save the nation, or convert the world. They would prophesy or lay hands on anyone they think will follow after them, or fill their coffers with money, and forget the admonition to
"lay hands suddenly on no man" (1 Timothy 5:22).
The point is clear, all our so-called spiritual works, if done
outside the law (ways) of God, if done out of
OUR OWN zeal and initiative, and not under the
leadership and control of HIS SPIRIT, become a
manifestation of lawlessness.
It is the cunning, craftiness, subtleness, deceitfulness, treachery, and wickedness of
OUR OWN CARNAL MIND that will be uncovered, revealed, exposed by the Spirit's dealings.
You
JLB, for instance, refuse to believe that
WE ARE THE TEMPLE (not
"A" temple; but
"THE" Temple - the
ONLY Temple), and instead believe there are
TWO Temples - and will even be
THREE Temples in the future. However, the Word of God speaks of
ONE TEMPLE (Greek=NAOS). This is a perfect example of how
YOU are usurping God's place on the throne in your heart. Your
carnal mind (pride, ego, stubborn will, etc) will not let go of
YOUR OWN ideas about the Temple. You ignore what the Scriptures say because you believe YOUR ideas are correct, and you do not let the Scriptures speak for themselves. Thus, you are
taking over as the
'man of sin' (your carnal SELF), and removing God and His Word from the throne in the Temple (which
YE ARE).
It's not only you,
WE ALL DO IT at various times in our lives. We, each of us
(the old, first MAN Adam within each one of us) is the
man of sin. Until we allow the
SECOND MAN ADAM (Christ) to rule within, WE ARE the MAN OF SIN in the Temple. It is not a difficult concept to understand. It is about vanity;
SELF-LOVE - the all-natural opiate.
Since
WE (each of us, individually) are the Temple, there are only
TWO options with regard to who can
rule in
the Temple -
US or
CHRIST! No one else. Satan only
encourages and
tempts us to TAKE OVER THE THRONE
'instead of' Christ
(the Greek word for 'anti' means "instead of" - i.e. - 'instead of' Christ, or anti-christ). When I take over the throne within
INSTEAD OF Christ, I become antichrist
('instead of' Christ). When you take over the throne within
INSTEAD OF Christ, you become antichrist
('instead of' Christ).
This is what the
"man of sin" -
"antichrist" -
"the beasts of Revelation 13" - is all about. This is what
Salvation is all about.
DYING TO THE FLESH (Christ destroying the
"MAN OF SIN" within you, and within me; with the
BRIGHTNESS OF HIS COMING -
WITHIN). It's not about some "external" "outward" "physical" doomsday, rapture fantasy. That's all nonsense. Stop
"looking without" for the man of sin - and start
"looking within." That is where he is. He will continue to sit and rule in the Temple where he ought not until he is
REVEALED! He will NEVER be revealed until
you search in the right place -
WITHIN YOURSELF! Ask yourself: "Is
Christ really ruling within - or is it
'myself' - this wretched, flesh man of sin, ruling within instead? Which is it?"