Deeper Reflection
CERTAIN UNBELIEVERS ARE DESCRIBED BY PAUL AS “THOSE who are perishing” (v.10). Their spiritual condition is further variedly depicted as “refused to love the truth” (v.10), “believe what is false” (v.11), “did not believe the truth” and “had pleasure in unrighteousness” (v.12). Unbelief and unrighteousness go together.Paul shows how these unbelievers reach this point of “perishing”. It begins with the great refusal. They are “perishing” “because they refused to love the truth and so be saved” (v.10). The “truth” that leads to salvation (“and so be saved”) – the Gospel – is presented to them, but they reject it. Why? Because they hate the truth – the contrast of “love the truth”. They “refused to love the truth” because they “had pleasure in unrighteousness” (v.12). They “love the darkness” and “hate the Light” (Jn 3:19-20).The great refusal opens itself up to the great deception. When the antichrist appears, he will “exalt himself against every so-called god or object of worship…proclaiming himself to be God” (vv.3-4). The antichrist “by the activity of Satan” will display his supernatural “power” by performing “false signs and wonders” (v.9) to convincingly show that he is God. Those who “refused to love the truth” will be taken in by the spectacular satanic deception to worship this false God (v.10). John’s version of the antichrist in Revelation is the Beast, who demands worship (Rev 13:4, 8, 12, 15). At the heart of worship is allegiance. There is no neutrality. We love the truth or hate the truth. We worship the true God or other gods.