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.