“And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth [of the gospel], that they might be saved.” (2 Thessalonians 2:10 (KJV)

In 2 Thessalonians 2:10, written around the year AD52 by the Apostle Paul, he declares that the apostates, meaning those who have fallen away from God, referring to an age that he describes to be quite like the age in which we live today. Paul warns Timothy of the mindset that will prevail among men in the world “in the last days” of this age of God’s grace.

“This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. ² For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, ³ Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, ⁴ Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; ⁵ Having a form of godliness [in outward performance], but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. ⁶ For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers’ lusts [evil perverted desires, seductive impulses], ⁷ Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.” (2Tim. 3:1-6)

Such people will “perish, because they received not the love of the truth, that they may be saved.” This is something worth considering very seriously for ourselves and those we love.

God through Paul calls this present-day age “the dispensation of the grace of God” (Eph. 3:2). During this dispensational age faithful believing Christians are about proclaiming “the gospel of the grace of God” (Acts 20:24) to as many as will possibly receive it. This is the message of God’s grace and love expressed in His giving His Son, Jesus Christ, to die for our sins so that we might be saved from sin’s eternal penalty and from sin’s power over us.

Yet, only a minority will believe this glorious message or accept God’s grace in Christ. Recall how that Jesus of Nazareth had said;

“Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and MANY there be which go in thereat: ¹⁴ Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life [eternal], and FEW there be that find it.” (Matt. 7:13-14)

Concerning those who make the free-will choice to NOT receive Christ and His Cross-work on their behalf, the Apostle Paul declares that they will be left behind, missing the one Rapture to heaven when our Lord comes, at the close of today’s grace dispensation. They could have received the ascended Christ to dwell “eternal in the in heavens” (2Cor 5:1b).

“But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep [the dead in their graves], that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. ¹⁴ For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.

¹⁵ For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent [precede] them which are asleep [dead]. ¹⁶ For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: ¹⁷ Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. ¹⁸ Wherefore comfort one another with these words.” (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 (KJV)

Because they REJECTED the truth, and the love proclaimed by “the gospel of the grace of God,” God will give them up “that they might believe a lie,” and put their faith in the Antichrist, “that they all might be damned who believed not the truth” (2 Thes. 2:8-12). They will get what they freely chose, for God did not make us to be His puppets. Love must be freely given and freely received in order to be genuine love. Nobody, even God, can demand love.

It was the infinite love of the Godhead that brought Christ to the Cross to suffer shame and disgrace and death for our sins. This love is being proclaimed during this dispensational age of God’s pure grace.

But this dispensation may come to a close at any moment now and bring in the prophesied day of God’s ‘wrath’ that has long been held in abeyance, for about 2,000 years now. It is of utmost importance then for lost souls to hear of, accept, and received God’s love, and trust His Son’s Cross-work on their behalf without delay!

“But as many as received him [Jesus], to them gave he power [right] to become the sons [the offspring] of God, even to them that believe on his name [the name “Jesus” means “Savior”]: John 1:12 (KJV)

“… behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.) (2 Corinthians 6:2 (KJV)

If we do not entrust our life and eternal destiny to Christ as our Savior now, we may be caught unexpectedly and lost for all eternity. We will never be able to say, “It was because God did not choose to save me.” Whatever the reasons for one’s rejection of Christ and His Cross, God does not accept the responsibility for anyone’s free-will rejection of Christ.

Paul declares that the unsaved will perish “because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.” Don’t gamble with your eternal destiny. Receive God’s free gift of salvation now through faith in Christ alone as your Savior.

“For God so Loved the world, that he Gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever Believeth in [trust in, clings to, relies upon] him [Jesus] should NOT Perish, but have His everlasting life.” (John 3:16 (KJV, emphasis added)

Man’s many religions usually tell us we need to “do” something to become saved. They say you need to perform by participating in special prayers, meetings, masses, rituals, rites, creeds, promises, vows, membership, ‘do’ good works, or to give money in an effort to earn salvation.

BUT God’s salvation cannot be earned by us at all. Religion has its performance-based systems for salvation, which is the farthest thing from the truth of “the gospel of the grace of God.” The word grace means ‘a free gift,’ something you never earned.

“For by GRACE are ye SAVED through FAITH; and that NOT of yourselves: it is the Gift of God: ⁹  Not of works, lest any man should boast.:” (Ephesians 2:8-9 (KJV)

So, our personal salvation is actually very simple – it’s a matter of ‘faith alone’ to simply receive God’s gift of salvation. Listen to what Paul and Silas said to the Philippian jailor and the other prisoners when the earthquake came to free Paul and Silas;

“And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and [this applies to all those of] thy house.” Acts 16:31 (KJV)