2 Thessalonians 2:3 (NKJV), “Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition,”   Here Paul is addressing believers who were in great distress, because they thought they had missed the rapture! Their confusion came through incorrect doctrine where false teachers told them the rapture had already taken place and now they must endure the tribulation. Paul set the record straight for them. He explained that certain events need to take place before the tribulation, where God’s wrath is poured out on the whole earth.  He said the period of the tribulation begins when a world ruler, the Antichrist, steps onto the world stage and takes a leading role for seven consecutive years. The antichrist spirit has certainly been prevalent in the earth for generations, but the actual man of sin is still to come.  Paul said a great falling away must happen before the Antichrist is revealed.  That falling away describes what is known as the apostasy.  It’s where people in their masses, turn away from their faith in God. They become rebellious towards Him and what He regards as holy.  They openly reject Him and His ways.  This lawlessness is a spirit that is very much a part of our world today, and has crept into the church, contaminating true doctrine and persuading believers to embrace a sinful lifestyle instead of living righteously before the Lord.  As a result, peoples’ consciousness have become seared, shipwrecking their faith, and their love for the Lord has grown cold. Which is why we, who are in Christ, must let our light shine all the more brightly.  We must continuously and fervently fan the inner flame of our passion for God, so that it causes others to be set ablaze with His glory too!  In Matthew 5:14, Jesus said we are the light of the world!  In verse 16 He said, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven!”  The falling away is inevitable, it must come for God’s Word to be fulfilled, but while we are still here we are well able to be bright beacons of light to direct people to the saving grace of Jesus!  Let the Lord set your heart on fire to burn for Him with urgency today - it’s time to snatch people out of falling away into the grips of hell and into His glorious light!