“¹¹ And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:¹² That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.” 2 Thess. 2:11-12

While delusion is the effect of a darkened, sinful, condemned heart, God in His sovereignty does seal, in that blindness, those that HE has given over to their own reprobate mind, Romans 1:28.There is no greater damnation than those who profess themselves to be wise in things pertaining to God, and yet are fools, Romans 1:22.What then are the evidences of being yet in darkness and blindness?

1. A profession based on outward form rather than Christ only, v. 9: It doesn’t matter whether it is a faith based on walking an isle, raising the hand, bowing the head, or even miraculous healing. These are all empirical in nature [concerned with, or verifiable by observation or experience] and NOT faith. Faith does NOT walk by sight, but by the revelation of Christ Jesus in the heart, by God’s holy Word, 1 Peter 1:24-25

2. A profession deceived by unrighteousness- v. 10: The only righteousness that God the Father has ever approved and accepted is that which the LORD Jesus Christ, His Son, came, earned and established, and upon completion of His work at the cross, God the Father, once for all, imputed to the spiritual account of every one of His elect, at one time, in one place, and One Offering, Romans 3:24. In those who are perishing, although religious professors, they find comfort in external, man-made ordinances because they have no capacity to perceive the Person and Work of Christ in ALL His glory as THE RIGHTEOUSNESS of God. However, the truth is that no matter how they perceive themselves, God declares them unrighteous still, except that the LORD Jesus has paid their debt and will yet draw them. If not, they continue under the delusion of being righteous when God the Father declares them unrighteous. These are such who do not and will never receive the love of the Truth (Christ) that they might be saved by His accomplished work of salvation alone. Nothing and no one can shake them from their false delusion of a supposed ‘free-will,’ or any other work of their own that they believe contributes to their salvation, in cooperation with the work of the LORD Jesus. v. 11,12 clearly states that it is God who sends them strong delusion not only that they should believe a lie, but that they might be eternally damned in that lie. How solemn a judgement this is!