The Abomination of Desolation - St. Marys Coptic Orthodox Church

THE SIGNS OF HIS COMING II 1
THE APOSTASY:
Saint Paul tells us in his second letter to the Thessalonians, that
Christ cannot come “... except there come a falling away first, and that
man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition.” (II Thes 2:3) That man of
sin is none other than the Abomination of Desolation, also known as
Antichrist. The Lord Jesus confirms this when He tells us, “When the
Son of man cometh, shall He find faith on the earth?” (Luke 15:8)
Although the apostasy or falling away will be completed only after
the Abomination of Desolation sits in the temple of God (the Church),
showing himself to be God, (II Thes 2:4) and when “All that dwell on
the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the Book
of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.” (Rev 13:8),
yet the seeds of that apostasy have been sown everywhere. Beginning
with the last half of the last century, the seeds of disbelief have been
growing into pernicious weeds and thistles that are choking “the faith
which was once delivered unto the saints.” (Jude 1:3)
The roots of apostasy have even been firmly planted among people
who claim to be Christian. The recent declarations of the Rev. Bill
Phipps, moderator of the United Church of Canada, the largest
Protestant denomination in the country, are proof of this. Mr. Phipps,
who was elected as moderator in August of this year, wasted no time.
He called a press conference in which he delineated his “Creed”:
! I don’t believe Jesus is God.
! I don’t believe in heaven or hell.
! I don’t accept the Bible as a valid historical record.
! I don’t accept the traditional Christian concept of Jesus as the Son
of God.
! I don’t believe that Jesus is the only way to God.
! I don’t believe that He rose from the dead.
In the beginning, there were some faint voices of protest, but every
thing is quiet now in Canada’s largest Protestant church.
1 Published: December, 1998