I believe you misunderstood the purpose of iniquity being restrained.
2Th 2:6-7
(6) And now
ye know what withholdeth that
he might be revealed in his time.
(7) For
the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only
he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.
This is the verse we touched on earlier. Iniquity was already at work at the time of the writing of this epistle, and yet it was being restrained. This is one of those rare instances where the "old english" language of the King James Bible may be a little confusing. That word translated 'letteth' is an old English word that simply means restrains. In the literal Greek, it is [
katecho], meaning to hold down, and by implication to prevent one from doing something. For example, if I were to grab someone and hold them down so that they couldn't attack someone, I would be restraining them. That is how this word is used here. To be Held Down or restrained from doing something.
The mystery was that Satan was going to deceive the masses of the Churches into lawlessness. The Greek word iniquity [
anomia] literally means, lawlessness or transgression of God's laws. The Church deceived will be allowed to act outside of God's law without restraint. And this secret or mystery is revealed to the saints as a rebellion against the laws of God by man. In a word, 'lawlessness.' This mystery of Iniquity was already at work when 2nd Thessalonians chapter 2 was written, but was restrained so that the Church could be built. There are those Theologians who like to argue that, "
If Satan was bound at the cross, why is there so much evil in the world," or who actually mock declaring that, "
He must not have been bound to tightly, because he is sure loose in the world today." I can understand this sentiment in light of the world, but not in the 'light' of the Scripture. First of all, this is what this verse is saying, not something man merely claims that it says. It says Yes, iniquity was already at work in the world even then, and yet it declares it nevertheless was being restrained and would continue to be restrained until the time when he who restrains it was removed from the midst.
God Said that. And for any Christian to mock or deny that is tank foolishness on his part.
We didn't say iniquity was working and yet was restrained, God said that. So all these Theologians who want to argue semantics are arguing with God. How can iniquity be held down if it's up and working in the world? Because 'God Defines Terms,' not man! It's not defined by Webster's dictionary of what is bound, restrained, or held down, but God's Word. The fact is, Satan was bound/restrained for a specific reason. He was not so that there would be no more evil in the world, he was not restrained so that the Church would never be persecuted, and he was not held in check so there would be a golden age of purity. He was (as we've clearly seen) bound so that he could not go forth deceiving the nations to gather them together to assault the camp of the Saints until after Christ's Church was built. That is why he was bound. Satan has no defense against Christ's onslaught at his gates. When Christ assaults the gates of Satan's Kingdom, He builds His Church with the spoils thereof.
Luke 11:21-22
- "When a strong man armed keepeth his palace, his goods are in peace:
- But when a stronger than he shall come upon him, and overcome him, he taketh from him all his armour wherein he trusted, and divideth his spoils."
Matthew 16:18
- "And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it."
Christ assaults satan's gates to build His Church, spoiling his kingdom and translating those He chooses from that prison house of darkness into the glorious Kingdom of the Lord. Nothing will prevent the Church from being built, and that is why Satan was bound. But when the time nears for Christ's return (meaning the Church is complete or nearly complete) then Satan will be loosed, and will deceive again and cause a "great Apostasy" and Tribulation in the world. But only for a little season, as judgment upon the unfaithful Church. As it is written, Judgment must begin at the House of God (1st Peter 4:127). Iniquity is restrained of God, until Christ is removed out of the midst of the temple, the light of the world darkened.
Many have hypothesized about what really restrains sin. Church tradition once held that it was restrained by the law of the Roman Empire. But that didn't last long because after Roman law was long gone, the Church prospered and grew even more. Others theorized that it was the gospel itself being witnessed which restrained sin. This is a much more biblical interpretation, but still does not really get down to the root, or efficacy of the restraint. i.e., sin is not restrained by words (scripture), but by the power of the Word (which is the Spirit).
Again, that which restrains iniquity is referred to as that which restrains (verse 6), and as he which restrains (verse 7). This would seem to indicate a power involving personal agency. Moreover, we 'know most assuredly' that the only true restrainer of sin is the Holy Spirit of God. Thus, we have our answer. The Holy Spirit is this restrainer of iniquity of which Paul writes, and which has been doing it's job for 2000 years since this epistle was penned.
He who is in the midst of the Church who restrains, is the Spirit of Christ. When Christ is taken out of the Churches, then the Spirit is no longer there. Then will the spirit of Satan be loosed to take it's place as the substitute, or anti-Christ. This is the time when many false authorities or pseudo Christs' arise because of lack of restraint. In other words, these were already here in the world, but were being restrained. In fact, when we look carefully at 2nd Thessalonians verse 7, it is not unlike what we read of Anti-Christ in 1st John:
1st John 4:3
- "And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is NOT of God: and this is that spirit of anti-Christ, whereof ye have heard that it Should Come; and Even Now Already is it in the world."
Is this evil spirit of Anti-Christ Coming? Indeed it is. And yet God said that this spirit was already there in the world even then. It's very easy for some Theologians to mock and say how can Satan be bound when he's loose in the world, or how can Satan be destroyed (made idle down) when he goes about as a roaring lion in the world, but this mocking shows a unbridled ignorance of scriptures. And this verse declaring of the spirit of Antichrist (Satan, the spirit against or opposed to Christ) even then was already in the world, and yet was also coming, illustrates this principle very clearly. Because he was at the time,
simply "held Down" that in the future he would be released to come in power which he didn't have the authority to do then. There are Christians who will tell you that the Anti Christ must come. They are absolutely right. But then they tell you it is a single man, and they are totally wrong. No man was already in the world when these passages were written, and will also be in the world when the end comes. This is obviously no single man. It is the spirit being
Satan, working his deceivings through man. Not through 'a man,' but through mankind. Only Satan could exist from the time of John, to the time of the second coming. And even though some Theologians try to split hairs in saying, "there are many antichrists but these are the spirit of AntiChrist, not Antichrist. But careful examination of scriptures shows that they are grasping at straws. We read unambiguously that the antichrist was already there at that time also.
2nd John 1:7
- "For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a DECEIVER and an ANTICHRIST."
This doesn't say The spirit of Antichrist, or Thee antichrist, it says an "antichrist". Obviously there are many, and it's not just one man as is popularly theorized. So then, if we have an antichrist at the time of John, and will come to power near the end, then this theory that this is a single man cannot be Biblically validated nor substantiated. Let me say with all due respect to those who believe such things, It can "nowhere" be shown in the scriptures that the Antichrist is one single man who manifests himself near the end. If we let the Bible (and not our imaginations and teachers) "define" what Antichrist is, then we will have no problem understanding scripture, nor God's interpretation. Satan is the Antichrist. The Problem comes in when people ignore how the Word of God defines the spirit antichrist, and accept what some teachers say he is. That is a old and yet continuing mistake in the Church. God defines terms, not preachers, horror movies, tradition or webster's dictionary. The Word of God says a deceiver who confesses not that Jesus is the Christ, is an AntiChrist. And that is because he has the spirit of Satan.
Many make the exact same error in defining the man of sin (lawlessness) as they think he also is a single man, thee Antichrist. But the man of sin is an Antichrist, not "thee" Antichrist. He was here at the time of the writing of scripture, and he will/and has come in our day. Only the spirit of Satan qualifies as both. Antichrist was to come, and yet scripture also said it was already in the world at that time of John. That's exactly what 2nd Thessalonians 2:7 means when it says the iniquity was already at work, yet was restrained to be revealed at a future time. Both verses say the same thing. There will come a time when the spirit of Satan will be loosed and iniquity will increase and abound. It is a time of great deceiving when the spirit Satan is loosed. There is no one lawless man coming, but many will be a man of sin or lawlessness. And this man of lawlessness will rule in the Holy Temple in his own authority (as if he is God) and cause it's downfall. These evil men who don't follow the laws of God all have one thing in common. They all are sons of the Devil with the spirit of Satan in them. They are son of Perdition, all in servitude to Satan.
Why is it that the Great Tribulation period could not come upon the world until near the end of Time? What was preventing it? The answer is that it was God of course. This great tribulation and iniquity (matthew 24) has been prevented from happening for nearly 2000 years because Satan was bound as God builds His Church. Satan could not muster his armies from the all the nations to assault the camp of the Saints in a way that would bring this great tribulation (greater than this world has ever seen, nor will see thereafter). Are we to think that Satan didn't want to bring this iniquity and Great tribulation 1000 years ago? 500 year ago? 100 years ago? Surely he does because he is the father of lies and deception, the epitome of Evil. But he was obviously bound from being able to do so by God. He cannot bring it until he is loosed.
The overview of verse seven is that God is telling us that there is a mystery in how the iniquity of Satan was at work in the world already then, but was being restrained until the time when he who restrained it was taken out of the way (midst). Because of Satan's being bound in this New Testament millennial reign of Christ, many through the years were freed from his captivity, and are risen up to live and reign with Christ in His kingdom. Because of this restraint of Satan many are translated from the power of darkness to the Kingdom of God. The point is, when the time comes, Satan is loosed as God takes His hand of restraint out of the midst of the Church. This is what this verse is declaring. Iniquity was still at work, and yet was restrained until He who retrains it will be taken out of the midst. And verse 8 continues in the next post:
