What Is the Mystery of Iniquity?

"For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way. And then shall that Wicked be revealed . . . even him whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders. 2 Thessalonians 2:7-9.

Part II: Examining the Fallout from this Heresy

In Part I of our study we learned that, in his letters, Paul spoke forthrightly and unequivocally in addressing the issue of apostasy in the early church. Hard to believe, but error was creeping into the church even before the last of the apostles were in their graves. As noted from historical sources, after the original apostles were no longer on the scene as defenders of the truth, there was a rapid demise of the original doctrines obtained from Christ Himself.

Yet, Paul’s letter to the Thessalonians included an obscure statement. “And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time. For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.”

Some element or power was standing in the way of the full development of this “mystery of iniquity.” What could it have been? What was Paul talking about here?

A Crucial Definition

We must resort to a bigger dictionary to assist our understanding of Paul's cryptic language. The King James Version of the Bible states: "only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way." How does an English word which we all believe to mean "allow" end up meaning the opposite? The Greek word translated "letteth" literally means to hold down, or restrain. The Oxford English Dictionary gives this definition for "let": "hindrance, obstruction; also something that hinders, an impediment," and offers this example of its use: "The enemy wrought his will without let or hindrance (1867)."

To Paul's readers the meaning of what he wrote was evidently not so obscure as it appears to us. He wrote to them "now ye know what withholdeth," so whatever Paul was referring to as being a restraint must have been something the reader would have had knowledge of. Then when Paul went on with "only he who now [restrains] will [restrain], until he be taken out of the way," the reader was imparted with information by which to observe coming events and determine the revealing of "that Wicked" which was to come. Something was going to be removed in order to allow the revealing of a power that was opposed to God while claiming to be God, and demanding allegiance from the people.

What Would Constitute Opposition to God?

John cited one characteristic of antichrist in his first and second letters. Evidently this was of such importance that it warranted being stated more than once. John said: "Every spirit [literally: person] that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come and even now is already in the world." (1 John 4:3). In his second letter, brief though it was, John again felt compelled to warn the congregations of this heresy. He said: "For may deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist." (2 John 7). And again, John stated, "Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists: whereby we know that it is the last time." (1 John 2:18).

The date given by the earliest church historians for the writing of John's letters is during the nineties of the first century A.D. — well after the martyrdom of Paul at Rome. John suffered years of imprisonment at the hand of Caesar Domitian on the island called Patmos. Domitian died in A.D. 96, and his successor released all those who had been unjustly banished. The visions which John received from Christ while imprisoned on Patmos are recorded for us in the Book of the Revelation. After his release, John composed his Gospel and wrote the three surviving letters that are part of the sacred canon.

In his first letter, John told the congregations, "ye have heard that antichrist shall come" and this "hearing" came through Paul's second letter to the Thessalonians (2:1-12), which was widely circulated among the early congregations. John was referring to, and thus confirming Paul's comment regarding this heresy. After John's release from Patmos, he traveled among the churches of Asia, no doubt witnessing for himself the infusion of Gnostic philosophies into the doctrines of the early church. One of those doctrines which was being challenged was the nature which Christ assumed in His incarnation.

Fallout from Compromise

Denying the reality of the incarnation spawned a libertinism among the early believers that disputed the truth of overcoming sin in this life, which resulted in widespread loss of piety. Thus the truth of sanctification and victory over sin was falling into disfavor. Overcoming sin came to be viewed as an impossibility because the fallen flesh was the hindrance. Removing Christ from the reality of sinful nature places Him on vantage ground, above where we live, and denies the plain teaching of the Scriptures which state that He was "tempted in all points like as we are" (Hebrews 4:15).

The idea that Jesus did not assume real flesh (Greek: sarx) also meant that He did not really die on the cross, which necessarily effects the atonement. Gnosticism’s philosophy also removed the need for the literal second coming of Christ, because it was taught that when gnosis had completed its transformation on the individual, then the divine spirit would reign within. A clear counterfeit to the truth of "Christ in you" as Paul taught it:

For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of His. And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of Him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, He that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by His Spirit that dwelleth in you. (Romans 8:7-11).

John explicitly addressed this problem in his letters when he stated that the deceivers circulating among the churches denied that Jesus came in "the flesh" (Greek: sarx; the concrete form of fallen human nature). Anyone who taught this heresy was "antichrist," plain and simple. [page 2 of Part II]

[page 1 of Part I]

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