Forever Home in the Eternal Family of God

Encouragement for the Family of God by Kenton Cheek

19 October 2025

Reading From II Thessalonians 2

“The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders, and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. Therefore God sends them a strong delusion, so that they may believe what is false, in order that all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.”

—II Thessalonians 2:9-12

     If we follow along through this passage, it shows that God has sovereignly given humanity free will to choose between light and darkness, right and wrong, blessing and cursing, His Way or our ways.  Satan makes use of deception to tempt people to do whatever they want rather than follow Jesus.  Each individual has the ability to refuse “to love the truth and so be saved.”  Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life.  Because they chose to refuse His love, grace and mercy, He sends strong delusion. 

     Notice that the strong delusion did not come first.  The exercise of free moral agency on the part of individuals came first, and what naturally followed was the consequence of strong delusion.  I think this is a very similar concept to the hardening of hearts.  Human beings exercise free will and if they continually choose their own prideful way rather than God, that stubborn persistence will naturally lead to a hardening of hearts and strong delusion. 

     Strong delusion and the hardening of hearts are consequences rather than causes of disobedience.  In His infinite wisdom, He has put the law of sowing and reaping into effect and as Creator maintains that coexistence of human free will and His own divine sovereignty.  God does not use coercion.  He will not force anyone into healthy, righteous relationship with Him.  He wants us to freely choose to return His love and show our love by our obedience.

“Heavenly Father, thank You for bringing clarification to my heart and mind on these matters.  You freely bless Your sons and daughters with knowledge and wisdom as we seek You.  Show us how to put Your Word into practice for Your glory and our good.  We love You Jesus, Amen.”

Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.

—Galatians 6:7-10

Since they thought it foolish to acknowledge God, he abandoned them to their foolish thinking and let them do things that should never be done. Their lives became full of every kind of wickedness, sin, greed, hate, envy, murder, quarreling, deception, malicious behavior, and gossip. They are backstabbers, haters of God, insolent, proud, and boastful. They invent new ways of sinning, and they disobey their parents. They refuse to understand, break their promises, are heartless, and have no mercy. They know God’s justice requires that those who do these things deserve to die, yet they do them anyway. Worse yet, they encourage others to do them, too.

—Romans 1:28-32

“All things are lawful,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful,” but not all things build up. Let no one seek his own good, but the good of his neighbor…So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.

—I Corinthians 10:23-24, 31