Page 93 - Prophetic Word Newsletters Archive 2006 by Pastor Randy Shupe

I WOULD LIKE TO SUGGEST TO YOU THAT IT IS NOT

“THE DEPARTING OF THE SAINTS FROM THE FAITH”

THAT PAUL PRESENTS IN 2THESSALONIANS, BUT RATHER

“THE DEPARTING OF THE SAINTS FROM THE EARTH”!

“NOW, BRETHREN, Let us make a substitution “NOW, BRETHREN,
CONCERNING THE COMING OF OUR of the term “the falling CONCERNING THE COMING OF OUR

LORD JESUS CHRIST AND OUR away” with the words “the LORD JESUS CHRIST AND OUR
GATHERING TOGETHER TO HIM, departure.” Read it and GATHERING TOGETHER TO HIM,
decide which one makes
WE ASK YOU, perfect sense in context, WE ASK YOU,
NOT TO BE SOON SHAKEN IN MIND OR “the falling away” (of the NOT TO BE SOON SHAKEN IN MIND OR

TROUBLED, EITHER BY SPIRIT OR BY saints from the faith) or “the TROUBLED, EITHER BY SPIRIT OR BY
WORD OR BY LETTER, AS IF FROM US, departure” (of the saints WORD OR BY LETTER, AS IF FROM US,
AS THOUGH THE DAY OF CHRIST HAD from the earth)? AS THOUGH THE DAY OF CHRIST HAD
COME. LET NO ONE DECEIVE YOU BY COME. LET NO ONE DECEIVE YOU BY
ANY MEANS; FOR THAT DAY WILL NOT Look at the comparison ANY MEANS; FOR THAT DAY WILL NOT
chart below and you will
COME UNLESS see what happens to our COME UNLESS

THE FALLING AWAY understanding of this THE DEPARTURE
COMES FIRST, whole teaching when we COMES FIRST,
AND THE MAN OF SIN IS REVEALED, substitute the concept of AND THE MAN OF SIN IS REVEALED,
THE SON OF PERDITION…DO YOU NOT “the falling away” (of the THE SON OF PERDITION…DO YOU NOT
REMEMBER THAT WHEN I WAS STILL saints from the faith) with REMEMBER THAT WHEN I WAS STILL
WITH YOU I TOLD YOU THESE THINGS? WITH YOU I TOLD YOU THESE THINGS?
“the departure” (of the AND NOW YOU KNOW WHAT IS
AND NOW YOU KNOW WHAT IS saints from the earth). RESTRAINING, THAT HE MAY BE
RESTRAINING, THAT HE MAY BE REVEALED IN HIS OWN TIME.
FOR THE MYSTERY OF LAWLESSNESS IS
REVEALED IN HIS OWN TIME. ALREADY AT WORK; ONLY HE WHO
FOR THE MYSTERY OF LAWLESSNESS IS NOW RESTRAINS WILL DO SO UNTIL HE
IS TAKEN OUT OF THE WAY. AND THEN
ALREADY AT WORK; ONLY HE WHO THE LAWLESS ONE WILL BE REVEALED…”
NOW RESTRAINS WILL DO SO UNTIL HE
IS TAKEN OUT OF THE WAY. AND THEN 2 Thess. 2:1-7
THE LAWLESS ONE WILL BE REVEALED…”

2 Thess. 2:1-7

Keep in mind that in RENDER “APOSTASIA” RENDER “APOSTASIA” With this single
Paul’s first epistle to the substitution of “departure”
Thessalonians he “THE FALLING AWAY” “THE DEPARTURE” for “falling away” we now
presented the concept of ORDER OF EVENTS: ORDER OF EVENTS:
rapture with the moral to 1. SAINTS DEPART FROM have a sequence of
the story being: 1. SAINTS FALL AWAY THE EARTH… events that stands in
FROM FAITH IN GOD… 2. THE RESTRAINER IS perfect harmony with
“THEREFORE TAKEN OUT OF THE Paul’s earlier teaching on
COMFORT 2. THE APPEARANCE OF WAY…
THE ANTICHRIST the rapture in First
ONE ANOTHER ON EARTH… 3. THEN THE Thessalonians. We are
WITH THESE WORDS” ANTICHRIST IS
3. THEN THE RAPTURE REVEALED ON not to look for the
(1Thess.4:18) OF THE SAINTS FROM EARTH… appearance of antichrist
THE EARTH…
Which of these two prior to the coming of
scenarios contain such “COMFORT “COMFORT Jesus Christ! This is
words of comfort for the ONE ANOTHER ONE ANOTHER Paul’s real argument.
saints? WITH THESE WORDS” ? WITH THESE WORDS”

Is there a justifiable basis upon which we can make the substitution of “departure” in place of “falling
away? My answer is an overwhelming “yes!” I first became aware of the possibility of “departure”
being an alternative translation of the Greek word “apostasia” instead of “falling away”
when I read this footnote in the Amplified Bible under 2Thess. 2:3:

There is a lot more evidence than just a “possible rendering” of this word as “departure”! Consider this: