The last state of that man shall be worse than his first state

[Stewardofthemystery]

Notice how Jesus refers to a whole "wicked generation" as “a man” and “ that man” here in …

Matthew 12:43-45 “When the unclean spirit is gone out of "a man", he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none.44 Then he saith, I will RETURN into my house from whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished.45 Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and THE LAST STATE OF THAT MAN IS WORSE than the first. Even so SHALL IT BE also unto this "wicked generation.”



Now notice the wording Jesus used showing the “last state of that man” referring to a whole “wicked generation”compared to Peters words concerning this same "falling away" from the faith in ….

2 Peter 2:20-22“For if after they have escaped the pollution of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are AGAIN entangled therein, and OVERCOME, the latter end is WORSE with them than the beginning.21 For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, TO TURN from the holy commandment delivered unto them.

22 But IT IS HAPPENED unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit AGAIN and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.”

This prophecy Jesus gave was about how many of the saints would fall away from the faith back unto perdition.

2 Thessalonians 2:3

Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that “man of sin” be revealed, the son of perdition;

 

Hebrews 10:38-39

King James Version

38 Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man DRAW BACK, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.

39 But we are not of them who DRAW BACK unto PERDITION; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.

Edited July 18, 2024 by Stewardofthemystery

[Stewardofthemystery]

Warnings about falling….

1 Timothy 4:1 “Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall “depart from the faith,”giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;

Matthew 7:26-27 “And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:27 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and “it fell:”and great was the fall of it.”

Matthew 15:14 “Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall “fall”into the ditch.”

Luke 6:39 “And he spake a parable unto them, Can the blind lead the blind? shall they not both “fall” into the ditch?

1 Corinthians 10:12 “Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he “fall.”

1 Timothy 3:6 “Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride “he fall”into the condemnation of the devil.

1 Timothy 3:7 “Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without; lest “he fall”into reproach and the snare of the devil.

1 Timothy 6:9 “But they that will be rich “fall into temptation”and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.”

Hebrews 4:11 “Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man “fall” after the same example of unbelief.”

Hebrews 6:4-8 “For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost,5 And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come,

6 If they shall “fall away,”to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.
7 For the earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed, receiveth blessing from God:8 But that which beareth thorns and briers is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing; whose end is to be burned.”

Hebrews 10:38 “Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man “draw back,” my soul shall have no pleasure in him.”

Hebrews 10:39
But we are not of them who “draw back”unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.

Acts 7:38-39 “ This is he, that was in the church in the wilderness with the angel which spake to him in the mount Sina, and with our fathers: who received the lively oracles to give unto us:39 To whom our fathers would not obey, but thrust him from them, and in their hearts “turned back”again into Egypt,”

Luke 9:62 “And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and “looking back,” is fit for the kingdom of God.”

Luke 17:32-33 “Remember Lot's wife.33 Whosoever shall seek to save his life shall lose it; and whosoever shall lose his life shall preserve it.”

Genesis 19:26 “But his wife “looked back”from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt.”

Luke 8:13 “They on the rock are they, which, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation “fall away.”

2 Peter 1:10 “Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, “ye shall never fall:”

2 Peter 3:17 “Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, “fall from”your own stedfastness.”

Revelation 2:5 “Remember therefore from whence thou art “fallen,”and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.”

Ezekiel 18:24 But when the righteous “turneth away”from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and doeth according to all the abominations that the wicked man doeth, shall he live? All his righteousness that he hath done shall not be mentioned: in his trespass that he hath trespassed, and in his sin that he hath sinned, in them shall he die.

Ezekiel 18:26 When a righteous man “turneth away”from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and dieth in them; for his iniquity that he hath done shall he die.

Ezekiel 33:12 Therefore, thou son of man, say unto the children of thy people, The righteousness of the righteous shall not deliver him in the day of his transgression: as for the wickedness of the wicked, he shall not fall thereby in the day that he turneth from his wickedness; neither shall the righteous be able to live for his righteousness in the day that he sinneth.

Ezekiel 33:18 “When the righteous “turneth from”his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, he shall even die thereby.”

[Ray12614]

On 7/14/2024 at 12:40 PM, Stewardofthemystery said:

 

Notice how Jesus refers to a whole "wicked generation" as “a man” and “ that man” here in …

Matthew 12:43-45 “When the unclean spirit is gone out of "a man", he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none.44 Then he saith, I will RETURN into my house from whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished.45 Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and THE LAST STATE OF THAT MAN IS WORSE than the first. Even so SHALL IT BE also unto this "wicked generation.”



Now notice the wording Jesus used showing the “last state of that man” referring to a whole “wicked generation”compared to Peters words concerning this same "falling away" from the faith in ….

2 Peter 2:20-22“For if after they have escaped the pollution of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are AGAIN entangled therein, and OVERCOME, the latter end is WORSE with them than the beginning.21 For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, TO TURN from the holy commandment delivered unto them.

22 But IT IS HAPPENED unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit AGAIN and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.”

This prophecy Jesus gave was about how many of the saints would fall away from the faith back unto perdition.

2 Thessalonians 2:3

Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that “man of sin” be revealed, the son of perdition;

 

Hebrews 10:38-39

King James Version

38 Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man DRAW BACK, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.

39 But we are not of them who DRAW BACK unto PERDITION; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.

I have seen that play out in peoples lives many times. They pray to be delivered from various vices (alcohol, drugs, sexual perversions of different flavors) , and the Lord delivers them, and then they are deceived to go back into their mess and end up worse than they originally were . . . 

Demons are real spiritual beings that manifest themselves in peoples lives, and if they allow it . . . Christians lives too.

 

[AnOrangeCat]

On 7/14/2024 at 11:40 AM, Stewardofthemystery said:

Now notice the wording Jesus used showing the “last state of that man” referring to a whole “wicked generation”compared to Peters words concerning this same "falling away" from the faith in ….

Thanks for this post. The verse in II Peter came up a few times in the other thread. It hadn't occurred to me that Jesus expressed a similar thing, but there it is.

[Stewardofthemystery]

27 minutes ago, AnOrangeCat said:

Thanks for this post. The verse in II Peter came up a few times in the other thread. It hadn't occurred to me that Jesus expressed a similar thing, but there it is.

I believe that is where Peter is pulling that saying from.  I also believe that is  what Paul is talking about in 2 Thessalonians 2 when Paul talks about the “man of sin” the “falling away”from the faith and the “mystery of iniquity” which Paul said was “already at work”in his time.

Jesus referred to a whole wicked generation as “a man”.

[Stewardofthemystery]

2 hours ago, Ray12614 said:

I have seen that play out in peoples lives many times. They pray to be delivered from various vices (alcohol, drugs, sexual perversions of different flavors) , and the Lord delivers them, and then they are deceived to go back into their mess and end up worse than they originally were . . . 

Demons are real spiritual beings that manifest themselves in peoples lives, and if they allow it . . . Christians lives too.

 

If a person is born again of the Holy Spirit they are protected from evil spirits from entering by the power of the Spirit.
 

1 John 5:18

We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not; but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and “that wicked one toucheth him not.”

But if a person departs from the faith back to a life of sin, the Holy Spirit will also depart and evil spirits can enter in , just like was shown in Saul.

1 Samuel 16:14

But the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the Lord troubled him

[Sower]

 

On 7/14/2024 at 11:40 AM, Stewardofthemystery said:

he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished

There's the rub. The house of "the man" (?)  was empty, cleaned but dark/vulnerable.
There was no light/truth/*  brought in to fill the house to strengthen it.

 

"Do you not know that you are God 's temple and that God 's Spirit dwells in you?
            1 Corinthians 3:16

Little children, you are from God and have overcome them,
for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.
1 John 4:4

12 You should not gloat over your brother in the day of his misfortune, nor rejoice over the people of Judah in the day of their destruction, nor boast so much in the day of their trouble.   Obadiah 1:12

 "For though the righteous fall seven times, they rise again, but the wicked stumble when calamity strikes"
                        Proverbs 24:16

"Though he may stumble, he will not fall, for the LORD upholds him with his hand"
                        Psalms 37:24

 

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come"
                2 Corinthians 5:17

               Maintaining Fellowship;
"If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins,
he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us"
1 John 1:8-10

[Stewardofthemystery]

2 minutes ago, Sower said:

 

There's the rub. The house of "the man" (?)  was empty, cleaned but dark/vulnerable.
There was no light/truth/*  brought in to fill the house to strengthen it.

 

"Do you not know that you are God 's temple and that God 's Spirit dwells in you?
            1 Corinthians 3:16

Little children, you are from God and have overcome them,
for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.
1 John 4:4

12 You should not gloat over your brother in the day of his misfortune, nor rejoice over the people of Judah in the day of their destruction, nor boast so much in the day of their trouble.   Obadiah 1:12

 "For though the righteous fall seven times, they rise again, but the wicked stumble when calamity strikes"
                        Proverbs 24:16

"Though he may stumble, he will not fall, for the LORD upholds him with his hand"
                        Psalms 37:24

 

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come"
                2 Corinthians 5:17

               Maintaining Fellowship;
"If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins,
he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us"
1 John 1:8-10

Notice the first part of the parable….

Matthew 12:43-45 “When the UNCLEAN spirit is GONE OUT of "a man", he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none.44 Then he saith, I will RETURN into my house from whence I CAME OUT”

The only way the unclean spirit of Satan can be CAST OUT of a man is if the One Stronger than him casts him out, which is God by His Holy Spirit.

Matthew 12:29

Or else how can one enter into a strong man's house, and spoil his goods, except he first bind the strong man? and then he will spoil his house.

Mark 3:27

No man can enter into a strong man's house, and spoil his goods, except he will first bind the strong man; and then he will spoil his house.

[Ray12614]

The 'rub' is that Christians can have whatever they wish in their lives. Those who want more of God and His fellowship can have it. Those who want to live their lives in an God honoring way, and do what pleases their master can have it. Those who want to see how close they can get to the devil and play around with him doing his bidding and living after the flesh instead of living an new life in Jesus . . . well . . . they can have that too.

There is, however, a line that can be crossed from which people will never return from. Only Jesus knows what that line is for each individual.

So the 'rub' really is: "Why would people want to play around with sin which opens the door to the devil,  when they know it only will lead them into death . . . both spiritual and possibly physical too?".

We (and others here) can bounce back and forth about 'possession' vs 'oppression' OR 'once saved always saved' BUT I can say: I have never met a genuine Christian possessed by demons, BUT, I have known many Christians who have been Oppressed by demons who take advantage of them through various sins and other dirty behavior that they indulge themselves with. Once the door is open and they never repent and close the door on demons, the results are devastating and they end up doing perverted things they never thought they could do.