John Wesley, in his sermon on 2 Thessalonians 2:7, „The Mystery Of Iniquity‟, declared: How soon did „the mystery of iniquity‟ work... and obscure the glorious prospect! It began to work (not openly indeed, but covertly) in two of the Christians, Ananias and Sapphira. „They sold their possession‟, like the rest, and probably for the same motive; but afterwards, giving place to the devil, and reasoning with flesh and blood, they „kept back part of the price‟. See the first Christians that „made shipwreck of faith and a good conscience‟... the first that „drew back to perdition‟ instead of continuing to „believe to the‟ final „salvation of the soul!‟ Mark the first plague which infected the... church; namely, the love of money! And will it not be the grand plague in all generations, whenever God shall revive the same work? O believers in Christ, take warning! Whether you are yet but little children, or young men that are strong in the faith, see the snare; your snare in particular – that which you will be peculiarly exposed to after you have escaped from gross pollutions. „Love not the world, neither the things of the world! If any man love the world‟, whatever he was in times past, „the love of the Father is not‟ now „in him!‟ |