Scripture reveals that those who promoted these lawless principles were influenced by an unseen spirtitual power, satan the devil. Paul said: "For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of (Christ). and no wonder! For satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if (his) ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works" (2 Cor 11)...
Satan hates God's law. "He is a master deciever". Naturally, he will spare no effort to infiltrate the Church Christ founded.
To accomplish his purpose, "satan uses people to mislead other people". It is easy for him to influence human beings who desire to teach others when they are motivated by personal ambition. This is especially true if they( lack) a proper understanding of the Scriptures. Satan simply takes advantage of their desire to be spiritual teachers. He seduces susceptible individuals to pay lip service to Christ while creating their own new sets of beliefs and ignoring or disobeying portions of God's laws.
Paul told Timothy to "charge some that they teach no other doctrine" and have a "pure heart", "good conscience" and "sincere faith"... from which some, having strayed, have turned aside to idle talk, desiring to be teachers of the law, understanding neither what they say nor the things which they affirm" (1 Tim 1:3, 6-7).
Misguided leaders can and do accept doctrines that in their mind permit them to break some of God's commandments. "Then they persuade others to believe as they do". Through the devil's influence, they convince themselves that their concepts are righteous---that God is pleased with them. They believe their own false doctrines that they teach. Paul says, "The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of satan... with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because, they did not recieve the love of the truth( or did not have a love for the truth) that they might be saved. And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie" (2Thess 2). I'm sure none of these misguided teachers percieves he is in reality pushing satan's agenda!
Lawlessness is the centerpiece of satan's counterfeit doctrines. His purpose is to convince people that they are serving Christ while cutting them off from salvation by clouding their understanding of sin so they will continue in sin---so they will practiced at least some degree of lawlessness.
To accomplish his purpose, satan sways people to believe his deceptions (1John 5:19; Rev 12:9). Satan
retains just enough truth in his doctrines, to persuade people they are following Christ. But he introduces just enough error to prevent them from living the way that God requires as a condition for inheriting eternal life.
Pastor salvation is one of the craftiest ways satan has decieved people, because, most people trust their pastors and are more likely these days, to not (refer) to their Bibles for their convictions but, instead follow the opinions of leaders that they look up to! But, this is another topic that I will talk about possibly in the future.
~ Church Of God ~
