Jesus Christ as he walked on earth chose twelve disciples to carry out his message. Yet, in his own words he said that one of them was a devil.

And later on his ministry proved that it was Judas Iscariot, a man chosen of God as was the other eleven. One who had power to preach and power to heal.

He saw all the miracles’ of Jesus just like the rest of them. He was even considered a bishop in the first church. But what made him different from the others?

In him was found an evil heart. An Evil heart is an unrepentant heart. It was in him from the beginning. Although he even obtained a part of the ministry wickedness was still found in him.

Today some people say that they are Christians or that say they are saved or have joined the local church. Even some of them have been raised inside the church therefore being untitled to the inheritance of eternal life. But is our heart in it.

Judas had the same chance as the rest of them but his heart wasn’t in it. Just like today there is a lot of reasons that people are not faithful to what is right. The truth is that there heart is just not in it. Judas portrayed that he was faithful when he condemned the woman for using the ointment to anoint the feet of Jesus by saying why was not this sold for so much and given to the poor. But the bible says that he cared not for the poor but that he carried the money bag. His heart was not just in it. He thought only of himself and as that wickedness continued to grow inside of him later he betrayed his friend Jesus for a mere thirty pieces of silver.

In his given state Jesus referred to him as the son of perdition (perdition means a state of being los.) Just think his mind was turned over to Satan and that his sin would cause him to be lost forever. Still being blinded to the righteousness of God he took his own life. The bible said that it were better that he had not been born than to have known the right way and turned away from it.

II Thessalonians. 2:3 Apostle Paul once again refers to the son of perdition as the man of sin that would be revealed in his time. This same unruly heart found in Judas. This same unrepentant heart would once again take his place in among the people of God until he would be revealed. He would oppose everything that was right and good but in spite of it all he will still sit in the temple of God. (The Bible says that we are the temple of God) Or he could be the abomination of desolation that was spoken by Daniel the prophet standing in the holy place where he ought not to stand. (Matthew 24:15) Just as Judas took his place at the table with the first church so will he once again take his place in the assembly with the church in the last days. Jesus said that he even knew where he dwelt (Revelations 2:13)

Some today look for this man to rule the world. Hollywood, books and magazines has portrayed him as everything from the omen to the guy next door. We look for him in Europe, Asia, and Iran even in America. We look for him in every world crisis. We hate him for the deeds that he will do. Preachers and teachers crossed America have sung this song for many years. But where is he really?

Jesus said that the little foxes are what destroy the vine. And that our enemies are those in our own households. He also warns us not to be deceived. Some times we need to look a little closer to home. This first Son of Perdition must be called this for the same reason that Jesus was called the son of God. He was born of God and he was called the son of man because he was born of man. Therefore the son of perdition must be born of a rebellious and unrepentant heart. He was formed by wickedness and deceit but yet being the devil he still had to have a human body just like God. Judas was possessed with the spirit of Satan himself.

The same spirit that deceived Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden was the same one that was in Pharaoh, Nebuchadnezzar, the emperors of Rome and in the soldiers that killed Jesus. He is found in every book of the bible. And yet we are still looking for him. He still sits in our churches.

Our government is mostly ruled by him. He teaches our children in our public schools. He entertains us on TV and sings to us on the radio yet we are still looking for him in some deep dark secret place. And just as the bible has predicted he is once again coming into the church and bringing all that he has with him. And because of this he will make the church desolate of righteousness. Oh yes there will be a lot of people but God won’t be there. God came to redeem man from sin so that he would not continue in the ways of Judas. Just look around in the churches today look how that entertainment has taken the place of prayer. How that sin abounds. Immorality, unrighteousness is right before our eyes.

When I went to school we were taught of other peoples and countries. Some of these people would run around naked, tattooed with paint and there skin and ears pierced with rings and bones and they were referred to as heathens.

Today all these things are sanctioned by church people.

The lifestyles that were condemned by our fore fathers to be sin and perverted our now an excepted way of life. The abomination (sin) that maketh desolate (void of God’s Law) is here. We don’t have to look for the man of sin but rather look at our own spiritual condition. The Bible declares that everything done in darkness would be brought to light. Again Paul declares that there would be a falling away in the last day so that the man of sin would be revealed (made known) the son of perdition. We have to have something to fall away from it. So wakeup churchs, wakeup preachers, wake up leaders of our government and wake up all ye people. That man of sin could be in you!

Glenn A. Jenkins is the pastor of the Hanging Rock Apostolic Church of God.