"The mystery of lawlessness doth already work." In the days of Paul the spirit that rejects the government of God was at work in the hearts of people. In the day in which we are living society is preparing itself to cast off all restraints in the name of human rights. All forms of discipline of human conduct are being removed. Truly men are becoming lovers of their own selves and haters of God.

"Only he who now restrains will restrain." What power is present in the earth that restrains the full revelation of man making himself God?

It is the power of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is not permitting a full manifestation of the desire of men to announce they are God.

And upon a set day Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat upon his throne, and made an oration unto them. And the people gave a shout, saying, It is the voice of a God, and not of a man. And immediately the angel of the Lord smote him, because he gave not God the glory: and he was eaten of worms, and gave up the ghost. (Acts 12:21-23)

We can understand from the above passage that God will not permit a human being to appear as God until the Lord's time arrives for this abomination to come into being.

The Holy Spirit is convicting the world of sin:

And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: Of sin, because they believe not on me; Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more; Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged. (John 16:8-11)

The Holy Spirit dwells in the saints, giving them power to bear witness of the atoning death and triumphant resurrection of Christ. The Spirit is giving gifts and ministries to the members of the Body of Christ. The Spirit is comforting the believers. He also is transforming them into the moral image of the Lord Jesus.

In addition to His work in the Church the Holy Spirit is bringing conviction on the world, making the world conscious of its sin in rejecting Christ, conscious of the righteousness of God and His Kingdom, and conscious of the Divine condemnation abiding on Satan and all his works.

The Holy Spirit always is reproving the world, reminding the world of the righteousness of God—that it is God's will to exalt the righteous Lord Jesus and that God requires righteous behavior on the part of people.

The world attempts to drown out the voice of the Spirit of God with loud music, with drunkenness, with incessant activity, by constantly assuring itself through means of the proclamations of its educated men and women that what it is doing is proper and is bringing joy and success to people.

The world races ahead madly in its vain attempt to escape the reproof of the Holy Spirit of God.

"Until he be taken out of the way." The reason it states in verse three "except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed" is that it is the falling away that is the taking out of the way that which hinders the revelation of Antichrist. It is the great revolt against authority that makes possible the full revelation of Antichrist.

To be continued.