Standing Firm: Life of Encouragement
2 Thessalonians 2:1-17
I. Be encouraged, Jesus is coming again; 2:1-2.
1 Concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to him, we ask you, brothers, 2 not to become easily unsettled or alarmed by some prophecy, report or letter supposed to have come from us, saying that the day of the Lord has already come.
Satan was working persistently to undermine the Thessalonians' peace about their future. Thus, those in the church in Thessalonica have become unsettled or upset. There is a claim that in some way got attributed to Paul, that Jesus had already come, and they missed out on it. It would seem there were some Christians who let their imagination determine their understanding of Jesus’ return.
Many have used the return of Jesus to manipulate and prosper off of believers. The certainty of Jesus’ promise to return should not be upsetting to Christians but a great encouragement and hope.
II. Be encouraged, rebellion will continue until Jesus returns; 2:3-12.
3 Don't let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction. 4 He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God's temple, proclaiming himself to be God. 5 Don't you remember that when I was with you I used to tell you these things? 6 And now you know what is holding him back, so that he may be revealed at the proper time. 7 For the secret power of lawlessness is already at work; but the one who now holds it back will continue to do so till he is taken out of the way. 8 And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will overthrow with the breath of his mouth and destroy by the splendor of his coming. 9 The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with the work of Satan displayed in all kinds of counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders, 10 and in every sort of evil that deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. 11 For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie 12 and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness.
Paul is desperately anxious that his friends do not let anyone deceive them on the matters of Jesus’ return. They have not missed anything because certain things that must happen first have not happened yet. There will be a great organized rebellion against Jesus Christ.
Although the power of lawlessness is at work already it cannot reach its climax at present because of the one who holds it back. No wicked person, Satan, the Man of Lawlessness, or anyone else, can overstep the bounds God has appointed him. Evil is strong and will grow stronger in the last times, but God's hand is in the process. God's purpose will finally be affected. No forces of evil can resist God's might.
III. Be encouraged, and not distracted by the current or coming evil; 2:13-17.
13 But we ought always to thank God for you, brothers loved by the Lord, because from the beginning God chose you to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth. 14 He called you to this through our gospel, that you might share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. 15 So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the teachings we passed on to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter. 16 May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, 17 encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word.
The command to stand firm and hold to the teachings received from the apostles is followed by a prayer requesting God’s encouragement and help for the Thessalonians, that they might do this. Mutual concern and intercession should characterize their relationship as each faces the challenges of the wicked and faithless persons who would inhibit the faith and the work of both the church and the apostle.
In the midst of wickedness, he prayed that the church would persist in every good deed and word. A church certain of its future in Christ, at peace within itself, and well established in Christian patterns of belief and behavior is a church that can stand firm in the face of error and opposition.
Salvation is always the result of the active grace of God through faith in Jesus. No one earns it on the basis of works or beliefs. Salvation is the result of God's choice to make salvation available. Obtaining glorification of the believer is a reality that is initiated with conversion but that will not reach its fullness until the coming of the Lord and the resurrection of believers to share His presence.
Our encouragement and hope come from our heavenly Father as He strengthens us in our actions and words for His glory. Regarding Jesus’ second coming the Bible instructs us to focus on preparation, not speculation. In the midst of evil our salvation through Jesus Christ changes our perspective and our reality. Then we are able to stand firm and hold fast to what we know.
Choose not to be distracted by the evil around you.
Rejoice in the reality that the future of the world is in God’s hands.
Ask God to open your eyes to any way you may be deceived.
