In any given period of time, there will be a series of national or international catastrophes that indicate to some people that the end of the world is near, that it is time for Jesus to come back again. We can’t deal with all of the Bible passages that are used to teach about the anti-Christ and the rapture and Armageddon. We’ll deal with that beginning in December. But, we don’t want to be fooled when it comes to the second coming of Christ…
THE MAN OF LAWLESSNESS MUST BE REVEALED BEFORE CHRIST COMES BACK – 2:1-3:
When Paul wrote in A. D. 52, notice that this “man of lawlessness” was still to be revealed, future tense. We’ll talk about what restrains him in just a moment, but when that restrainer is taken out of the way, the “lawless one” will be revealed (ver. 8).
PAUL’S DESCRIPTION OF THE MAN OF LAWLESSNESS – 2:3-4, 8:
He opposes God and His people (ver. 4). The devil’s name means “false accuser” or “slanderer.” This person opposes all that is good and right. He also exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship (ver. 4). Only God deserves worship (Matt. 4:10). But this person exalts himself and desires worship. In fact, he “takes his seat in the temple of God displaying himself as being God” (ver. 4).
But regardless of how important he thinks he is, God will bring him down…
Who is this “man of lawlessness”? There is a lot of speculation… It is my conviction that Paul refers to evil personified (and not a literal man). In 1 Timothy 4:1ff, Paul does say that evil is going to get worse and worse. Paul warned the same thing in 2 Timothy 3:13 and 4:3.
But let us continue seeing what Paul says here in this text so we will “not be fooled…” In this next paragraph, Paul says that something is restraining this “man of lawlessness.” He is hindered, curbed, kept in check, held back as if on a leash.
THE “RESTRAINER” WILL CONTINUE TO RESTRAIN – verse 7:
If the “man of lawlessness” is properly identified as the personification of evil, then the “restrainer,” who holds back the “man of lawlessness” would be the personification of good, that is moral forces that are at work today – goodness, honesty, integrity, purity in all areas of society. The good thing is that morality comes from God. So as long as there is morality, God is in control and God is working. But, as Paul here says, one day the “restrainer” will be taken out of the way. What then?
THE REMOVAL OF THE “RESTRAINER” ALLOWS THE REVEALING OF THE “MAN OF LAWLESSNESS” – 2:8:
The man of lawlessness will deceive some (ver. 10). The man of lawlessness wants to deceive, to lead people away from Christ, and he will be successful with some!
To those who decided against God and His gospel…
GOD SENDS A DELUDING INFLUENCE – 2:11:
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God allows false ideas to circulate. He allows the “man of lawlessness” to increase more and more. We need to decide to love the truth and to “delight in the law of the Lord” (Psa. 1:2) so that we will not be judged (ver. 12).
To avoid being deceived, we need to “delight in the law of the Lord.” We need to read, study, meditate, and love the word of God. We don’t need to leave the studying to the preachers and elders or Bible class teachers. David wrote: “Your word have I hid in my heart so that I will not sin against you” (Psa. 119:11).
But, even as wickedness grows more and more, Christians have a calling and an election by the God of heaven…
CHRISTIANS HAVE BEEN CALLED INTO SERVICE – 2:13-17:
In Ephesians 1:4, Paul says that we are chosen “in Christ.” It is our choice to get “into Christ” through faith and baptism. It is our choice to obey Christ so that He will be our author of eternal salvation. The Thessalonians had decided to obey Christ and so they were “in Christ.”
GOD’S PART – 2:13-14:
This “calling,” Paul writes, happened “through the sanctification of the Spirit.” In John 17:17, Jesus states that we are sanctified through the Truth, which was revealed through the Holy Spirit.
Our calling also happened “by faith in the truth” (ver. 13); the word “gospel” (ver. 14) is a synonym for the truth. Paul took the gospel message to the Thessalonians. Everyone does not embrace the gospel message. Only those who accept it as truth and then act on that faith obey the gospel message.
Third, Paul says that we are called to salvation (ver 14) that we may gain the glory of the Lord.
OUR DUTY IN THIS CALLING – 2:15-17:
We need to “stand firm!” By holding to the “traditions” taught by the inspired men. “Traditions” means something “handed down.” Paul is referring to teachings which have been handed down from the Holy Spirit to the inspired men like Paul (cf. 1 Cor. 11:2).
We don’t have to be fooled by this world’s deceptions. Christ tells us all we need to know. Let us stand firm in the gospel of Christ.
These thoughts come from Earl Edwards’s book Expository Sermons from 1 & 2 Thessalonians.
Paul Holland
