Lesson 10

I.       Observation

A.     Outline

Man of Sin Yet to Come (2:1-4)

Restraint and Revelation of the Lawless One (2:5-12)

Thanksgiving and Exhortation (2:13-15)

Prayer (2:16-17)

B.     Key Words/Phrases

Coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, gathering together to Him, shaken, troubled, spirit, word, letter, day of Christ, deceive, falling away, man of sin, revealed, son of perdition, opposes, exalts, restraining, mystery of lawlessness, lawless one, consume, destroy, working of Satan, power, signs and lying wonders, unrighteous deception, love of the truth, delusion, lie, condemned, salvation, sanctification by the Spirit, belief in the truth, stand fast, hold the traditions, everlasting consolation, good hope by grace, comfort, establish.

II.    General Analysis

1. The first two paragraphs focus on the coming of the lawless one and the great rebellion that will take place in the unbelieving world. The last two paragraphs focus on the believers and God’s work of salvation in them.

The first two paragraphs speak of the lie, whereas the last two paragraphs speaks of the truth.

The first two paragraphs assure the believers by showing that the day of the Lord has not come. The last two paragraphs assure them through thanksgiving for God’s salvation and prayer for encouragement.

III.  Segment Analysis

1. When the Lord comes for His saints, believers will receive rest from trouble while the persecutors will suffer tribulation (1:6-7). Perhaps those who made the false claim tried to persuade the believers that the day of the Lord had already come because of the increasing persecutions. If the claim that the Lord has already come was true, that means the hope of the Thessalonian believers would have been in vain, for the Lord did not give them rest from trouble or exercise judgment. To correct this misapprehension, Paul ensures them that God’s righteous judgment as well as the day of the Lord are still yet to come.

2. Spirit (referring to prophecy); word; letter.

3.       1.     The falling away (3)—Many will forsake the faith at this time (Mt 24:11,12,24; 2Tim 3:1-5; 4:3,4; 2Pet 2:1-3; Jude 17,18; Rev 13:11-18; 17:8)

          2.     The revelation of the man of sin (3)—This is the rise of the lawless one, or the Antichrist.

4. See verse 4.

5. He is being restrained.

6a. The mystery of lawlessness is already at work. Even though the Antichrist has not yet come, his spiritual evil forces are already in the world (1Jn 2:18; 4:3). This lawlessness is a mystery because the Antichrist has not been revealed and the works of the evil spirit are subtle.

6b. False doctrines and ideologies; miracles or spiritual experiences that are not from the Holy Spirit; continual increase of sin.

7. He is destined for perdition (3), and will be consumed by the breath of the Lord’s mouth and destroyed with the brightness of the Lord’s coming (8).

8. The lawless one originates from Satan, and his objective is to lead the world to forsake the truth and rebel against God (9,10,12).

9. He will use power, signs, and lying wonders to deceive those who do not receive the love of the truth but take pleasure in unrighteousness (10,12).

10. Many people turn a deaf ear to the gospel but enjoy listening to false doctrines to suit their desires (cf. 2Tim 4:3-4). They scoff at the teachings of the Bible, choose ungodly lifestyles, and even advocate acts of sin. These people reject the gospel not because they do not know God or the truth but because they take pleasure in sin and do not love the truth.

11a. He will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie of the lawless one and be condemned (11-12). Since these people rejected the truth and God’s salvation, God gives them up to their sin (cf. Rom 1:24-26). The delusion from God is not the cause of their disbelief, but the result of their disbelief , marking them out for condemnation.

11b. We must not deliberately choose to live in sin and reject the truth. If we do, God will give us up to our sins so that we will persist in doing evil while believing that we are doing the right thing. Then there will be no turning back (cf. Heb 3:12-13). Instead, we must encourage each other daily to remain true to Christ. If we have sinned, we ought to humbly repent of our sins, turn to God, and submit to the truth.

12. The word “but” is an indication that this verse transitions from discussion on those who perish to thanksgiving for those who are saved.

13a. God chose us for salvation from the beginning (13; cf. Eph 1:4).

13b. Salvation is through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth (13).

13c. God’s calling comes to us through the gospel (14).

13d. The ultimate goal of God’s election, salvation, and calling, is that we may obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ (14).

14. “Sanctification” means “set apart for holiness.” When we first receive salvation, God gives us the Holy Spirit as a seal to show that we are holy in his sight and have been set apart as His possession (Rom 15:16; 1Cor 6:11; Eph 1:13,14; ). As we continue our spiritual journey, the Holy Spirit works in our lives to help us put to death the sinful nature and to live holy and righteous lives (Jn 3:5-8; Rom 8:2,4-6,10-11,13; Gal 5:16-18,22-25; Tit 3:5-6).

  “Belief in the truth” denotes faith in the gospel, which is able to save us (1Cor 15:1,2; 1Pet 1:22,23). Such belief is not just the initial acceptance of the gospel but also the life-long obedience to the truth (Heb 3:14).

15. Because God has chosen us for salvation through belief in the truth (13) and has called us by the gospel (14), we need to stand fast and hold to the teachings of the gospel (15).

16. God’s gift and promise of eternal life to us gives us everlasting consolation and good hope by grace. Nothing can ever take away the salvation we have in Christ. With this consolation and hope, we can have assurance in Christ in the midst of the temporary sufferings of this life.

17. In view of the false claim that could easily shake and trouble believers, Paul asks God to give them assurance and to strengthen them to hold on to and obey the teachings of the gospel.