INTRODUCTION
There seems to have been some response from the first epistle due to the urgent tone of the second letter. The church in the second epistle is praised for steadfastness and urged to continue in growth and faith. The epistle no longer deals with the concern for the dead as chapter 4 of the first letter addressed.
This letter was designed to prevent the church from
succumbing to false teachers that were still teaching the sudden return
of the Lord, I Thess. 5:1. Paul addresses the
people who had become idlers and loafers spiritually 2 Thess 2:1-12.
Paul calls for the brethren to remain steadfast despite persecutions.
To continue in the apostles doctrine and tradition. The admonishment of
the idle who taught Christ was to come immediately. The command is
to given to withdraw from those who walked disorderly and unfaithfully.
Paul employs the name of Timothy and Silas in this greeting
as in the first epistle. Because Paul and Silas with Timothy was
discussed in Acts 18 we conclude the place of the writing was perhaps
Corinth. Timothy was known to be with Paul at Ephesus, Acts 19,
yet Silas is not mentioned as being there. There are many things
we can learn from this study.
GREETINGS
Paul, Silas and Timothy were all involved in the establishment of the church in Thessalonica. This evangelism of this city took place after the arrest and beating and imprisonment in Philippi, Acts 16:12-39.
Timothy and Luke are not mentioned as being attacked, beaten and put in prison. Perhaps they were spared because of the Grecian ancestry. Luke was a greek and Timothy was the son of a Greek and a jewish woman.
Paul and Silas were released by the power of God in an earthquake. The jailer was converted and the captives were vindicated as being Romans that had been dealt with unjustly. From Philippi we then travel with Paul and Silas to Thessalonica.
II Thess 2:1-2 Paul, and Silvanus, and Timothy,
unto the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father
and the Lord Jesus Christ; Grace to you and peace from God
the Father and the Lord
Jesus Christ.
Paul recognizes them as brethren and in fellowship with the Godhead. The greetings of peace and grace is offered to them. These were in God the Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ. The fact the Holy Spirit is not mentioned has no unusual significance. The fact the the Holy Spirit is not mentioned does not diminish his role as one third of the Godhead.
Many denominations overly emphasize the Holy Spirit and his work on earth today. Some elevate the Holy Spirit over the Father and the Son. Some believe the Holy Spirit is the all in all in their lives. Compare this to the teachings of Jesus concerning the Holy Spirit.
John 16:14 He shall glorify me: for he shall take of mine, and
shall declare it unto you.
Paul sought the grace and peace of the Lord to be upon them. Paul wished them the best and loved them deeply.
II Thess. 1:3 We are bound to give thanks to God always
to you, brethren, even as it is meet,
for that your faith growth exceedingly, and the love of each one of you
all toward
one another aboundeth;
Paul was delighted and grateful for their faith, love and growth spiritually. Faith will always grow when we seek and search out the word of God which is our source of faith.
Romans 10:17 So belief cometh of hearing, and hearing by the
word of Christ.
The Christian never reaches a stopping point with God's approval. The faith of the Christian is to continue being a growing and vital part of the Christian life.
II Peter 3:18 But grow in the grace and knowledge of our
Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To
him be the glory both now and for ever. Amen.
I John 3:1 Behold what manner of love the Father
hath bestowed upon us, that we should be
called children of God; and such we are. For this cause the world knoweth
us not,
because it knew him not.
PERSECUTIONS AND TRIALS
The brethren had suffered trials and persecutions for the cause of the
faith. The account of the Thessanica region seen in Acts17
pictures a time of tumult because of the Jewish opposition. The
brethren were commended for their loyalty and faithfulness to Christ.
II Thess. 1:4-6 so that we ourselves glory in you in the churches
of God for your patience and faith in
all your persecutions and in the afflictions which ye endure; which
is a manifest token of
the righteous judgment of God; to the end that ye may be counted worthy
of the kingdom
of God, for which ye also suffer: if so be that it is righteous thing with
God to recompense
affliction to them that afflict you,
The persecution of Judiazers and false teachers was a real threat to
the Thessalonians. The church will always face threats of evil workers
and false teachers. The christian will always be the object of scorn
by the unGodly.
II Timothy 3:12 Yea, and all that would live godly in Christ
Jesus shall suffer persecution.
Matt. 5:10-12 Blessed are they that have been persecuted
for righteousness' sake: for theirs is
the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are ye when men shall reproach you,
and
persecute you, and say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.
Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for
so
persecuted they the prophets that were before you.
John 16:33 These things have I spoken unto you, that in
me ye may have peace.
In the world ye have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome
the world.
There is strength and encouragement from brethren who remain faithful under pressures and trials. Paul loved to hear that no matter what they faced they were still faithful. How we respond to trials will make all the difference between Heaven and hell.
James 1:12 Blessed is the man that endureth temptation;
for when he hath been approved,
he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord promised to them that
love him.
II Cor. 6:4 but in everything commending ourselves, as
ministers of God, in much patience,
in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses,
Our faithfulness should be an example to others. Our loyalty should strengthen other Christians.
They were suffering because of their righteousness.
Like the apostles we should rejoice that we can suffer for Christ, Acts
5:41
THE REWARD OF THE RIGHTEOUS
II Thess. 1:6-10 if so be that it is righteous thing
with God to recompense affliction to them that
afflict you, and to you that are afflicted rest with us, at the revelation
of the Lord
Jesus from heaven with the angels of his power in flaming fire, rendering
vengeance
to them that know not God, and to them that obey not the gospel of our
Lord
Jesus: who shall suffer punishment, even eternal destruction from
the face of the Lord
and from the glory of his might, when he shall come to be glorified
in his saints, and
to be marvelled at in all them that believed because our testimony unto
you was believed
in that day.
The comfort for the Christian is the reward of the Lord. The Lord will take care of the oppressors and those who persecute the faithful. We must allow God to be the vindicator and the rewarder of the wicked.
Rom. 12:19 Avenge not yourselves, beloved,
but give place unto the wrath of God: for
it is written, Vengeance belongeth unto me; I will recompense, saith the
Lord.
The second coming of christ is a central theme in the New Testament. When the Lord comes again it will be the second time.
Heb. 9:28 so Christ also, having been once
offered to bear the sins of many, shall appear
a second time, apart from sin, to them that wait for him, unto salvation.
He will come with his angels and render judgment to the world.
Matt. 25:31-41 But when the Son of man shall come
in his glory, and all the angels with him,
then shall he sit on the throne of his glory: and before him shall be gathered
all the nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as the shepherd
separateth the sheep from the goats; and he shall set the sheep on
his right
hand, but the goats on the left. on his right hand, Come, ye
blessed of my Father,
inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:
for I was
hungry, and ye gave me to eat; I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink; I was
a stranger,
and ye took me in; naked, and ye clothed me; I was sick, and
ye visited me; I was in
prison, and ye came unto me. Then shall the righteous answer him, saying,
Lord, when
saw we thee hungry, and fed thee? or athirst, and gave thee drink?
And when saw
we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? And when
saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? And the King
shall
answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it
unto one
of these my brethren, even these least, ye did it unto me. Then shall
he say
also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into the eternal
fire
which is prepared for the devil and his angels:
There will be the resurrection of the dead and the changing of those living to the clothing of immortality.
This will not be secret or an unknown event as Max King teaches in A.D. 70 or as the Jehovah Witnesses teach occurred in 1914.
Rev. 1:7 Behold, he cometh with the clouds; and every
eye shall see him, and
they that pierced him; and all the tribes of the earth shall mourn
over him. Even
so, Amen.
The world will be destroyed with fire and all the living and those who died will be judged that day. There will be no pre-millianial 1,000 year reign on earth. The earth will be gone and humanity will be judged. The assignment of the soul to its eternal domain will be rendered.
II Cor. 5:10-11 For we must all be made manifest
before the judgment-seat of Christ;
that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to
what he hath done, whether it be good or bad. 1Knowing
therefore the fear of the Lord, we persuade men, but we are made
manifest unto God; and I hope that we are made manifest also in your
consciences.
II Pet. 3:9-11 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise,
as some count slackness;
but is longsuffering to you-ward, not wishing that any should perish, but
that all should come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will
come as
a thief; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and
the
elements shall be dissolved with fervent heat, and the earth and the works
that
are therein shall be burned up. Seeing that these things are thus
all to be dissolved,
what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy living and godliness,
The wrath of the Son of God will be poured upon the unGodly and those who obeyed not the gospel of Christ.
The sincere disobedient follower of a denomination or cult will be just as lost and doomed as the infidel and unbeliever.
For those living after the cross of Christ the judgment is based on the gospel and man's obedience to Christ.
John 12:48 He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my sayings,
hath one that
judgeth him: the word that I spake, the same shall judge him in the last
day.
Acts 17:29-30 Being then the offspring of God, we ought not to
think that the Godhead
is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and device of man.
The times of ignorance therefore God overlooked; but now he commandeth
men that they should all everywhere repent:
The results of judgment will last eternally, there will be no second chances.
Mark 9:43-48 And if thy hand cause thee to
stumble, cut it off: it is good for thee to enter
into life maimed, rather than having thy two hands to go into hell, into
the
unquenchable fire. where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.
And if thy foot cause thee to stumble, cut it off: it is good for thee
to enter into
life halt, rather than having thy two feet to be cast into hell. where
their worm
dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. And if thine eye cause thee to
stumble,
cast it out: it is good for thee to enter into the kingdom of God with
one eye, rather
than having two eyes to be cast into hell; 9:48where their worm dieth not,
and the fire
is not quenched.
We will be given an immortal body like the glory of the Lord's.
I Cor. 15:52-55 in a moment, in the twinkling
of an eye, at the last trump: for the
trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and
we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption,
and this mortal must put on immortality. But when this corruptible shall
have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality,
then shall come to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed
up
in victory. O death, where is thy victory? O death, where is thy sting?
PAUL PRAYS FOR THEM TO BE PREPARED
The way they can be prepared is by faithfulness. The must continue faithful to the Lord.
Their faithfulness will elevate the name of Christ and glorify his cause before humanity.
II Thess. 1:11-12 To which end we also pray always for
you, that our God may count you worthy
of your calling, and fulfil every desire of goodness and every work of
faith, with power;
that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and ye in him,
according to the
grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.
The prayer of Paul was for their souls to be secure on the great day of judgment.
By being faithful others would see the glorious power of the gospel.
II Cor. 3:2 Ye are our epistle, written in our hearts, known and read of all men;
Matthew 5:16 Even so let your light shine before men; that they
may see your good
works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.
Philippians 2:15 that ye may become blameless and harmless, children
of God without blemish in
the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom ye are seen
as lights
in the world,
What comfort and consolation the persecuted have. We need to all
live for the Lord and allow others to see Christ as the Lord and ruler
of our life. The soul is prepared for eternity when Christ is obeyed
and followed by mortal man.
Conclusion
Are you preparing for the great day of judgment. The Christian
will receive joy, but the lost will
receive damnation. To obey the Lord we must obey his plan of
salvation.
This means you will Believe Jesus as God's son. John 8:24
Repent Of Sins, Luke 13:3-5
Confess Christ before men, Romans 10:10
Be baptized for the remission of sins, Acts 2:38
Live faithful unto death, Revelation 2:10