The presence of the Holy Spirit on Earth is the primary restrainer of the man of sin's manifestation, as detailed in 2 Thessalonians chapter two. The sermon explains that the mystery of iniquity was already at work in Paul's time, but the Spirit's presence in the church prevents the full revelation of the Antichrist. This restraining work will cease when the church is raptured, allowing the man of sin to be revealed. The sermon emphasizes that God's judgment is justified because people reject the truth of God's love and salvation offered through Christ, preferring lies and unrighteousness. Ultimately, the sermon contrasts the true Christ with the Antichrist, highlighting that believers are chosen for salvation and will not experience the day of the Lord, urging them to stand fast in the truth and live in love and patience.
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We continue our study in Second Thessalonians chapter two, relative to the clear evidence that the saints of the church will not experience that great and terrible day of the Lord. The Holy Spirit has given to us three specific reasons in verses one through five, and there is another reason, the fourth and the last proof. which is found in verses six and seven of this second chapter in second Thessalonians. Here are the words recorded saying, And ye know what withholdeth or restraineth, that he might be revealed in his time.
For the mystery of iniquity does already work. Only he who now restrain will. until he be taken out of the way. If the believers in the Church of Thessalonica had listened more carefully to Paul's preaching, they would have rejected the false teaching of those who said that the day of the Lord was present, as verse six indicated, they had been properly informed regarding it. The beloved apostle declares that the mystery of iniquity or lawlessness was already at work.
This does not merely mean the working of sin in general, for that has been going on through human history. What does this expression reveal about this particular fact, as we consider the context, that the energy of Satan was already seeking to bring in erroneous teaching in the days of Paul, and mix it with God's truth in the name of Christ. Paul had won the Ephesian elders concerning this, as you may read in Acts chapter twenty and verse twenty-nine, and also verse thirty.
He foretold them that such false teachers were the right in their very midst. corrupting the truth. While such men who teach error, despise God's truth, they are but preparing themselves in due time to worship the man of sin who will assume to be God when he comes in his manifestation. The seventh verse of our chapter reveals There is a restrainer who is enduring the public manifestation of this man of sin.
There have been a number of suggestions regarding this fact, but there is only one sensible and conclusive interpretation which can properly satisfy. It is the solemn fact of the Spirit of God's presence upon the earth. and his present relationship within the church that prevents the manifestation of the man of sin. We men and minds too greatly and ignore too much the great doctrine of our present age, and that is, the presence of the Holy Spirit of God upon the earth, who is the chief agent of our Lord Jesus Christ.
He is co-equal, as well as co-eternal in his blessed person with the other great persons of the Godhead, the Father, and the Son. It is true that he, without doubt, regardless of any other interpretation, must be the great restrainer. And we may raise the question, how then does he restrain? The Holy Spirit himself In the present age, his gathering out of this world, God's believing children, making them members of the body of Christ, as he sows the gospel of Christ from one end of the earth to the other.
That we know to be his work, from John sixteen, verses eight through eleven. But someday the last believer will be added to that body. which is the church, the body of Christ, and when it is completed, there can be no doubt that the Lord in heaven will come for his completed bride. Until that moment, the man of faith, who is the leader of the world's lawlessness during the great day of the Lord, he cannot be revealed. The Spirit of God in his present relationship must be removed, and this will be done when the saints of this age meet the Lord in the air at that blessed event of the rapture.
But it is now, after giving this proof, the beloved apostle continues in verse eight to say, And then shall that wicked one be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming. It is at this point of our study, I believe that we should conclude that the apostle has given to us, for specific proofs, that the day of the Lord, or the great tribulation, if you wish to call it, being the same period, will not come until first The saints of the church are gathered together to meet the Lord in the air.
Second, that the apostasy must come, that general abandonment of God's truth in all the earth, and a revolt against His divine claim. Third, that the man of sin must be revealed before and when the great day of the Lord shall come. Fourth, that the great restrainer of the present age, restraining the revelation of such a wicked one, is the Holy Spirit of God in his present relationship to the church.
That relationship, his present relationship to the church, must also be removed, but make not the mistake that the Holy Spirit will not be working in days that follow, for he will. But his present relationship to the Church upon the earth will be removed. Then note with me the power of that man of sin, the wicked Antichrist, for he is now described in the verses that follow, beginning with verse nine. of whom the Apostle sent, even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan, with all power and signs and lying wonders.
We should first of all understand the origin of the great power of this man of sin. For he is the great deceiver of the human race at the end of this age. His power is supernatural. It is not human in origin. But with satanic power, he will possess ability to deceive the world. The mighty celestial diabolical energy of Satan himself will energize and control this human person, this godless Antichrist. This corresponds with the thirteen chapter in the book of the Revelation.
where we also find the two great leading characters or actors of the closing days are revealed. And in that thirteenth of Revelation, they both receive their power from the dragon himself, the very devil. There is another fact to carefully, note concerning the man of sin, and it is the manner in which he will exercise his satanic power and deceive mankind. The ninth verse declares that it is done with all power and signs, meaning miracles, and lying wonders.
Again we would refer to the thirteen chapter of Revelation, which also confirms this very truth. And we would quote from that chapter in Revelation thirteen, two particular verses, thirteen and fourteen. For it is written of him that he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men, and deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do. We cannot discount the supernatural power of Satan and his ability to deceive the human race through his co-partness in that day.
And we should recognize that all the miraculous signs that are done and that are described by the Spirit of God, both in Second Thessalonians two, and even in the book of the Revelation, are but lying wonders, which indicate they are actually absolutely deceptive. The man of sin will be the complete personification of wickedness and falsehood. One can recognize how distinctly opposite he will be to the character of Christ, the Son of God, who came to the earth.
and came to the earth, and lived upon the earth full of grace and truth. As the tenth verse of the second Thessalonians do declare, the deception of the human race is performed by the man of sin. Note the word stating, it is with all deceivableness of unrighteousness, and particularly deceiving Then that perish, the deceivable of unrighteousness. How terrible that unrighteousness in character and practice will be the instrument that he will use to deceive the perishing souls of men, who will love his leadership in their lawlessness and in their sinning.
Now this can only reveal what follows. God's judicial and governmental retribution, which will come into operation and even permit such things to take place. And that to justify his punishment upon the unrighteous character that will prevail upon the earth in those days. May we say briefly but completely with Emphasis. Lawlessness will be rampant in that day. Sinning will be a common way of life, flooding the earth with human wickedness.
But it will not be without divine intervention and divine judgment upon the wicked. The basic reason for God's judicial conduct in those circumstances is given to us in the words that follow. And the closing words in verse ten. Telling is the reason for God's permission of such a condition prevailing. Because they receive not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. May I read the words again? Because they receive not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
There are many that would question, is God justified with such a judicial action? We can but answer absolutely true. He is. Many suggest there came to the earth, his only begotten son, who in self-declared when upon the earth, I am the way, the truth, and the life. In John fourteen in verse six, Since his manifestation is such, may we raise the question, what have men? What have the nations of men done with him? Who is the embodiment of all divine truth, and the revelation of divine truth?
Then may we also point out, following his death, burial, and resurrection in his return to heaven, another divine person of the God that came to the earth, the Holy Spirit. He is called the Spirit of Truth in the Word of God. And furthermore, may we also be reminded, we have not only the personification of truth coming in the bodily person of the Son of God in his humanity, not only the Spirit of Truth, the Spirit of God himself, singing upon the earth even now, but furthermore we have a complete Bible which is the Word of Truth.
The whole body of divine inspiration from Genesis, all the way through the book of the Revelation. We can properly call it the word of truth. We have the very person who is the truth. We have the spirit of God who is called the spirit of truth. We have the divine Bible, the word of God, which is called the word of truth. And then with Christ the son of God, the living embodiment of God's truth, The Holy Spirit, the divine teacher and interpreter of God's truth, the Word of God, the complete written revelation of God's truth. Let us ask the question. Does man have any excuse for not receiving the truth of God after all these centuries?
He is weighed in the balances and he is found wanting. There is absolutely no excuse, none whatsoever. Therefore, because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved, for that was the purpose of God's sending Christ, the Holy Spirit, and the message of the Word of God, that they might be saved. But we know that in connection with the man of sin and God's permissive will to use him as an instrument of divine judgment, the solemn words of declaration following verses eleven and twelve that indicate God's justifiable reason in allowing this diabolical character to manifest his satanic power.
Listen to the words that God sent. And for this cause, God shall send them strong delusions that they should believe a lie, that they all might be damned who believe not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness. From these words the following facts should be carefully discerned. First, the cause of God's judicial intervention, for there is a justifiable reason for his action of divine retribution. The cause was referred to in the preceding verse, as we have noted, in verse ten, because they receive not the love of the truth that they might be saved.
Now may we point out, there are two special things said. First, not that they merely rejected the truth, which they did, but they refused to show any desire or any affection for the truth. Furthermore, the message of God's truth was this, a declaration of his love for the world. God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son. That is the substance, that is the very heart of the great gospel that he has given. And the rejection of this message is but to spurn and to despise his great love for their souls.
For he gave his great gift of his son to die for all mankind on the tree of Calvary. And thus they spurned the love that God showed to them. But second, It is not only spurning his love, but at the very same time it is also rejecting, refusing his great salvation. The proclamation of his gospel of love to the world is also a message of power to save. A message of salvation for God is not willing, that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
according to II Peter III in verse nine. Yet it is all rejected by the many, and in ultimate, righteous, inevitable judgment, a God-rejecting, Christ-rejecting world must pay the terrible consequences. But note the second fact that the apostle reveals concerning The delusion that is to come upon the human race through the instrumentality of the Antichrist, that man of sin. He will send them a strong delusion.
Please emphasize the word strong. Literally, the meaning of this word is a working of error. And in the Greek text, the word strong is the word for energy. and in its use it has reference to the working of a superhuman power, either by God or by Satan, according to the context, as we have found it in research in, say, Greek lexicon. In our Scripture it is plainly evident that the superhuman power that will deceive the world will be synonymous, God permitting the God-hating, rejecting mass of humanity, to be deluded by the lie of the Antichrist, that they should believe a lie.
It is a terrible condemnation. When the morality of the earth, the world at large, comes to such a place where a lie is preferred to be believed to be believed rather than the truth of God. Then we should ask the question, what is the lie that men will believe in that day? The specific reference to the lie, I believe, is to be found in verse four of our chapter, where we noted that the proclamation of the man of sin is virtually that man is his own God. for it will be a man who will be seated in the temple of God upon the earth, in that day proclaiming he is God.
This was the very lie that the serpent deceived Eve with, in Genesis chapter three and verse five, when he said to her, ye shall be as God. This is the very lie that is recorded in Romans one and verse twenty five, regarding the early men of the human race. that men change the truth of God into a lie and worship and serve the creature more than the Creator, who we bless forever. Amen. It was the Lord Jesus in John eight and verse point forty-four who said of the devil, He is a liar and the father of it, and such will be the worldwide delusion, a denial of God, but the deification of man in that terrible day.
What a strong delusion that will be when man believes he is his own God. And what a powerful working of falsehood. But it will be the culmination of Satan's lie, which began even in the Garden of Eden, when the serpent spoke saying, Ye shall be as God. Oh, beloved, Men without Christ can only be bent towards such a terrible end as this. But then also, note the divine purpose for the strong delusion, God's inflexible sentence of eternal damnation, that they all might be damned who believe not the truth.
There is absolutely no hope for the truth rejected. For the inevitably alternative is complete damnation of such. The expression believe not the truth, does not merely state the fact that they did not believe it, but more solemnly serious, the condemnation indicates their refusal to believe it. Not that they could not believe it, they refused to believe it. Did not the Lord Jesus say to the Pharisees when upon the earth, ye will not come unto me that ye might have liked? They could have come to him, but they would not.
And, beloved, it's not merely the refusal to believe the truth, but, oh, to realize solemnly, they completely refused to accept him. In other words, as we found in Second Thessalonians, one in verse eight, They obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. Oh, it's a joy to be saved. It's a terrible thing to be unsaved. And come under the wrath of God by refusing to believe the gospel of his love and grace. Then there follows the indication that the refusal to believe the truth is a free and a deliberate choice, which is implied in the closing words of verse twelve.
They have pleasure in unrighteousness. They deliberately are willing to cast God's truth aside in order that they can enjoy their sinful living. And thus the outstanding sin that involves mankind in this coming catastrophe is not intellectual unwillingness to exercise their powers of reason. But may we say it earnestly, sadly. Their passionate love for evil. Sin will be paramount in mind and heart and life amongst the wicked of those closing days.
All let us realize as we come to the closing of this doctrinal part of the second book of Thessalonians the great truth that this chapter has revealed to us. And I'm sure that this outstanding thing can be recognized. All through human history, two great spiritual forces have been at work in this world from the beginning. And there is to appear without question of doubt very soon a coming final conflict between the great triune Godhead and the satanic trinity of coming evil. Oh, how we can recognize.
The final conflict will soon appear when thus the man of sin shall be manifested upon the earth. What a great contrast we can realize this count of it Messiah will be, in comparison to the Christ, the one who... Sir, and to do the Father's will. And he came to say, The Antichrist only comes to dictate and to destroy. The Antichrist will only come to do his own will. Yes, the true Christ of God performed miracles, but by the power of the Spirit of God.
The Antichrist will also work miracles, but by the power of Satan. The Christ of God, praise his name, is to be God's chosen king over the earth in righteousness. The Antichrist will be a king, but an evil one, ruling in selfishness and greed. Christ is the holy and the righteous one, but the Antichrist is the man of sin, the lawless one. Oh, how we can recognize that even in the book of the Revelation the contract between Christ and the Antichrist is so great, through the book of the Revelation, That blessed lamb of God is the title that predominates for the blessed Savior.
And in the diminutive, in the Greek text, he's spoken of approximately twenty-eight times as the little lamb. The Antichrist is likened to a beast. Oh, my beloved, the world can have a lamb. And it was a lamb that was slain on Calvary to save us. But unfortunately, at the end of the age, the world will choose a beast. My beloved friend, may I ask the question, is Christ the Lamb of God your Savior? For the final result of this conflict of the ages will be that the Lord shall consume with the breath of his mouth and destroy him, that lawless one, by the brightness of his coming, as we read in Second Thessalonians, chapter two in verse eight, and that presumptuous, arrogant man of sin.
We'll be completely paralyzed and eternally judged and destroyed by our Lord at his coming. And what a deserving judgment that will be. But how many souls will he be taking to hell with him? Beloved, let us rejoice, we that are saved. We shall not be on the earth during that awful day of the Lord. The great tribulation. But let us lift our hearts in earnest prayer and live our lives in holy obedience. that we may rescue some perishing sinners from that coming day of judgment. You and conclude the study of this epistle of the Second Thessalonians.
But first of all, let us consider in vivid contrast to the terrible days of lawlessness under the manner of sin. the blessed portion of all believers in Christ. Paul expresses a notice thanksgiving as we continue in chapter two of second Thessalonians and in verse thirteen through fifteen, and declares that we shall not be on the earth during God's judicial visitation of divine retribution upon the wicked. The words are very clear and simple and say, But we are bound to give thanks always for you, brethren, beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth, whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the attaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions or the instructions which he have been taught, whether by word or our epistles. These words are very plain, an unvarnished exhortation to Thessalonians' saints as well as to us, that we should hold fast the teaching of God's word and the apostles' teaching that present church saints will not be upon the earth. during the great and terrible day of the Lord. How blessed and glorious to be redeemed and to be one of the chosen of God, destined for salvation, deliverance, through saving faith in Christ and His finished work.
The chapter closes with a prayer of commendation by the Apostle for his beloved convert, the Thessalonica. He directs his prayer to our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and our Father, on their behalf. Note the words. Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God, even our Father, which hath loved us, and hath given us everlasting consolation in good hope through grace. Comfort your hearts, and establish you in every good word, or every good word and work. Verses sixteen and seventy. The prayer which is energized by the Holy Spirit is addressed to the glorious and the divine persons of the Godhead, whom the Spirit of God upon the earth glorifies.
Our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and our God and Father, the two greatest supreme persons in the universe, the Spirit of God, sets our affections toward. The beloved apostle emphasizes their great love for us, their everlasting blessings. They are given to the children of God, and a blessing one of good hope, and the ground of sovereign grace, the basis of it. Surely such a prayer should encourage and establish the people of God to speak good words and to live and perform good words.
We come now to the closing chapter of the Epistle, the third, and it is now a closing consideration of personal as well as practical exhortations involving both the Apostle and his Thessalonian believers. In verses one and two, first of all, we find the personal desire of the Apostle himself. It is beautifully expressed and indicates that even the greatest apostle deeply needs and desires the prayers of his Congress. Finally, brethren, he declares, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may have free cause and be glorified, even as it is with you, and that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men, for all men of not faith, What a touching appeal this is, from intercessory prayers from the saints on the behalf of the beloved Apostle Paul.
He certainly informs them that he depends upon their prayers on his behalf. And then what a joy to realize that it was for the purpose that the word of God may have three gods and be glorified in the earth. and to be delivered from the wickedness of unreasonable and wicked men. There were dangers that even the Apostles faced as he went about preaching the Word of God. But then follows the expression of confidence that he had toward his readers, as in verses three and four we find in saying, But the Lord is faithful, who shall establish you and keep you from evil?
and we have confidence in the Lord touching you, that she both do and will do the things which we command you. Now we have corrective instructions in this epistle written by the apostle. He feels certain they would obey what he is writing, for he had been knowing and taking very great note and with great joy. He has been noting their work of faith. He knew about their labor of love. He knew of their patience of hope and in all their intense persecutions. What they endured gave him confidence. They would obey the instructions which he writes.
Now he goes on in this early section of chapter three and beginning in verse five, he goes on with a prayer saying, And the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God and into the patient waiting for Christ. A more literal and accurate translation of the verse from the Greek text would be rendered like this. The Lord directs your heart into the love of God and into the patience of Christ. A twofold petition for careful discrimination and blessings, let us note it carefully. First, that the believers should be directed into the love of God.
There are three possible interpretations to be applied in consideration of this. First, we should have an increasing affection for God himself. Is not this needed, or needed exhortation, even for us? How much do we love God? It is a needful, searching question for our hearts today. But then secondly, To be directed into the love of God, we should also have an increasing apprehension of God's love for us. Are we learning how much He loves us? True obedience to His word we can prove and we can increase our love for God in the knowledge of His love for us.
But in turn, we should also love one another as God's children and increase our appreciation for God's family, even love for all men, which Paul exalted in First Thessalonians chapter three and verse twelve. He thus exhorts that. Now let me repeat what we have suggested. We should love God more. We should enjoy his love more. We should love fellow believers more and even manifest God's love toward all men, regardless of what may be their attitudes, Now the second part of this verse, in its petition, is for the heart to be directed into the patience of Christ.
Here again could be three possible explanations. First, our patience in waiting for Christ. You may recall in First Thessalonians one in verse two, and rather, we were told to wait for God's Son from heaven. Are we patient? Are we patiently waiting for his coming? Perhaps there are times and circumstances when we become impatient. So let us remember that our Lord has waited a much longer time to come for his bride. So may we impatiently wait in Paul Christ. Then second we need patience in trials and in our sufferings, even as our Lord and Savior was patient in his.
Peter the Apostle wrote, If when ye do well and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God. For even hereunto were ye called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example that ye should follow his steps. First Peter two, twenty and twenty-one. And then turn. We should be patient in the hope of Christ's coming triumph. and our ultimate deliverance when he comes. Patient as he is now, he's waiting for his enemies to be made his footstool, according to Hebrews ten, thirteen. And when his triumphant reign of glory comes, convinces that, too, going to be our deliverance, from all sorrow, from all pain, from all trouble, and from all persecution and difficulty.
Now, just to recapitulate, And summarize the thoughts from this second Thessalonians chapter three and verse five. Please let me paraphrase the words of the text. The Lord teach and enable you and me to love as God loves, and to be patient as Christ is patient. This is a blessed prayer. May you be fulfilled in every one of us who belong to the Lord. Now from verses six through fifteen of our chapter in Second Thessalonians, the beloved apostle writes practical exhortations from verse six through fifteen concerning discipline, because of the misconduct of certain believers in the Thessalonian assembly.
No immorality or serious evil seems to be involved. But there were some who very unwisely took unfair advantage of their fellow Christians, possibly in a material way. And in verse six Paul declares, by doing this, they were walking disorderly, not walking after the instructions they had received from the Apostles, and evidently refusing or neglecting to work for their own living. In verses seven through nine, it is a commendable example that the great apostle Paul gives to them, revealing his own willingness to work with his own hands to provide his expenses while he preached the gospel and taught the word of God.
He writes the same, For yourselves know how ye ought to follow us, for we behaved not ourselves disorderly among you. Neither did we eat any man's bread for naught. We paid for what we ate. But we work with labor and travail night and day that we might not be chargeable to any of you, not because we have not power, meaning of poverty, but to make ourselves an example unto you to follow us. My beloved, let me just raise the question. It's a very searching one. How many so-called servants of God refuse to permit their converts to feed them or to support them?
Here were three devoted missionaries, servants of God, Paul, Silas, and Timothy, worthy of being supported but preferring to work with their own hands for their living expenses while they carried on the work of the Lord in the gospel. They put to shame, do they not, our modern-day ministry, when on every hand we seem to hear, as well as to receive unlimited voluminous requests, to support financially the Christian work. What a vast difference in character and in principle. The work of the Lord was carried on in the days of Paul.
In the days of primitive Christianity. May we say, truly, present advocates of Christianity may claim to reach vast multitudes in the extensive outlays of today's programs But I doubt if we can compare such ministry today, no matter how great it may look, with the early days of Christianity, we may well consider whether the quality of the results are the same in our days as they were in the days of Paul. With all our modern technology and sophisticated equipment, We can wonder, we could even bow our heads and hearts in shame, as we see the results of the power of the Spirit of God in the days of the early Apostles when they preached the Gospels and how they did it.
Now practical and plain exhortations and admonitions continue from the Apostle by the Holy Spirit, nothing new, but evidently needing to be repeated. Or we read in verses ten through twelve, note the words. It is in regard to the believers with Thessalonica and their secular occupation, their daily work. Some were evidently very impractical regarding their walk. Paul very plainly states in verse ten, Even when we were with you, this we commanded you that if any would not work.
Neither should he eat. We certainly have to confess the Word of God, together with the testimony of the Apostle and his companions in their ministry, to their young converts, they realize the danger of being lazy and indolent. Verse eleven reveals that Timothy had probably brought back to the Apostle the information. that some of the converts were refusing to work. And Paul states of such, there are some which walk among you disorderly, not working at all, but they are busy bodies.
The evils which Paul had sought to guard the church at Thessalonica from in his first disciples were quoted by him and mentioned by him in chapter four, verses eleven and twelve. And also in chapter five of that first epistle in verse fourteen, he warned them very carefully that they should not be busybodies, and that those conditions that he warned them against had become aggravated. When on any pretense, we may say, the Christians fail to occupy their time properly, they can't suddenly become mischievous.
idleness is a dangerous thing to a Christian's testimony. And Paul repeats the command that such should work. In verse twelve. And he says, we command and we exhort by our Lord Jesus Christ that with quietness they work and they eat their own bread. One can well realize there was no commendation for any Christian being lazy, indolent, and even sponging upon the generosity, kindness and love, of fellow believers in such a shameful way. To Paul this was walking disorderly.
The very command and substance can be found, and may I quote it, this is very interesting, in some of the rabbinical writings of the Jews. The rabbinical writings of the Jews were not always Christian, but in some of the rabbinical writings of the Jews this saying has been found. When a man eats his own bread, he is of a quiet and orderly turn of mind. Whereas, if he devours the bread of his parents or his children to say nothing of that of other folks, he is less quietly disposed.
Unquote. May I repeat it again? It's worthy of repetition. A rabbinical quotation, when the Jews in their rabbinical writings said, When a man eats his own bread, he is of a quiet and orderly turn of mind. Whereas, if he devours the bread of his parents, or of his children, to say nothing of that of other folks, he is less quietly disposed. Unquote. Now this was the meaning of Paul's words in First Thessalonians, I think, in verse four and verse eleven, chapter four, rather, verse eleven, when he said, study to be quiet and to do your own business, to have a peaceable mind, but it must be occupying oneself with what is the true conduct and behavior of life and even the secular working of the day.
The attitude and conduct of other believers toward the disorderly is now exhausted by the Apostle. He tells the other believers how to thus conduct themselves toward such, with the encouragement, first of all, to the whole company of faith. To be not weary in well-doing, in verse thirteen. The spirit of perseverance is encouraged upon them not to be weary in doing well, and then followed. by the apostolic authority regarding the general conduct of the saints toward the lazy, shiftless believers. Now may I say, it's a sad commentary, isn't it? But even a Christian can be lazy.
Beloved, we certainly are not perfect, but oh, that if this characteristic is yours and mine, may God deliver us from it. But please note the Apostles' admonitions. and his advice of the strength towards such. If any man obey not our word by this epistle, know that man, have no company with it, that he may be ashamed, yet count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother. Verses fourteen and fifteen. There is no question here regarding excommunicating such a person. This is not involved in the disciplinary advice by the Apostle.
But his counsel is not to be constantly fellowshiping too freely with such a disorderly one. Leave him alone. To be intent, he might be ashamed of himself. Wake up to his condition. Correct his own way. And of course, the Apostle very wisely... makes it clear that care should be taken, not to treat him as an enemy, but never to forget that he's a thief, he's a true believer. He's a brother. For unkind treatment, unwise and unscriptural attitudes could drive such a one to despondency.
But the course of action should result, and this is the purpose of it, to produce humility in the brother and lead into repentance. He is a brother. This must never be forgotten, and though not able to fulfill, and have free fellowship with such, one fact should ever be remembered, and that is, we long to have this brother's restoration to be what he should be for the glory of God. In the closing part of our epistle follows the benediction, wonderful benediction that Paul writes, Now the Lord of Peace himself give you peace always, by all means.
The Lord be with you all. Verse seventeen. Then follows the closing salutation, and the precious word, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen. One can indeed realize in the benediction how the Apostle longed that the peace of the Lord might truly be filling the heart and minds of the believers. All that the Lord himself would give us that peace. But as a closing reminder, for the purpose that we have studied this epistle, and for the reason that it's been written, it might be appropriate to just review briefly and not lose sight of the occasion for its ministry what we have been studying.
We have learned that in this epistle that the saints of the Thessalonian church had been led astray by false teachers who were advocating the false premise that the day of the Lord was then present because of the intense trials and persecutions they were enduring. Now let me say once again we should all realize this. It is not an impossibility for saints to go astray from the truth of God. This would remind us of the importance to test the Spirit. And my fellow believer, let you and I be very careful to test all ministry that may be given us, regardless as to who, and what may be the channel written or oral ministry, that we might certainly be careful to test this.
is it according to the Spirit of God's truth, as revealed in the Word of God declaring His will. We are responsible to do that, and it is indeed sad to realize that there are many believers who fail to recognize this responsibility and are not careful regarding what they hear and what they believe. So that we have noted The apostles certainly had to deal with this danger as it came into the Thessalonian church. But then we also noted that the main purpose of the letter was to prove, as we have seen, that the day of the Lord, in other words, the great tribulation was not then present.
And that before that day will come there are certain events which must then will take place which the Apostle is very carefully and clearly covered for us in verses one through twelve of chapter two. This is the really the central doctrinal section of the Holy Epistle. He has told us that the rapture of the faith, as recorded in verse Thessalonians four, fifteen through seventeen, must first take place. When the believers of the present age will meet the Lord in the air, to be forever with the Lord. Then he told us of the tragic unprecedented events to be associated with the day of the Lord must follow.
The apostasy, the revelation of the man of sin, and ultimately they're taking away of the Spirit of God in his present relationship from the earth. Then the day of the Lord will follow. But my beloved fellow believers, may we state in our closing exhortation and consideration, let us, today who are believers, not be moved from that blessed hope the coming of the Lord for his saints, which will fulfill that great promise our Lord has not forgotten, and he will not.
Of John fourteen in verse three, when he said, If I go away and prepare a place for you, I am coming again to receive you unto myself, that where I am, there ye may be also. And whither I go, he said, ye know, and the way ye know. It is a wonderful fact, and may we in closing repeat it. The way is very clear. Jesus said in John fourteen, think, I am the way, the truth and the light. No man cometh unto the Father but by me. And my beloved friend, if you're not saved, there's only one way to be delivered out of what we have been studying regarding the great and terrible day of the Lord, and to be a partaker of the wonderful event of the rapture, to be taken out of this world before the Lord comes.
You must find a way. What is the way? Says the still, may we ask, Who is the way? Jesus said, I'm the way. The way is a person. Please, not merely a doctrine, though you must know what to believe. The way is a person, and it is that person in whom is our salvation. For neither is there salvation in any other, for there's none of the name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved. May I raise the question, friend, if you found that person. He is the way. Why is he the way? Because he is the truth. He is the light.
All truth centers in him. And he's not merely possessing the truth. He is the truth. And he is also the life giver, the originator, the origin of life, the giver of life. And if you trust him as your Savior, he that has the Son has life. But remember, no man cometh unto the Father, said Jesus, but by me. The way is a person. The way is all-sufficient. But the way is exclusive. Christ alone is the way. Do you have him? Then you'll go to the Father's house before the events of trouble cover the earth that are yet to be.
Shall we pray? Father, in the name of the Lord Jesus, we want to thank thee deeply and gratefully. When we ask Christ, we are not only saved, but we are saved. I give unto my sheep eternal life. They shall never perish. Neither shall any pluck them out of my hand. My Father who gave them me is greater than all. Neither shall any pluck them out of my Father's hand. I and my Father are one. Gift of thy saints, not only the compass of knowing that they are saved, but saved. and saved not only from dangerous presence, but even from the future great trials of tribulation and sorrow and grief and trouble that are going to fill the earth in the day of thy judgment.