2 Thessalonians 1-3
Being Good and Doing Good
for Glory
0 MIN READ
TMS Isaiah 26:3 What Are You Trusting God For?
whose mind is stayed on you,
because he trusts in you.
Observations
What exactly are you trusting God for? What have you placed into His hands for Him to take care of? What would your life be like if God didn't respond to your faith? For some, there would be no difference, since they really aren't trusting God for anything. Those who keep their minds fixed on God's character and promises will have perfect peace regardless of the circumstances. Verse 4 is worth memorizing too, because it gives the action step of trusting God to experience His help and strength.
Application
If we start to experience anxiety, we need to put our eyes off our circumstances and back on the God we trust.
Prayer
God, You are totally trustworthy, my Peace and Strength; thanks that I will always find You true to Your promises. Amen.
2 Thessalonians 1-3 Being Good and Doing Good for Glory
In his second letter to the Thessalonians, Paul covers some of the same topics, which implies that although they were lovable, some of them were slow learners. He gives additional instruction about the Rapture, because Satan had deceived some into thinking they missed it. Paul also provides information about the Anti-Christ and insight into avoiding Satan's lies. He gives encouragement to persevere for the glory for which God saved them, and warns of the fate awaiting those who don't follow the truth. People whose Christian experience consists of sitting through countless evangelistic sermons rather then investing countless hours studying the Scriptures will have difficulty rearranging their mental categories to incorporate some of the truths in this book. Truth is that which best explains all the facts.
2 Thessalonians 1 Vengeance and Victory
Greetings to the Thessalonians
1 Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy,To the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: 2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 3 We ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers, as is right, because your faith is growing abundantly, and the love of every one of you for one another is increasing. 4 Therefore we ourselves boast about you in the churches of God for your steadfastness and faith in all your persecutions and in the afflictions that you are enduring.
Christ’s Coming
5 This is evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are also suffering— 6 since indeed God considers it just to repay with affliction those who afflict you, 7 and to grant relief to you who are afflicted as well as to us, when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels 8 in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. 9 They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might, 10 when he comes on that day to be glorified in his saints, and to be marveled at among all who have believed, because our testimony to you was believed. 11 To this end we always pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling and may fulfill every resolve for good and every work of faith by his power, 12 so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.Application
Jesus will return to be glorified and give glory to His faithful saints; therefore, prepare yourself, pursuing goodness and good works.
Prayer
God, thanks that You are infinitely righteous and just and will set things right when Christ returns; in the meantime, may I draw on Your grace to be and do good. Amen.
2 Thessalonians 2 Antidote to the Anti-Christ
The Man of Lawlessness
1 Now concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered together to him, we ask you, brothers, 2 not to be quickly shaken in mind or alarmed, either by a spirit or a spoken word, or a letter seeming to be from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come. 3 Let no one deceive you in any way. For that day will not come, unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, 4 who opposes and exalts himself against every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God. 5 Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things? 6 And you know what is restraining him now so that he may be revealed in his time. 7 For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work. Only he who now restrains it will do so until he is out of the way. 8 And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will kill with the breath of his mouth and bring to nothing by the appearance of his coming. 9 The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders, 10 and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. 11 Therefore God sends them a strong delusion, so that they may believe what is false, 12 in order that all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.Stand Firm
13 But we ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers beloved by the Lord, because God chose you as the firstfruits to be saved, through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth. 14 To this he called you through our gospel, so that you may obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. 15 So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the traditions that you were taught by us, either by our spoken word or by our letter. 16 Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God our Father, who loved us and gave us eternal comfort and good hope through grace, 17 comfort your hearts and establish them in every good work and word.Application
If we are not set on accepting and loving the truth, we will be deceived and seduced by lying pleasures.
Prayer
God, thanks that You have great plans for Your children and are restraining and will destroy the evil one; may I live in light of the glorious future You have for me, by loving and obeying Your truth. Amen.
2 Thessalonians 3 Waiting and Working
Request for Prayer
1 Finally, brothers, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may speed ahead and be honored, as happened among you, 2 and that we may be delivered from wicked and evil men. For not all have faith. 3 But the Lord is faithful. He will establish you and guard you against the evil one. 4 And we have confidence in the Lord about you, that you are doing and will do the things that we command. 5 May the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God and to the steadfastness of Christ.A Warning against Idleness
6 Now we command you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you keep away from any brother who is walking in idleness and not in accord with the tradition that you received from us. 7 For you yourselves know how you ought to imitate us, because we were not idle when we were with you, 8 nor did we eat anyone's bread without paying for it, but with toil and labor we worked night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you. 9 It was not because we do not have that right, but to give you in ourselves an example to imitate. 10 For even when we were with you, we would give you this command: If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat. 11 For we hear that some among you walk in idleness, not busy at work, but busybodies. 12 Now such persons we command and encourage in the Lord Jesus Christ to do their work quietly and to earn their own living. 13 As for you, brothers, do not grow weary in doing good. 14 If anyone does not obey what we say in this letter, take note of that person, and have nothing to do with him, that he may be ashamed. 15 Do not regard him as an enemy, but warn him as a brother.Signature and Final Greetings
16 Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times in every way. The Lord be with you all. 17 I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand. This is the sign of genuineness in every letter of mine; it is the way I write. 18 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.Application
We need to work at doing the Lord's work, which might mean avoiding those who don't.
Prayer
Lord, thanks that You are faithful to guard and guide Your servants; may I be receptive and faithful to You. Amen.
Digging Deeper
God in a nutshell: God calls believers to glory, and makes available all they need to experience His plan for them. He restrains the evil one until the time comes for bringing His children home. He sends delusions to those who have pleasure in unrighteousness so they will be hardened for judgment and exclusion from His blessings.
Build-a-Jesus: Jesus will return and set up His kingdom after the Rapture, the revelation of the Anti-Christ, and the removal of the Holy Spirit from dwelling on the earth during the Tribulation.
Us in a nutshell: We will experience suffering and God's grace on our way to glory. We need to be good and do good to share in Christ's reward. Satan will seek to deceive with miracles and lies, but if we are faithful to follow the revealed truth God will preserve and protect us.
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