Assurance Despite the Lie

Introduction

We should begin by focusing on two important thoughts to get our mental sparks flying:

The “falling away” will be a rebellion.

Paul reminds the Thessalonians about it to reassure them they know the Day of the Lord is not a past event.

The “falling away,” then, cannot be a gradual losing of the faith or apostasy from the faith by believers. Instead, it must be something obvious.

That obvious thing will be the revelation and parousia of “The Lawless One” who leads the rebellion by appointing himself as God. It is an attempt at a coup.

What will come is a time of lies sent by God so that those who have rejected the truth can believe the lie (2 Thess. 2:11).

Final judgment will follow, justly, this time.

How do we remain assured in the midst of the delusions and lies that have overtaken and will, yet in the future, overtake the world?

Paul wants the Thessalonians to understand that they are a completely different people than those who will face God’s judgment.

God is active agent to make a people for himself

Pastoral Paul: A Reminder

We are forced to remember, yet again, that Paul’s purpose in writing this letter is to provide reassurance and guidance through instruction and reminder.

Paul signals this, at this point in the letter, through the repetition of similar phrases from 2 Thess. 1:3 and, in a moment, from 1 Thess. 1:4.

The Apostle sensed a deep obligation to thank God for the Thessalonians.

Note the present tenses and the πάντοτε.

Paul had not set out to “pull the carpet” from beneath them. Instead, he continues to give consistent thanks to God for them.

He reminds them, through a phrase he used in 1 Thess. 1:4, that they have been loved by the Lord.

Deut. 7:7.

Salvation: A Reminder of God’s Work

Utilizing similar terminology from Dt. 7:7, Paul explains what God has done that gives him the obligation to thank Him.

God selected them:

“As firstfruits.” This term can refer to the first and/or the best. Here it may mean both.

Paul’s likeliest intention is to reassure the Thessalonians that they do belong to a divinely chosen people. But, it was neither ethnically or geographically proscribed.

Hence, this congregation was the leading one of its kind belonging to few, if any others.

For Paul, this salvation accrued to the Thessalonians

In holiness of Spirit: by which he may mean either the sanctifying work of the Spirit (Tit. 3:5-6) or the sanctification that comes through the work of the spirit, i.e. the lifestyle that results from this sanctification.

In belief of truth: notice how this both anticipates the statement to come and contrasts the Thessalonians with their unbelieving, hostile present and future. (2 Thess 2:10-11).

Preaching: Paul’s Role in God’s Plan

Throughout this letter, Paul has placed a premium upon the accurate preaching of the gospel.

Through such preaching, the word of God was made known orally throughout the world, and through it, churches like the Thessalonians formed and received deeper instruction.

The Thessalonians could have assurance they had not missed the Day of the Lord because they knew they had believed the true message presented to them by God’s messenger.

Note the permanency implied in the “acquisition of the glory of the Lord.”

This is spoken of as a present, yet future, possession to which God has called us through the preaching of Jesus as Messiah.

Introduction: Part 2

Beginning the second half of this study, we need to reflect on radical ideas:

The true and living God has a chosen people not by ethnicity by a message.

God’s “call” to salvation is “through our Gospel,” and it is “unto possession of glory of our Lord, Jesus Messiah.”

This recalls 2 Thess. 1.

Growth in knowledge of Jesus Christ leads to stability of congregations.

We should not be a people filled with doubt or uncertainty about our standing with God.

Apocalyptic is designed for encouragement not discouragement.

We can also think about what makes God different in his concern for us.

God: Sharing His Glory

We learned from reflecting on Dt. 7:7 that Paul associated the Thessalonians with equal status to the nation of Israel.

Ancient Mediterranean people were born into relationships with their gods.

They could also cultivate new relationships with other gods.

God makes claim on all people.

God’s call or summons to the Thessalonians was “through our gospel.”

We become partakers of his glory.

This is temporal in our behavior.

It is eternal by being in His presence.

Assurance: The Basis for Standing

Paul returns to the main point of this entire section.

He expressed concern in 2 Thess. 2:2 that the Thessalonians were “quickly shaken from the mind nor alarmed.”

As he points the Thessalonians to a conclusion, it is that he wants them to “be standing.”

We get a glimpse at meaning from 1 Thess. 3:8 where Paul also used this term to portray the Thessalonian condition.

Paul’s use of the imperative mood is for encouragement not just to give orders.

Simplicity: Holding to the Word

Paul takes a high view of the established traditions.

He exhorts the Thessalonians to “be holding” what they learned.

This contrasts with 2 Thess. 2:3.

What might surprise us here is what is missing:

The Thessalonians have no standing to view themselves as a force for change in their world.

Their obligation is to God to stand in the truth and hold what they have been taught despite the social and physical pressure put upon them to conform.

Deceitful doctrines undermine the resolve to persevere.

God: Our Source of Encouragement

Paul concludes this section of the letter in what becomes his customary style.

He expresses a wish or desire.

We should see this as confident rather than doubtful.

He reinforces the following ideas:

A high place of Jesus alongside the Father.

The Father’s love for us.

The Father as the giver of eternal encouragement and good hope in grace.

God as the provider of encouragement for the mind and the strength to act and speak appropriately.