The importance of Truth
Notes
Transcript
Alligator hunting and the need for a guide.
If I did not have that guide I would have been operating from assumptions, fear, and emotion. Paul takes on the role of guide today for the Church at Thessalonica and points them away from assumptions, fear, and emotion and toward the truth.
Problem - DOL Confusion
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.
Poor sources have entered the Church via different avenues.
“Spiritual Experience”
“New Word”
Letter with seeming authority
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.
DOL will not come until two things happen:
Rebellion/Apostasy Happens
People turning from God
Man of Lawlessness is revealed
Sets himself up as the God/man within the Church
5 Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things?
Told them of this, not new information.
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.
Lawlessness is already at work but the person is restrained. Hasn’t happened yet.
18 Children, it is the last hour, and as you have heard that antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have come. Therefore we know that it is the last hour.
John is communicating that the “end times are now” and there isn’t just one anti christ but many.
Paul is stating that this man of lawlessness is the last one. He is empowered by Satan so he can do signs and wonders and deceive the nations, according to Rev 20:7, those who do not believe. When he is on the scene the return of Christ is just around the corner.
So what is it that is restraining this man of lawlessness empowered by Satan? No one knows, some say,
Angel
Holy Spirit
Government/World Power
Gospel Mission
When he is released God allows the unbelievers hearts to believe what is false since they did not believe.
Jesus comes back, gathers the saints as we saw last week and strikes him down on the DOL.
So here we see Paul guiding the people through their current struggle with truth. He is communicating to them how they are to walk because they wait. He is clearly saying that the end is near but it has not arrived yet. Through this text Paul gives three truths that I believe we need to know today.
Truthful sources will always communicate consistent teaching.
New Words
Spiritual moments
Emotional experiences
18 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
42 And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.
6 I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— 7 not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ.
We must be a people who evaluate if the truth of what we are hearing lines up with the truth that God has clearly communicated in His Word.
Truthful need will always be exposed under difficult circumstances.
Just as Paul is telling them what is to come He is simultaneously showing them that there will be many who believe the lies.
21 And then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘Look, there he is!’ do not believe it. 22 For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform signs and wonders, to lead astray, if possible, the elect.
Just as it is important for us to be aware of what God has said, it is not enough. We must be a people who believe and live it as well. This great apostasy will be the exposure of people who know but do not believe. In difficult circumstances we should be a people who see our need for truth not just in knowledge but in faith and practice.
Truthful consequences will always be exposed in the end.
GOSPEL
Go to close...
