2 Thessalonians continues the theme of the Second Coming of Jesus. In Chapter 1 Paul encourages the suffering believers in Thessalonica to live so that they will be worthy of God’s ultimate salvation – that their relief will come when Jesus returns.
In Chapter 2 he sets them straight on a rumor that has surfaced, and explains that the man of lawlessness will come before the Messiah comes.
End Times references in 2 Thessalonians include 1:5-10 and 2:1-10. However, the most compelling words to me are in verse 10: 'they refused to love the truth and so be saved.'
It is sad when people refuse to even hear the truth - but this goes a step further. We must love the truth - - love it more than we love life, love it more than being loved or approved of by others - - love truth - - and the One who is Truth.
Truth is not a movable feast - - a potluck of 'my truth' and 'every other truth as seen by every other individual.' That defines perspective, or opinion, or persuasion - - but not truth. There is only one truth. Yeshua ha Meshiach aka Jesus, the Messiah is truth.
The Bible is God's Word to man. It is the plumb line for truth and the guidebook for the discovery of truth. That's why it is called 'the narrow way.' There is only one way to God, and it is through Jesus. He is the Messiah - - translated Christos in Greek.
There are a lot of decent 'mostly honest' people who don't tell the truth because they don't have the truth to tell. They aren't intentionally lying. They are sincere in what they believe, but their belief is in error - - untrue.
Jesus said, I am the way, the truth and the life. No man comes to the father except through me. (John 14:6)
That truth was the foundation for Paul's ministry. He didn't believe in Jesus while Jesus was alive, but he met the One who is truth on the Damascus Road soon after Jesus' death - - and Paul was converted from unbelief and being a persecutor of the Christ-followers to absolute belief in the One he had previously rejected, and becoming one of the persecuted. Paul's life exemplified his beliefs and resonated with the truths Jesus taught.
He had been a believer approximately 16 years at the time of his first writings. He had established churches in his missionary journeys - - and when he couldn't get back to them to speak to them in person, he resorted to writing. The letters to the churches at Thessalonica are believed to be his first letters. He dictated them to someone else, then wrote a little at the end in his own hand as a corroboration that what was stated was indeed from him. The primary focus of these first two books is the second coming of Jesus Christ. Meshiach. Messiah. Christos. Christ. The One who came who will come again just as he promised, and the 2 books of Thessalonians remind us of that truth.
LORD, you sent your one and only Son into this world to be our Savior. You reveal yourself clearly through the life and message of your Son - the Good News that all who will come to you through him can and will be saved. He took all of our sins on himself. He suffered the penalty for sin so we don't have to. He paid the price for sin. Thank you,Lord Jesus, for your incredible gift of eternal life to all who accept your truth. Thank you for your sacrifice for me! Thank you for your incredible forgiveness. Lead hungry souls to you - - to Truth! Amen.
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