Commentary on 2Thessalonians (No. F053)

This was the second epistle written by Paul to the Thessalonians and was the second work which was to form what became known as the New Testament.

Introduction

The Church of God at Thessalonica was constantly faced by sharp opposition both from without by the Jews at the synagogue there who saw the faith as the real danger to their growth and regarded them as an heretical sect. Given this opposition the church was also undermined using the expectation of the Messiah and the newly found power in the Holy Spirit. The demons attacked the church with false teachings promoted by the converts among them.

Until Paul wrote his first letter to the Thessalonians there were no writings on the Scriptures other than the Hebrew texts from which the Jewish converts had some understanding. However the Greeks had only the Septuagint (LXX) text which was effectively their entire access to the Scriptures. Aside from the First Letter to the Thessalonians, which they had just received, there existed no theological treatise anywhere in the world other than the LXX. That was their Scripture in its entirety. In a way that was a blessing in that the antinomians had not yet fully penetrated the faith with their heretical doctrines regarding Law and the Nature of God. Nor had they introduced the Binitarianism of Attis from Rome and the Mystery and Sun cults, although it was to come within a few years to Galatia and Colossae and to a lesser extent at Ephesus (cf. Heresy in the Apostolic Church (No. 089)). Paul was soon forced to send this Second Letter to deal with the pressures and false doctrine that were being promoted there. This false doctrine had far reaching consequences. One merely has to look at the complete heresies abounding in the 20^th and 21^st centuries to see where it all finished up with all the false doctrines of the Triune God, Binitarianism/Trinitarianism (No. 076), Ditheism (No. 076B), Sunday worship replacing the Sabbath and the New Moons and Feasts which will be reinstated by force at the Second Coming (Isa. 66:23-24; Zech 14:16-19), Christmas and Easter (No. 235) and the elimination of the Laws of God (L1). These errors eliminated anyone who kept them from the Kingdom of God and the First Resurrection (No. 143A) and consigned every one of them to the Second Resurrection (No. 143B) at the end of the Millennium, which was their primary concern in prompting the epistles in the first place. Here Paul declares the man of lawlessness and the rebellion against God (see below).

Book Overview - 2 Thessalonians

by E.W. Bullinger

THE STRUCTURE OF THE EPISTLE AS A WHOLE.

2Thessalonians 1:1-2. EPISTOLARY. INTRODUCTION. GRACE AND PEACE.
2Thessalonians 1:3. THANKSGIVING.
2 Thessalonians 1:3-5. REASON. THEIR FAITH AND LOVE AND PATIENCE.
2Thessalonians 1:6-10. THE OBTAINING OF REST AND GLORY.
2 Thessalonians 1:11. PRAYER FOR THEM.
2 Thessalonians 1:12 -. THAT THE NAME OF THE LORD MAY BE GLORIFIED.
2Thessalonians 1:12. AND THEY GLORIFIED IN HIM.
2Thessalonians 2:1-12. ADMONITION."the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and our gathering together unto Him".
2Thessalonians 2:13 -. THANKSGIVING.
2Thessalonians 2:13. REASON. THEIR SALVATION.
2 Thessalonians 2:14-15. THE OBTAINING OF GLORY.
2 Thessalonians 2:16-17; 2 Thessalonians 3:1. PRAYER FOR PAUL.
2 Thessalonians 3:1-4. THAT THE WORD MAY BE GLORIFIED.
2 Thessalonians 3:5. AND THEIR HEARTS MAY BE DIRECTED INTO GOD"S LOVE.
2Thessalonians 3:6-15. ADMONITION.
2Thessalonians 3:16-18. CONCLUSION. PEACE AND GRACE.

INTRODUCTORY NOTES.

1. The Second Epistle to the Church of the Thessalonians was, like the First, written from Corinth, and at no long interval after the earlier letter, both Silas and Timothy being still with the apostle. Apparently it was called forth, and sent, in order to repair for its recipients, and for us too, the mischief caused by false teachers. And the new revelation made here by the Holy Spirit through Paul concerning "the things to come", as promised in John 16:13, gives important details connected with the coming of our Lord and "the day of the Lord". Paul reminded the Thessalonians (2 Thessalonians 2:5) that he had told them these things, yet some part at least had taken up the belief that that day had already "set in" (2 Thessalonians 2:2 and Note). Hence the apostle"s warning that that day would not come unless the falling away came first, a warning much needed in these days when it is widely taught that the day of the Lord will not come until the world is converted to Christ!

2. The important prophecy regarding the "man of sin" ("lawlessness") has been the subject of many divergent interpretations. With regard to its main features, no interpretation is needed, for we have here a careful statement in plain terms of events that were then in the future, and which, not having yet taken place, are future still. The prophecy is given in such language that the simplest reader may understand. There is yet to appear an individual who will be the very incarnation of all evil, of whom past opposers of God and of His Christ were but faint types. Him will the Lord "destroy with the brightness of His coming". It may be added that all the "early fathers"believed that this great opposer would be an individual.

2 Thessalonians 1:6-10. THE OBTAINING OF REST AND GLORY.
2 Thessalonians 1:6. Tribulation to the troublers.
2 Thessalonians 1:7 -. Rest to the troubled.
2 Thessalonians 1:7. When the Lord shall be revealed.
2 Thessalonians 1:8-9. Vengeance to the enemies.
2 Thessalonians 1:10 -. When He shall come.
2 Thessalonians 1:10. To be glorified in the saints.

2 Thessalonians 2:1-12. ADMONITION.
2 Thessalonians 2:1-3 -. Exhortation:negative-, 2Thessalonians 2:3 -. The Apostasy:open.
2 Thessalonians 2:3. The man of sin.
2 Thessalonians 2:4. The character of his acts.
2 Thessalonians 2:5-6. Exhortation:positive.
2 Thessalonians 2:7. The mystery:secret.
2 Thessalonians 2:8. The lawless one.
2 Thessalonians 2:9-12. The character of his acts.

2 Thessalonians 3:6-15. ADMONITION.
2 Thessalonians 3:6. Charge to the orderly.
2 Thessalonians 3:7-9. The example of Paul and the brethren.
2 Thessalonians 3:10. Charge to the non-worker.
2 Thessalonians 3:11. Instance of such.
2 Thessalonians 3:12-13. Charge to the disorderly.
2 Thessalonians 3:14-15. The disobedient to be admonished.

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2Thessalonians Chs. 1-3 (RSV)

Chapter 1

¹Paul, Silva'nus, and Timothy, To the church of the Thessalo'nians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: ²Grace to you and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. ³We are bound to give thanks to God always for you, brethren, as is fitting, because your faith is growing abundantly, and the love of every one of you for one another is increasing. ⁴Therefore we ourselves boast of you in the churches of God for your steadfastness and faith in all your persecutions and in the afflictions which you are enduring. ⁵This is evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be made worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are suffering -- ⁶since indeed God deems it just to repay with affliction those who afflict you, ⁷and to grant rest with us to you who are afflicted, when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels in flaming fire, ⁸inflicting vengeance upon those who do not know God and upon those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. ⁹They shall suffer the punishment of eternal destruction and exclusion from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might, ¹⁰when he comes on that day to be glorified in his saints, and to be marveled at in all who have believed, because our testimony to you was believed. ¹¹To this end we always pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his call, and may fulfil every good resolve and work of faith by his power, ¹²so 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.

Intent of Chapter 1

The Man of Sin and the Apostasy (No. 299E)

The Man of Sin is referred to in the texts and Paul’s Second letter to the Thessalonians was written specifically concerning that incident and the timing and sequence of the Apostasy and the Coming of Christ.

It is written to the Thessalonians in the name of God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. This text cannot therefore be misinterpreted as a Binitarian text.

The church at Thessalonika was well founded and was proceeding in the Lord and it appears that the Antinomians got among some of them and spread the Antinomian heresy among them and Paul had to write to them to steady them and also in their affliction. We see that from 1:1-12.

They were punished for their faith and the observance of the Laws of God and the Antinomians attacked the church using that observance as a basis of discouragement. They were to be granted rest when Christ returns and he will inflict justice on those who persecute the church. The punishment of these people was to be destroyed and precluded from the First Resurrection. Anyone tempted to disregard the Laws of God into Antinomianism should realise what their punishment is as outlined in verses 9-12 .

The basis of the Antinomian attacks on the Churches of God is examined in the paper Antinomian Attacks on the Law of God (No. 164D).

Chapter 2

¹Now concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our assembling to meet him, we beg you, brethren, ²not to be quickly shaken in mind or excited, either by spirit or by word, or by letter purporting to be from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come. ³Let 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 perdition, ⁴who 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. ⁵Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you this? ⁶And you know what is restraining him now so that he may be revealed in his time. ⁷For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only he who now restrains it will do so until he is out of the way. ⁸And then the lawless one will be revealed, and the Lord Jesus will slay him with the breath of his mouth and destroy him by his appearing and his coming. ⁹The coming of the lawless one by the activity of Satan will be with all power and with pretended signs and wonders, ¹⁰and with all wicked deception for those who are to perish, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. ¹¹Therefore God sends upon them a strong delusion, to make them believe what is false, ¹²so that all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness. ¹³But we are bound to give thanks to God always for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God chose you from the beginning to be saved, through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth. ¹⁴To this he called you through our gospel, so that you may obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. ¹⁵So then, brethren, stand firm and hold to the traditions which you were taught by us, either by word of mouth or by letter. ¹⁶Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God our Father, who loved us and gave us eternal comfort and good hope through grace, ¹⁷comfort your hearts and establish them in every good work and word.

Intent of Chapter 2

Paul then goes on to deal with the fact of the Second Coming of Messiah. There must be a rebellion against the Church and the Laws of God before the Day of the Lord comes. See also the paper The Day of the Lord and the Last Days (No. 192).

We see this on into chapter 2:1-17.

From verses 1-2 there will be no need for any letter or word saying the Lord has come.

The Rebellion must come first which is the rebellion against the Laws of God which is based on the man of lawlessness who is revealed. The Greek for the Rebellion is the Apostasia or the Apostasy which is the falling away from the truth of the Faith. The faith from which they fall away is the Law of God. The man of lawlessness is the man of sin, which is the transgression of the Law (1Jn. 3:4). Sin is lawlessness, which in the Greek is anomias meaning the man without the law. All those who follow this doctrine that the Law of God is done away are anomian, meaning without law or antinomian meaning against the law. They are one and the same thing. They have been the apostates of the Church of God from the first century. We have seen them develop over the years. The Apostasy developed from the Antinomian Binitarian worship of the god Attis, or Adonis, or Osiris, or Mithras, or Baal by whichever name he was worshipped. It has come to the point that the Churches of God in the western nations are rotten with Binitarian and/or Trinitarian Antinomianism and they have forfeited their place in the First Resurrection and they think they are righteous because of it.

In the modern era the Apostasy began with the false structure of the Reformation churches that developed from the Churches of God that were persecuted by the Roman System. They became the Protestants who again persecuted the Church of God for centuries. These churches further developed from the base structure of the Churches of God of the Sardis era after the Reformation. The early structure saw churches fall into Apostasy. These were the Bible Students who became Jehovah’s Witnesses. They declared the law was done away and simply abandoned any pretence of Sabbath Worship and association with the Churches of God. The same effect was achieved in the Church of God (Seventh Day) when the SDAs drew away from the COG (SD) and abandoned the Law of God keeping only the Sabbath and none of the rest of the Fourth Commandment and then became Trinitarian in the West by 1978 and then lost Africa from 2003-5.

Herbert Armstrong and the RCG/WCG began the great Apostasy in the Church of God proper when he adopted the false Hillel calendar with the Babylonian intercalations and post-Temple postponements. He introduced Ditheism, and later that Ditheism became Binitarianism and Trinitarianism. He became the idol Shepherd and handed the Church of God over to a complete apostate who declared the Law of God done away and the Trinitarian structure to be the structure and nature of God.

This apostate was killed 40 weeks to the day and hour adjusted for the time difference from where he gave the sermon to where he died in agony. The churches became the Sardis and Laodicean systems and have destroyed the Church of God in the West.

These churches still to this day teach Binitarian/Trinitarian Heresy and keep the false Hillel calendar or no real calendar at all in some cases. This Apostasy will continue now until the Witnesses and then to the Messiah. These two churches of the seven will only see a few enter the First Resurrection.

We will now examine the texts to see how we can identify the structure and how the false religious system of the Whore and her harlot daughters will be part of the structure of the last days.

Paul explains how that mystery of lawlessness was already at work in his day.

Note from verse 5 that the mystery was restrained then but it was allowed to be revealed. The power of this antinomian system is by the power of Satan. The final coming of the lawless one will be by the power of Satan and that system is able to be identified by its rejection of the Law of God. This system will come out of Christianity and will, if it were possible, deceive even the very elect (Mat. 24:24; Mk. 13:22). That means that the Churches of God will be attacked and they will be taken in by this Apostasy and many in the Churches of God will fall into the Apostasy. They will reject the Nature of God and become Binitarian/Trinitarians and they will become Antinomians.

The Strong Delusion

We see from verse 11 how it will be possible for the Churches of God and the Christian world to be deceived? How will Judah go along with these Antinomian lies? How could it be used by the Trinitarian systems as well as Judah?

Unrighteousness is the action of people against the Law of God. Justice and Righteousness are the same thing. Injustice is Unrighteousness and is measured and governed by the Laws of God (v. 12).

Thus God, through the Spirit, chose those whom He would save from the beginning and they were not to be lost through Antinomian Apostasy (vv.13-15).

We establish from verses 16-17 that the scenario for the Man of Sin is at the Advent of the Messiah. There is thus a protracted period over the time of the church to the rebellion or apostasia which is the falling away of the faith from the truth.

There is a rebellion with the faith and an apostasia or “falling away” that takes place and seemingly up until the coming of the Messiah. The Man of Sin takes his place in the Temple of God proclaiming himself to be a god.

The Temple was destroyed in 70 CE in accordance with the Sign of Jonah and the prophecy of the Seventy Weeks of Years (cf. the paper The Sign of Jonah and the History of the Reconstruction of the Temple (No. 013) and Commentary on Daniel Chapter 6 and Epilogue).

The Temple of God was the church of the elect or firstborn of the Saints that were selected and given the Holy Spirit at Pentecost 30 CE and onwards through baptism.

Paul was writing almost two thousand years from the time of the coming of the Messiah. There are also a great many biblical events to take place in the structure of this prophecy.

The war in the heavens was to occur as stated by God in Revelation 12. Revelation 12:1-6 shows that the woman who was to give birth to the child, who was the Messiah, was an ongoing entity and thus existed as Israel as the mother of the Messiah and the faithful.

The Dragon was cast down to the earth and he took a third of the Host with him. War arose on the Heavens and Michael made war with the Dragon and cast him to the earth (Commentary on Daniel Chapter 12; and Revelation 12:7-9).

Then the Messiah was given power (Rev. 12:11) and the elect conquered the adversary through the Blood of the Lamb and the Devil was in great wrath because he knew that his time was then limited by the victory of the Lamb (Rev. 12:12).

Time Frame of the Decline

The Dragon knew that he had the limited time that he did and pursued the woman which was the elect of the faith. The woman was sent into the wilderness for the time, times and half a time of the persecution of the elect. The period was for 1260 prophetic year-days of the elect in the wilderness under the Empire of the Beast. The period was to last from 590 CE when it was established by the false religious system of the pseudo-Christian church under Gregory I who established the Holy Roman Empire. It was to last until 1850 CE based at Rome but spread throughout the world. This was the empire of the Two Feet of Iron and Miry clay that took over from the Legs of Iron that were the Roman Empire as we see from the prophecy of Daniel chapter 2. It was ended by the plebiscite in Italy in 1850 and the Papal States were ended.

Over the period from 1850 to the commencement of the wars of the end in 1916 in accordance with the prophecies in Ezekiel and Daniel the preparation for the end days were commenced with the preparation for the New World Order of the end empire of the Ten Toes of Daniel Chapter 2 which would rule over the end days commencing at the end of the time of the Gentiles or Nations in 1997 (see the papers The Prophecy of Pharaoh’s Broken Arms Part I (No. 036) and Part II (No. 036_2)).

This system is moving to rule the world at the end period under the NWO. It will be cut short and destroyed by the Messiah which is the stone uncut by human hands at Daniel 2:44-45. Messiah will destroy this entire Babylonian system and the rule of this world and take over the world in the last few years of the period ending in 2026-2027 CE which is exactly 40 Jubilees or 2000 years from the formation of the church under Messiah from 27 CE which was the Fifteenth year of Tiberius when Christ was baptised by John the Baptist and he selected his disciples. The church received the Holy Spirit in 30 CE on Christ’s acceptance as the Wave Sheaf Offering before the Throne of God (cf. Acts ch. 2; Rev. chs. 4 and 5) (cf. The Timing of the Crucifixion and the Resurrection (No. 159)).

It is through the eternal comfort that God has given us through grace with the Lord Jesus Christ that comforts our hearts and establishes us in every good work and word, which is the action of the elect in accordance with the Commandments of God and the Testimony of Jesus Christ.

Chapter 3

¹Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may speed on and triumph, as it did among you, ²and that we may be delivered from wicked and evil men; for not all have faith. ³But the Lord is faithful; he will strengthen you and guard you from evil. ⁴And we have confidence in the Lord about you, that you are doing and will do the things which we command. ⁵May the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God and to the steadfastness of Christ. ⁶Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you keep away from any brother who is living in idleness and not in accord with the tradition that you received from us. ⁷For you yourselves know how you ought to imitate us; we were not idle when we were with you, ⁸we did not eat any one's bread without paying, but with toil and labor we worked night and day, that we might not burden any of you. ⁹It was not because we have not that right, but to give you in our conduct an example to imitate. ¹⁰For even when we were with you, we gave you this command: If any one will not work, let him not eat. ¹¹For we hear that some of you are living in idleness, mere busybodies, not doing any work. ¹²Now such persons we command and exhort in the Lord Jesus Christ to do their work in quietness and to earn their own living. ¹³Brethren, do not be weary in well-doing. ¹⁴If any one refuses to obey what we say in this letter, note that man, and have nothing to do with him, that he may be ashamed. ¹⁵Do not look on him as an enemy, but warn him as a brother. ¹⁶Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times in all ways. The Lord be with you all. ¹⁷I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand. This is the mark in every letter of mine; it is the way I write. ¹⁸the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.

Intent of Chapter 3

Chapter 3 shows that we are under the direction of the church in the Love of God and the steadfastness of Christ.

Note also that indolence was a factor in these who were not of the faith. Paul says in verses 6-12 that we are not to live in idleness and that any who does not work does not eat. These idle people were also a drain on the brethren who were exhorted not to be weary in well doing. We are not to be weary in well doing (v. 3:13).

The commands of the church are to be obeyed and those disobeying are to be marked (vv. 14-16) Paul then ends the Letter saying he wrote it in his own hand.

We know the text is clear and that the core of the text is in chapter 2.

It is clear that the arising of the Man of Sin or Lawlessness precedes the Return of Christ and that teaching entered the Apostolic Church at the time of the apostles. Paul was forced to deal with that false teaching and we can deduce what it was from the teaching of Paul on the heresy. That aspect has been explained in the paper Heresy in the Apostolic Church (No. 089)

The conclusion of the epistle is to show that we are to speed on and triumph so that we are delivered from wicked and evil men who do not have the faith once delivered to the saints.

The Apostasia

The falling away from the faith began quite early. Christ had ordained the Seventy as we know from Luke 10:1,17 and they were sent out and returned having been given power over the demons. Their positions were all recorded by the disciples trained at Smyrna, being Irenaeus of Lyon and Hippolytus of Ostia Antica. The details are in the paper The Fate of the Twelve Apostles (No. 122B); Death of the Prophets and the Saints (No. 122C) and Establishment of the Church under the Seventy (No. 122D).

Linus was made the first bishop of Rome and then under Paul. Peter was apostle to the dispersion from the Middle East appointing the bishops at Antioch and going to the Parthians and Scythians etc.

The rot started in earnest from Rome due to the Sun and Mystery Cults and especially the worship of the god Attis there. The establishment of Sunday as the day of the Sun system was intruded into Christianity as early as 111 CE.

In 154 CE the apostate Anicetus was appointed bishop at Rome and he intruded the Easter system of the goddess consort of Baal into the church there. In 192 Victor made it compulsory for communion with Rome and the Quartodeciman disputes split the faith (see the paper The Quartodeciman Disputes (No. 277)). From then the schisms simply increased and the church lapsed into apostasy from which it never recovered. The last major development in the faith was in the church in the Middle East in 608 CE when the Prophet Qasim was called to the faith and the Church was given the Qur’an or Koran. The church rose at Becca/Petra and was then driven underground by the pseudo-Muslims at Mecca and Medina after the Four Rightly Guided Caliphs and the murder of Ali and Hussein (see Summary of the Commentary on the Qur’an or Koran (QS) and Becca and the Four Rightly Guided Calpihs (Q001D)).

The greatest Apostasy was concerning the Nature of God which was turned into the Binitarian structure of the system of Attis and the Sun cults and from there it descended into the Sun system of Baal under the priests of Mithras, Attis, Adonis and of Osiris at Alexandria.

By 381 it had been turned into the system of the Triune god and it was ratified in 451 at Chalcedon. The Roman system then became supreme after the Unitarian/Trinitarian Wars (No. 268) had ceased and the adoption of the Cappadocian system at Constantinople and the adoption of Athanasian Christianity at Constantinople and the Trinitarian Church was born. It was ratified in 451 at Chalcedon and then declared as the Holy Roman Empire in 590 CE.

The Koran was systematically destroyed by the Hadith in the Eighth century and the Churches of God pushed underground from 664 CE in Britain and the Eighth century in the Middle East.

Sin as Transgression of the Law

The Bible is quite clear that Sin is transgression of the Law of God (1Jn. 3:4), although there is a great effort by the antinomian Baal worshippers in the 21^st century to conceal or misrepresent that fact.

The Man of Sin in the text of 2Thessalonians 2:3 is the man of sin in some texts but in most it is the Man of Lawlessness (anthropos tes anomias) (see Marshall’s RSV Interlinear Greek–English NT).

Initially the intrusion of the Baal system using Attis and Adonis and Mithras with Sol Invictus Elagabal of the Sun and Mystery cults into Christianity, and later Islam, tried to divorce the OT from the NT using the Distinction in the Law (No. 096) as a mechanism.

They invented the hypothesis that Christ had nailed the law to the stake (Col. 2:14) when it was the cheirographon or bill of indebtedness owed to God for the transgression of God’s Law as sin that was paid for by the death of Christ.

The Baal worshippers came in with their festivals of Sunday and the Christmas festival of the Solstice and the birth of the invincible sun produced by the virgin at the cave on 24/25 December (from Syria in 375 CE) and also the festival of the goddess Easter or Ashtoreth in lieu of the Quartodeciman Passover as above (see the Origins of Christmas and Easter (No. 235)).

The antinomians also brought in the doctrine of heaven and hell and the immortal soul and introduced that into Christianity and later Islam. Anyone that worships on Sunday and fails to keep the Sabbath of the Law of God and says that when they die they go to heaven is an infidel (cf. also Justin Martyr. Dial. LXXX). They are neither a Christian nor a true Muslim, which are the same faith (cf. also Surah 4:154) (cf. also Antinomian Attacks on the Law of God (No. 164D) and Antinomian Denial of Baptism (No. 164E)).

Christianity has been almost eliminated by these Baal worshippers posing as Christians and worshipping on Sundays and stating the Laws of God have been done away (cf. also Antinomian Destruction of Christianity by Misuse of Scripture (No. 164C)). So also has pseudo-Islam advanced that the Sharia has replaced the Law of God as advanced in the Koran. Everyone who states or advances these claims will be sent to the Second Resurrection for retraining at the end of the Millennium in the Second Resurrection and the Great White Throne Judgment (No. 143B).

Even the Churches of God in the Last Days have been almost destroyed by Baal worshipping Ditheism (076B) or Binitarianism and Trinitarianism (No. 076) through the introduction of heretics to its membership and ministry over the last century or more (cf. also Binitarian and Trinitarian Misrepresentation of the Early Theology of the Godhead (No. 127B)).

The history of the Churches of God is important to understanding Christianity and what has happened to it. This can be seen in the texts of General Distribution of the Sabbath-keeping Churches (No. 122) and Role of the Fourth Commandment in the Historical Sabbath-keeping Churches of God (No. 170).

The Man of Sin as a System

It should be obvious now that the Man of Sin cannot be a single individual. It is rather the person who passes from time to time as the leader of the system of lawlessness that introduced itself under the influence of Satan into the Temple of God. Its leaders sit in the Temple or institutions claiming to be the Temple of God over the centuries.

They have long since lost any authority as the Temple of God even though they were yet far distant when Paul wrote his letter to the Thessalonians. It is for this reason that many try to claim that the Temple must be rebuilt in Jerusalem to fulfil this prophecy, which is unnecessary. It will be rebuilt by Messiah and the elect for the Millennium but that is unnecessary to fulfil this prophecy although there is a move to do so.

Over the years the priests of Baal took over the seat at Rome and introduced the system of the Sun and Mystery cults and became the head of the Babylonian system of the Feet of Iron and Miry Clay and the Ten Toes of Iron and Miry Clay of the last empire before the Return of the Messiah and the destruction of the Babylonian system detailed in Revelation chapter 18.

The declaration of the infallibility of the Pope and his taking his seat in the so-called Temple of God in Rome was in the Nineteenth century and their position reached the height of their blasphemy. It was also over this period that they declared the Pope as the Vicar of the Son of God (or Christ). Thus he was declared an elohim or god as son of God in place of Christ.

The Twentieth century saw their collapse into infamy and the harlot daughters of the whore are returning to the skirts of the whore as prophesied by Revelation due to their internal collapse internationally.

They have long since ceased to function as the Temple of God. Their system is idolatrous and they will be destroyed.

Antinomianism of the Last Days

The Mark of the Church and the Antinomianism of the Last Days was identified by Christ. He identified it as Antinomianism.

Matthew 24:9-10 “Then they will deliver you up to tribulation, and put you to death; and you will be hated by all nations for my name’s sake. 10 And then many will fall away, and betray one another, and hate one another. (RSV)

Matthew 24:11-12 And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. 12 And because wickedness is multiplied, most men’s love will grow cold. (RSV)

We are persecuted and have only each other to hold on to the faith. Lawlessness abounds in these end-time antinomian preachers. As a result, God’s love grows cold in the many, including within these false preachers themselves. They do not have the Christian love they proclaim to possess.

As we stated above Christ gave us the warning of the problems besetting the Churches of God.

Matthew 24:24 For false Christs and false prophets will arise and show great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect. (RSV)

In the last decades the Churches of God have been deceived, especially in the western world and Antinomianism and false ministers are rife among them. The history of our doctrines is clear and understood by the elect and they are not deceived but the West has been dreadfully deceived and will lose their position in the kingdom if they do not repent.

The Final Delusion

The Strong Delusion is developed in the last days with all signs and wonders.

The basis of how the Christian and other elements as well as the Jews themselves will probably be deceived is by means of the Noahide Laws (No. 148). This Apostasy has been established and accepted by the papacy so that the Sabbath may be the right only of Jews and not of Christians and thus the Jews will enforce the Hillel calendar and their traditions. The keeping of the true Sabbaths, New Moons and Holy Days by the Church of God will be persecuted and made almost impossible. Whilst the Christians will be acknowledged as having the right to keep the Sunday and their traditions, the remnant of Islam will keep the Friday preparation evening for prayer, falsely called the Juma’ah, as a Sabbath of Islam, when it was not and is not a Sabbath but merely the preparation for the Sabbath. See the papers The Sabbath in Qur’an (No. 274) and The Juma’ah: Preparing for the Sabbath (No. 285).

Thus with a basic set of rules that pretend to be applicable under the Laws of God but which ignore most of them and restrict the Sabbath to Apostate Judaism, the strong delusion will be given to many and the Man of Sin will become entrenched in Antinomian heresy and supported by Apostate Pseudo-Christianity and Apostate Pseudo-Islam and by corrupted Judaism.

The Commands of God

The commands of Christ in the elect are to endure to the end in patience and they are identified in that endurance by their keeping the Commandments of God and the faith or testimony of Jesus Christ. Their reward is the right to the tree of life and entry to the City of God (No. 180).

Matthew 24:13 But he who endures to the end will be saved. (RSV)

Revelation 14:12 Here is a call for the endurance of the saints, those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus. (RSV)

Revelation 22:14 Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and that they may enter the city by the gates. (RSV)

The Sabbath is tied to the Covenant in the Koran as we see from the text in Surah 4:154 and the laws of Islam and Christianity are tied to the Scriptures and the Qur’an or Koran (see the Summary of the Commentary of the Qur’an or Koran (QS)).

God’s Law proceeds from His very nature and gives definition and meaning to His love, which the Messiah exemplified for us. God is Love. It is not a choice between God’s Law and Christian love. Just as Antinomians attempt to separate God’s Law from His Grace, they cannot separate God’s Love from His Law. God’s Law, His Grace, and His Love all work together for the good of His creation:

Matthew 19:17 And he said to him, “Why do you ask me about what is good? One there is who is good. If you would enter life, keep the commandments.” (RSV)

The Tools of Satan in pseudo-Christianity and pseudo-Islam

The following excerpts from the study papers are relevant to the undermining of the faith by Satan and his minions.

From the text on Binitarianism and Trinitarianism dealing with the false doctrines inserted into Christianity we read:

The elevation of Christ to equality with God Most High then allowed the Church to claim authority from God and thus change times (Dan. 2:21) and the law as prophesied by Daniel (Dan. 7:25) and thus wear out the Saints of the Most High.

Thus the man of lawlessness seeks to appropriate to himself the authority of Christ as his specific representative on earth and hence become, in this context, God.

The Trinity is a theological prerequisite to lead the elect to antinomianism and lawlessness. It has been allowed to be established in the Church for the third major occasion in the history of the Church. Why is that so?

The answer is because it is the test of the elect in the last days. Do not fail your test. (cf. Binitarianism and Trinitarianism (No. 076)).

We then continue on to the text of The Relationship between Salvation by Grace and the Law (No. 082):

“The activity of Satan is directed to establish a system among the Temple of God to defile it with a system that seeks to eliminate the Laws of God and that would deceive even the very elect if it were possible. The love of the truth is essential to the saving of the elect in this issue. The elect have to grapple with this form of deceit over the whole period of the Church until the coming of the Messiah.”

Also, “The argument was seen in 1John stemming from Modalism as an early Triune form which finally resulted in the Trinity. The other consequences of this error were seen in Colossae and Galatia as well as Ephesus. The love of the truth is the mark of the elect. Those who do not reject this argument and do not keep the Commandments of God are rejected by God. That process is most obvious and severe in the last days and in the Laodicean and Sardis Churches. Both those churches are rejected and only a few individuals are saved.” (No. 082).

The Man of Sin is the Antichrist who is identified, and that system is identified by their rejection of the Commandments of God and they have permeated and corrupted Christian teachings for centuries. You recognize them when they say that the Law of God is done away or that Sharia replaces the Law of God in pseudo-Islam. Their time is almost up. Antinomianism will be wiped out by Messiah at his return with those who teach it.

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Bullinger’s Notes on 2Thessalonians (for KJV)

Chapter 1

Verse 1

Paul, &c. The opening words of this Epistle are the same as those of the First Epistle as far as "peace" (2 Thessalonians 1:2).

church. App-186.

God. App-98.

Father. App-98.

Lord. App-98.

Jesus Christ. App-98.

Verse 2

Grace. App-184.

from. App-104.

Verse 3

thank. See 1 Thessalonians 1:2.

faith. App-150.

groweth exceedingly. Greek. huperauxano. Only here.

charity = love. App-135. No reference to hope as in 1 Thessalonians 1:3.

each other = one another.

aboundeth. Same as increase, 1 Thessalonians 3:12.

Verse 4

glory. Greek. kauchaomai. See Romans 2:17. The texts read enkauchaomai. Nowhere else in N.T.

tribulations. Greek. thlipsis. See Acts 7:10.

Verse 5

manifest token. Greek. endeigma. Only here.

righteous. App-191.

judgment. App-177. Compare Philippians 1:1, Philippians 1:28.

that ye may be = to (Greek. eis) your being.

counted worthy. See Acts 5:41.

kingdom. App-112.114.

Verse 6

Seeing = If so be. Greek. eiper.

trouble. Greek. thlibo, afflict. The noun in 2 Thessalonians 1:7.

Verse 7

rest. Greek. anesis. See Acts 24:23.

when, &c. = in (Greek. en) the revelation (App-106.) of.

Lord. App-98.

Jesus. App-98.

heaven. Singular. See Matthew 6:9, Matthew 6:10.

His, &c. = the angels of His power (App-172.)

Verse 8

flaming fire = fire of flame (Greek. phlox. Here; Luke 16:24. Acts 7:30. Hebrews 1:7. Revelation 1:14; Revelation 2:18; Revelation 19:12).

taking . . . on = giving . . . to.

vengeance. Greek. ekdikesis. See Luke 18:8.

Christ. The texts omit.

Verse 9

be punished with = pay (Greek. tino. Only here) the penalty (App-177.), (even).

everlasting. App-151.

destruction. Greek. olethros. See 1 Corinthians 5:5.

power. App-172.

Verse 10

shall = shall have.

glorified. Greek. endoxazomia. Only here and 2 Thessalonians 1:12.

saints. See Acts 9:13.

believe, believed. App-150.

Verse 11

Wherefore = With a view to (Greek. eis) which.

that = in order that. Greek. hina.

count . . . worthy. Greek. axioo. See Acts 15:38.

good pleasure. Greek. eudokia. See Romans 10:1.

goodness. Greek. agathosune. See Romans 15:14.

power. App-172. 1, as 2 Thessalonians 1:7.

Chapter 2

Verse 1

beseech. App-134.

coming. See 1 Thessalonians 2:19.

Lord. App-98.

Jesus Christ. App-98.

gathering together. Greek. episunagoge. Only here and Hebrews 10:25. Compare the verb in Matthew 23:37; Matthew 24:31.

Verse 2

That = To the end that. App-104.

soon = quickly.

or = nor. Greek. mete. Same as neither and nor, below.

be troubled. Greek. throeomai. Elsewhere, Matthew 24:6. Mark 13:7.

by. App-104. 2 Thessalonians 2:1.

spirit = spirit-communication. App-101.

from. App-104. 2 Thessalonians 2:1.

Christ = the Lord, as the texts. The day of Christ is the day of 2 Thessalonians 2:1. Compare Philippians 1:1, Philippians 1:10; Philippians 2:16. The day of the Lord is the day of O.T. prophecy. See Isaiah 2:12.

at hand = present. Greek. enistemi. See Romans 8:38.

Verse 3

no man = not (App-105) any one (App-123)

deceive. Greek. exaptao. See Romans 7:11.

by any means. Literally according to (App-104) no (Greek. medeis) way. A double negative for emphasis.

for = because.

except = if (App-118) . . . not (App-105).

a = the.

falling away = apostasy. Greek. apostasia. Only here and Acts 21:21.

sin. App-128. Some texts read III. 4, as 2 Thessalonians 2:7.

be revealed. App-106.

son. App-108.

perdition. See John 17:12. Revelation 17:8, Revelation 17:11.

Verse 4

opposeth. Greek. antikeimai. Genitive translation be an adversary to.

exalteth himself. Greek. huperairomai. See 2 Corinthians 12:7.

God. App-98.

worshipped = an object of worship. Greek. sebasma. See Acts 17:23.

as God. The texts omit.

Temple. Greek. naos. See Matthew 23:16.

shewing. Greek. apodeiknumi. See Acts 2:22.

Verse 6

withholdeth = holds fast. Greek. katecho. See the other occurances of this word, 2 Thessalonians 2:7; Matthew 21:38. Luke 4:42; Luke 8:15; Luke 14:9. John 5:4. Acts 27:40. Romans 1:18; Romans 7:6. 1 Corinthians 7:30; 1 Corinthians 11:2; 1 Corinthians 15:2. 2 Corinthians 6:10. 1 Thessalonians 5:21. Philemon 1:13. Hebrews 3:6, Hebrews 3:14; Hebrews 10:23.

his time = his own season. That which holds him fast is neuter. It is a place, the pit of the abyss (Revelation 9:1; Revelation 11:7; Revelation 13:1).

Verse 7

mystery. App-193.

iniquity = lawlessness. App-128.

work = work actively, as 1 Thessalonians 2:13.

letteth = holds fast. Greek. katecho, as 2 Thessalonians 2:6. Supply the Ellipsis by "there is one who holds fast", instead of by repeating the verb "will let". But katecho is a transitive verb, and an object must be supplied too. See all the occurances: 2 Thessalonians 2:6. If the subject be Satan, the object must be his position in the heavenlies (Ephesians 6:12), from which he will be ejected by Michael (Revelation 12:7-9).

out of the way = out of (Greek. ek) the midst. Compare the same expression in Acts 17:33; Acts 23:10. 1 Corinthians 5:2. 2 Corinthians 6:17. Colossians 2:14.

Verse 8

that wicked = the lawless one. App-128.

consume. Greek. analisko. See Galatians 1:5, Galatians 1:15.

spirit = breath. App-101. Compare Isaiah 11:4; Isaiah 30:27, Isaiah 30:30, Isaiah 30:33.

destroy = bring to nought. Greek. katargeo. See Romans 3:3.

brightness. App-106.

Verse 9

working. Greek. energeia. See 2 Thessalonians 2:7. App-172.

power . . . signs . . . wonders. App-176. 2 Thessalonians 1:3, 2 Thessalonians 1:2.

lying. Literally of a lie. Greek. pseudos. See John 8:44. Romans 1:25.

Verse 10

deceivableness = (form of) deceit.

unrighteousness. App-128.

in. The texts omit. Dative case.

them that perish = the perishing. See same phrase, 1 Corinthians 1:18. 2 Corinthians 2:15; 2 Corinthians 4:3.

because. Greek. anth" on, indicating exchange. Compare Romans 1:25 (Revised Version)

Verse 11

for this cause = because of (App-104. 2 Thessalonians 2:2) this.

strong delusion = a working (2 Thessalonians 2:9) of error (Greek. plane, as Romans 1:27).

Verse 12

That = In order that. Greek. hina.

damned = condemned, or judged. App-122.

had pleasure = were well pleased. See Matthew 3:17.

Verse 13

bound, &c. Compare 2 Thessalonians 1:3.

Lord. App-98.

hath. Omit.

from the beginning. Greek. ap" arches. See John 8:44.

chosen = chose. Greek. haireomai. See Philippians 1:1, Philippians 1:22.

sanctification. Greek. hagiasmos. See Romans 6:19.

Spirit. The Sanctifier. App-101. Compare 1 Peter 1:2.

belief. Greek. pistis. App-150.

Verse 14

Whereunto = Unto (Greek. eis) which.

gospel. App-140.

obtaining. Greek. peripoiesis. See Ephesians 1:14.

glory. See p. 1511.

Verse 15

stand fast. See 1 Thessalonians 3:8.

hold = lay hold on, hold fast.

traditions. Greek. paradosis, as in 2 Thessalonians 3:6.

our. Should come after "by".

Verse 16

even. Omit.

Father. App-98.

hath. Omit.

hath given = gave.

consolation. Greek. paraklesis. See Luke 6:24. Acts 4:36.

Verse 17

Comfort. App-134.

stablish. Greek. sterizo. See Romans 1:11.

Chapter 3

Verse 1

pray. App-134. Paul is the only N.T. writer who asks the prayers of those to whom he writes. See Romans 15:30. 2 Corinthians 1:11. Ephesians 6:19. Philippians 1:1, Philippians 1:19. Colossians 4:3. Philemon 1:22. Hebrews 13:18.

that = in order that. Greek. hina.

Lord. App-98.

have, &c. = run and be glorified. By Figure of speech Hendiadys (App-6) = triumph gloriously.

with. App-104. Compare Acts 13:48.

you. Add "also".

Verse 2

delivered. Greek. rhuomai, as in Romans 15:31.

unreasonable. Greek. atopos. See Acts 28:6.

Verse 3

faithful. App-150. Compare 1 Corinthians 1:9.

stablish. See 2 Thessalonians 2:17.

keep = guard.

evil = the wicked one. App-128. Compare 1 John 5:18.

Verse 4

have confidence. App-150.

Lord. App-98.

touching. App-104.

things. i.e. in verses: 2 Thessalonians 3:6-14. Compare 1 Thessalonians 4:11.

command = charge. Greek. parangello. See Acts 1:4.

Verse 5

direct. Greek. kateuthuno. See 1 Thessalonians 3:11.

love. App-135.

God. App-98.

patient waiting = patience, as 2 Thessalonians 1:4.

for Christ = of Christ (App-98. IX).

Verse 6

Jesus Christ. App-98.

withdraw yourselves. Gr stellomai. See 2 Corinthians 8:20.

disorderly. Greek. ataktos. Only here and 2 Thessalonians 3:11.

tradition. See 2 Thessalonians 2:15.

Verse 7

follow = imitate. Greek. mimeomai. Occurs also 2 Thessalonians 3:9. Hebrews 13:7, Hebrews 13:3. Joh 11:. Compare 1 Corinthians 4:16.

behaved . . . disorderly. Greek. atakteo. Compare verses: 2 Thessalonians 3:3, 2 Thessalonians 3:6, 2 Thessalonians 3:11. 1 Thessalonians 5:14.

Verse 8

Neither. Greek. oude.

any man"s bread = bread from (Greek. para, App-104.) any one (App-123.)

for nought. Greek. dorean. See John 15:25.

wrought = working.

travail. Greek. mochthos. See 2 Corinthians 11:27.

that we, &c. = with a view to (App-104.) our not being.

chargeable to. Greek. epibareo. See 2 Corinthians 2:5. 1 Thessalonians 2:9.

any. App-123.

Verse 9

power. App-172.

to = in order that (as 2 Thessalonians 3:1) we may.

ensample. Greek. tupos. Compare Philippians 1:3, Philippians 1:17. 1 Thessalonians 1:7. 1 Timothy 4:12.

to. Greek. eis. App-104.

Verse 10

would = is . . . willing. App-102.

neither. Greek. mede.

Verse 11

not at all = (in) nothing. Greek. medeis.

are busybodies. Greek. periergazomai, to be busy about useless matters.

Verse 12

exhort. App-134.

by. App-104. 2 Thessalonians 3:1, but the texts read en.

with. App-104.

quietness. Greek. hesuchia. See Acts 22:2.

Verse 13

be . . . weary = faint. Greek. ekkakeo. See 2 Corinthians 4:1.

in well doing. Greek. kalopoieo. Only here. Compare Galatians 1:6, Galatians 1:9.

Verse 14

by. App-104. 2 Thessalonians 3:1.

note. Greek. semeioomai. Only here.

have . . . company. Greek. sunanamignumi. See 1 Corinthians 5:9, 1 Corinthians 5:11.

no = not, 2 Thessalonians 3:6.

be ashamed. Greek. entrepomai. See 1 Corinthians 4:14.

Verse 15

count = reckon. Greek. hegeomai. See Philippians 1:2, Philippians 1:6.

Verse 16

of peace. Note the eight statements as to God in Note on Acts 7:2, and compare 1 Corinthians 1:3.

always = through (App-104) everything.

by all means = in (Greek. en) every way.

Verse 17

salutation, &c Compare 1 Corinthians 16:21. Colossians 4:18. Read, "by the hand of me Paul".

token = sign. Greek. semeion. App-176.

Verse 18
grace. App-184.

Amen. Omit.

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