Christian
Churches of God
No. F053
Commentary on
2Thessalonians
(Edition 2.0
20201112-20210412-20230501)
Chapters 1-3
Christian
Churches of God
E-mail: secretary@ccg.org
(Copyright © 2010, 2018, 2020, 2021, 2023 Wade Cox)
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Commentary on 2Thessalonians
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 20th and 21st
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.
************
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 21st
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)).
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.
*********
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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).
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.
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.
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.
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)
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).
That = In order that. Greek. hina.
damned = condemned, or judged. App-122.
had
pleasure = were well pleased. See Matthew
3:17.
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.
Whereunto = Unto (Greek. eis) which.
gospel. App-140.
obtaining. Greek. peripoiesis. See Ephesians
1:14.
glory. See p. 1511.
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".
even. Omit.
Father. App-98.
hath. Omit.
hath
given = gave.
consolation. Greek. paraklesis. See Luke
6:24. Acts 4:36.
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.
Amen. Omit.