Bible Study

October 20, 2025 (CSB)

2 Thessalonians 2:13 – 17 (CSB)

“It Is going To Take a Firm Stand”

13 But we ought to thank God always for you, brothers and sisters loved by the Lord, because from the beginning God has chosen you for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and through belief in the truth. 14 He called you to this through our gospel, so that you might obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. 15 So then, brothers and sisters, stand firm and hold to the traditions you were taught, whether by what we said or what we wrote. 16 May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who has loved us and given us eternal encouragement and good hope by grace, 17 encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good work and word.

Paul I believe is trying to reassure those he is writing to that they are loved by God. Wee too should be reassured that we are loved by God. That is the application of the scripture that God loves us.

Paul is telling they are chosen for salvation they are chosen for sanctification. Before we get to alarmed by the word “chosen” as used here. It was the desire of God in creation that man would live a sinless life but that only lasted a short period when Satan in the form of a serpent tempted God’s perfect creation and sin came into the world. Sin in the form of Satan.

Paul is saying you have not missed the rapture of the church or the day of the Lord but while you press on “Stand Firm” in your faith. In place of agitation, fear, and worry we must stand firm resist false teaching and those false teachers who come across your path, stand firm.

He closes with a familiar word of encouragement and good hope that we find in Jesus.

God Bless.

Bible Study

October 16, 2025 (CSB)

2 Thessalonians 2:6 – 12  (CSB)

“Lawlessness”

“And you know what currently restrains him, so that he will be revealed in his time. 7 For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work, but the one now restraining will do so until he is out of the way, 8 and then the lawless one will be revealed. The Lord Jesus will destroy him with the breath of his mouth and will bring him to nothing at the appearance of his coming.”

What currently is restraining the Antichrist? One author has listed the following: human government, preaching of the gospel, the binding of Satan, the providence of God, the Jewish state, the Holy Spirit, and Michael.

Whatever is holding Satan back must be divinely supernatural. Each of those mentioned above could be considered, however one might argue human government. One thing for certain the man of destruction will not and cannot come until God releases the restraining power at work today. The reason for the restraint is that God will release it at the appointed time.

We can all admit whether a Christ Follower or not that evil is prevalent in our world today. However, the man of lawlessness (the Antichrist) had yet to be loosed to do his destruction. The spirit of the man is already in operation but the man who embodies the spirit has not yet come. This most likely refers to the rapture of the church or the taking away of the church from the world. The restraint will be in place until the Antichrist is revealed at the midpoint of the seven year Tribulation period when he is revealed in week forty-two.

In the middle of the seven year period God removes the restraint and Satan who has been behind the lawlessness is finally allowed to fulfill his desire to imitate God by indwelling the man of lawlessness.

He will be destroyed at God’s hand and will cast alive into the lake of fire along with the false prophet.

God Bless.

Bible Study

October 15, 2025 (CSB)

2 Thessalonians 2:3 –  5  (CSB)

“The Lawless One”

Let’s look deeper today into the passage from yesterday which was: 3 “Let no one deceive you in any way. For that day will not come, unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, 4 who opposes and exalts himself against every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God. 5 Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things?”

The day of the Lord will not come until we see an abandonment of belief. Paul teaching (writing) here is speaking of apostasy in the church. Apostasy is the ultimate action of rebellion. A rebellion will come and it may well be in progress today with what is seen as teaching in many churches. Apostasy in the Bible, means to abandon or reject one’s faith, a deliberate turning away from God’s truth and a return to a life of sin or idolatry. It is a serious spiritual falling away from known biblical truths. Many churches today many churches have gotten away from the biblical truth of scripture. It is fostered by one known as “son of destruction.”

The actions of this “man of destruction” is the Antichrist it is not Satan but he is behind it. The Antichrist will exalt himself and move into the temple, call himself God and demand world wide worship of himself. During his seven year reign the first three and one half he will be a peaceful, charismatic leader making peace with the nation of Israel but during the second half of the Tribulation he will break ties with Isreal. This is the seven year period referred to both in Daniel nine and Revelation.

Paul continues to remind them of what he is saying. Look again at verse five where he shows repeated action of telling them. Along with teaching them of what is to come he is proving false teachers were wrong about the day of the Lord.

Paul taught them the Antichrist will appear before the day of the Lord arrives. There are many false teachers today still proclaiming a message that is untrue. Thankfully born again believers will not see the Tribulation as we will be in heaven as part of the crystal sea of believers before the throne of God.

God Bless in your journey.

Bible Study

October 14, 2025 (CSB)

2 Thessalonians 2:3 – 5 (CSB)

“The Day Is Approaching”

3 “Let no one deceive you in any way. For that day will not come, unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, 4 who opposes and exalts himself against every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God. 5 Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things?”

The son of destruction is none other than the Antichrist. But also keep in mind that before he comes there will be many who will come and claim to be the Antichrist. The Antichrist will be raided up somewhere from within the Middle East and he will bring a temporary false peace to the world. But Paul warns us “do not be deceived.”

We know some things about this man although his identity is still hidden. He will be charismatic having the ability to gain an unlimited number of followers. As a result of his charisma he will garner a huge following. There will be a time of great apostasy in the church. We see it now with the ordination of gay and lesbian pastors completely contradictory to scriptural teaching but today’s apostacy is nothing to what lies ahead. Apostasy doesn’t stop with one thing it involves many issues facing the church today such as the infallibility of scripture.

The man is not Satan but Satan is behind him with the same motives and desires of Satan himself. He will be seen as supportive of religion so that God and Christ will not appear as his enemies. He will at some point exalt himself as God and move into the temple declaring himself to be God.

For the first three and one half years of his seven year rule he will maintain relations with Israel. At the end of this three and one year period he will cease relations with Israel and the great Tribulation will begin to take place. We cannot imagine the total destruction that will take place but you can find much of it by reading the book of Revelation. If you read this book find a good commentary or a friend who has a good understanding of prophecy to help you out.

In closing today you do not need to worry about all this because if you are a Chrsit Follower you will not experience the great Tribulation as God has taken his church out of the world – his church being the corporate body of believers.

God Bless.

Bible Study

October 13, 2025 (CSB)

2 Thessalonians 2-1 – 2 (CSB)

“The Lawless One”

2 “Now concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered together to him, we ask you, brothers, 2 not to be quickly shaken in mind or alarmed, either by a spirit or a spoken word, or a letter seeming to be from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come. ‘

Paul’s primary motive writing to this letter is speak of the second coming of Jesus. He says “our being gathered together” most likely refers to the rapture of the church. But there are some interesting phrases he uses.

What does he mean by “quickly shaken?” The early church had been shaken by and distressed by the fact they thought they would be raptured and taken to heaven thus avoiding any persecution. Paul had taught they would miss the persecution but they thought they would miss all persecution, we simply are not taught that. If you believe then how do you explain ten thousand Christians in Nigeria being slaughter by Islamists?

They had received some teaching that “they were in the day of the Lord” therefore they thought all persecution would be avoided. He then uses the phrase “a spoken word.” Thus refers to a sermon or a speech that is given. They had received false information from a false teacher.

They believed the “day of the Lord” had already come when it in deed had not. This is a problem experienced in the early church as well as the church of today. There are many false teachers and false doctrines being presented as the gospel in churches today.

If a message is preached in your church and scripture does not support it then leave the church and find one that teaches the Word as it is written. We are living in time when the message is altered to attract people but the true message will still attract people to seek the One we know as Jesus.

God Bless.

Bible Study

October 10, 2025 (CSB)

2 Thessalonians 1:5 – 12 (CSB)

“Be Ready”

5 “It is clear evidence of God’s righteous judgment that you will be counted worthy of God’s kingdom, for which you also are suffering, 6 since it is just for God to repay with affliction those who afflict you 7 and to give relief to you who are afflicted, along with us. This will take place at the revelation of the Lord Jesus from heaven with his powerful angels, 8 when he takes vengeance with flaming fire on those who don’t know God and on those who don’t obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. 9 They will pay the penalty of eternal destruction from the Lord’s presence and from his glorious strength 10 on that day when he comes to be glorified by his saints and to be marveled at by all those who have believed, because our testimony among you was believed. 11 In view of this, we always pray for you that our God will make you worthy of his calling, and by his power fulfill your every desire to do good and your work produced by faith, 12 so that the name of our Lord Jesus will be glorified by you, and you by him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.”

Paul was telling the church that they can be growing in certain aspects of the church and they can easily be stagnate in others or even diminishing. How can that happen? We get wrapped in say a certain doctrine or belief that is contrary to what the scripture teaches it throws us off our course. The second coming of Jesus is an example.

Paul is saying do not get allow false teaching to interfere with your spiritual growth. The scripture teaches Jesus is coming back for His church but is His church ready for His return? I believe some are and others are not you can see that from reading about the seven churches in the book of Revelation. Each church had something to do to repent, except Philadelphia.

Paul tells the in verse eleven that God “will make them worthy of their calling.” Today is the day we work for the Lord, today is that day we move forward in Christ (personally) so we can move forward corporately. The church has work to do.

Jesus is returning some time in the future and we must be ready. Looking at the parable of the ten virgins in Matthew 25:1 – 13 five were prepared five were not. Be one of the five. Be alert we do not know the hour.

Be Blessed.

Bible Study

October 9, 2025 (CSB)

2 Thessalonians 1:5 – 12 (CSB)

“Mercy verses Retaliation”

5 “It is clear evidence of God’s righteous judgment that you will be counted worthy of God’s kingdom, for which you also are suffering, 6 since it is just for God to repay with affliction those who afflict you 7 and to give relief to you who are afflicted, along with us. This will take place at the revelation of the Lord Jesus from heaven with his powerful angels, 8 when he takes vengeance with flaming fire on those who don’t know God and on those who don’t obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. 9 They will pay the penalty of eternal destruction from the Lord’s presence and from his glorious strength 10 on that day when he comes to be glorified by his saints and to be marveled at by all those who have believed, because our testimony among you was believed. 11 In view of this, we always pray for you that our God will make you worthy of his calling, and by his power fulfill your every desire to do good and your work produced by faith, 12 so that the name of our Lord Jesus will be glorified by you, and you by him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.”

We cannot cover the complete understanding of this passage in one sitting and to often passages are taken out of context by us ministers to say what we need or want them to say. We will look at these verses for a couple of days.

There is o doubt the Church of Jesus Christ is undergoing persecution today but nothing as to what I believe it will see in the future. What believers must do is stay faithful. The promise Paul writes about in verse five that we will be counted worthy not because of what we have done but because of what Jesus has done it is His righteousness not ours. Now with that said we are not to sit idly by but our salvation is not marked by the number of doors we knock on, we are counted worthy because Jesus shed His blood for our sin and we have accepted His call upon our life to follow Him.

“Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord” is a quote from Romans 12:19, a Bible verse that instructs believers not to seek personal revenge for wrongs done to them, but to leave the consequences to God’s perfect and righteous judgment. That is the context of verse six, We are to be tankful for the mercy of God because without His mercy the question becomes “where would I be?”

His judgement will come to those who do not follow Him and He outlines when it will take place “at the revelation of the Lord Jesus when He comes from heaven, stay in faith when persecution comes there is a fantastic reward waiting for you.

God Bless.