What does (2 Thess. 2:6-12) mean?

[Lees]

My understanding is this. At present, the Holy Ghost is fighting a delayed retreat against the onslaughts of Satan. He is doing what He can to hinder the enemy, yet is not seeking at this time to destroy him.

Evil is having it's day. The Holy Ghost is resisting, but not stopping. For many, Christians, the appearance is that God is losing. After all, who can argue against the fact that the world is becoming totally anti-god and anti-christian?

The Church is become corrupt. The world is not coming to Christ for salvation. The Church has failed in it's 'great commission', if indeed it's purpose is to convert the world.

So, what does (2 Thess. 2:6-12) mean?

Lees

 

[Lamb]

6 And now you know what is holding him back, so that he may be revealed at the proper time. 7 For the secret power of lawlessness is already at work; but the one who now holds it back will continue to do so till he is taken out of the way. 8 And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will overthrow with the breath of his mouth and destroy by the splendor of his coming. 9 The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with how Satan works. He will use all sorts of displays of power through signs and wonders that serve the lie, 10 and all the ways that wickedness deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. 11 For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie 12 and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness.

Thessalonians 2 is about the coming of Christ, but the remarkable thing at the end of the chapter is this:
He called you to this through our gospel, that you might share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

We don't know the time when Jesus will come, so our hope is always that we share in the glory of Him.

 

[Lees]

6 And now you know what is holding him back, so that he may be revealed at the proper time. 7 For the secret power of lawlessness is already at work; but the one who now holds it back will continue to do so till he is taken out of the way. 8 And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will overthrow with the breath of his mouth and destroy by the splendor of his coming. 9 The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with how Satan works. He will use all sorts of displays of power through signs and wonders that serve the lie, 10 and all the ways that wickedness deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. 11 For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie 12 and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness.

Thessalonians 2 is about the coming of Christ, but the remarkable thing at the end of the chapter is this:
He called you to this through our gospel, that you might share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

We don't know the time when Jesus will come, so our hope is always that we share in the glory of Him.

I doubt anyone would disagree with what you have said. I certainly don't.

Yet you didn't address anything in (2 Thess. 2:6-12).

Lees

 

[Lamb]

I doubt anyone would disagree with what you have said. I certainly don't.

Yet you didn't address anything in (2 Thess. 2:6-12).

Lees

Because I prefer to point you back to Christ when in despair about what's happening in the world.

 

[Lees]

Because I prefer to point you back to Christ when in despair about what's happening in the world.

Indeed it's always good to be reminded of our place in Christ as we view the march of the decaying and dying world.

And, to me, the understanding of (2 Thess. 2:6-12) should help us in that regard.

Why? Because we can know that the condition of this world, getting worse and worse, is very much part of the plan of God. That 'mystery of iniquity' was already active in Paul's day. (2 Thess. 2:7) And the Holy Ghost, instead of destroying it, which He could, only restrains it. (2:6-7) Then when it comes time for the Holy Ghost to cease resisting this spread of evil, He doesn't cease and then destroys it. He just ceases altogether and lets it go pell-mell towards God's desired end. (2:7)

And the purpose for that is that the 'man of sin be revealed'. (2:3,8) Which brings out another purpose for God only resisting and not destroying the 'mystery of iniquity'. That 'man of sin' will be with lying words and works. And God shall give to mankind those lies so that they will believe those lies. (2 Thess. 2:9-11) So that they all might be damned who believe not the truth. (2:12)

None of which will occur without the 'falling away' of fallen mankind from all that is Godly. (2 Thess. 2:3)

So in reading these verses I think certain questions should come to the Christians mind.

1.) What is the 'mystery of iniquity'?

2.) Is the evil and wickedness of this world getting worse really God's plan?

3.) If the Holy Ghost no longer resists or restrains the evil, what is the Church supposed to be doing? For our testimony of Jesus is a restraint against evil. (Matt. 28:19-20) Surely the Church, the Body of Christ, won't be doing something counter productive to what the Holy Spirit is doing?

4.) Where is the Church at this time? And there is time still as the 'man of sin' is now revealed and he must have time to accomplish his work of delusion and lying wonders in the last days. (2 Thess. 7-8)

I believe the Christian should find great comfort in knowing all is going according to God's plan. And He knows His people and He knows the damned. He has been giving the damned the truth for thousands of years and they spit in His face. He will now feed them the lie to believe. (2 Thess. 2:11-12) "And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie. That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness."

My opinion.

Lees

 

[Lees]

Here is another thought. Christ said of the then future coming of the Holy Spirit, "Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you: but if I depart, I will send him unto you." (John 16:7)

Compare that to (2 Thess. 2:7) "For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way."

The coming of the Holy Spirit, (Acts 2), was where believers were indwelt by the Holy Spirit . It was the origin of the Church, the Body of Christ. The actual physical body of Christ is in Heaven at the right hand of the Father. (Heb. 1:3) (1 Peter 3:22) But that mystical body of Christ, the Church is on the earth with it's Head, Christ, in Heaven. (Eph. 1:18)

Could not the removal of the Church, the Rapture, either be the same event as the Holy Spirit being taken out of the way, or at least occurring at the same time?

Lees

 

[Daniel The Learner]

The HS will be removed when God the Father says so.