Correction and Comfort - Capitol Commission
Correction and Comfort
21 August 2012
RON J. BIGALKE, PASTOR/MISSIONARY, CAPITOL COMMISSION, 912.659.4212
Bible Study Title
Ron J. Bigalke , PhD / PO Box 244, Rincon, GA 31326‐0244 / www.capitolcom.org / [email protected]
CAPITOL BIBLE STUDY ( month ly schedule)
• TUESDAY, 21 AUGUST @ 12 NOON in 123 CAP • 2 TUESDAY, 11 SEPT. @ 12 NOON in 123 CAP ND
Tuesday, 21 August 2012 II Thessalonians 2:1-17 – “Correction and Comfort” The game “20 Questions” was a television panel show from 1949-55. In the traditional game, one person is chosen to be the answerer, and all other players are questioners. Each player takes turns asking specific questions to discern what is the thought that only the answerer knows. When reading prophetic portions of Scripture, it may seem as though one is engaged in a game of “20 Questions” with God. Sometimes reading Daniel in the Old Testament or Revelation in the New Testament can cause one to feel even more confused. God never provides specific dates for the return of the Lord Jesus; however, He does provide a glimpse into the future for the purpose of increasing faith in Him. The study in 2 Thessalonians instructs us how to live in anticipation of the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ.
DO NOT BE TROUBLED (2:1-2) There are several things worthy of comment with regard to verses 1-2. The primary emphasis of these verses is the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ and being gathered together to Him. Some Bible teachers attempt to distinguish the coming of the Lord Jesus and the gathering together to Him as two events, but the manner in which it is written in the Greek would be better understood to be “the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, even our gathering together to Him.” When the text states, “with regard to,” it is referring to one event. The “gathering together” has the same emphasis of 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, wherein Scripture reveals how the Lord will descend from heaven to gather His church unto Himself. Apparently, according to verse 2, there were individuals in danger of being troubled, who were being “shaken” and “disturbed.” John 14 uses the very same language of 2 Thessalonians 2:2 when it says do not let your heart be troubled. The word “disturbed “is the same as found in John 14:1, so there are some parallel thoughts between the passages. Jesus explained in John 14 that He was going to prepare a place for His church. Wherever this place would be, which seems to be the New Jerusalem of Revelation 21, Jesus would take the church unto Himself to be with Him forever.
Three things may have caused the disturbance: a spirit, a message, or a letter (2 Thess 2:2). First John 4:1 exhorts believers to examine the spirits; examine them all to know if they are truly of God. Simply because somebody claims to be a “Christian” or to communicate “Christian teaching,” or even if something is printed by a “Christian” publisher, believers are still to examine all things in light of God’s Word. Even if something is in the Christian bookstore and one of the top ten bestsellers, it still needs to be examined to determine if it is truly biblical. Many times those things that are the bestsellers tend to be the most unbiblical. Not always, but they tend to be, at least in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. There were individuals who were troubled by a spirit, and it states also troubled by a word, by a message (so perhaps a false preacher or teacher), which proclaimed things that were contrary to biblical teaching. Moreover, a third form of disturbance was the letter. Paul said “a letter as if from us,” so apparently, there was a letter that was being distributed that was forged, which was actually said to be written by the Apostle. Of course, there are many evidences of these so-called “gospels” that are actually forgeries of an Apostle.
DO NOT BE DECEIVED (2:3-12) The emphasis of verses 3-12 is to demonstrate to the believers that they were not experiencing the day of the Lord. Verse 3 indicates that two things have to occur before that period can begin: “Let no one in any way deceive you, for it will not come”—in other words, the day of the Lord will not come—“unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction.” Two things have to occur: there has to be apostasy first, and then the man of lawlessness revealed, the son of destruction (cf. Dan 9:26). The Greek word for apostasy, in verse 3, is apostasia. There are generally two solutions given for understanding the apostasia. The first, and the traditional and probably the most popular view—or it is the popular view taken by commentators—is that the apostasia should be identified as a “falling away;” in other words, it is a religious apostasy. Even the King James Version translates the Greek in that manner. The most common view in commentaries is to understand verse 3 as teaching not to be deceived because the “falling away” will come first—religious apostasy will come first—and then the man of lawlessness will be revealed. Another view is that the departure is actually a reference to a physical departure of believers. There are valid reasons for accepting the interpretation that apostasia should be regarded as referencing Jesus’ coming “again” in John 14:1-6. One of the first reasons to understand this Greek word, apostasia, as a physical departure, is that the word can truly have the meaning of a physical departure. Whether it is a religious departure or a physical departure depends upon the context. In A GreekEnglish Lexicon (p. 218), Liddell and Scott listed “departure, disappearance” as the second meaning of apostasia. According to one of the standard Greek lexicons, apostasia can have reference to an actual, physical departure, not just religious.
CAPITOL COMMISSION (INTERIM) BIBLE STUDY TUESDAYS (MONTHLY) @ 12 NOON, 123 CAP
Georgia Correction and Comfort The word apostasia can sometimes have the meaning of a religious apostasy from the living God (as in Heb 3:12), from the faith (as in 1 Tim 4:1), an apostasy from salvation itself (as in Luke 8), or it can have the idea of physical departure (as in Acts 12:10). In 2 Corinthians 12:8, Paul prayed that the thorn in the flesh might apostasize (depart) from him. It should be obvious that the intent of apostasia is used generally, and not technically (i.e. only one meaning). It is interesting that William Tyndale, Thomas Cranmer, Theodore Beza, and the Geneva Bible translated apostasia in 2 Thessalonians 2:3 as departure. Paul stated that two events have to occur first prior to the “departure.” He used the Greek word proton (prwton) and taught that one event has to come first. Paul taught that the apostasia (hJ aj p ostasiv a // he apostasia) must come first, which is followed by the revealing of the man of sin. Verses 6-7 explain, “And you know what restrains him now, so that in his time he will be revealed. For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only he who now restrains will do so until he is taken out of the way.” In those verses, Scripture apparently referenced the “departure” more completely. Based upon context and grammar, it is best to understand that the Holy Spirit is specifically doing the restraining. What is the restraining influence? Upon examining the New Testament and reading with regard to the Holy Spirit indwelling believers, it would be natural to understand the removal of the restrainer as referring to the “departure” of verse 3. In the Old Testament, the Holy Spirit would empower for ministry and come upon someone, and sometimes there would be a filling, but it was not permanent. The experience with the church is permanent; it is a permanent filling of the Holy Spirit. He does not depart from the church. Such a doctrine is both comforting and humbling to recognize that God sees everything, but also it is comforting in the sense that believers know that God is always with them, to strengthen, to guide, and to empower. The doctrine has a sobering aspect, but it also has a comforting aspect. What does it mean? In verses 6-7 of 2 Thessalonians 2, what currently restrains? The Holy Spirit, as He indwells the church, is actually used by God to restrain evil. The judgment associated with the second coming of Christ to earth in Revelation 19, and then the establishing of the eternal kingdom is paralleled in verse 8 of 2 Thessalonians. The wrath mentioned in 1 Thessalonians 1:10 is in reference to a coming of Jesus and how His people are saved from experiencing the time of His wrath; however, for those who do not trust/believe in Jesus, they will “perish.” Probably everyone reading this Bible study is able to recollect someone who heard the gospel proclaimed, and did not even want to hear the truth or think regarding the demands of the gospel of Jesus Christ. They would rather pretend that God does not exist, or that the gospel is unclear or untruthful, which is the same sentiment that is expressed in 2 Thessalonians 2:10-12. God sears the conscience and gives the unbeliever a deluding influence, which leads to eternal punishment. There is a somber application to this text when the church proclaims the gospel. It is to say if the lost hear the gospel and reject it, there cannot be any confidence that God will not send a deluding influence so that there is not opportunity to
Bible study luncheon sponsored by: The Mission for Biblical Literacy
trust again. For those who do not love the truth and reject it, God will give a deluding influence and cause them to believe what is false.
DO BE COMFORTED AND STRENGTHENED (2:13-17) In the closing verses of 2 Thessalonians 2, the emphasis is upon God’s calling. Paul gave thanks for his readers’ salvation, praise for their perseverance, and that they appreciate the secure position that they have in affirming biblical teaching. In contrast to the wicked unbelievers that were referenced in verse 12, Paul expressed his gratitude for his readers, those who are part of the church. The reason for the Apostle’s joy, he said in verse 13, is the result of God’s choice of them for salvation before He created the world. Consistently throughout the New Testament, “from the beginning” indicates a time prior to the world being created, before the foundation of the world, before creation itself; the emphasis is upon God’s choice of individuals for salvation. The initiative for salvation comes from God; it is His choosing; it does not come from man; rather, God accomplishes His salvation through the work of the Holy Spirit, which is the reason for Paul’s joy (i.e. the fact of God choosing for salvation). Paul gave thanks for those that have received God’s salvation. In verse 14, Paul gave thanks that God called the Thessalonians so they could share splendor with the Lord: “that you may gain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.” The experience of being made holy (sanctification) occurs in three different realms. Positional sanctification is equivalent to justification. Experiential sanctification is the believer becoming more and more Christlike, that is, demonstrating spiritual maturity. Ultimate sanctification is the glorification of the body when believers are confirmed in holiness. Paul was addressing the latter when he referenced believers receiving splendor and honor, the ultimate glorification of the body. Praise God for His revelation regarding the present times and what the future entails for believers. God is gracious in calling sinners unto salvation. What longing there should be for the day when believers will be with God, and experience all the splendor and honor of their relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. Scripture gives a hope unlike any other. Praise God for His grace and salvation. The grace of the Lord should continue to enable His people to stand firm, to hold to the truths (which are taught in Scripture), and do all things as to His glory and by His grace. Praise God for the indwelling Holy Spirit and the Word of God to both strengthen, guide, and empower those who belong to Christ Jesus. Thank you for allowing Capitol Commission the honor to provide ongoing Bible studies to you. If you have any questions, please feel free to talk with me, or contact me by email or phone (912.659.4212). We are praying for you personally throughout the day and week (1 Tim 2:1-4).
ABOUT CAPITOL COMMISSION Capitol Commission state directors are pastors/missionaries who teach weekly verse-byverse Bible studies for the entire Capitol community. State directors also meet personally with many government leaders to proclaim God’s grace in salvation, to encourage our leaders, pray with them, and provide biblical counsel. The mission of Capitol Commission is to reach Capitol communities for Christ—one person at a time, to disciple them, and to prepare them for a lifetime of ministry, wherever God chooses to place them. Capitol Commission is a charitable and religious nonprofit corporation under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Capitol Commission is supported by the generous gifts of businesses, churches, and individuals. Capitol Commission is not state-funded; rather, those with a heart for the Capitol community fund it. Please join us in this ministry!
N EXT CAPITOL COMMISSION (INTERIM) BIBLE STUDY: T UESDAY , 11 SEPTEMBER @ 12 N OON in 123 CAP
