Commentary on 2 Thessalonians Chapter 2

By Arthur J Licursi

I am concerned about those who know the truth but still resist God. They have not yet responded to God’s call.            

What will come of those who delay genuinely trusting Christ?

Some arrogant self-seeking ones know the truth but still have resisted, not trusting the Lord. They choose rather to live selfishly in pursuing the things of “the world,” its amusement and entertainment. They think that later, in the end, they may then yield to the Lord’s will and be saved.

Paul says all men know God but most choose not to hold Him in their understanding. Here is the danger for such a one. “Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.” (Romans 1:21) Paul gives us a clear view of what will happen to those who know the truth but still refuse the Lord.

Let’s now look into 2 Thessalonians Chapter 2.

“the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah) and our gathering together to [meet] Him.” (V1) when “the day of Christ is at hand.” (V2). “Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition.” Then the “son of perdition (Antichrist)” will be revealed (V3).

Below we see that today, currently, the Antichrist is being “restrained” or limited. But the Antichrist is restrained “only until” the convicting work of the Holy Spirit is removed from the earth. Antichrist will not be revealed until the Holy Spirit who indwells believers today is removed from the earth in the rapture of “the body of Christ.” If one lives to actually see the Antichrist revealed, then it will be too late to be saved by grace and raptured. Salvation then will only come by martyrdom. “And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held” (Revelation 6:9)

“⁶… you know what is restraining him [from being revealed at this time]; it is so that he may be manifested (revealed) in his own [appointed] time. ⁷ For the mystery of lawlessness (that hidden principle of rebellion against constituted authority) is already at work in the world, [but it is] restrained only until he who restrains is taken out of the way” (Vs 6-7 AMP).

“⁸and then shall that Wicked (One) be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:

The Wicked One (Antichrist) will appear with “lying wonders” and “strong delusion” to deceive many. “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.” (Galatians 6:7) The deceived will include those who “believed not the truth (trusted not in the truth)” – BECAUSE THEY RECEIVED NOT the love of the truth, THAT THEY MIGHT BE SAVED – “That they all might be damned.” Those who resist and willfully choose not “receive the love of the truth” will be given over to the “strong delusion” of the Wicked One. God’s “Spirit shall not always strive with man” (Gen 6:3).

⁹ Even him (Antichrist), whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,”

¹⁰ And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; BECAUSE THEY RECEIVED NOT THE LOVE OF THE TRUTH, THAT THEY MIGHT BE SAVED.

¹¹ And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: ¹² That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

Everyone who has heard the truth has been “called” by God. Why not respond by trusting the salvation that may be obtained in Christ. (NOTE that “believe” means to trust in, cling to and rely upon Christ for your life and daily living as your Lord (governor) and Saviour. It we refuse Him while He is near then we may then receive strong delusion and never be saved.