Chapter 1
1. As a rule whatever cash is in your wallet or in your pocket is yours and it is safe; it's in your pocket; it's in your wallet; it's in you. Likewise Christians are safe in God the father, and in Jesus Christ. Satan would love to steal us from God, but he would have to go in God and in Jesus to do it, and not even Satan is brash enough to attempt that, and if he would he would fail.
2. Someone says, I'd like to pray for this or that, but I'm so unworthy; I don't feel worthy enough to ask God. If you feel unworthy you're feeling the way you should feel because you are unworthy. However, being unworthy qualifies you to ask for it on the basis of God's grace. God's grace means he gives us the good things we don't deserve.
God is not impressed with our "credentials" and neither is anyone else who is walking with the Lord. God is impressed with a humble spirit which asks for things not because they feel they have earned it, or are somehow worthy of it; God is impressed with a humble spirit which asks for something on the basis of God's grace.
3. Sometimes Christians say, we are having relationship problems, and I think we need counseling. No you don't need counseling! No you don't need to see a therapist! What did Christians do for the first 2000 plus years before there were all these Christian counselors and therapists? I'll tell you what they did, they let the Holy Spirit solve their problems and that's still His job today. Consequently both people involved need to examine their conscience in light of the word of God, and confess all sins which God brings to their attention; both need to pray, and read God's Word alone, and together. Their faith will increase as they grow closer to God and then, like with the Thessalonians, their love for each other will increase also.
Love increases when faith increases. Relationships become all that they should be when the faith of the people involved increases to where it should be.
3,4. The Thessalonians remained loyal to Jesus through their persecutions, and suffering. They didn't complain, or feel sorry for themselves. They suffered with quiet patience. Consequently, the suffering which was designed to destroy their faith actually made it grow stronger.
When we complain about our sufferings or circumstances we waste opportunities for spiritual growth in the midst of them.
4,5. Who's worthy of the kingdom of God? What Christian has done enough, or suffered enough to make themselves worthy of the kingdom of God? Answer: none! We cannot become worthy of eternal life by suffering for Jesus, or by any other good work. But a willingness to suffer for Jesus; to stay the course even when it cost us something is evidence that our faith is genuine, and therefore we are accepted in Christ; we are found worthy in Christ.
6. Life is not always fair, but God is always fair. Bad people who are willing to lie, cheat, and flatter may do better than you in this life. However, you will die, and so will they, and then they will be punished, and you will be rewarded.
In the end fairness prevails because God is fair.
6-8. Jesus is coming back with his mighty angels and when he does he will be angry at every person who has mistreated any of his children, namely Christians.
The time for rest is not now; it is in the future when Jesus returns. For now Christians are called to be faithful, to speak truth, to live holy, and to suffer if need be for doing those things. Rest is coming but not before Jesus returns.
8. To obey the gospel means to repent, and receive Christ as Lord and Savior. All who refuse to do that will be punished by the one who would have saved them, the Lord Jesus Christ. He came the first time to save and he's been doing that for 2000 years. He's coming the second time to punish all who would not receive his mercy.
8,9. According to Jesus hell is fire, it is burning, it is thirst, it is weeping, it is torment, it is wailing, it is gnashing of teeth, and it is everlasting. Hell is God's just punishment for those who would sin against him and then on top of that refuse his gracious offer of mercy through the Savior, his son Jesus Christ.
9,10. No matter how close we may be to Jesus today we will still be in awe of him when we see him in person. One glimpse of Christ, and we will be down on our face, and when we finally get the nerve to look up we will be speechless in his presence.
11. Doing the work of faith will result in God counting us worthy of the kingdom of God as Paul also said in verse five. Those who do not live for Jesus; those who sin and don't confess, and don't repent, or deny him during times of persecution will find themselves excluded from God's kingdom.
The faith that changes a sinners destination also changes their behavior.
12. Jesus will receive glory from the faith of a Christian if that faith is real. That's because a real faith will do good; a real faith cares about Jesus. A real faith cares about Jesus not by the goodness of the one who has the faith, but by the enabling grace of God working through the one who has received Christ.
Chapter 2
1. The Bible teaches that Christians will be gathered from all over the world in a supernatural way. We will be gathered to Jesus when he returns like tiny metal shavings are gathered to a powerful magnet. Scripture teaches we will meet Christ in the air; all Christians both dead and living.
1,2. Someone told these Christians that the apostle Paul said Jesus was returning any second, and there was no doubt about that. That false teaching had the Thessalonians overly excited to the point where some quit their jobs.
Those who predict the date of our Lord's return are liars, in some cases swindlers, and in all cases false prophets who do great harm to many in the body of Christ.
3. Two big things will happen before the return of Christ for his church. First, many people who said they were Christians will deny the Lord and actively oppose him. That's what the falling away here in verse three refers to. Secondly, a wicked man ( the Antichrist will arise to a place of world power. Neither of those things had happened at the time of this epistle so the return of Christ could not be any second as the false prophets were saying in Thessalonica.
3,4. The Antichrist the evil world ruler who will come on the scene shortly before Jesus returns, will not be satisfied to be against Christ. He will want everyone to worship him as God. He will come disguised as a good person. He will make many promises, and deceive people with miracles. Most people in the world will rationalize away the fact that he claims to be God; they will overlook his blasphemy, and follow him. Many people will follow anyone who promises them health, wealth, and power and he will promise them those things. However, those who believe the word of God will not follow him. Those who believe the Bible don't want anything from, neither do they buy the lies of vile sinners who make empty promises.
False prophets are promising health, wealth, and power today, and they are doing it in the name of Christianity. The only ones who follow them are the greedy, the deceived, or the vulnerable who, perhaps because they are sick, desperately want the false promises to be true. Christians who have a heart for God, and who believe the word of God may get drawn in for a season, but they will not follow them forever.
5. The Thessalonians could have defeated the false prophets with the truth because they had it. The problem is they forgot it, which is why Paul said don't you remember; they didn't remember!
One dose of truth is not enough. We need it again & again because forgetting truth sets us up for deception; especially if someone is a smooth talker who twists the Scripture.
5,6. Paul said to the Thessalonians and now you know what restrains that he (the Antichrist might be revealed in his time. They knew, but we do not, and it's not smart to guess about God things. One thing is certain, the Antichrist will come when the Lord allows it to happen.
Satan, and the Antichrist will think they are so powerful to do evil, but what they don't get is that God will have them on the leash, and that he will allow whatever they do to fulfill His good purposes.
7. Evil is a mystery; it is a ministry why Lucifer would, while in the very presence of God, choose to rebel. It is a mystery why man, with the perfect set up in the garden of Eden, would sin and exchange Paradise for misery and death. It is a mystery why evil often defeats good in this present age.
We think there is evil now and there is, but when God stops restraining evil shortly before Jesus returns the world will be so bad that it would destroy itself completely but for the fact that God will step in and stop it.
8. The arrogant, blasphemous Antichrist the most powerful man that Satan will ever use will be destroyed by Christ, and all Jesus will have to do is say the equivalent of "thou art a dead man!"
9. The Antichrist is coming, he will be here shortly before Christ returns; he will preach lies, and do miracles by the power of the devil, and almost everyone in the entire world will follow him.
Miracles prove one thing: there was a miracle. That's why it is so important to cling to the word of God all of your life until the day you die. No matter how powerful a miracle may be do not buy the message that accompanies it if the message contradicts Scripture.
9,10. Deceived people will perish! Deceived people who stay in a false system and believe the lies of Satan, which are often covered with a thin coating of Scripture taken out of context, are not the victims of the deceivers; the deceivers are their punishment from God for not loving the truth. Those with a heart for truth will receive it when it is heard, and if it is not heard God will get it to them, and then they will receive it. Consequently those who remain deceived will go to hell because they did not love the truth that they might be saved.
We all have a responsibility to search for truth; to seek out and listen to Bible teachers who deliver the plane sense of Scripture. If one does not care enough to seek out truth then they are damned for their indifference; their indifference allows them to be deceived, and therefore lost.
11. Those who hate truth because they love sin; those who despise the word of God because they love what is false; those who abhor what is right because they love wrong; those who refuse to acknowledge truth even though deep down they know it is correct will one day lose their ability to discern right from wrong altogether.
God eventually gives people what they want so if they want what is false badly enough they will believe that the false is true. At that point they are without hope; their conscience is too hard to feel guilt, too withered to recognize wrong, and therefore too far gone to repent, and receive mercy through Jesus Christ.
Don't play with truth! Don't push God!
11,12. Every one believes something. If you don't like the truth because it makes you feel uncomfortable then eventually you will believe what you want to believe rather than what is actually true. People who have gone too far in wanting to believe what isn't true can be sincere in what they believe, but they are sincerely wrong, and the consequence of their error will be eternal hell fire.
These two verses contain an urgent warning from God. If a person chooses to reject truth even after seeing what God says about the dangers of loving what is false, then chances are they're well on their way to believing lies, and that is a terrifying position to be in.
13. Chosen to salvation through the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit doesn't mean that as we reform he will save us, and if we attain to a certain level we will go to heaven after we die. This is talking about holiness as an attitude which is created by the Holy Spirit in a Christian. A Christian has a new spiritual life in their soul which results in holiness on the outside.
Holiness does not cause salvation, but salvation causes holiness. The holiness which is caused by salvation is the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit.
14. You say, what is the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ which Scripture says we will obtain? Jesus in the sky surrounded by his Angels at his second coming is the glory spoken of here. Jesus suspended in mid air wearing a crown with the light of God beaming out of him is the glory of Christ. We will share in that glory because we will be a part of that scene when it happens. But notice, even though there will be countless Angels there, and even though we will be there, it is still called the glory of Christ, and that's because Jesus will be the focus.
15. When the apostle was with the Thessalonian Christians personally he taught them orally. Now he is away from them so he is teaching them through the written word of God. When he talks about the traditions that they are to hold fast he is not talking about extra biblical revelation. What Paul had taught orally amounted to a summary, and application of the written word of God, and that is the tradition which Christians should follow.
God is in essence saying, no matter what, hang on tight to the holy Scriptures, to God's word.
16. God loved them, and he loves us which is why he encourages us, and gives us a good hope. If you love someone you try to encourage them; you try to make them feel good.
God wants us to feel good so He gives us something good to look forward to. In other words, God gives us a good hope, which is life after death. We have a good hope because it will be a good life, much better than the best days we could ever experience in this life.
16,17. There are no gimmicks, or shortcuts to holiness; as we walk with Jesus he will sanctify our words, and our actions more and more, and as he does we will grow in joy, and be encouraged along the way.
Chapter 3
1 in other words, pray that God's word will spread quickly to many more people. Pray that those people will believe it, and honor it.
The word of God is the most powerful force in the world. When it is proclaimed clearly it has the power to cut through sinful stubbornness, and false beliefs; it gets down deep into a person's soul, and causes them to humble themselves, repent, and receive Christ. That's why the apostle wanted the word of God to spread. The Bible is the only thing that God uses to save sinners and sanctify Christians.
1,2. Anytime anyone boldly proclaims the word of God Satan will notice, and he will stir people up to oppose God's word and the person who proclaims it.
Unfortunately there are plenty of rebels in this world who hate the word of God because it makes them feel uncomfortable, and they will do whatever they can do to try to stop it from being proclaimed.
God says there are unreasonable people out there; who are they? Anyone who is against the word of God, and those who proclaim it is wicked and unreasonable according to God. They are unreasonable because no one in their right mind would oppose God giving sinful man a ticket out of hell.
Sin darkens a person's mind; it makes them unreasonable and illogical.
3. God is faithful and it is his faithfulness, and his power that is the basis for our confidence. As long as we stay close to him he will keep us from sin. God is strong enough, and smart enough to know how to keep us from being overcome by temptation.
4. Paul didn't have confidence in the Thessalonians; he had confidence in the Lord who was in the Thessalonians.
When I proclaim the word of God to Christians I know good things will happen because I have confidence in Jesus. Jesus in them will stir their hearts to respond positively to what the Bible says, or he will convict them of their rebellion if they do not respond. Either way Jesus always does something when the word of God is proclaimed; I have confidence in Him.
5a. In other words, may we always remember God's love. We need continual reminders of God's love for us. The more we understand God's love for us, the more we will want to obey him, and if need be sacrifice for him. How could you not want to please a God who loves you so much that he would become a man and die on the cross to pay for your sins so that you won't have to burn in hell forever? How could you not love a God and not want to serve a God who has saved members of your family from hell? No wonder the Bible says that the love of God compels us.
Christians don't need rules of holiness to get them to live correctly; they need to be reminded of God's great love for them.
5. Remember how much God loves you, and remember how patient Jesus was. Jesus was a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief, but he endured; he had great patience. He kept doing what God wanted him to do.
It's important for Christians to think about how Jesus kept doing what God wanted him to do even when he was tired, and there was pain involved. As we remember Jesus, and his patients God will give us the grace to persevere, and be patient as well.
6. When Christians know what is correct, but willfully and continually rebel, they should be warned; God wants them to be warned. If they do not heed that warning and therefore do not repent God says separate yourself from them. That isn't done to be mean; it's done to show that God doesn't approve of their behavior. It is done to wake them up before something horrible happens as a consequence of their sin.
7. The apostle Paul behaved himself; he was decent, and orderly. Paul's life spoke as loudly of his devotion to Christ as did his words.
Actually, if we do not seek to live like Jesus then our words about Jesus will ring hollow. They will ring hollow in the ears of other people, and they will ring hollow to God as well.
To be convincing we must be convinced, and if we are convinced we will live what we say we believe.
8. The apostle was not a lazy man; he worked very hard.
Hard work is something that everyone agrees is a virtue. Sometimes people will say, I don't like what's his name; he isn't the friendliest guy in the world, and he might not be the smartest guy in the world, but he's a good worker; I'll say that about him. Being a hard worker is something everyone agrees is a good thing. That's why there is nothing quite as disgusting as a lazy person who claims to be a Christian. What a horrible way to misrepresent Jesus Christ.
8,9. Paul worked extra hard because he wanted to be an example for other Christians to follow.
It takes extra effort to be a good example; nothing spiritually worthwhile comes easy. To make a difference for Jesus, and to be a good example to other Christians there must be serious dedication, which means a willingness to sacrifice. There must be a willingness to sacrifice, suffer, and serve.
10. God cares about the poor, and the needy, and he expects his people to help them. However, Christians should not give help to those who are able to work, and simply refuse to do so. In fact, you are out of God's will; you are acting contrary to Scripture if you give a handout to someone who is too lazy to work. Someone says, I can work, I just can't find a job that I would like to do. Then find a job that you don't want to do. God does not pull any punches; he says if a person will not work, then let them starve. If they start getting hungry they will look for a job, and they will take a job even if it isn't their first choice.
11. Here's something that many people probably don't realize: being a busy body is sin. Many Christians wouldn't dare take a sip of beer or wine suggesting it would be too sinful, and yet they have no problem meddling in other people's affairs; they have no problem spreading gossip. Some in Thessalonica were not doing constructive things with their time; they were meddling instead.
People who don't spend their time doing what God wants them to do will have too much time on their hands to do what God doesn't want them to do. People need to mind their own business, and if they can't control their meddling then maybe they should work more so that they don't have the time or energy to be a busy body.
You can add: "thou shalt mind thine own business" to God's commandments.
12. God says to His people, do not be noisy, chaotic, and disorderly. Those who behave like that ruin their life and the lives of people around them who must put up with it. I will give you another reason not to be noisy and chaotic: a person can't hear God if they are loud, and disorderly.
God is saying, be a hard-working, decent person, and mind your own business. That lifestyle pleases God and is a good Christian testimony.
13. In other words, if you are a decent, hard-working Christian, who minds your own business, keep being that way. If you pray, and read the Bible, and try to live it, confessing when you fail, keep doing that also.
God is pleased with Christians who live like that. God is pleased when we are down to earth, hard-working, decent Christian men and women.
14. God wants his people to feel shame, if they are acting shamefully. Which means preachers must proclaim the word of God loud and clear, because if the word of God is not taught and therefore God's standards are not proclaimed everyone will be accepting of everything no matter how blatantly sinful it is. Feel ashamed? About what? I feel no shame! Of course not; not when the truth about the ugliness of sin isn't proclaimed. Any preacher who doesn't proclaim the hideousness of sin isn't doing his job.
God's standards, as well as his mercy and forgiveness must be proclaimed.
14,15. Stay away from a willfully rebellious Christian; make sure they know it can't be business as usual between you, and them because scripture teaches it isn't business as usual between them and God. Their sins have separated them from God, and should therefore separate them from normal fellowship with other Christians. However, God quickly adds don't be mean-spirited about it, and make sure that your concern for them is your motive. The goal isn't to punish someone, or to hold a grudge against someone; the goal is to make them see that they are out of God's will so that they will repent, and get right with the Lord again.
16. God will give us peace if we stay close to him, and this is talking about inner peace. This "peace" is a sense that all is well even when circumstances would suggest that all is not well. It is a peace that nothing in this world can take away, however we can throw it away by sinning, and refusing to confess and repent.
17. Paul signed this letter to authenticate it. Remember, people were writing letters to the Thessalonians claiming to be Paul, claiming to be inspired by God, but were instead teaching lies. The apostle says, here's my signature; this proves that it's from me.
Many books claim to be inspired Scripture, but are not. Number one, Scripture had to be written by an apostle because they are the ones who Jesus promised to inspire, or it had to be written by one who received their information directly from an apostle.
No one today, or in recent history has produced Holy Scripture. In fact the final Canon of Scripture was initially recognized by the witness of the Holy Spirit in Christians, and then ratified by the church counsels of Rome, Hippo, and Carthage between 370 and 400 A.D. No Holy Scripture has been, or ever will be written, or recognized by orthodox Christianity since the official books were recognized in 400 A.D.
1. As a rule whatever cash is in your wallet or in your pocket is yours and it is safe; it's in your pocket; it's in your wallet; it's in you. Likewise Christians are safe in God the father, and in Jesus Christ. Satan would love to steal us from God, but he would have to go in God and in Jesus to do it, and not even Satan is brash enough to attempt that, and if he would he would fail.
2. Someone says, I'd like to pray for this or that, but I'm so unworthy; I don't feel worthy enough to ask God. If you feel unworthy you're feeling the way you should feel because you are unworthy. However, being unworthy qualifies you to ask for it on the basis of God's grace. God's grace means he gives us the good things we don't deserve.
God is not impressed with our "credentials" and neither is anyone else who is walking with the Lord. God is impressed with a humble spirit which asks for things not because they feel they have earned it, or are somehow worthy of it; God is impressed with a humble spirit which asks for something on the basis of God's grace.
3. Sometimes Christians say, we are having relationship problems, and I think we need counseling. No you don't need counseling! No you don't need to see a therapist! What did Christians do for the first 2000 plus years before there were all these Christian counselors and therapists? I'll tell you what they did, they let the Holy Spirit solve their problems and that's still His job today. Consequently both people involved need to examine their conscience in light of the word of God, and confess all sins which God brings to their attention; both need to pray, and read God's Word alone, and together. Their faith will increase as they grow closer to God and then, like with the Thessalonians, their love for each other will increase also.
Love increases when faith increases. Relationships become all that they should be when the faith of the people involved increases to where it should be.
3,4. The Thessalonians remained loyal to Jesus through their persecutions, and suffering. They didn't complain, or feel sorry for themselves. They suffered with quiet patience. Consequently, the suffering which was designed to destroy their faith actually made it grow stronger.
When we complain about our sufferings or circumstances we waste opportunities for spiritual growth in the midst of them.
4,5. Who's worthy of the kingdom of God? What Christian has done enough, or suffered enough to make themselves worthy of the kingdom of God? Answer: none! We cannot become worthy of eternal life by suffering for Jesus, or by any other good work. But a willingness to suffer for Jesus; to stay the course even when it cost us something is evidence that our faith is genuine, and therefore we are accepted in Christ; we are found worthy in Christ.
6. Life is not always fair, but God is always fair. Bad people who are willing to lie, cheat, and flatter may do better than you in this life. However, you will die, and so will they, and then they will be punished, and you will be rewarded.
In the end fairness prevails because God is fair.
6-8. Jesus is coming back with his mighty angels and when he does he will be angry at every person who has mistreated any of his children, namely Christians.
The time for rest is not now; it is in the future when Jesus returns. For now Christians are called to be faithful, to speak truth, to live holy, and to suffer if need be for doing those things. Rest is coming but not before Jesus returns.
8. To obey the gospel means to repent, and receive Christ as Lord and Savior. All who refuse to do that will be punished by the one who would have saved them, the Lord Jesus Christ. He came the first time to save and he's been doing that for 2000 years. He's coming the second time to punish all who would not receive his mercy.
8,9. According to Jesus hell is fire, it is burning, it is thirst, it is weeping, it is torment, it is wailing, it is gnashing of teeth, and it is everlasting. Hell is God's just punishment for those who would sin against him and then on top of that refuse his gracious offer of mercy through the Savior, his son Jesus Christ.
9,10. No matter how close we may be to Jesus today we will still be in awe of him when we see him in person. One glimpse of Christ, and we will be down on our face, and when we finally get the nerve to look up we will be speechless in his presence.
11. Doing the work of faith will result in God counting us worthy of the kingdom of God as Paul also said in verse five. Those who do not live for Jesus; those who sin and don't confess, and don't repent, or deny him during times of persecution will find themselves excluded from God's kingdom.
The faith that changes a sinners destination also changes their behavior.
12. Jesus will receive glory from the faith of a Christian if that faith is real. That's because a real faith will do good; a real faith cares about Jesus. A real faith cares about Jesus not by the goodness of the one who has the faith, but by the enabling grace of God working through the one who has received Christ.
Chapter 2
1. The Bible teaches that Christians will be gathered from all over the world in a supernatural way. We will be gathered to Jesus when he returns like tiny metal shavings are gathered to a powerful magnet. Scripture teaches we will meet Christ in the air; all Christians both dead and living.
1,2. Someone told these Christians that the apostle Paul said Jesus was returning any second, and there was no doubt about that. That false teaching had the Thessalonians overly excited to the point where some quit their jobs.
Those who predict the date of our Lord's return are liars, in some cases swindlers, and in all cases false prophets who do great harm to many in the body of Christ.
3. Two big things will happen before the return of Christ for his church. First, many people who said they were Christians will deny the Lord and actively oppose him. That's what the falling away here in verse three refers to. Secondly, a wicked man ( the Antichrist will arise to a place of world power. Neither of those things had happened at the time of this epistle so the return of Christ could not be any second as the false prophets were saying in Thessalonica.
3,4. The Antichrist the evil world ruler who will come on the scene shortly before Jesus returns, will not be satisfied to be against Christ. He will want everyone to worship him as God. He will come disguised as a good person. He will make many promises, and deceive people with miracles. Most people in the world will rationalize away the fact that he claims to be God; they will overlook his blasphemy, and follow him. Many people will follow anyone who promises them health, wealth, and power and he will promise them those things. However, those who believe the word of God will not follow him. Those who believe the Bible don't want anything from, neither do they buy the lies of vile sinners who make empty promises.
False prophets are promising health, wealth, and power today, and they are doing it in the name of Christianity. The only ones who follow them are the greedy, the deceived, or the vulnerable who, perhaps because they are sick, desperately want the false promises to be true. Christians who have a heart for God, and who believe the word of God may get drawn in for a season, but they will not follow them forever.
5. The Thessalonians could have defeated the false prophets with the truth because they had it. The problem is they forgot it, which is why Paul said don't you remember; they didn't remember!
One dose of truth is not enough. We need it again & again because forgetting truth sets us up for deception; especially if someone is a smooth talker who twists the Scripture.
5,6. Paul said to the Thessalonians and now you know what restrains that he (the Antichrist might be revealed in his time. They knew, but we do not, and it's not smart to guess about God things. One thing is certain, the Antichrist will come when the Lord allows it to happen.
Satan, and the Antichrist will think they are so powerful to do evil, but what they don't get is that God will have them on the leash, and that he will allow whatever they do to fulfill His good purposes.
7. Evil is a mystery; it is a ministry why Lucifer would, while in the very presence of God, choose to rebel. It is a mystery why man, with the perfect set up in the garden of Eden, would sin and exchange Paradise for misery and death. It is a mystery why evil often defeats good in this present age.
We think there is evil now and there is, but when God stops restraining evil shortly before Jesus returns the world will be so bad that it would destroy itself completely but for the fact that God will step in and stop it.
8. The arrogant, blasphemous Antichrist the most powerful man that Satan will ever use will be destroyed by Christ, and all Jesus will have to do is say the equivalent of "thou art a dead man!"
9. The Antichrist is coming, he will be here shortly before Christ returns; he will preach lies, and do miracles by the power of the devil, and almost everyone in the entire world will follow him.
Miracles prove one thing: there was a miracle. That's why it is so important to cling to the word of God all of your life until the day you die. No matter how powerful a miracle may be do not buy the message that accompanies it if the message contradicts Scripture.
9,10. Deceived people will perish! Deceived people who stay in a false system and believe the lies of Satan, which are often covered with a thin coating of Scripture taken out of context, are not the victims of the deceivers; the deceivers are their punishment from God for not loving the truth. Those with a heart for truth will receive it when it is heard, and if it is not heard God will get it to them, and then they will receive it. Consequently those who remain deceived will go to hell because they did not love the truth that they might be saved.
We all have a responsibility to search for truth; to seek out and listen to Bible teachers who deliver the plane sense of Scripture. If one does not care enough to seek out truth then they are damned for their indifference; their indifference allows them to be deceived, and therefore lost.
11. Those who hate truth because they love sin; those who despise the word of God because they love what is false; those who abhor what is right because they love wrong; those who refuse to acknowledge truth even though deep down they know it is correct will one day lose their ability to discern right from wrong altogether.
God eventually gives people what they want so if they want what is false badly enough they will believe that the false is true. At that point they are without hope; their conscience is too hard to feel guilt, too withered to recognize wrong, and therefore too far gone to repent, and receive mercy through Jesus Christ.
Don't play with truth! Don't push God!
11,12. Every one believes something. If you don't like the truth because it makes you feel uncomfortable then eventually you will believe what you want to believe rather than what is actually true. People who have gone too far in wanting to believe what isn't true can be sincere in what they believe, but they are sincerely wrong, and the consequence of their error will be eternal hell fire.
These two verses contain an urgent warning from God. If a person chooses to reject truth even after seeing what God says about the dangers of loving what is false, then chances are they're well on their way to believing lies, and that is a terrifying position to be in.
13. Chosen to salvation through the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit doesn't mean that as we reform he will save us, and if we attain to a certain level we will go to heaven after we die. This is talking about holiness as an attitude which is created by the Holy Spirit in a Christian. A Christian has a new spiritual life in their soul which results in holiness on the outside.
Holiness does not cause salvation, but salvation causes holiness. The holiness which is caused by salvation is the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit.
14. You say, what is the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ which Scripture says we will obtain? Jesus in the sky surrounded by his Angels at his second coming is the glory spoken of here. Jesus suspended in mid air wearing a crown with the light of God beaming out of him is the glory of Christ. We will share in that glory because we will be a part of that scene when it happens. But notice, even though there will be countless Angels there, and even though we will be there, it is still called the glory of Christ, and that's because Jesus will be the focus.
15. When the apostle was with the Thessalonian Christians personally he taught them orally. Now he is away from them so he is teaching them through the written word of God. When he talks about the traditions that they are to hold fast he is not talking about extra biblical revelation. What Paul had taught orally amounted to a summary, and application of the written word of God, and that is the tradition which Christians should follow.
God is in essence saying, no matter what, hang on tight to the holy Scriptures, to God's word.
16. God loved them, and he loves us which is why he encourages us, and gives us a good hope. If you love someone you try to encourage them; you try to make them feel good.
God wants us to feel good so He gives us something good to look forward to. In other words, God gives us a good hope, which is life after death. We have a good hope because it will be a good life, much better than the best days we could ever experience in this life.
16,17. There are no gimmicks, or shortcuts to holiness; as we walk with Jesus he will sanctify our words, and our actions more and more, and as he does we will grow in joy, and be encouraged along the way.
Chapter 3
1 in other words, pray that God's word will spread quickly to many more people. Pray that those people will believe it, and honor it.
The word of God is the most powerful force in the world. When it is proclaimed clearly it has the power to cut through sinful stubbornness, and false beliefs; it gets down deep into a person's soul, and causes them to humble themselves, repent, and receive Christ. That's why the apostle wanted the word of God to spread. The Bible is the only thing that God uses to save sinners and sanctify Christians.
1,2. Anytime anyone boldly proclaims the word of God Satan will notice, and he will stir people up to oppose God's word and the person who proclaims it.
Unfortunately there are plenty of rebels in this world who hate the word of God because it makes them feel uncomfortable, and they will do whatever they can do to try to stop it from being proclaimed.
God says there are unreasonable people out there; who are they? Anyone who is against the word of God, and those who proclaim it is wicked and unreasonable according to God. They are unreasonable because no one in their right mind would oppose God giving sinful man a ticket out of hell.
Sin darkens a person's mind; it makes them unreasonable and illogical.
3. God is faithful and it is his faithfulness, and his power that is the basis for our confidence. As long as we stay close to him he will keep us from sin. God is strong enough, and smart enough to know how to keep us from being overcome by temptation.
4. Paul didn't have confidence in the Thessalonians; he had confidence in the Lord who was in the Thessalonians.
When I proclaim the word of God to Christians I know good things will happen because I have confidence in Jesus. Jesus in them will stir their hearts to respond positively to what the Bible says, or he will convict them of their rebellion if they do not respond. Either way Jesus always does something when the word of God is proclaimed; I have confidence in Him.
5a. In other words, may we always remember God's love. We need continual reminders of God's love for us. The more we understand God's love for us, the more we will want to obey him, and if need be sacrifice for him. How could you not want to please a God who loves you so much that he would become a man and die on the cross to pay for your sins so that you won't have to burn in hell forever? How could you not love a God and not want to serve a God who has saved members of your family from hell? No wonder the Bible says that the love of God compels us.
Christians don't need rules of holiness to get them to live correctly; they need to be reminded of God's great love for them.
5. Remember how much God loves you, and remember how patient Jesus was. Jesus was a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief, but he endured; he had great patience. He kept doing what God wanted him to do.
It's important for Christians to think about how Jesus kept doing what God wanted him to do even when he was tired, and there was pain involved. As we remember Jesus, and his patients God will give us the grace to persevere, and be patient as well.
6. When Christians know what is correct, but willfully and continually rebel, they should be warned; God wants them to be warned. If they do not heed that warning and therefore do not repent God says separate yourself from them. That isn't done to be mean; it's done to show that God doesn't approve of their behavior. It is done to wake them up before something horrible happens as a consequence of their sin.
7. The apostle Paul behaved himself; he was decent, and orderly. Paul's life spoke as loudly of his devotion to Christ as did his words.
Actually, if we do not seek to live like Jesus then our words about Jesus will ring hollow. They will ring hollow in the ears of other people, and they will ring hollow to God as well.
To be convincing we must be convinced, and if we are convinced we will live what we say we believe.
8. The apostle was not a lazy man; he worked very hard.
Hard work is something that everyone agrees is a virtue. Sometimes people will say, I don't like what's his name; he isn't the friendliest guy in the world, and he might not be the smartest guy in the world, but he's a good worker; I'll say that about him. Being a hard worker is something everyone agrees is a good thing. That's why there is nothing quite as disgusting as a lazy person who claims to be a Christian. What a horrible way to misrepresent Jesus Christ.
8,9. Paul worked extra hard because he wanted to be an example for other Christians to follow.
It takes extra effort to be a good example; nothing spiritually worthwhile comes easy. To make a difference for Jesus, and to be a good example to other Christians there must be serious dedication, which means a willingness to sacrifice. There must be a willingness to sacrifice, suffer, and serve.
10. God cares about the poor, and the needy, and he expects his people to help them. However, Christians should not give help to those who are able to work, and simply refuse to do so. In fact, you are out of God's will; you are acting contrary to Scripture if you give a handout to someone who is too lazy to work. Someone says, I can work, I just can't find a job that I would like to do. Then find a job that you don't want to do. God does not pull any punches; he says if a person will not work, then let them starve. If they start getting hungry they will look for a job, and they will take a job even if it isn't their first choice.
11. Here's something that many people probably don't realize: being a busy body is sin. Many Christians wouldn't dare take a sip of beer or wine suggesting it would be too sinful, and yet they have no problem meddling in other people's affairs; they have no problem spreading gossip. Some in Thessalonica were not doing constructive things with their time; they were meddling instead.
People who don't spend their time doing what God wants them to do will have too much time on their hands to do what God doesn't want them to do. People need to mind their own business, and if they can't control their meddling then maybe they should work more so that they don't have the time or energy to be a busy body.
You can add: "thou shalt mind thine own business" to God's commandments.
12. God says to His people, do not be noisy, chaotic, and disorderly. Those who behave like that ruin their life and the lives of people around them who must put up with it. I will give you another reason not to be noisy and chaotic: a person can't hear God if they are loud, and disorderly.
God is saying, be a hard-working, decent person, and mind your own business. That lifestyle pleases God and is a good Christian testimony.
13. In other words, if you are a decent, hard-working Christian, who minds your own business, keep being that way. If you pray, and read the Bible, and try to live it, confessing when you fail, keep doing that also.
God is pleased with Christians who live like that. God is pleased when we are down to earth, hard-working, decent Christian men and women.
14. God wants his people to feel shame, if they are acting shamefully. Which means preachers must proclaim the word of God loud and clear, because if the word of God is not taught and therefore God's standards are not proclaimed everyone will be accepting of everything no matter how blatantly sinful it is. Feel ashamed? About what? I feel no shame! Of course not; not when the truth about the ugliness of sin isn't proclaimed. Any preacher who doesn't proclaim the hideousness of sin isn't doing his job.
God's standards, as well as his mercy and forgiveness must be proclaimed.
14,15. Stay away from a willfully rebellious Christian; make sure they know it can't be business as usual between you, and them because scripture teaches it isn't business as usual between them and God. Their sins have separated them from God, and should therefore separate them from normal fellowship with other Christians. However, God quickly adds don't be mean-spirited about it, and make sure that your concern for them is your motive. The goal isn't to punish someone, or to hold a grudge against someone; the goal is to make them see that they are out of God's will so that they will repent, and get right with the Lord again.
16. God will give us peace if we stay close to him, and this is talking about inner peace. This "peace" is a sense that all is well even when circumstances would suggest that all is not well. It is a peace that nothing in this world can take away, however we can throw it away by sinning, and refusing to confess and repent.
17. Paul signed this letter to authenticate it. Remember, people were writing letters to the Thessalonians claiming to be Paul, claiming to be inspired by God, but were instead teaching lies. The apostle says, here's my signature; this proves that it's from me.
Many books claim to be inspired Scripture, but are not. Number one, Scripture had to be written by an apostle because they are the ones who Jesus promised to inspire, or it had to be written by one who received their information directly from an apostle.
No one today, or in recent history has produced Holy Scripture. In fact the final Canon of Scripture was initially recognized by the witness of the Holy Spirit in Christians, and then ratified by the church counsels of Rome, Hippo, and Carthage between 370 and 400 A.D. No Holy Scripture has been, or ever will be written, or recognized by orthodox Christianity since the official books were recognized in 400 A.D.