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Daily Bible Studies

Chapter: 2 Thess 1

Passage: 2 Thess 1:1-4

A. Find Out:

1. From whom does this letter come? v.1a

2. To whom is it written? v.1b

3. What do they desire for the church? v.2

4. What is increasing there? v.3b

5. So what obligation does that create in the apostles? v.3a

6. So what do they boast about, and to whom? v.4

B. Think:

1. In respect of the two letters, how is the opening similar / different?

2. What 2 things do they major on that are increasing?

3. What difficult do they acknowledge in a positive light?

C. Comment:

      The opening words of the two letters are identical. Some ancient manuscripts even have verse 2 identical. The letter comes from the three apostles to the church in Thessalonica. As so often in the epistles, the greeting contains the blessing of grace (that divine enabling to cope), and peace (resting in the Father's love and protection and the salvation brought by the Lord Jesus Christ.) Those are vital essentials that we perhaps take for granted but which are the inheritance of each and every Christian.

      In verse 3 there is a difference. In the first letter it was “We always give thanks”. Here is “We ought always to give thanks”, which perhaps has the meaning, “We ought to be able to give thanks continually for the really good things happening to you, but we do hear one or two things that give us grounds to pause. Letters were usually written by Paul because there was something that needed addressing from afar. Nevertheless FAITH (relationship with God) and LOVE (relationship with one another) were growing and that was great! More than that, it was growing in the face of the persecution that the Christians were suffering there

D. Application:

1. There may be negatives to be addressed in someone's life, but focus on

     the good things as well.

2. In each of our lives we can pick out negatives, but give thanks for the

     good things in your life from God.

Chapter: 2 Thess 1

Passage: 2 Thess 1:5-8

A. Find Out:

1. Of what was their perseverance evidence? v.5a

2. What is the result of that? v.5b

3. What will God do to those who were persecuting them? v.6

4. What will God do for the church? v.7a

5. When will that happen? v.7b

6. Who will God punish? v.8

B. Think:

1. Why do they say God's judgement is right?

2. In what ways do these verses bring encouragement?

3. What do these verses say about the apostles' expectations?

C. Comment:

     The apostles have just commented on the perseverance and faith that this church is known for, in the face of all the opposition that they have been receiving. Now they say that this is evidence of God's right judgement. Usually we use the word judgement to mean God's activity against sinners, but here it means His right assessment of this people. What are they saying? They are saying that the fact that God come in such power bringing salvation to this church (see previous letter) was not wasted in any way, because these people having received the Gospel in that manner, have now gone on and shown that they are indeed worthy of the kingdom of God, by the way they have stood so steadfastly in the face of the opposition that has come against them. A lesser church might have abandoned their faith – but not so this church!

     It's all right, they go on, God will deal with these people bringing this opposition and in so doing will bring relief to you, and us as well. By removing the source of the persecution God will relieve the church. Now they say something which, from our point of view in history, seems weak. This will happen they say when Jesus returns. Right! But he still hasn't returned. No, but they expected him to and knew that when he does return, one of the things he will do this time is deal with his enemies. It's all right, it will happen!

D. Application:

1. Can we be known for our perseverance in face of difficulties?

2. Can the onlooking angels realise that we are worthy of our salvation?

Chapter: 2 Thess 1

Passage: 2 Thess 1:9-12

A. Find Out:    

1. What will happen to those who reject Jesus? v.9

2. When will that happen? v.10a

3. How will the Lord's coming affect his people? v.10

4. What do they pray about the church's standing? v.11a

5. What do they pray about the church's activity? v.11b

6. What do they pray about the church's effect? v.12

B. Think:

1. How would you summarise the unbeliever's destiny?

2. Summarise the effect of the Lord's coming on his people?

3. What warnings or negative possibilities are shown in v.11,12?

C. Comment:

     The apostles continue to speak about what will happen when Jesus return again. They've already said that he will deal with those who oppose Christians and have said they will be punished. That punishment is now given a twofold description: everlasting destruction and exclusion from God's presence. This is hell. Because it is everlasting destruction, it means that it goes on and on and is not complete so a person ceases to be. Why should God do this? The only logical answer is because the spirit or soul is indestructible.

     But more about his coming – it will be a time when Jesus is glorified in his people and praised and adored by them. Because it is a time when all his people will be gathered up, the sheer numbers of those seen to have been saved by his work on the Cross will instantly reveal the wonder of his work and he will be glorified. Because of the wonder f who he is, when he comes and is seen by his people their hearts will lift and be full of praise and worship.

     In verse 11 there is an implied warning which keeps on coming – that it is possible for us to fall short of being counted worthy of our calling. In other words, are we living up to the wonder of our calling? Part of that entails God being able to bring to fruition and fulfilment all of our Spirit-promoted activities. THIS will glorify him!

D. Application:

1. Am I living up to the wonder of my calling?

2. Am I being led of the Spirit to achieve things in the kingdom of God ?

Chapter: 2 Thess 2

Passage: 2 Thess 2:1-4

A. Find Out:

1. To what do the apostles now refer? v.1

2. What did they ask the church? v.2a

3. What had supposedly happened? v.2b

4. What has actually got to happen first? v.3

5. What further will this person do? v.4

B. Think:

1. Read again 1 Thess 4:13 -5:3 What had they taught there?

2. What more were they adding to this subject now?

3. Why was all this necessary?

C. Comment:

     The church in Thessalonica seemed prone to confusion about the return of the Lord Jesus Christ. In their first letter one of the main things the apostles had spoken about was this. They now feel they need to do it again. They have already referred to it in verses 7-10 of chapter 1 but feel they have to say more now. What we have in these verses is just the start of that.

     First of all then, why are they having to do this? Because, apparently, they have heard that a prophecy or report or letter, supposedly from them, had come to the church that Jesus had already returned a second time. This left the church worrying about their position ‘in Christ'. Have they been left behind? Does this mean they aren't saved? Those might be the sort of questions that could have been in their minds.

    The apostles address this question by basically saying, Jesus can't have returned yet because the rebelliousness that proceeds his coming hasn't happened yet. Jesus himself has said this would happen (See Matthew 24) picking up on Daniel's prophecy (Dan 9) about the last times. Whether it is a single man or mankind in general, only time will tell, but the characteristics of this man, or this people, will be rebellion, lawlessness, and godlessness, that results in this ‘man' exalting himself and taking God's place and bringing all honour to himself and not God. When that happens, watch out!   

D. Application:

1. God has a plan for history which includes Jesus returning in power.

2. In the last days will be lawlessness and godlessness in great measure.

Chapter: 2 Thess 2

Passage: 2 Thess 2:5-8

A. Find Out:

1. What does Paul now say about these things? v.5

2. What is happening to this lawless man? v.6

3. What is already happening? v.7a

4. Yet how is it being restrained? v.7b

5. Then what will happen finally? v.8

B. Think:

1. What, according to Paul is the present state?

2. What is going to happen?

3. What will finally happen?

C. Comment:

     There is some confusion in these verses and so we need to look carefully to just what they say. Let's take it in the order of the three questions above. First, the present state. There is a “power of lawlessness” that is already at work (v.7a) but it is being retrained. The book of Revelation sheds light on these things. We know that Satan and his demons is the power at work behind the scenes, working through the sinfulness of mankind to promote lawlessness or rebellion against God. We see at various times in Revelation, that angels come from heaven under God's bidding, who have the power to restrain or release. So we suggest that although there is lawlessness on earth at the present, it is being restrained by one of the powerful angelic messengers.

     The second stage, or future state, is the releasing of that restraint so that a being or a people will rise up at Satan prompting an exercise a measure of rebellion against God that is greater than anything yet seen. THIS will be one of the signs that Jesus is about to return, because he will not allow it to continue for long.

     The final stage is the return of Jesus in power, when he will simply speak a word and the activity of this one will be halted, and as Jesus' glory is revealed this lawless one will fall before him. That is the end, and that is why the church need not be afraid or wondering. This is all yet to happen, and the end is guaranteed!

D. Application:

1. Whatever happens, God is still in control. He never ceases to be Lord.

2. We are called to be alert to the times in which we live.

Chapter: 2 Thess 2

Passage: 2 Thess 2:9-12

A. Find Out:

1. What will the lawless one do? v.9

2. What effect will this have? v.10a

3. Why are people perishing? v.10b

4. What does God do? v.11

5. What will be their end? v.12a

6. Why? v.12b

B. Think:

1. What are we told here about this lawless one?

2. What are we told about the non-Christian world?

3. What are we told about God?

C. Comment:

     Note first the work of the lawless one. His lawlessness will be expressed in powerful ways that will be counterfeits of Jesus' work – miracles, signs and wonders, yet it will be for evil purposes not good. Remember, this person is evil, is anti-God, is lawless, a rebel.

     Note second the effect of his activity – he will take in unbelievers, those who have refused the truth, and will reinforce them in their foolish unbelief. There will thus be no question of their outcome.

     Third, note that this is actually the work of God! How can this be? Are we saying that God will bring this evil person to lead people astray? Not quite. God will allow this evil person to confirm people in their sin. In Moses' time Pharaoh hardened his heart against God, so God moved in such a way that that heart would be further hardened. God knew that pride would be provoked and would further establish itself and confirm Pharaoh's condemnation.

     In Romans 1, Paul notes that when men practice impurity, God gives them up to the lusts of their hearts. It is as if He removes His hand of restraint so that the sin of these people can be seen even more clearly. Commenting on v.7 above, we suggested that there was an angelic being who was holding back evil, yet there will come a time when he will be recalled and this Satan-inspired individual will come to the fore to reveal more clearly sinners.

D. Application:

1. Where we are set in our sin, God confirms it before judging it.

2. Act now and repent of sin before it is too late.

Chapter: 2 Thess 2

Passage: 2 Thess 2:13-17

A. Find Out:

1. Why ought they to thank God for this church? v.13a,b

2. How were they saved? v.13c

3. How did God call them and to do what? v.14

4. So what exhortation did they now bring? v.15

5. What has God done? v.16

6. What do they want God to now do? v.17

B. Think:

1. List the things the apostles say God has done.

2. List the things they speak of that are future.

3. What is left for the church to do?

C. Comment:

      The letter now turns away from the future events of Jesus' return and focuses back here on the church itself in Thessalonica. Yet again the apostles speak of the clarity of their calling, rather like 1:4,5 in the first letter. They are loved by God and that love has been shown by the fact that the word of God came to them (v.13) and the Holy Spirit used it to separate them out of the world (sanctified them).

     But that love also has a future aspect to is, as well as a past aspect. What has happened in the past is that so in the future they can share (v.14) in the wonder of being “in Christ”, united to God. This means that their future is characterised by God's encouragement (v.16) and hope of great things to come. It's very easy, living in a negative world, hearing lots of bad things in the media, to feel negative about the future. For the Christian that is not to be so! For the Christian the future holds God's constant encouragement and His hope (and assured conviction) that our eternity is secure. The future is good!

     If there is a past and future aspect to the Christian faith, there is certainly a present dimension. We are to take the past and future as means of encouraging us in the present to stand firm in what we've been taught, and to receive God's love what will encourage and strengthen us to go on with all the good works He gives us to do (Eph 2:10).

D. Application:

1. Look to the past and rejoice. Let it strengthen your present.

2. Look to the future and praise Him in faith for what is coming.

Chapter: 2 Thess 3

Passage: 2 Thess 3:1-5

A. Find Out:

1. What do the apostles first ask the church to pray for? v.1

2. What do they then ask them to pray for? v.2

3. Of what are they sure? v.3

4. Of what were they confident? v.4

5. What 2 things did they want to happen? v.5

B. Think:

1. Of what were the apostles aware about themselves?

2. Yet how did they want to overcome fear in the church?

3. Why would love and perseverance be helpful to the church?

C. Comment:

     As the apostles have it in mind to draw this letter to a close (Finally v.1) they ask the church to pray for them. Perhaps they are aware of their own need, perhaps they want to encourage the church to pray, perhaps they want yet a further opportunity to generally build up the church.

     They acknowledge that they need the Lord's help in spreading the Gospel and also that they are involved in warfare where unbelievers would oppose them. This the church at Thessalonica knows all about. They have had plenty of that. But the moment the apostles say that they are aware that this may take the eyes of the church back to persecution and the difficulties that go with it, so they reaffirm their belief (v.3) that the Lord will strengthen the church and protect it against Satan's attacks.

    They pile on the encouragement with an affirmation that they are sure the church will keep on with the things they were taught. In a variety of ways, therefore, they encourage the church: by showing that they go through the same things as the apostles, that God will keep them, and that their past experience brings confidence in the apostles to believe they will keep on doing it.

    Finally they desire that the church will know and experience more and more of God's love, which will hold them secure, and of Christ's ability to persevere, i.e. following Christ's example of just keeping on despite opposition (which would further act as a stabilising influence on them.

D. Application:

1. Are we aware that life is often a battle? Pray.

2. Does the battle sometimes weary us? Persevere in God's love. 

Chapter: 2 Thess 3

Passage: 2 Thess 3:6-13

A. Find Out:

1. Who are they to avoid? v.6

2. What had they done? v.7,8

3. Why did they do this? v.9

4. What rule had they laid down? v.10

5. How did they describe some of the people? v.11

6. What instruction did they give them? v.12

B. Think:

1. What instructions do the apostles give about work?

2. How could they say that themselves?

C. Comment:

      This is one of the rare passages in Scripture that actually speaks about work. It could really be summed up by three words: teaching, example, application.

     Teaching: the apostles has clearly already taught about this when they had been in Thessalonica. This is interesting because they had only been there a short time and you would expect that they had only preached the Gospel and taught fundamentals, and yet working was one of the things they had covered.

     Example: more than this, they had made a point of working themselves so that they had not been a burden to the church there. They made the same point in 2:9 of the first letter. Look at us, they say, we worked to provide for ourselves, we didn't rely upon others.

     Application: right, they say now, you ought to be doing the things we taught, the things we exampled, yet we hear that there are people among you who are not doing this, who are just lazing around, doing nothing. This should not be so!

     We need to hold the balance of teaching of Scripture here. The call is for each person to work to provide for their family, yet those who preach the Gospel (?church leaders) are to receive from the church, for that is their ‘work'. The key thing that the apostles are teaching against is idleness. It's an indication of something more on the inside.

D. Application:

1. Whoever we are in Christ, are we ‘active'?

2. If we are not working, do we really have a legitimate reason?

Chapter: 2 Thess

Passage: 2 Thess 3:14-18

A. Find Out:

1. What were the church to do with those who ignored the letter? v.14

2. How were they to temper that? v.15

3. What blessing did they leave them? v.16

4. How did Paul personalise the letter? v.17

5. What final blessing did they leave? v.18

B. Think:

1. How important did the apostles rate this letter?

2. Why do you think that was?

3. How do the final greetings reflect the opening greetings?

C. Comment:

     As they draw this letter to a close the apostles now add weight to all they have been saying by a strict censure of anyone who does not obey their teachings. Imagine a leader-teacher coming to your church, teaching and then saying, if any one disregards what I've taught, don't have anything to do with them, shun them, ignore them. That lays a claim of importance to the teaching! Yet, say the apostles, keep the door open, don't treat such a person as an enemy, just as a disobedient brother. What the apostles are saying is that these things are of fundamental importance, and if anyone disobeys them they are in serious error! Did the letter strike you as THAT important? It's important enough to the apostles to be able to say, censure those who disobey our teaching!

     The final greetings of verses 16 to 18 reflect the greeting of verses 1 and 2. There is the desire to peace for the church, first of all. Peace is a foundation stone of the Christian life. It is what God wants for each of us. It comes when we believe what He says and we rest in His love for us. Then and only then do we have peace. Paul personalises the end of the letter with his own writing, someone else having written the bulk of it at their dictation. This is me, he is saying. Finally he asks for grace for them, that divinely given ability to cope, that power and presence that comes from God to help us live our daily lives.

D. Application:

1. Do we see obedience to Scripture as all important?

2. Do we rest in God's love, receiving His enabling, daily?

RECAP:   "Second Letter "  2 Thessalonians 1-3

SUMMARY :  

In this final group of 10 studies we have seen the apostolic team:

- greet the church again

- boast about the perseverance and faith of the church

- speak about how Jesus will deal with their persecutors on his

   return

- call them not to be disturbed by false rumours

- teach about the coming of the lawless one before Jesus

   returns

- call for the church to stand firm, holding their teaching

- request prayer for themselves to be able to preach the

  Gospel and be delivered from persecutors.

- warn against idleness

- instruct the church to dissociate themselves from such people

- give final greetings

COMMENT :

      This second and shorter letter in some ways reflects much of the first letter. There are greetings with encouragements to the church over their ability to overcome the persecution they were suffering. This leads on to saying that God will deal with such persecutors on Jesus' return and in turn leads to them teaching about the lawlessness that will precede that coming. They conclude that with a call to stand firm while they wait. After a call for prayer they simply warn against people who would not work. So what was all this about? About holding a church firm in the face of persecution!

LESSONS?

1. Opposition comes against Christians - it is to be expected.

2. The call is to stand firm.

3. Lawlessness will grow with the imminence of Jesus' return.

4. Christians are expected to work for their living.

PRAY :

      Ask the Lord to hold you firm in the face of opposition, or in the face of false teachings. Thank Him for His goodness to you. Receive His grace and rest in His love.

SUMMARY

In these studies we have seen:

1. "Building a Foundation" 1 Thess 1-3

     The apostolic team :

- telling how much they pray for them

- reminding them of how the Gospel came so powerfully

- praising them for having become known for their faith

- saying how they had worked not to be a burden to them

- reminding them how they had come so caringly to them

- praising them for receiving the Gospel despite persecution

- telling how they'd wanted to come back but been hindered

- saying how they'd sent Timothy

- telling of the good report of them he had brought.

2. "Issues" 1 Thess 4 & 5

     The apostolic team teaching :

- for love to increase in the church

- to avoid sexual immorality

- to live quiet, respectful lives

- to understand the coming of the Lord

- to encourage one another while we wait for Him

- to esteem leaders

- to maintain good relationships with one another

- to remain open to the Spirit's working

- to let God continue to sanctify (change) them.

3. "Second Letter" 2 Thess 1-3

      The apostolic team:

- greeting the church again

- boasting about the perseverance and faith of the church

- teaching about Jesus dealing with their persecutors

- calling them not to be disturbed by false rumours

- teaching about the coming of the lawless one

- calling for the church to stand firm, holding their teaching

- requesting prayer

- warning against idleness

- instructing to dissociate themselves from such people

- giving final greetings

CONCLUSION

    As we come to the end of these studies, we may want to think further on the following issues:

1. The Fact of Persecution

     Much of these two letters has been given over to encouragement because of the opposition the church was receiving. The accounts in Acts indicate that they received persecution from the outset and it clearly continued. For those of us living in the West in the 20 th and beginning of the 21 st centuries, persecution has not been something we've known – let's be thankful. For others around the world, opposition is simply a ‘part of the package' that comes with being a Christian. The reality is that God does not always keep us from persecution. Indeed Paul told Timothy (2 Tim 3:12 ) that anyone living a godly life should expect persecution! Let's understand it.

2. A Growth of Lawlessness

     The return of Jesus in glory will be preceded by a period of unparalleled lawlessness. There may come revivals and the blessing of God will continue to come upon His people, but the Scriptural warning is clear: the way ahead will include increased godlessness and increased rebellion against the truth and against good and against right. The reality is that in our world, anyone who does not follow Jesus is prone to all of these anyway; it's just that it will get worse. Let's understand it.

3. The Call on the Christian

     This sounds like a depressing conclusion to these letters – persecution is to be expected, lawlessness is coming! That's just the truth about living in a Fallen World. The call in these letters is to stand firm. How don't we? By starting to doubt, by becoming casual in our relationship with the Lord, in becoming casual in our ethics. The work of the enemy is to get you to compromise your faith, your beliefs, your standards, so that very soon you are just the same as everyone else. No, the call is to be sanctified, set apart to God, different! And how do we maintain that? By holding onto the truths of Scripture, by knowing who we are (God's special children), by reminding ourselves of what Jesus has done for us on the Cross, and thus rejoicing in the wonder of God's love for us, through the work of Jesus and the presence of His own Holy Spirit in our lives to day. May it be so!