A. STRONG CHURCH, PROBLEMS IN SPITE OF STRENGTHS.
B. Ch. 2. A PROBLEM CONCERNING THE 2nd COMING.
1. They believed the coming immanent( vs. 1-2 ).
2. Paul said they were disturbed over something not revealed.
3. Perhaps misunderstood 1 Thes. 4:15-5:4.
4. Regardless, 3 things must occur before the 2nd coming:
a. a falling away.
b. the removal of some restraining power.
c. the revelation of "the man of sin."
5. Our only clue( 1 Thess. 5:2-3 ).
A. NOT ELABORATED ON HERE, BUT( 2 Tim. 3:1-5; 4:3-4; Acts 20:29-30 ).
B. NOT INDIVIDUAL, BUT A GENERAL APOSTASY( vs. 3 ).
C. IN CONNECTION WITH THE MAN OF SIN( vs. 3 ).
A. HE IS A PARODY OF THE CHRIST.
1. The personification of sin( vs. 3 )Jesus of righteousness( Acts 3:14 ).
2. The son of perdition( vs. 3 ), Jesus Prince of Life( Acts 3:14 ).
3. Opposes God thru his will( v. 4 )Jesus( Luke 22:42 )humbled himself( Phil.
2:5-8 ) and tho he claimed to be divine ( John 14:8-11 ), waited until he was
exalted by God( Phil. 2:9 ).
4. He has a time to be revealed( v. 6 )as Jesus( Gal. 4:4 ).
5. He first exists as a mystery( v.7, 2, 6-8 )( Rom. 16:25-27 ).
6. He has a coming( v. 9 )just as Jesus( vs. 8 ).
7. He comes according to the working of Satan, with false powers( v. 9 )while
Jesus comes in the working of God ( John 5:19-20; Eph. 1:19-20 )working
that which was of God( Acts 2:2 ).
8. The deceit of this one is received by those who perish ( v. 10 )while salvation
is thru the truth( vs. 10 ).
9. His kingdom rests on belief, the belief of a lie( v. 10-11 )just as Christ's rests
on belief of the truth.
B. THE IDENTITY OF THE MAN OF SIN: THE POPE? CAESAR?
1. The papacy arose out of apostasy, like Paul described( 1 Tim. 4:1-4 ).
2. The spirit which would have produced as antichrist was curbed by Caesar
( v. 7 )taken out of the way, not step aside.
3. Tho the establishment of the man of sin's rule was already beginning, the
Roman opposition still held it in check( vs. 7 ).
4. When the power of the empire began to fail, the pope emerged.
Why didn't Paul & the rest of the NT writers tell of this?
5. He exalts himself above God( vs. 4 ). "Vicar." "Infallible substitute for Christ"
"Lord God the Pope."
6. ( v. 4 ).Sits in the temple, making laws, demanding worship.
7. ( v. 9-10 ).He seeks to prove his claims by fraudulent signs.
C. THERE IS A SPIRIT WITH MAN TODAY THAT COULD FIT.
A. RECEIVED NOT THE LOVE OF THE TRUTH.
B. BELIEVED NOT THE TRUTH.
C. HAD PLEASURE IN UNRIGHTEOUSNESS( Rom.10:1-3; 2 Tim. 4:3-4 ).
D. THEY COULD HAVE BEEN SAVED THRU THE TRUTH.
1. The truth makes free( John 8:32 ). Thru obedience to it( 1 Pet. 1:22 ).
2. The truth and God's word are one and the same( John 17:17; Rom. 1:16 ).
