Standing Firm in the Truth - 2 Thessalonians 2:1-17

Faith in Uncertain Times (8): Standing Firm in the Truth
Passage: 2 Thessalonians 2:1-17

• How can we stand firm in the truth?

 1. We must know the truth (2:1-8)

• Now concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered together to him, we ask you, brothers, 2 not to be quickly shaken in mind or alarmed, either by a spirit or a spoken word, or a letter seeming to be from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come. (2:1-2)

• 3 Let no one deceive you in any way. For that day will not come, unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, 4 who opposes and exalts himself against every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God. (2:3-4)

• 5 Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things? 6 And you know what is restraining him now so that he may be revealed in his time. 7 For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work. Only he who now restrains it will do so until he is out of the way. 8 And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will kill with the breath of his mouth and bring to nothing by the appearance of his coming. (2:5-8)

2. We must delight in the truth (2:9-12)

• 9 The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders, 10 and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. 11 Therefore God sends them a strong delusion, so that they may believe what is false, 12 in order that all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness. (2:9-12)

• 16 Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God our Father, who loved us and gave us eternal comfort and good hope through grace, 17 comfort your hearts and establish them in every good work and word. (2:16-17)

•  5 May the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God and to the steadfastness of Christ. (3:5) 

3. We must hold fast to the truth (2:13-15)

• 15 So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the traditions that you were taught by us, either by our spoken word or by our letter. (2:15)

• 2 not to be quickly shaken in mind or alarmed, either by a spirit or a spoken word, or a letter seeming to be from us (2:2)

• 9 The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with how Satan works. He will use all sorts of displays of power through signs and wonders that serve the lie (2:9, NIV)

Conclusion: God establishes us to stand firm in the truth (2:16-17)

• Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God our Father, who loved us and gave us eternal comfort (encouragement) and good hope through grace, 17 comfort (encourage) your hearts and establish them in every good work and word. (2:16-17)