The Mystery of Lawlessness – 2 Thessalonians 2:6-12
Introduction
Whn U hear the word ‘mystery’ prhaps U thnk of D Copperfield, PBS, A Christie
When the Bible uses ‘mystery’ something unknown that only God make known
e.g. the church, mystery E3:3,4; unknown in OT, revealed by God NT
Today look at the mystery of lawlessness –
imagin theatr, curtain reveal things U did not know abt lawlessness and sin
EXPOSITION - The Mystery of Lawlessness
1st Lawlessness is Restrained In The World 6,7
A. U know what is restraining – prev taught by P when there 6a
What is restraining –neuter participle, a what not a who
Restraining – holding down
B. That he may be revealed in his own time 6b
He/his refer to man of lawlessness in v3,4
Recall P correcting falsehood that Thess missed 2nd coming
Two prereqs: 1 falling away; 2 revealing of man of sin/lawlessnes
In his own time – this man of lawlessness has a time he will be revealed
This time is the ‘what is restraining’ him in prev phrase
Restrained by God’s eschatological clock, God starts Mt24:36
C. Mystery of lawlessness is already at work 7a
Paul’s day E 5:12; also Ro 1:27-30; 2:1,14-16, 21ff; 1J2:18; 1J3:4
Today – is there lawlessness in our day? i.e. acting contrary to God’s law
Legalized abortion, legalized sam sex marriag, sam as abv in Ro...
NYS Senate rep of legislative bodies, courts bypass Constitution
D. Only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way 7b
He – masculine not neuter, note pronouns and Bible translations...
He who now restrains – suggestions..., I can’t understand other than HS
The Holy Spirit restrains lawlessness in the world
Takn out of th way – nt th HS rmoved fm world, but ceases work restraint
Continues work of conviction of sin, regeneration, indwell belivers
Application – U shld see that there is lawlessness in our world, thank God
restrained by the HS, recognize how lawlessness already at work, imagine
a wrld w ppl lvng wthout any mrl restraints, blvrs restrain infl Gn19:12-29
2nd Lawlessness is Revealed In The Man of Lawlessness 8-12
- Paul already revealed some things about this man of lawlessness 3,4...
Also Rv6:1,2 peacemaker Dn9:27 breaker /Rv13:15-17 persecutor
- The end of the man of lawlessness revealed8b..., end given first to comfort us
- Coming of man of lawlessness revealed according to working of Satan 8c
W all pwr, signs&lying wndrs cf w Mt7:21-23; 2Co11:14; J8:44; Rv13:3,4
- Man of lawlessness revealed in hispower over the lost 9-12
Counterfeit coming cf ‘parallel’ to coming of Son of Man
With all unrighteous deception among those who perish i.e. his ff 10
1st Reason they did nt rcv the love of the truth that...be saved 10a
Willful and deliberate rejection of the truth, of JS, J3:19,20; 8:24,45-47; Ezk 33:11
Story of women in nursing home, J 14:6
2nd Reason a conseq of 1st God will snd thm strng dlsn 2blv the lie
Some1 sd sov of God takes unexpected forms in Bible
Ro1:18ff 24,26,28; Isaiah 6:9,10 JS quoted in NT
Ahab by Micaiah 1Kings 22:19-23
All Condemned – nt believ th truth, had pleasure in unright
Application. Receive the truth or believe the lie. Succinctly put. When JS
rejected then God judges them, whn pal gegin by reject good end by doing evil, if one does not accept the truth they delight in unrighteousness