BibleWare/BibWare.bin/bibref/mhc.exe/2TH.TXT

Text File | 1996-06-12 | 15KB | 261 lines

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** The second epistle to the Thessalonians was written soon
after the first. The apostle was told that, from some
expressions in his first letter, many expected the second coming
of Christ was at hand, and that the day of judgment would arrive
in their time. Some of these neglected their worldly duties. St.
Paul wrote again to correct their error, which hindered the
spread of the gospel. He had written agreeably to the words of
the prophets of the Old Testament; and he tells them there were
many counsels of the Most High yet to be fulfilled, before that
day of the Lord should come, though, because it is sure, he had
spoken of it as near. The subject led to a remarkable
foretelling, of some of the future events which were to take
place in the after-ages of the Christian church, and which show
the prophetic spirit the apostle possessed.

* The apostle blesses God for the growing state of the love and
patience of the Thessalonians. (1-4) And encourages them to
persevere under all their sufferings for Christ, considering his
coming at the great day of account. (5-12)

#1-4 Where there is the truth of grace, there will be an
increase of it. The path of the just is as the shining light,
which shines more and more unto the perfect day. And where there
is the increase of grace, God must have all the glory. Where
faith grows, love will abound, for faith works by love. It shows
faith and patience, such as may be proposed as a pattern for
others, when trials from God, and persecutions from men, quicken
the exercise of those graces; for the patience and faith of
which the apostle gloried, bore them up, and enabled them to
endure all their tribulations.

#5-10 Religion, if worth anything, is worth every thing; and
those have no religion, or none worth having, or know not how to
value it, cannot find their hearts to suffer for it. We cannot
by all our sufferings, any more than by our services, merit
heaven; but by our patience under sufferings, we are prepared
for the promised joy. Nothing more strongly marks a man for
eternal ruin, than a spirit of persecution and enmity to the
name and people of God. God will trouble those that trouble his
people. And there is a rest for the people of God; a rest from
sin and sorrow. The certainty of future recompence is proved by
the righteousness of God. The thoughts of this should be
terrible to wicked men, and support the righteous. Faith,
looking to the great day, is enabled partly to understand the
book of providence, which appears confused to unbelievers. The
Lord Jesus will in that day appear from heaven. He will come in
the glory and power of the upper world. His light will be
piercing, and his power consuming, to all who in that day shall
be found as chaff. This appearance will be terrible to those
that know not God, especially to those who rebel against
revelation, and obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.
This is the great crime of multitudes, the gospel is revealed,
and they will not believe it; or if they pretend to believe,
they will not obey it. Believing the truths of the gospel, is in
order to our obeying the precepts of the gospel. Though sinners
may be long spared, they will be punished at last. They did
sin's work, and must receive sin's wages. Here God punishes
sinners by creatures as instruments; but then, it will be
destruction from the Almighty; and who knows the power of his
anger? It will be a joyful day to some, to the saints, to those
who believe and obey the gospel. In that bright and blessed day,
Christ Jesus will be glorified and admired by his saints. And
Christ will be glorified and admired in them. His grace and
power will be shown, when it shall appear what he has purchased
for, and wrought in, and bestowed upon those who believe in him.
Lord, if the glory put upon thy saints shall be thus admired,
how much more shalt thou be admired, as the Bestower of that
glory! The glory of thy justice in the damnation of the wicked
will be admired, but not as the glory of thy mercy in the
salvation of believers. How will this strike the adoring angels
with holy admiration, and transport thy admiring saints with
eternal rapture! The meanest believer shall enjoy more than the
most enlarged heart can imagine while we are here; Christ will
be admired in all those that believe, the meanest believer not
excepted.

#11,12 Believing thoughts and expectations of the second coming
of Christ should lead us to pray to God more, for ourselves and
others. If there is any good in us, it is owing to the good
pleasure of his goodness, and therefore it is called grace.
There are many purposes of grace and good-will in God toward his
people, and the apostle prays that God would complete in them
the work of faith with power. This is to their doing every other
good work. The power of God not only begins, but carries on the
work of faith. And this is the great end and design of the grace
of our God and Lord Jesus Christ, which is made known to us, and
wrought in us.
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* Cautions against the error that the time of Christ's coming
was just at hand. There would first be a general apostacy from
the faith, and a revealing of the antichristian man of sin.
(1-4) His destruction, and that of those who obey him. (5-12)
The security of the Thessalonians from apostacy; an exhortation
to stedfastness, and prayer for them. (13-17)

#1-4 If errors arise among Christians, we should set them right;
and good men will be careful to suppress errors which rise from
mistaking their words and actions. We have a cunning adversary,
who watches to do mischief, and will promote errors, even by the
words of Scripture. Whatever uncertainty we are in, or whatever
mistakes may arise about the time of Christ's coming, that
coming itself is certain. This has been the faith and hope of
all Christians, in all ages of the church; it was the faith and
hope of the Old Testament saints. All believers shall be
gathered together to Christ, to be with him, and to be happy in
his presence for ever. We should firmly believe the second
coming of Christ; but there was danger lest the Thessalonians,
being mistaken as to the time, should question the truth or
certainty of the thing itself. False doctrines are like the
winds that toss the water to and fro; and they unsettle the
minds of men, which are as unstable as water. It is enough for
us to know that our Lord will come, and will gather all his
saints unto him. A reason why they should not expect the coming
of Christ, as at hand, is given. There would be a general
falling away first, such as would occasion the rise of
antichrist, that man of sin. There have been great disputes who
or what is intended by this man of sin and son of perdition. The
man of sin not only practises wickedness, but also promotes and
commands sin and wickedness in others; and is the son of
perdition, because he is devoted to certain destruction, and is
the instrument to destroy many others, both in soul and body. As
God was in the temple of old, and worshipped there, and is in
and with his church now; so the antichrist here mentioned, is a
usurper of God's authority in the Christian church, who claims
Divine honours.

#5-12 Something hindered or withheld the man of sin. It is
supposed to be the power of the Roman empire, which the apostle
did not mention more plainly at that time. Corruption of
doctrine and worship came in by degrees, and the usurping of
power was gradual; thus the mystery of iniquity prevailed.
Superstition and idolatry were advanced by pretended devotion,
and bigotry and persecution were promoted by pretended zeal for
God and his glory. This mystery of iniquity was even then begun;
while the apostles were yet living, persons pretended zeal for
Christ, but really opposed him. The fall or ruin of the
antichristian state is declared. The pure word of God, with the
Spirit of God, will discover this mystery of iniquity, and in
due time it shall be destroyed by the brightness of Christ's
coming. Signs and wonders, visions and miracles, are pr