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Grace Bible Church 4000 E. Collins
Rd. P.O. Box #3762 Gillette, WY 82717
(307) 686-1516 - Preaching the Living WORD through the Written WORD - 2 Tim 4:2
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GOD’S CALLING TO HOLINESS AND TRUTH 2Th 1:11-2:2 (03/4/12) Grace Bible
Church, Gillette, Wyoming Pastor Daryl
Hilbert
A. Prayer For
The Thessalonians To Fulfill Their Calling (11) 1. In light of
the fact that the Thessalonians were exemplary believers (5-10), Paul and
those with him “always” (pantote, “always” with a verb in the
present tense) prayed for them with great diligence (cp. 1Th 1:3, 11;
3:1). 2. His prayer
was that God would cause them to be “counted
worthy” (axio,ō - of equal weight and balance) of their
calling. This also includes the idea of persecution (2Th 1:5). 3. The
believer’s “calling” (klę,sis - often in NT a divine invitation and plan) encompasses
the idea of being divinely called to salvation (1Co 1:2, 26; Rom 8:30),
divinely called to live holy (2Ti 1:9), and living up to that calling and
prove it genuine (2Pe 1:10). 4. They prayed
that God would accomplish this by fulfilling all “desire for goodness.” Grammatically, commentators have tried to
ascertain whose desire Paul was referring to, God’s or the Thessalonians.
Regardless they would be one in the same as genuine believers desire
ultimately what God desires (“His desire
for goodness”). 5. Ultimately
God will “fulfill” (plęro,ō
- make full, accomplish) His good pleasure and the intent of His will for “goodness” (agathōsu,nę - morally excellent character or plan) for the
believer (Rom 8:28; Eph 1:5, 9; Phil 2:13 cp. Col 1:19). a) This includes
the cooperation of God and the believer in the outworking of “work of faith (same as 1Th 1:3) with the “power” (du,namis -
dynamic power often divine) of the Holy Spirit. God’s good
pleasure is that the believer is counted worthy of his calling to grow in
good works produced by and the perseverance through persecution. B. Prayer For
The Thessalonians To Glorify Christ (12) 1. Such
fulfillment has the purpose (“end” ho,pōs
- with the subjunctive is equivalent to hi,na - so that) of
glorifying the name of the Lord Jesus
Christ. To “glorify” (endoxa,zomai - adorn
with honor and praise, also 2Th 1:10) is to bring honor and praise to
Whom it is ultimately due, namely “the Lord Jesus Christ.” a) All that is
done by the will of God is for the purpose to glorify God (Eph 1:6, 12, 14;
Phil 2:11; 2Th 2:14; 1Ti 1:17; Rev 1:6; 4:9, 11; Rev 21:23). b) All that is
done in this life by the believer is ultimately to glorify Christ (1Co 10:31;
Phil 1:11; 1Pe 2:12; 4:11; 2Pe 3:18), including suffering and persecution (1Pe
1:7; 4:13-14, 16; 5:10). 2. The
Thessalonians (and all believers) will be “glorified” but it is qualified by “in Him” (en auto). They will share in His glory
(Rom 8:17) and the more they lived for Him, the more they will bring glory to
Him, including sharing in the suffering of persecution (Rom 8:18). This is “according to the grace” of God and
“the Lord Jesus Christ.” The fact that it is also according to the grace of “the Lord Jesus Christ” affirms His
deity.
A. It Related to
their Gathering Together (Rapture) (1) 1. Paul moves to
one of the main purposes of his epistle. There had been false teaching that
the Day of the Lord had already come and that Paul was in error concerning
God’s promise of the Rapture. 2. He begins
with a “request” and it involves
the truth of the Rapture. The phrases “the coming of our Lord Jesus
Christ” and “our gathering together to Him” describe the Rapture. a) The “coming” of the Lord Jesus is the
Greek word parousia (par - alongside & ousia - presence;
being present, i.e. coming) and can refer to both the Second Coming (Mat
24:3, 27, 37; 2Th 2:8) and the Rapture (1Th 2:19; 3:13; 4:15; 5:23; 2Th 2:1;
Jam 5:8). b) But the “gathering together” (episunagōgę, - action of
assembling or gathering together) clearly portrays the Rapture events
where the Lord will meet only believers in the air (1Th 4:15-17). c) The contrast
between the Rapture and the Second Coming are clear in Scripture: (1) Rapture - only
believers will see the Lord (1Th 4:17), Second Coming - the whole
world will see Him (Rev 1:7) (2) Rapture - Christ
will be in the air (1Th 4:17), Second Coming - Christ will come to the
earth (Zech 14:4). (3) Rapture - Christ
will bring rewards (1Co 3:14-15), Second Coming - Christ will bring
judgment (Rev 19:21). d) Paul had
taught that the Rapture would precede the Tribulation and Second Coming (1Th
1:10; 5:9), but false teachers were teaching that Paul was wrong and that the
Thessalonians had missed the Rapture. (1) 1st Coming of
Christ (John 1:1, 14) (2) Cross (Gal
4:4) (3) Church Age
(Rom 11:25) (4)
Rapture (1Th
4:13-17) (5) Tribulation
(Mat 24:21) (6)
2nd
Coming of Christ (Rev 19:11-16) B. It Related to
the Day of the Lord (2) 1. The purpose (eis, sometimes as a result) of Paul’s
writing was that they were not to be shaken in their faith in regard to the
doctrine of future events. 2. They were not
to be “shaken” (aor. pass.inf. - saleu,ō - lit. “tossing”, unexpected and disastrous instability), and that
so quickly in the “composure” (nous - mind) of their minds. 3. They also
were not to be “disturbed” (pres. pass. inf. - throe,ō - sudden inward trouble and alarm) in their
inward being from false teaching. 4. This came
about through a “spirit” of a
false prophet, a “message”
presumably by false prophet or Paul, and a “letter” presumably by Paul. 5. It related to
a teaching the “Day of the Lord”
had already come as well as the event of the Rapture. Paul previously taught
the truth concerning the Day of the Lord (1Th 5:1-2). a) The Day of
the Lord is not a particular day, but rather a time period in which God
triumphantly pours His wrath upon sin. (1) This is not a single day but a period of time filled with
many prophetic events. (LaHaye, Prophecy Study Bible, 1Th 5:2). (2)
Mentioned
frequently in the Old Testament, the Day of the Lord refers to any special
period where God intervenes supernaturally, bringing judgment on the world. (Walvoord,
Prophecy Knowledge Handbook, pg. 486) b) In regard to
eschatology several future events will unleash God’s judgment which together
constitute the time period of the Day of the Lord. (1) The Day of
the Lord is mentioned as God’s judgment upon the world during the Tribulation
after the Rapture (Joel 2:30-31 cp. Rev 6:12). (2) The Day of
the Lord is mentioned as God’s judgment upon Israel’s enemies at Christ’s
Second Coming (1Th 5:2 cp. Rev 19:11-16). (3) The Day of
the Lord is mentioned as God’s final judgment that destroys the heavens and
the earth. God executes various other judgments prior to this final event
(which includes the Great White Throne Judgment) (2Pe 3:10 cp. Rev 20:11). c) If the Day of
the Lord had arrived, the Thessalonians would have missed the Rapture, Paul’s
teaching would have been in error, and they would experience the wrath of God
along with the world. But none of these were true because neither the Rapture
nor the Day of the Lord had occurred then or now. But they will come. 6. In 2Th 2:3a,
Paul admonishes the Thessalonians with the exhortation, “Let no one in any way deceive you.” “Deceive”
is the strong word exapata,ō which can mean to be completely enticed and deluded. Paul
would strengthen their faith by re-teaching on the events of the Day of the
Lord (2Th 2:3-12).
A. False
teaching shakes the minds and hearts of believers needlessly. B. False
teaching leads even believers astray if they do not have knowledge of the
Scriptures. C. Strong
biblical and doctrinal teaching strengthens the believer belief by knowledge. D. Strong
biblical and doctrinal teaching guides believers in right living based on
right doctrine. E. Strong
biblical and doctrinal teaching glorifies the Lord’s truth (Word) and the
edification it produces. F. The teaching
of future events is not an ecclesiastical novelty, or just a way of opting
out of this life, rather it teaches us the mind an purposes of God which
govern the goal of the believer in this life. G. We learn that
the overall focus of God’s plan is not man, but His glory. Though He shares
His glory with the glorified saints, believers are to lose themselves and
lose them in the ultimate purpose of glorifying the only One to Whom it is due. |
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