2. THEIR FULL ENLIGHTENMENT (2 Thessalonians 2:1-14)

In chapter two Paul gives to the Thessalonians full enlightenment to counteract the false teaching to which they had been subjected. He sought to caution them from being carried away with over-excitement, or being led into despair of their own position. Carefully consider the text of this corrective and informative teaching.

2.1 A MANLY APPEAL (2 Thessalonians 2:1)

2 Thessalonians 2:1 "Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, we ask you,"

This is the way to instruct and correct brethren. Not from a condescending position - berating their ignorance. There is no domineering manner here, but a loving openness in speaking brother to brother.

His desire is to guard the important event from misrepresentation. "The coming of" refers to the revelation of Christ and "gathering together" to the catching away of the church to be ever with the Lord (1 Thessalonians 4:17 ). As the word "gathering" indicates, it is a gathering together in one place.

2.2 A MISINFORMATION ACTIVITY (2 Thessalonians 2:2)

2 Thessalonians 2:2 "Not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us, as though the day of Christ had come."

How determined our spiritual foe is in seeking to hinder the Lord's people by directing their energies into combating wrong information. At Thessalonica the devil had set up one of his Ministries of Misinformation. Notice the means he used.

"By spirit" That is, a claim that there was a prophetic utterance on the matter from some respected and used person in the supernatural gift.

"By word" That is, the teaching of false teachers claiming supposed supernaturally revealed matter.

"By letter" Alleged to be written by Paul or one of the other apostles. The claim being that "the day of Christ" had already come and its climax was almost upon them.

They were not to be "shaken in mind" by this wrong teaching. The "day of the Lord" had not arrived as yet. They were not to be "troubled". There are unmistakable signs of the day of the Lord - His coming in revelation would destroy antichrist. The gathering unto Him will precede this. For our learning we are shown that disturbed minds, inactivity, and an unbalanced and troubled state results from Satan's misinformation service. We have the complete written Word of God - and need to be grounded on the Scriptures and so be protected by its full enlightenment.

QUESTIONS FOR GROUP INTERACTION

1. What do you think is the best way to offer correction to one another?

2. What misrepresentation did Paul correct?
   • Do you know of misinformation activity that is going on today?