Chapter 2: 13-17

“But we are bound to give thanks to God always for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God from the beginning chose you for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth, ¹⁴ to which He called you by our gospel, for the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. ¹⁵ Therefore, brethren, stand fast and hold the traditions which you were taught, whether by word or our epistle. ¹⁶ Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, and our God and Father, who has loved us and given us everlasting consolation and good hope by grace, ¹⁷ comfort your hearts and establish you in every good word and work.”

Last week we talked about Lawlessness and the rise of evil. We can see all around us that evil is being promoted at even the government levels. I saw a video with a famous Hollywood actor in his hometown and saw people loot one of his local pharmacies, and no one did anything. The security guard just stood by and did nothing. This actor was astonished and was wondering why no one was stopping them, and then he had to learn that his prosecutors were no longer prosecuting theft under $1000. So, these crooks could take up to $950 in merchandise, and no one would do anything.

There are rumors that some of these pharmacy chains will be closing their doors in these neighborhoods. My brother works for a huge pharmacy chain here in Canada in their Loss Prevention Department, and he is always busy. Theft is rampant in just about every area of life and commerce. Stealing is just the tip of the iceberg, but it has become so open and so prevalent that it cannot be overlooked.

Today we will finish out this chapter and take a look at how we, as children of the Lord God, should conduct ourselves as we see the growth of evil and also the growth of apathy among our brothers and sisters in regard to Jesus’ soon return. There is a need for even more determined living and more commitment to holding the truth. We live in a time where the contrasts between the children of the Light and the children of Darkness are much clearer; we live in a time when there are some that have been in darkness for a long time but have begun to realize that the darkness is not good at all, and if we live like Jesus and stand for the truth, we may be able to win some into the Kingdom of Light. Sadly, these last days are also exposing the wolves that live among us.

I have seen a lot of ‘Christian’ singers suddenly denounce their beliefs in Jesus and even apologize for their beliefs. Many people have quit going to church as a result of the restrictions that we have lived under for 2 years almost, and they have no intention of returning. Sadly, we have even seen famous preachers and pastors fall. Now, not all of these are lost; some are just falling away and backsliding, but many are not just quitting; they are denying Jesus. As we approach the return of Jesus, more and more of this will happen, and it will shake some of us when we see who will turn on Jesus. But Paul, writing here to the young church, encourages them and us in how we should live expectant of Jesus’ soon return.

• The Blessed Salvation, verses 13-14

I do not think that I thank God enough for saving me. One of my dear friends, a pastor in Florida, wrote recently that if we truly understood the incarnation (Jesus taking on flesh, blood and bone), we would remove the word sacrifice, in regard to our own living, from our vocabulary. Most of us did not, and many still do not understand the depth of our sinful depravity. We still think we are okay. We have made a few mistakes, but all in all, we are not that bad. Let me give you an experiment. Try to count the times that you sin in a day. No, make it half a day. Honestly, make the effort. Remember that it was one sin that damned the whole human race.

Some will take this verse and try to promote Calvinism, but this verse clearly states that those that are saved need to believe the truth. There is clear action required on our part. Rather the choice is in the method of salvation, through Jesus, and since God knows all that ever has or will happen. He made sure that those of us that would receive it heard the Gospel. In John 4, Jesus deliberately went to the woman at the well in Samaria. He deliberately went to Zacchaeus’ home, and even on the very day of crucifixion, Jesus was there to redeem not just the whole world but that one thief on the cross. How many other men were to be executed, but God made sure that one guy was there on that day.

Jesus came looking for me one night in the spring of 1981 in little Barbados, and that night I put my trust in Jesus as my Savior. When did Jesus come looking for you?

• Stand Fast, verse 15

The phrase ‘stand fast’ is a military term meaning not to give up any ground. In the dictionary, it is defined as a ‘firm, fixed or settled position.’ Paul is telling us, yes us, notice that he specifies not only things taught in person but those taught in this epistle at the end of the verse, that we are to stand fast on these truths of the scriptures. In particular, but not only, the Gospel. If we waver on the purity and simplicity of the Gospel, then most other doctrines will suffer as well.

There is no greater viewing of the simplicity of the Gospel than the account of the thief on the cross in Luke 23:39-43. Here we see how pure the Gospel is and how accessible it is to all people everywhere. Take the time to read it for yourself if you have not read it in a while. But there are 4 elements: this thief acknowledges that Jesus is God, he acknowledges that he is a sinner and is deserving of death, he calls on Jesus to save him, and he expresses belief in the resurrection. He was never baptized, never joined a church, never did any ‘good works,’ never led another to Christ; no, he just believed that Jesus was who He said He was and would do what He said he would do.

We must do all in our power to keep the purity and simplicity of the Gospel. It is in our sinful and prideful nature to add man’s goodness to Jesus’ Gospel, and that is heresy. We cannot be good in the same way that Jesus cannot be bad, ever. If and when we keep the Gospel simple and pure, when we stand on this and refuse to move, this will go a long way to keeping the purity of other doctrines as well.

The Gospel does not change with time; it is not fluid. There is no need to tweak it or modify it. The same Gospel that saved the people in Thessalonica is that very same Gospel we offer now. The same Jesus that died on the cross 2,000 years ago for the sins of the world is the same Jesus we share today when sharing the Gospel. The method of salvation: belief that Jesus is God, that you and I are sinners, that Jesus paid for our sins in full on the cross, and that He rose from the dead is still the only Gospel we have to offer.

Paul once told us that if even an angel were to give us another Gospel, let him be accursed (Galatian 1:8). Yet we all know of at least one huge ‘Christian’ religion that claims that an angel gave them another gospel. They did not get this ‘new gospel’ from an angel of God; there is only one other option. Yet millions upon millions have followed this heresy.

In our world of ever-changing metrics, new words, new meaning to old words, and all-around confusion, it is important that the Lord’s churches be settled and stand fast on the Gospel. Why, Pastor Sean, do you harp on this? Because Paul did and Jesus harped on the simplicity of the Gospel (Read John 3:16-18). Every book, every epistle to the churches or young preachers harp on the Gospel. Jude tells us that he intended to write something else, but the Holy Spirit led him to write about contending for the faith. The Gospel both binds us and separates us. If you meet someone anywhere in the world and get the chance to ask them what they believe about Jesus, the answer will either bind you together as a family forever or separate you as children of God and them, the unbelievers.

No matter what culture, what language, what color, what education level, the Gospel unites us across all boundaries and barriers. You can meet another believer for the first time, and in the Gospel, there is instant familiarity and camaraderie.

We have this husband-and-wife couple in Pakistan; they found us online, and they believe in Jesus for salvation, and he preaches the Gospel to many people. This dear couple and their children are precious to us as a church. We have sent them help and never go a Sunday without praying for them. They know my kids’ names and we theirs, we pray for the small and big issues, and hardly a day goes by that we do not talk online. Yet, we have never met them. But we are an eternal family in Jesus, and this transcends time, language, culture, and even distance. This is what the Gospel does, and we should do all in our power to keep it simple and pure as Jesus and the apostles taught it.

• Be Established in the Hope we have, verse 16-17

Hope. We don’t often talk about hope much in our lives. We love to mention faith and love from 1 Corinthians 13:13. But hope is just as much a supernatural spiritual gift as faith and love. Hope keeps us sane in this crazy world. Hope keeps us alive when death would seem to be easier. Hope keeps us in the fight when we know that the enemy will be defeated, maybe not today, but for sure. Hope helps us to see the future when the present is painful. Hope gives us something to hold onto when it seems that the ground around us is crumbling. Hope keeps us trusting Jesus even when our own turn against us like it did with Job and his wife. Job 13:15, “Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him.” Hope transcends the now and transports us into then. Hebrews 11:1 tells us that “faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.”

Hope helps us to write ‘It is Well with my Soul’ over the dead bodies of loved ones. Hope helps us to sing ‘I’ll Fly Away’ at the graveside. Hope gives a temper to our grief here, and we look forward to seeing our loved ones again. We rejoice that they are not suffering any longer even though we miss them. Verses like Psalm 37:25, “I once was young and now I am old, yet have I never seen the righteous forsaken nor his descendants begging bread.” This is a verse of hope that, no matter how bad it gets, God has us in His hand, and we are taken care of. Luke gives us hope in 21:28, “When you see these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”

It is easy for us to feel defeated and disheartened in these troubling times, but Luke tells us that these troubling times should instill hope in us. Why? Because we see that God’s prophecies are true; what He said would happen is happening. This should bolster our faith and give us hope that He will come back as He said and that one day, all this evil, all this hurt, all this mess will be over and done. Hope establishes us and gives us a firm foundation to stand on. Hope gives us the power to trust God in the darkest times, and hope gives us a firm rock to stand on when the ground around us feels very shaky.

Imagine the hope that Jesus gave to the thief on the cross when he said, “Today you will be with me in Paradise.” This is the kind of hope that transcends a crucifixion, and it is that same kind of hope that we have in Jesus today. Stand fast, stand up, stand out in it, and while we are doing that, keep an eye out for our brothers and sisters that are hurting and maybe have not grown into the hope just yet. Comfort them and help them find their hope in Jesus.

God bless you,

Dr. Sean Gooding

Pastor of Mississauga Missionary Baptist Church

How to Connect with Us

On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MississaugaMissionaryBaptistChurch

Online: https://www.mississaugamissionarybaptistchurch.com/ (under construction)

Email: missionarybaptistchurch76@yahoo.ca

Chapter 2: 5-12

“Do you not remember that when I was still with you, I told you these things? ⁶ And now you know what is restraining, that he may be revealed in his own time. ⁷ For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way. ⁸ And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming. ⁹ The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, ¹⁰ and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. ¹¹ And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, ¹² that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.”

Last week we talked about The Day of Christ; this is that day we are to be looking for, living our lives each day expecting the arrival of our salvation through the air. We looked at the 2 events that will encompass the return of Jesus. One is the saints going to meet Him in the air, and the next part is Jesus coming in the clouds to judge the world. Paul encouraged the Thessalonian Christians that they had not missed The Day of the Lord. And in the same breath, we are encouraged to know that Jesus is coming, and we should not be dismayed, discouraged and dismissive of this promise. As Jesus was leaving, we got a promise from the angels in Acts 1: 9-11.

“Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel, who also said, ‘Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.'”

We are promised that ‘this same Jesus’ will come back for us. This is the hope that we have that exceeds the evil and the trials and troubles of this world. Paul goes on to lay out for this sister church some more things that will happen as The Day of Christ comes closer and closer and he adds some more pieces that we are to look for. These things are not so much for the local church there in Thessalonica; as the Holy Spirit knew that Jesus’ return would be 2,000 years or more away, these are for us.

• Lawlessness is already working, verses 5-7

As we have mentioned a few times, Paul was with this church for just a few weeks (see Acts 17: 1-10). Some commentators put him there for maybe three months, but the idea is that he was there with them a very short time. Yet, Paul made sure to teach prophecy. Notice verse 5: he calls to remembrance the things that he taught them. Paul taught them the prophecies about the end time. This was as important as understanding the purity and simplicity of the Gospel.

This should be a challenge to us about the need to teach the prophets, to teach from Daniel and Jeremiah, and to delve into Isaiah and Revelation. There are many Pastors that have been at churches for years, decades even and have not once really taught through the prophecies of the Old Testament, and they have not touched The Revelation. This is wrong; Paul makes it clear that even new churches need to hear the prophecies, they need to hear that Jesus is coming again, that we should live ready to meet him, and try to tell as many as possible about the generous grace of God in salvation. But too many shy away. We weaken our people and deprive our churches of much needed spiritual food.

There is lawlessness working right in front of our eyes right now. We can see, and I think more so in the past 24 months, the sheer evil that is parading itself into every aspect of our lives. The case of the rich socialite and his pimp girlfriend (who was just convicted- I don’t want to use their names and bring any glory to them), who were supplying underaged girls to other rich and elite men, including political, royal and financial figures is appalling. It reminds us how evil this world is. I have 2 daughters: one in her 20s, the other just aged 9; I cannot imagine them being stolen away and being used for sex.

These people who promote themselves to be our moral judges on Climate change and helping the poor, and on and on, are just hypocritical pigs. And sadly, as we saw in the court case, the women are just as bad as the men, if not worse. Many of our political leaders have had women charge them with assaults, and many have used the public purse to pay for their sins.

Another part of the Lawlessness is the wanton disregard for the laws of our land. The wealthy and political class do not need to follow the rules. Here in Canada just last year, our PM told us to stay home for Thanksgiving only to fly off and be with his family. Just recently, the British PM and many of the government were caught in a party, many maskless, while telling us not to attend family events and limiting access to weddings, funerals and even visiting loved ones in the Hospital. They remind us they are above us, the general public. Not long after the ’embarrassing’ revealing of this social event, the PM of England announced that COVID restrictions will be ending in the Spring.

There is lawlessness that has existed for millennia; and now, because of TV and cable shows, it is being exposed for all to see.

Paul goes on to tell this new church that even though the level of Lawlessness is shocking, they had not seen anything yet. There will come a time when the restraining power of the Holy Spirit will be removed and the lawlessness will be even greater than anything we have seen until now. There is one other curious point (notice in verse 8): ‘the lawless one will be revealed.’ This is a sobering thought – the Man of Sin, the anti-Christ, is already in place and ready to go. Thus, as soon as the restraining power is removed (the Holy Spirit), the anti-Christ will be revealed shortly thereafter. This is another way that we can know that Paul was not talking to the church in Thessalonica as much as he was talking to us. Don’t try to figure out who the Lawless one is; he is an unknown until his very revelation.

• Evil to the Nth degree, verses 8-10

You and I have not seen evil yet. We have seen evil, as I talked about, with sex trafficking. If you take the time to get past the hype and study, you will see the evil in Hollywood, the sexual abuse of boys and girls, and the psychological pain inflicted by these moguls on the wide eyes and inexperienced youths that come seeking fame. When we see the financial abuse and the sheer abuse on children and adults alike, we think we have seen evil. But Paul tells us that this Lawless Man will bring a new level of evil accompanied by signs and wonders. Jesus warned the local church about seeking signs and wonders and tells us the only sign we need to be awed by in Matthew 12:38-40.

“Then some of the scribes and Pharisees said to Him, ‘Teacher, we want to see a sign from You.’ Jesus replied, ‘A wicked and adulterous generation demands a sign, but none will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.'”

All we need is the Resurrection; that sign outweighs all others. If Jesus did not resurrect, then no number of signs will bring eternal life. Sadly, we have many churches that still promote signs and wonders and the proof that Jesus is who He says he is. Jesus tells us that the resurrection is His proof.

The world will be awed by the signs and wonders of this Lawless Man, and they will follow him and empower him. This, in turn, will lead to even more evil and more destruction and death (see Revelation 6: 1-17). This will give you an idea of what is coming. By the way, as proof that Satan often takes the Bible more literally than we do, the Lawless Man will either die and be resurrected, or Satan will perform a great fake. See Revelation 13:3,

“And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast.”

Somewhere along the line, the Lawless One will die or appear to die and resurrect; this is to offer the world proof that he is a god, and they will more readily follow him.

We need to preach the resurrection more and more; even the Devil knows this is the real proof of a deity. It will be a very sad time to be alive once the Restrainer is removed and the sum total of man depravity is left unchecked. I cannot imagine what the world will look like with evil unchecked and with man abandoned by God; it will be a living Hell on earth.

• The Great Lie, verse 11-12

What we have seen firsthand in the last 24 months is that if you tell a big lie and tell it often enough, when the truth comes out, very few will believe it. Lest I look like an idiot, COVID is real; I just had it, and I have had many loved ones in Christ die in the last 2 years. No one in their right mind can think COVID is not real. However, we are now beginning to realize the truths, things like it’s most likely manmade. There are emails from some of the leading scientists in the world telling us that it looks manmade, but we were told the opposite. For 20+ months, they’ve pushed cloth masks, and billions of dollars have been spent by people and companies to get their families and employees outfitted – only to now be told these are useless.

We’ve had a vaccine promoted and weaponized against us. At first, we were told that once we are vaccinated, life will go back to normal. Then, oh yeah, you have some protection; then no protection. Then it mitigates the symptoms if you do get sick to, oh, you can still spread and get COVID, to now we need a booster; and on and on. Lies, lies, lies, and we can see how an entire world can swallow the lies. Even saved people have swallowed the lies, and there is so much division in our churches and families. Imagine what lies they will tell once the Holy Spirit is removed and God allows their sinful, depraved minds to simply accept and not question. The lie will be that man has achieved ‘peace and safety’ without God, 1 Thessalonians 5: 2-3.

“For you are fully aware that the Day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. While people are saying, ‘Peace and security,’ destruction will come upon them suddenly, like labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.”

One of the great lies of our time is not that there is no God, but that you have all the time in the world to get right with Him – live your life; you have plenty of time to get right with God. But nothing could be further from the truth. Death comes to any at any age, and it comes often without warning. Are you ready to meet Jesus, or have you swallowed the lie as well?

God bless you,

Dr. Sean Gooding
Pastor of Mississauga Missionary Baptist Church

How to Connect with Us

On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MississaugaMissionaryBaptistChurch
Online: https://www.mississaugamissionarybaptistchurch.com/ (under construction)
Email: missionarybaptistchurch76@yahoo.ca