 Okay, so let's continue with chapter two. Okay, just give it two minutes, it's recording to start. Yeah, so second Thessalonians chapter two. Okay, so let me just read. Now brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to him, we ask you 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. Let no one deceive you by any means for that day will not come unless the falling away comes first and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped. So that he sits as God in the temple of God showing himself that he is God. Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things and now you know what is restraining that he may be revealed in his own time. Now the mystery of lawlessness is already at work, only he who now restrains will do so until he is taken out of the way. Now, sorry, 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. The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan with all power, science and lying wonders and with all under his deception among those who perish because they did not receive the love of the truth that they might be saved. And for this reason, God will send them strong delusion that they should believe the lie that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness. So here Paul is talking about what will happen or what should happen before the coming of the Lord. He's talking about the end times and which you would have gone through in greater detail in eschatology. So very clearly saying, don't be shaken in mind, don't be troubled, let there be no doubt, either by spirit or by word or by letter. So in the sense he's saying that either if you receive any information like this, like when people come and tell you this, what are they saying that the day of the Lord is already come? He has come, you're left behind and something discouraging, if people come and say that or even if you receive a letter as if it's from us. So you're saying maybe people would write to you saying, okay, this is what all has mentioned and even if they as if it's from us, they are writing a letter with this kind of teaching. So a lot of deceptions, right? So if that happens, he's saying don't be shaken in mind or be troubled, don't be troubled. Let no one deceive you by any means, that day will not come, the day of the Lord, that day will not come unless the falling away first happens, okay? So there is great deception and lawlessness at work and the son of perdition or the man of sin is revealed. He's talking about the man of lawlessness, it's called the Antichrist in Epistles of John. And the falling away is referring to people rebelling against God and a lot of them sinning openly and seems to be some kind of a great rebellion and unbelieving nature of these people coming forth. So saying that must first happen, then the man of sin will be revealed, son of perdition as he's called, he will be revealed and he will oppose and exalt himself above all that is called God. So he places himself, now we don't know how that is going to play out or how that is going to happen, but Paul very clearly says, so this is how he will exalt himself above everything, he will draw worship to himself, right? So above all that is called God or all that is worshiped and that he sits as God in the temple of God showing himself that he's God. So obviously demonically energized or demonically anointed, right? So showing himself as God saying that he himself is God and he needs to be worshiped, right? This is the ultimate thing, right? That man exalting himself to the position and the place of God and demanding worship. We've seen right through, right? In the Old Testament also we read how in Babylon, Daniel was along with Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, where the king put a structure of himself saying above, down and worship. So it's not something new, but here he's saying that he will himself will be in the temple of God showing himself to the whole world that he's God and Paul is saying, you remember, I taught you these things, when I was there, excuse me. So when I was there, I told you these things and what is the mystery of lawlessness is already at work and the one who is restraining it is talking about he who now restrains is talking about the God himself and the Holy Spirit and of course there are differing opinions on this and but he's clearly talking about the one who restrains the work of lawlessness and he moves away, steps away or he's taken out of the way and then the lawless one will be revealed whom the Lord will consume with the breath of his mouth. Now the lawless one is in no way is he compared to God or his ability and power is in no way can be compared to God, can be equated with God. So even though he tries to intimidate and et cetera and tries to exalt to the place and position of God no way can he be compared because the Lord will consume with the breath of his mouth. It's like one breath going out and this is it, he will destroy with the brightness of his coming. So darkness has to leave because the Lord himself is the light and he will destroy all works of darkness and the Son of darkness itself. Coming of the lawless one, verse nine says it's according to the working of Satan. Now we need to understand that the lawless one whatever he does is because of the working of Satan is according to the working of Satan. So which means he's empowered by Satan and there will be according to the, you know the word used there again is enagia meaning supernatural works, right? Supernatural works and now the supernatural work is attributed to the devil, okay? It's attributed to Satan saying that it's a supernatural work but it's a work that is empowered by Satan and these are the works with all power, signs and lying wonders, okay? Person is also working out signs and working out one lying wonders. So it's called lying wonders because it's not pointing to the truth. Now when the Holy Spirit works when the Holy Spirit ministers or when he brings about signs and wonders we notice that it's always for the edification of the church that we read in one Corinthians 12, you know? It's for the profit of all. It's for the benefit of all, okay? We also see that the Holy Spirit through whom these gifts and the miracles and everything is done in the life of the believers and out through the believers always exalts the Lord, okay? John chapter 16, it always glorifies Jesus, okay? Now these are lying signs and wonders because it says verse 10 with all unrighteous deception among those who perish because they did not receive the love of the truth that they may be saved, okay? So it's unrighteous, first of all it is not righteous, it is unrighteous deception and it is done among all those who are perishing, okay? Because those who did not receive the love of the truth and to be saved, right? So for this reason, saying that God will send strong delusion, okay? Because something that we see again in Romans one, you see that, let's just turn there for a minute. It says, you know, a verse that is something very talks about, you know, hopelessness. It is saying that if you look at Romans one and verse 20, probably verse 18 onwards, talks about how the wrath of God is revealed against all ungodliness and so on. And it describes the kind of people they were, describes their decisions, their choices. Like in verse 22, it says, professing to be wise they became fools, changing the glory of the incorruptible God into an image. And verse 24, it says, therefore, God also gave them up, okay? It's like God giving them up saying, okay, you're continuing to rebel, continuing to, you know, give yourself to uncleanness and untruth and lies and everything. So it says, God gave them up to uncleanness. And again, verse 26, for this reason, God gave them up to vile passions, right? So it's like verse 28, it says, even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, again, it says, God gave them over. Okay, so it's like God taking his restraining hands, you know, the hands that restrained, protected them. God just, because of the free will, God saying, okay, fine, you want to move out of my protection, you want to go and be in all this, okay. God taking his hands off. It's the same thing that we see here, that for this reason, that God should send them strong delusion that they should believe the lie, okay? So it's like God taking his protective hands off and then there is the works of the enemy working out delusion, meaning, you know, something that is not of truth, right? It's delusional, it's not of reality even, okay? So that they should believe the lie, that they may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure and righteousness. So it comes really at the end of, you know, God really reaching out and, because God is able to save the other most and we know that God, you know, reaches out, draws people and the goodness of God leads people to repentance and so on, but here we see people sinning, rebelling, exchanging the truth for the lie and here we see, you know, Satan working all these lying wonders and signs and God taking his restraining hands off so that they should be strong delusion among them that they would believe the lie and not the truth because they actually wanted to believe the lie and had pleasure and righteousness alone, okay? Verse 13, but we are bound to give thanks to God always for you, okay? While this is happening or this is going to happen in the last days and the end times saying, but we are bound to give thanks to God for you because, beloved by the Lord, because God from the beginning shows you for salvation through sanctification by the spirit and belief in the truth to which he called you by our gospel for the obtaining of the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, brethren, stand fast and hold the traditions which you were taught whether by word or our epistle. Now, may the Lord Jesus Christ himself and our God and Father who has loved us and given us everlasting consolation and good hope by grace, comfort your hearts and establish you in every good word and work, okay? So Paul turns his attention to the believers in Thessalonica and he's saying, but we are bound to give thanks always for you, okay? In other words, he's saying we are obliged. We are obliged. It's our obligation to give thanks to God for you because you are beloved by God. You accepted him as Lord and Savior. You also heeded the gospel message that we shared with you. He's called you by our gospel, he says, and the gospel that we brought to you and for the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, we give thanks to you. This is what has happened, you received Christ. Therefore, stand strong, stand fast and hold those things and hold the traditions that we're taught. So Paul along with the teaching, the scriptures, certain useful things and certain helpful things, traditions that they were taught whether by word or our epistle. Now we see that he also talks about these to the Corinthian church, okay? Sometime later when he talks to the Corinthian church, he talks about these traditions. So some things that were sometimes good and helpful, maybe about the sacraments in the church and so on like the Lord supper and baptism and all those things which were helpful and which is the truth, which had a lot of spiritual significance. So he's saying you hold fast these things that you were taught, either by word meaning as we were there, taught you or by our epistle. We've written to you. So you need to hold fast to these things. Don't let them go, have a strong grip on these things. So hold fast and which is verse 15, okay, verse 15 and 16. So hold fast, stand fast and again it means to be firm and to keep going, okay, to be firm and to keep going no matter what, persevering, okay? Or to keep standing in the truth and not giving up, not letting go, not giving up, okay? So hold on to these things, have a strong grip or take possession of these things, right? Hold fast and hold the traditions. Hold fast to the traditions that you were taught. Verse 16, now may the Lord Jesus Christ himself and our God and Father who has loved us and given us eternal everlasting consolation and good hope by grace. So he has given us everlasting consolation, okay? Everlasting, so never ending, okay? So that's, of course, again, we see it is the work and the ministry of the Holy Spirit, the one who's the comforter, the one who's the counselor, the one who also consoles, right? One who is the help, he's the paraclete also comes alongside to help. So Paul is saying, you know, who has given us everlasting consolation and good hope by grace. May he comfort your hearts and establish you in every good word and work, okay? Comfort your hearts. Again, that word used there is paraclete, which means to come alongside, to put a hand around you and may he console, may he comfort your heart and establish you, right? Establish you, so then the word there, establish means to strengthen. May he strengthen you in every good word, he uses the word logos and work, okay? Every good word and work, every good word and good deed, every good word and labor, okay? May the Lord comfort your heart and establish you and strengthen you in every good word and work, okay? So saying, may the Lord do this, may the Lord strengthen you, may the Lord establish you. Okay, let's go to chapter three. Chapter three is saying, finally, brethren, pray for us that the word of the Lord may run swiftly and be glorified just as it is with you. And that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men for not all have faith, but the Lord is faithful who will establish you and guard you from the evil one. And we have confidence in the Lord concerning you, both that you do and will do the things we command you. Now, may the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God and into the patience of Christ. But we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you withdraw from every brother who walks disorderly and not according to the tradition which he received from us. For you yourselves know how you ought to follow us, for we were not disorderly among you, nor did we eat anyone's bread free of charge, but worked with labor and toil night and day that we might not be a burden to any of you. Not because we do not have authority, but to make ourselves an example of how you should follow us. For even when we were with you, we commanded you this, if anyone will not work, neither shall he eat. For we hear that there are some who walk among you in a disorderly manner, not working at all, but are busy bodies. Now, those who are such, we command and exhort through our Lord Jesus Christ that they work in quietness and eat their own bread. But as for you, brethren, do not grow weary in doing good. And if anyone does not obey our word in this episode, note that person and do not keep company with him that he may be ashamed. Yet do not count him as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother. Now, may the Lord of peace himself give you peace always in every way. The Lord be with you all. The salutation of Paul in my own hand, which is a sign in every episode. So I write, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. So in closing remarks, he gives some instructions. He has some requests. The first one he says is, pray for us, okay? Pray for us. And he says this, right? In Timothy, we read this. And in several other places also, he read this that Paul requests the church to pray for him, pray for the ministry, that there might be a door of opportunity open for them to share the gospel. It's always that, whenever he says, pray for us. It is this here also he says, pray for us. It says that the Lord, the word of the Lord may run swiftly and be glorified. So that is always his request for prayer. That is always his focus. In a way, it's requesting prayers is to do with ministry. In a way, it's requesting somebody to pray. It is to do with this, that the ministry will be good, that the word will be, there will be opportunities that the Lord will give them utterance that he will be able to share effectively the revelations which the Lord had put in his heart. It is always this. So similarly he says, and may the word of the Lord run swiftly and be glorified just as it is with you. The word has come and you have received it and your lives are changed. And that's the way where the word is glorified. And now the people who have received and have their lives changed, they are esteeming the word, right? They are giving respect and honor to the word of God. And so that is the way where the word of God will be glorified. So he's saying, pray that you will do this, that you will minister in this way. A second thing he says, that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men, but not all have faith. So the second thing he's saying about, he's saying pray for opposition. Pray for the kind of persecution that we face, you know, just pray that there will be deliverance, that there will be delivered from unreasonable men and wicked men, not all have faith. So pray, the Lord is faithful, who will establish you and guard you from the evil one. And we have confidence that you will do and will continue to do the things that you do and will continue to do the things that we command you. Okay, so, and then he says, may the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God and the patience of Christ. So two important attributes, two important characteristics. One is the love of God, that is the agape of God, that your hearts may be directed into it, that channeled into it, right? So that you will experience it. And Paul also writes in the earlier episodes also that you may know the length, the depth, height, the width of the love of God. And so that's one of the things that he prays for the church. So here also he's saying that may your hearts be directed into the love of God and into the patience of Christ. Okay. So which is really he's talking about Christlikeness. In other words, he's saying, may you grow in Christlikeness, may you experience Christlikeness, may you grow in Christlikeness. Now this Thessalonian church was already a church which was a bounding in love for one another. That's what we read, both in first Thessalonians and second Thessalonians, they say that their faith, they had faith in God, which was put on display, which was very tangible, very clear. And also their love for one another, right? So because of which, which was just seen in action, right? Which means they might have lived sacrificial lives, they might have been living on a lives of honor where they honor one another, help one another and so on. So that is how they might have seen the love of God in action. So for them also, you know, he's saying, may God direct your hearts into the love of God and the patience of Christ. Okay. Then he wants, verse six, he's warning is changing his tone. He's saying, we want every brother who walks disorderly. Okay, then not according to, according to whatever we've taught, whatever we have delivered, they're walking disorderly, you know, which is a frustrating thing because they continue to be maybe part of the fellowship and they're choosing to fellowship with them. They're choosing to be there in the gathering. But in their daily lives, they are disorderly, right? In their daily lives, there's no devotion to God, there's no discipline, they're walking disorderly. So he's saying, you know, don't come, keep company with such people, right? But he's saying, you know, you admonish that person as a brother, okay? So, you know, we were not disorderly. You know how you ought to conduct. Now, we were not disorderly. You need to understand that. You were not disorderly. Nor did we eat anyone's bread free of charge. It's not like, so Paul is setting some standards in, you know, ministry, saying we, first of all, we did not live disorderly lives. It was discipline. Second of all, you know, we did not camp ourselves in people's houses and, you know, and also made use of their hospitality because they were just giving us food and shelter and all that, we did not do that free of charge. So he's saying, we worked, okay, that is what he says, right? We worked with labor and toil night and day. Okay, so, really, it's a very tough call. It's a very tough decision which Paul, you know, made saying, okay, we are going to work night and day. We're not going to be eating anybody's bread free of charge. Yes, when we minister, he also says, right, the labor is worthy of the wages. So he's aware of that. He's aware of what the Lord taught, the Lord's teaching on that. So he's well aware of that. But in this situation, and even with the Corinthians, you know, we see the similar thing, saying that I'm just going to labor and we're going to work and we're not going to receive anybody's abuse, anybody's hospitality, right? So it was a life which was lived above the approach. Nobody could point any fingers and say, okay, this is what they did. Now they spoke the word in a good way, but then, you know, this is how they lived. Nobody could say that, right? So we did not eat anyone's bread free of charge, but worked with labor and toil night and day that we might not be a burden to any of you. And also he says, not because we do not have authority, but to make ourselves an example of how you should follow us. So really, you know, that is why with all confidence, he could say, imitate me or imitate us. Even as we follow Christ, be imitators of God as dear children. And he says, imitate me, even as I imitate Christ. So he's saying, you know, that we are making ourselves an example. So this is a pattern. We're making ourselves as a pattern that you can follow. Okay, which is quite something, you know, it's a really a decision that he's taking and it's taken and it's a testimony to everyone around. And also it would help distinguish, you know, the false teachers, the false ministers from Paul himself, who's true and authentic, right? So that is one way by which he is setting that pattern, setting that example for others to follow. So it is like a pattern, right? It is some kind of a pattern that they can look at and then say, okay, I want to do the same thing. It's talking about an image, right? Image that you can look at, image that is on display and say, okay, I want to be like that. Even I want to do the same things, right? In my ministry, even though I want to do the same thing. So Paul is raising up leaders, right? Raising up the church, raising up the leaders. And because of which we see that, you know, they would also go share the gospel. They would also teach the word as how he taught them. So he's saying, you know, this is an example of how you should follow us. Okay, for we hear that there are some among you in a disorderly manner. Now he goes on to explain what is this disorderly manner? Okay, they were not working at all. Okay, so when we say work, it's not just, you know, it's not just physical labor or so-called secular work, but also, you know, the work of ministry, right? So they were not working at all. So they were just busy. They were going from place to place. Probably they would just show up at mealtimes in people's houses. Maybe breakfast there in one house, lunch there in the same house, dinner there going to some other house. So they're not working at all. They are busy bodies, he says. And those who are such, we command and exot through our Lord, Jesus Christ. Okay, so two things. Command, a command is to be obeyed. That is why, you know, we issue a command. A command is something that is to be obeyed. And also mixed with encouragement, right? So he's saying exot. It is, when you say exot, it means to call one to one side and encourage. Saying, okay, come, no, let me just talk to you. Let me tell you what needs to be done. So these commanding and exotic, okay? So even in our ministry, you know, we can't have just commands and say, okay, this is what you need to do. Obey or else, there is command. There is also exotation, right? There is the command saying that, hey, this is what, this is the command of the Lord. This is not my words. This is the command of the Lord. Pointing that person to the command of the Lord and say, you better obey. This is the command also to encourage, to exot, right? And say, okay, what is it? Maybe, you know, what is causing you not to obey? Let's talk about that. So let me encourage you to obey this. Let me encourage you to pursue the Lord. Let me encourage you to desire the Lord, right? So that is something that we see here. So command and exot. So what is it that they're commanding and exotting? He's saying, you know, we exot through the Lord Jesus in the sense it's not their own words, but this is also what the Lord would communicate. So through the Lord Jesus as empowered by the Lord, as the Lord would say in our, if you were to stand here. So that they work in quietness and eat their own bread. So he's saying they need to, you know, start working. They cannot be, it's not that they don't have opportunity. It's not that they don't have any ability, but they are simply, you know, not doing it. Okay, they are busy bodies. They are just being, they are just wasting the time and the resources of others, right? So just one second. So he's saying, you know, but as for you, brethren, okay, so this is the exhortation for those who are walking disorderly that they should work, that they should work with their own hands and they should eat their own bread, okay? Which means they should provide for their own needs and not really depend on others all the time. Okay, so he's saying, they should provide for their own. So you say, even if it's ministry, okay? So you're ministering and the Lord has laid out some ways is saying, okay, you live through the, you know, through the support of people, et cetera. So even in that, okay, there is ministry, there is work of ministry or, you know, involved in and, you know, there is something that's coming and you're living out of that, right? So which is good. So he's saying, let them work in quietness and eat their own bread, right? But as for you, brethren, you know, do not grow weary in doing good. Don't get tired of doing the good things. In doing good, do not grow weary, you know? So why would someone grow weary while doing good? Okay, because maybe they're not seeing the results, right? We are continuing to do good and the others are continuing to just, you know, they're not just maybe we look around and we see, look at the world around and we see, okay, they're continuing to do the unrighteous things, right? So Paul is saying, you know, but you don't grow weary because when you look around, yes, there is every possibility that you might grow weary, tired, right? And something that is not physical, but something that is emotional and something that is exhausting that happens in the body, in the mind primarily which affects our body as well, right? So don't grow weary while you're in doing good. So don't stop, do the good thing. If anyone does not obey our word in this episode, note that person and do not keep company with him that he may be ashamed. So here's again, a strong instruction is saying, okay, if they're not obeying this episode, you know, they're coming to the church, they're coming, part of the fellowship, but they're not obeying this episode for whatever reason. Like he's saying, no, do not keep company with that person that they may be ashamed and then that he also says, but don't count them as an enemy, but rather admonish that person as a brother, okay? So don't go to one extreme and say, okay, you did not do this. So therefore, you know, you are an outcast or you're no longer here, welcome here, saying, admonish him as a brother. So correct that person, warn that person, right? Tell the person what they're doing is wrong, but do it as a brother, okay? And then final verses of, you know, greetings and blessings. He's saying, now, may the Lord of peace himself give you peace always in every way, the Lord be with you all, okay? And he's signing the episode with his own hands. So you've noticed that in the start of the episode, you see that Paul and Silas and Timothy are there. And obviously, you know, he might have dictated somebody might have written down, but then he puts his name, he signs his name. So he says, this salutation of Paul with my own hand, we just sign in every episode. And so I write. So he's something that he is writing, you know, and he says, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, be with you all, okay? So with that ends the, this episode. So these are two, well, one is a very small episode. Second, the Sloanians, it's, and like we saw that it was written not too long after the first one was written, it's almost like a follow-up letter and to warn the people, to clear the doubts about the second coming and also some wrong ideas, maybe the second coming has already happened. So he's establishing, you know, the truth to them, to the church and saying these things should happen. And only then will the Lord come. And then the first is already written, you know, this will happen. This is how it will happen. The Lord will come and we who are alive will be caught up and those who are dead in Christ will rise again and all this will happen, right? At the coming of the Lord, the trumpet will sound and the voice of an archangel and all that. So he mentions that. So here again, he is referring to those, to the end and he's saying these things should happen actually about the lawless one and about how he will exalt himself as God. And these things, these are also some things to watch out for. So don't think that the Lord has already come and all this has not happened. So till such time, you know, it's, it doesn't mean till such time, the Lord will not come. So they were obviously troubled, right? So what happened Lord, maybe has come and maybe I'm left behind and, you know, so he's settling them, you know, even if somebody would write in our name, you be firm in your mind. You be firm and don't be shaken, right? And of course we see that in chapter two and chapter three, we see those instructions on how they need to. Stand fast and how there will be lying signs and wonders. Lying signs and wonders by the evil one and among the people who are, you know, those are things to see. You know, it says with all unrighteous deception, among those who perish because they did not see the love of the truth that they might be saved. So these lying signs and wonders, you know, sometimes people think that, okay, it's in the church, you know, look at a genuine signs and wonders and they say, okay, you know, Paul writes about that. These are lying signs and wonders. No, it's very clear saying it's the work of Satan, lying signs and wonders, and it's an unrighteous deception among those who perish, those who have not actually received the Lord, right? So among them are these lying signs and wonders. You know, it's very clear, right? It says, for they did not receive the love of the truth that they might be saved. So among those people are these, is the working of Satan being made manifest lying signs and wonders. And also, you know, they have this delusional thinking because they have rejected the truth and God has actually given them over, right? To such strong delusion, right? And yeah, fine. Right, so with that, we come to the end of, you know, these episodes and the end of the course also. So we'll stop right here. Let me just stop the recording as well.