2 Thessalonians 2:13-17: “Stand Firm”

October 5, 2008

 

In the first part of 2 Thessalonians 2, Paul told the Thessalonian church, which was already being persecuted, that the greatest period of persecution against Christians in history was still to come. He told them an individual, the “man of lawlessness,” would bring about unprecedented evils and God Himself would allow those who cannot comprehend the truth about this Antichrist to continue in their ignorance. Paul told the Thessalonians if they were alive when this evil man came to power, they would not escape this time of trouble. Since the events Paul outlined have not yet happened, it remains possible we may experience them in our lifetime.

 

That makes the advice Paul gave the Thessalonians advice we need to follow today when we face adversity or persecution. Paul’s words to the Thessalonians constitute a universal principle. They are valid for anyone facing adversity. They are just as valid whatever problems being faced. Listen to Paul’s words:

 

“But we ought always to thank God for you, brothers loved by the Lord, because from the beginning God chose you to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth. He called you to this through our gospel that you might share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the teachings we passed on to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter.

May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word” (2 Thessalonians 2:13-17).

 

In these verses Paul advises us (1) to rise above life’s problems by considering how glorious our salvation experience truly is; (2) to stand firm in our salvation; and (3) to hold to the great teachings of historic Christianity.

 

Paul says the Christian life begins with the work God does in calling us to salvation. Then the Holy Spirit working in our lives enables us to learn more and more about the life changes that follow our salvation experience.  By studying the Scriptures and obeying the leading of the Holy Spirit in the events of our lives, we move forward in the process of sanctification. Whether we are alive or already in heaven with Jesus, Paul promises we will share in the glorious revelation of Jesus as the Messiah, Lord, and King on the day when he comes to earth to set up His kingdom. His glory will be our glory because we have shared in the work of bringing His kingdom to earth. The opportunity to share in this glory is one very good reason to rise above the everyday problems we encounter in this world.  Whether it is actual persecution or the various temptations common to all, knowing what awaits us when Jesus comes again and the daily experience of the presence of the Holy Spirit should give us the confidence and power we need to live a victorious life.

 

This mental confidence and resulting strength combined with the power of the Holy Spirit are all we need to stand firm in our salvation.  Standing firm is the part of the work Christ has delegated to us.  He tells us what to do; we are to obey Him.  He gives us the power through the Holy Spirit so we can obey Him; we have to let Him do His work through us trusting Him to know what He is doing and to bring about the right results. Fighting evil is God’s job; our job is standing firm. Standing firm means putting on our Spiritual armor and showing up for the battle.  It means being firm in our resolve not to turn and run from the battle.  It means not compromising.  It means always being available and ready to obey whatever orders we are issued.

 

These orders require us to hold onto the great teachings of historic Christianity. “The Christian tradition, in all its variety, is rooted in the historical Jesus, in his redemptive work and in the way of life set out in his teaching, but as these are made good to one generation after another by the risen Lord through his Spirit, the Christian tradition remains alive and dynamic” (Word Biblical Commentary #45: 1 & 2 Thessalonians, by F.F. Bruce, Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1982, p. 194). This means the gospel message must never change. Jesus really was born of Mary and no human union. He did come to earth, live a sinless life, die a substitutionary death for us on the cross of Calvary, rise from the dead, and ascend into heaven. Anyone who teaches something different does not deserve your time. But it also means Jesus through the Holy Spirit continues to speak to Christians living today.  While we must always examine any “words” we believe come from God against the written words of our accepted Scriptures, we cannot allow anyone to deny God still speaks to men, women, and children who are then required to obey any words coming from God. A living, dynamic Word laid against a collection of writings is the proper understanding of tradition.  Paul’s use of the word “tradition” has nothing to do with the details of the sanctuary or any building.  It has nothing to do with any form of church government. It has only to do with the gospel message that continues to change lives.

 

Paul does not feel sorry for himself or the Thessalonians because they were persecuted.  He acknowledges the reality of their problem, but chooses instead to focus on the final results: they will be with Jesus when he overthrows the Antichrist and his lord “with the breath of his mouth…and the splendor of his coming” (2 Thessalonians 2:8). Paul also gives us a formula for successful living, for overcoming the problems of this world. The apostle John, in context speaking about the spirit of the antichrist being in the world, says this in his epistle: “You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world” (1 John 4:4).

 

This morning, as we celebrate communion with our brothers and sisters around the world, many of who are actually experiencing full-blown persecution, these are the words of victory we need to remember.  We need (1) to rise above life’s problems making good the gift of our salvation; (2) and then to stand firm in our salvation; (3) as we hold onto the great teachings of historic Christianity. We can do this because the Spirit within us is greater than any other spirit in this world.