True Love of What is Truly Worthy of Love

Normal Christianity in Extreme Times – 2 Thessalonians Series – Part 6

Loving Jesus, Loving the Truth

(2 Thessalonians 2:9-12, Preaching: Pastor Stephen Magee, February 2, 2014)

[9] The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan

Before the return of the Lord, there will be an overwhelming apostasy in the church. “Apostasy” is a word we use to describe a moral and doctrinal falling away from what is true. There has been apostasy in the church since the first century. But at the end it will be very notable. That future rebellion will be connected with the coming of a central figure of evil that Paul refers to with the title, “the lawless one.” The lawless one comes by the activity of Satan himself. During the gospel era, there is a restraint upon Satan, and therefore upon the revealing of the lawless one. At just the right time in God's perfect plan, the restraint will be removed, and then the lawless one will come, and he will be utterly defeated by our returning King.

with all power and false signs and wonders, [10] and with all wicked deception

When the lawless one comes, Paul tells the church in Thessalonica, he will look like a Savior to many, “with all power and false signs and wonders.” The wicked one, Satan, has wicked purposes. When his agent, the lawless one, works false signs and wonders, he does so with wicked intentions. Therefore, his activities are rightly called “a wicked deception.”

for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. [11] Therefore God sends them a strong delusion, so that they may believe what is false, [12] in order that all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

This Satanic deception only works on those who are perishing. Those who have been saved have joined the community of salvation by loving the truth of the true Savior. When the end comes, that which an evil one meant for evil, the Lord God Almighty will mean for good. (This also happened with the cross.) Satan will do his wicked deception, but the Lord will hand a world that would not love the truth over to the lie that they preferred. This will be good, because it will be the just sentence of God against all who took pleasure in unrighteousness,

Put the Word to Work: We need to do more than tolerate the truth in order to avoid the tug of a wicked deception from the evil one. We must love the truth. The Lord is calling all the nations of the earth to turn to Him and to earnestly seek His face. Loving Jesus and loving the Word that He has given us is not some strange aberration. It is normal Christianity, and it will be very necessary for the church in that period prior to the coming of the Lord.

Singing Psalm 27:7-8 from Trinity Psalter

Lord, hear me when I cry! / O answer me in grace! / Each time I hear You say, / “Enquire and seek My face,” / My heart in glad response will speak, / “Your face, O Lord, I'll always seek.”

A Second Thessalonians Hymn – Verse 6 (Louisville, SM)

Lord God, we love the truth.

Keep us in Your embrace.

We will not love unrighteousness.

O answer us in grace—

O answer us in grace.