II Thessalonians 2:13-3:18

II Thessalonians 2:1-12 – Review. See Romans 1:24, 26, 28. God does not miraculously intervene to keep us from sinning. What then should we do? See II Thessalonians 2:15. Hold fast to what we’ve been taught!

II Thessalonians 2:13-17

• Calvinists would say that v13 shows that God made the choice and they were sanctified miraculously by the Spirit. See Acts 10:34-35. God decided on the criteria for salvation, not on individual people that would be saved.

• The “sanctification by the Spirit” may not necessarily be miraculous. Compare Revelation 1:11; 2:7. The terms “Spirit” or “Holy Spirit” were often interchanged with the inspired words or messengers God used. Compare II Thessalonians 2:14-15; I Thessalonians 2:13; Acts 17:1-4. God doesn’t make people Christians – He gives them free will and they choose to respond to the truth God set before them.

II Thessalonians 3:1-5 – Prayers were requested for the spread of the gospel and rescue from perverse and evil men. See Philippians 1:22. Do we pray for God’s word to spread?

II Thessalonians 3:6 – See I Corinthians 5:9-13. Christians cannot associate with those who have turned their back on God.

II Thessalonians 3:7-12 – There was a particular problem of idleness, possibly because they thought the end of the world was imminent. Paul was trying to be a good example to them by working to support himself.

II Thessalonians 3:13-15 – Unruly brothers must be disciplined. It is not easy, but it is necessary to try to bring them back to God. This discipline must come out of love!

II Thessalonians 3:16-18 – Paul prayed for them to have peace with God.