The Second Coming Of Christ Series

The doctrine of the second coming of Christ is one on which all

true Christians agree as to its reality, but one on which they disagree

on many other points. One of the causes for much confusion is the

fact that we are seldom content with reading the Bible from the

historical point of view. That is, we so seldom make a conscious

effort to see the letters of Paul as written to specific people under

specific circumstances, and for the purpose of conveying specific

information. It is my conviction that we can never rightly

understand the Bible until we study it historically, and that means

that we determine just what the author was conveying to the

original readers.

Any conclusions drawn apart from this consideration are

usually pre-conceived ideas read into the text. I have read dozens of

books on the second coming which prove all kinds of things by

simply ignoring the text and bringing in all kinds of passages from

the prophets to the book of Revelation to support their views. The

result is that each position links together a series of unrelated texts

arranged just to prove their point. Because there are so many

varied passages all through Scripture each view can compile a list

that, when woven together cleverly, will prove there's to be the most

biblical. The cults, of course, do the same thing. The end result is

that a person is convinced of any position he happens to read

because each of them is very convincing, and each has biblical basis

when the text are arranged to fit a system.

We all have preconceived ideas about certain systems of

interpretation, but none of these will be of much hindrance if we

study just the Bible text in front of us as of independent value. That

is we must first of all determine just what an author is saying in his

letter, and only then refer to other Scripture to support it. If we

treat Paul's letter just as a letter should be treated, and take it

without commentary and cross references, and seek to understand it

as he meant it for the persons to whom he wrote it, then we can go to

other texts for commentary. It must be considered as a distinct

message in itself, and not as a jumping off place to go roaming all

over Scripture for proof texts. By this method of roaming all over

the Bible can be made to teach anything, but when you stick strictly

to the text at hand, you are compelled to face its message, and any

false interpretation can be easily spotted.

We want to begin a study of II Thessalonians in a verse by verse

method, for not only will this help us to stay on the subject of the

text, but it will enable us to keep a closer check on our reasoning and

conclusions. Since I also have a bias, it is your obligation to follow

closely and correct that which you can see does not fit the text. The

first two verses are introduction, and they are the same as in the

first Epistle, and so we will skip them and go right to verse 3.

In verse 3 Paul expresses how grateful he is to God for their

spiritual growth. Their faith is growing, and that indicates they are

becoming stronger as individuals, and their love for one another is

growing and so they are becoming stronger as a body. In verse 4 he

says that because of this he boasts of them in other churches. They

are used by Paul as examples of how believers ought to grow, even in

the midst of trial. This was good psychology on the part of Paul,

because if they know he is boasting of them, they will be more

determined to go on enduring and not give up, which they might do

if they thought no one cared anyway.

Paul makes it clear that these Christians were going through

persecution and tribulation, but he also makes it clear that they

were standing fast, and were not wavering in faith. This is

important background to know about these Christians. He is not

writing to those at ease in Zion, or to those who live as we do with

little to fear by standing for Christ. They were suffering for Christ.

There was no promise to them of escape from trials, for they were

already in them, and they were to go through the persecution of

Nero. If Paul knew anything about the supposed rapture of the

church out of the world before tribulation, he kept it to himself, and

for good reason, for it would be of small comfort to the early

Christians who had to go through 10 waves of horrible persecution