The optimist says the world is everyday in every way getting
better and better. The pessimist says the world isn’t what it used to
be, but is going to the dogs. The Christian realist says they are both
right, because there are two kingdoms of reality. There is the world
order, or that realm in which sin and rebellion reign. There is the
kingdom of God, or the realm in which Christ reigns. Both will exist
side by side in conflict until the end. The Christian, as a realist, must
be both an optimist and a pessimist if he accepts the whole picture of
reality painted for us by Scripture. If the Christian refers to the
world as it is outside of Christ, then he has no choice but to be
pessimistic. The Bible clearly says that it will pass away and end in
destruction. There is no basis for optimism about the world. But we
must not have our vision so limited by the world order that we
cannot see the hand of God working in history.
We must open our spiritual eyes and recognize that there are
thousands of victories being won everyday around the world. We
are referring to the victories of light over darkness. The Christian
must balance his pessimism concerning the world with his optimism
concerning the kingdom of God. If he does not, he will not be an
effective servant of Christ. Paul shows us the balance between the
two in this passage. He paints a picture of the end time, and the final
revelation of the man of sin. The whole thing will end in every
rejecter of truth being condemned. Paul was certainly no
universalist. He knew that many would be finally lost. On the other
hand, as soon as he finished this awful picture he begins to sing a
song of thanksgiving in verse 13, because he is aware of another
whole realm of reality. He is aware that God has a plan of salvation,
and that there will be many elect, and this includes the
Thessalonians, who will not be a part of that awful picture he has
just painted.
We need to keep this dual vision before us-a lost and damned
world, an yet a glorious saved kingdom of God. Optimism is
essential to motivate us to win as many out of the world into the
kingdom before the day of judgment comes. Pessimism alone is a
pagan characteristic, for even they can see the signs of doom. The
following inscription was found on a Chaldean tablet in the Mosque
of St. Sophia in Constantinople. It was written 200 years before
Abraham, but it sounds like a modern prophet on the signs of the
times. It reads, “The times in which we live are decadent. It is
evident we are approaching the end of the age. Everyone has
disregarded the law. Children no longer obey their parents.
Everyone is eager to write a book.” Such statements can be found in
almost every age because every age is peopled by the sinful. The
world has also always had its men of sin, which means men of power
and leadership who are opposed to the will of God. They make life
on earth more miserable than it would naturally be. None has
fulfilled the picture that Paul paints for us in this passage, and so we
still await the coming of the anti-Christ.
In verse 11 Paul says the strong delusion that God sends upon
the world in that day will be for a very definite purpose with a
definite cause. The cause is in verse 10. It is because they received
not the love of the truth that they might be saved. The day of
judgment is a day to be feared by all who have not responded to the
truth, for before that day they will be led into a delusion that will seal
their doom. God permits Satan freedom to work in order to
accomplish His own purpose in causing evil men to condemn
themselves. Put a piece of cheese in a dangerous spot such as a trap,
and let the mouse’s nature do the rest. So God sends His bait into the
world, which is the deluding power of Satan, and lets the rebel
sinners follow their hero into judgment. They refused God’s truth,
and would not bow to Him, and so He makes sure they bow to the
one they adore that they might join him in his destruction.
History will end with a final demonstration of the folly of sin
and rebellion against God. It is of interest to note that God fully
cooperates with Satan in his plan, or, rather, God makes Satan
cooperate with Him. God permits Satan to do his best, but then He
also helps out by sending a spirit of delusion into the world. This
may be the same thing as permitting Satan free reign, but it could
indicate also that even Satan could not dupe all sinners without help
from God. Some of them would not swallow his line, or be dazzled
by his show of miracles, and so God makes sure all will be involved
by sending strong delusion. The sovereignty of God runs through
this passage, for without God even Satan could not be total success in
deceiving the whole world of the unregenerate.
In verse 12 the reason for God’s making sure of Satan’s success
is stated: That all might be damned who believe not the truth, but
had pleasure in unrighteousness. We speak much of God’s plan of
salvation, but here we see God’s plan of damnation. This is
conclusive evidence to support my conviction that Paul is describing
the final days before the day of judgment. If it was any other period
of history, it would contradict all that Scripture says about God not
willing that any should perish. But if we see it as the very end of
history when the day of grace is over, then it is no problem at all to
think of God as directly involved in a plan a damnation. It would be
inconsistent to conceive of God planning and working out the
damnation of sinners at the same time as he has the church trying to
fulfill the Great Commission of taking the Gospel to all the world. It
is only when this is accomplished that it can be reasonable to
conceive of God working on a plan of destruction. Just before the
end it makes sense to let Satan loose to deceive the world of rebels,
and lead them into the ultimate of folly and damnation, but at any
other time it makes no sense at all.
To me it is necessary to see ourselves standing in the same
relationship to this passage a the Thessalonians. It applies to all
Christians throughout history. For it is ahead for all of them, which
includes the last Christians on earth. Paul says that they all might be
damned who believe not the truth. The all must be taken literally or
it is meaningless. All does not always mean all in the Bible, but here
it is obvious that it must mean all. All unbelievers will be deceived by
the man of sin. Such a universal deception has never taken place.
There have been many anti-Christ persons, but never have they
succeeded in deceiving all believers. No infidel ruler has ever had the
loyalty of all non-Christians. That is why I say that Christians will
know when the man of lawlessness is revealed, for the whole non-
Christian world will be deceived by him. Such a universal
deception can hardly take place unnoticed.
Paul thought of the world as one. Rome was an universal
power, and Paul thought of all people’s of the world of his day. We
must think of the whole world as we know it in applying Paul’s
words. When anti-Christ comes he will not deceive just the people in
the area of the Roman Empire, but of the whole world as we know it.
God’s judgment will not be local, but universal. Therefore, it is
inconceivable to me that any Christian could live at this period of
history and not recognize the man of sin. He will deceive every
person who is not of the elect. That means that the elect alone will
not give allegiance to the man of sin. All who believe will not be
deceived. The implication of these verses leaves no doubt in my mind
that every believer alive in the last days will know who the man of sin
is. It is easier to believe that they will be gone at this time than to
believe that they could be here and not know. Since all the evidence
is opposed to their being gone, it follows that Christians will be here
and will know.
In verse 13 Paul, having finished his picture of the judgment
ahead for the lost, goes on to express his optimism concerning the
Thessalonians. They were not going to be a part of that tragic
deception, for they had received the love of the truth, and Paul is
grateful. Paul is so thankful for them because they are beloved of the
Lord and will escape the judgment. The Father planned their
salvation, the Son purchased it and the Holy Spirit will bring it to
perfection. Our hope is always in the sovereign God and His plan,
and not in any man-made plan of escape. If the Lord wills that we
escape we will, but Paul does not mention any plan. His focus is on
the election of God and the present work of the Holy Spirit in them to
bring them to sanctification. Those who are sanctified and believed
the truth have all that is necessary to be free from the strong delusion
of the days of the man of sin.
For me this means that all I have to do is be assured of my
salvation in Christ, and that the Spirit is working in me to sanctify
me. I then need not fear Satan’s worst, for I can be secure no matter
what he does. In verse 14 Paul states God’s work of calling, and then
in verse 15 challenges them to stand fast to the truth they were
taught. This is typical of Paul’s attitude. There is nothing to fear,
for God is in control, and He will keep you, but hold on and never let
go as if everything depended on your own faithfulness. Paul ends the
chapter with prayer that they be comforted and established in word
and work. All of this chapter was for the purpose of calming and
comforting them in order to make them stable, and ready for
whatever comes in the day of judgment.
