_Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ._ THE COMING OF CHRIST I. The nature of it. Christ came. He comes. He is to come. 1. He came in the flesh. The long line of predictions from Adam to Malachi were accomplished at last, after long delay and anxious expectation.... [ Continue Reading ]
_That ye be not soon shaken in mind _ A FIRM ANCHORAGE There lies a maritime figure in the word “shaken. ” Wordsworth well paraphrases it. “In order that you may not soon be shaken off from the anchorage of your firmly settled mind, and be drifted about by winds of false doctrine, as a ship in yo... [ Continue Reading ]
_Let no man deceive you by any means; for that day shall not come except there come a falling away first _ CHRIST AND ANTICHRIST The most marked Features in this passage are-- I. A caricature of Christ; an exact counterpart and mockery of Christ in the man of sin. The latter has, like the former-... [ Continue Reading ]
_Who opposeth and exalteth Himself above all that is called God?_ ANTICHRIST I. As opposite to Christ. Christ is the true Head and Lord of the Church (Acts 10:36). That which is most remarkable in Christ, and should be in all His followers, is humility (Matthew 20:28); 2 Corinthians 8:9). This is t... [ Continue Reading ]
_And now ye know what withholdeth _ THE RESTRAINING POWER AND ITS WITHDRAWAL I. What is this restraining power? 1. The explanation, now so difficult, was no difficulty to the Thessalonians. They knew what it was; and the Church of the first three centuries said without hesitation that it was the... [ Continue Reading ]
_For the mystery of iniquity doth already work _ LAWLESSNESS AND THE LAWLESS ONE St. Paul has been telling the Thessalonians that there is much to be done in the world before things will be ripe for the Advent of our Lord Jesus Christ. This was the caution needed by the Church in those times; for,... [ Continue Reading ]