Word and Spirit

Paul refers to the Apostasy and the Man of Lawlessness who is the Son of Destruction (2Thess 2:3).  The definite articles give a unique specificity to his expectation.  These are not vague, undefined expressions of wickedness.  One might say they are summations of it.  All the strands of earthly evil can be gathered up and bound together in what seems to be an ultimate expression of sin.  Something or someone restrains it for now (2Thess 2:6), but when that restraint is removed, all the forces of hell will break loose (2Thess 2:7-8).  Yet Jesus reigns supreme.  He will simply slay this devil with the breath of His mouth.  Sadly, those who are perishing will be deceived by the accompanying false signs and wonders primarily because they refused to love the truth and had pleasure in unrighteousness (2Thess 2:10, 12).  How different were the believing Thessalonians!  Paul identifies them as the godly antithesis since they were being saved through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth (2Thess 2:13).  Those perishing hate the truth while believers love it.  Those perishing delight in unrighteousness while believers turn away from it.  Those glorious means by which the salvation accomplished by Christ was applied to believers were God’s word and Spirit.  Nothing less could rescue weak lambs from the mighty jaws of wickedness and corruption, or the mystery of lawlessness.  Why mysterious?  Partly because of its insidious and deceitful nature.  We are no match for it.  But thanks be to God!  His Word shall accomplish His purpose and succeed in the thing for which He sends it (Isa 55:11) and His Spirit can and will sanctify with invincible power.  While our enemies are formidable, our temptations strong and our flesh weak, we have no reason to fear.  The Lord Jesus cannot be denied His offspring (Isa 53:10) whom He will certainly deliver from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, to whom be the glory forever and ever.  Amen  (Gal 1:4-5).