"Finally, brethren...

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II Thessalonians
Return of Christ
Stan Crowley Church of Christ at Buda/Kyle Buda,
Texas December 1999-February 2000
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II Thessalonians

• Return of Christ
• Lesson 7 Return of Jesus Christ (11-212)
• Lesson 8 Retain Teachings (213-35)
• Lesson 9 Restricted from Disorderly (36-318)

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Lesson 7 Return of Jesus Christ

• Key Questions for Chapter 11-212
• How is a growing faith seen in our lives?
• What does Gods justice imply about persecutions
  and trials?
• What happens if we have doubts about Christs
  return?
• What is the relationship between faith, truth,
  and error?

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How is a growing faith seen in our lives?

• What had Paul prayed for the Thessalonians?
• (1 Th 312 NKJV) And may the Lord make you
  increase and abound in love to one another and to
  all, just as we do to you,
• Had that prayer been answered?
• (2 Th 13 NKJV) We are bound to thank God
  always for you, brethren, as it is fitting,
  because your faith grows exceedingly, and the
  love of every one of you all abounds toward each
  other,
• (2 Th 14 NKJV) so that we ourselves boast of
  you among the churches of God

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How is a growing faith seen in our lives?Contd

• What was evidence of the growth of their faith?
• (2 Th 14 NKJV) so that we ourselves boast of
  you among the churches of God for your patience
  perseverance, NASB and faith in all your
  persecutions and tribulations afflictions, NASB
  that you endure,

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What does Gods justice imply about persecutions
and trials?

• What does the faithful enduring of sufferings
  prove
• About those who cause the suffering?
• About those who persevere through suffering?
• (Phil 127 NASB) Only conduct yourselves in a
  manner worthy of the gospel of Christ standing
  firm in one spirit, with one mind striving
  together for the faith of the gospel
• (Phil 128 NASB) in no way alarmed by your
  opponents-- which is a sign of destruction for
  them, but of salvation for you, and that too,
  from God.
• (Phil 129 NASB) For to you it has been granted
  for Christ's sake, not only to believe in Him,
  but also to suffer for His sake,

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What does Gods justice imply about persecutions
and trials?Contd

• What did the faithful endurance of the
  Thessalonians demonstrate about God?
• (2 Th 14 NKJV) your patience perseverance,
  NASB and faith in all your persecutions and
  tribulations afflictions, NASB that you endure,
• (2 Th 15 NKJV) which is manifest evidence of
  the righteous judgment of God, that you may be
  counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which
  you also suffer
• Hint Recall the purpose of Jobs afflictions.

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What does Gods justice imply about persecutions
and trials?Contd

• What does Gods justice imply about different
  futures for the afflicted and the afflicter?
• (2 Th 16 NKJV) since it is a righteous thing
  with God to repay with tribulation those who
  trouble you,
• (2 Th 17 NKJV) and to give you who are
  troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus is
  revealed from heaven with His mighty angels,
• Would universal salvation be consistent with the
  justice of God?

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What does Gods justice imply about persecutions
and trials?Contd

• What is the future of the disobedient?
• (2 Th 16 NKJV) since it is a righteous thing
  with God to repay with tribulation those who
  trouble you,
• (2 Th 17 NKJV) and to give you who are
  troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus is
  revealed from heaven with His mighty angels,
• (2 Th 18 NKJV) in flaming fire taking
  vengeance on those who do not know God, and on
  those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord
  Jesus Christ.
• (2 Th 19 NKJV) These shall be punished with
  everlasting destruction from the presence of the
  Lord and from the glory of His power,

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What does Gods justice imply about persecutions
and trials?Contd

• What does this passage imply about the doctrine
  of annihilation (that the evil cease to exist
  at death)?
• (2 Th 16 NKJV) since it is a righteous thing
  with God to repay with tribulation those who
  trouble you,
• (2 Th 19 NKJV) These shall be punished with
  everlasting destruction from the presence of the
  Lord and from the glory of His power,

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What does Gods justice imply about persecutions
and trials?Contd

• What will be the future of the righteous?
• (2 Th 16 NKJV) since it is a righteous thing
  with God to repay with tribulation those who
  trouble you,
• (2 Th 17 NKJV) and to give you who are
  troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus is
  revealed from heaven with His mighty angels,

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What does Gods justice imply about persecutions
and trials?Contd

• When will the reward and punishment begin?
• (2 Th 16-7 NKJV) since it is a righteous thing
  with God to repay with tribulation those who
  trouble you, and to give you who are troubled
  rest with us when the Lord Jesus is revealed from
  heaven with His mighty angels,
• (2 Th 19-10 NKJV) These shall be punished with
  everlasting destruction from the presence of the
  Lord and from the glory of His power, when He
  comes, in that Day, to be glorified in His saints
  and to be admired among all those who believe .
• (John 528-29 NKJV) ... for the hour is coming
  in which all who are in the graves will hear His
  voice and come forth those who have done good,
  to the resurrection of life, and those who have
  done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation.

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What happens if we have doubts about Christs
return?

• What happens when we receive conflicting
  information?
• (2 Th 21-2 NKJV) Now, brethren, concerning the
  coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering
  together to Him, we ask you, not to be soon
  shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or
  by word or by letter, as if from us, as though
  the day of Christ had come.
• Recall the connection between knowledge and
  hope.
• Were Pauls epistles identifiable?
• (2 Th 317 NKJV) The salutation of Paul with my
  own hand, which is a sign in every epistle so I
  write.

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What happens if we have doubts about Christs
return?Contd

• About what important topic had the Thessalonians
  received conflicting reports?
• (2 Th 21 NKJV) Now, brethren, concerning the
  coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering
  together to Him, we ask you,
• (2 Th 22 NKJV) not to be soon shaken in mind
  or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by
  letter, as if from us, as though the day of
  Christ had come.
• What should be accepted as authoritative?
• (2 Th 25 NKJV) Do you not remember that when I
  was still with you I told you these things?

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What happens if we have doubts about Christs
return?Contd

• (2 Th 22 NKJV) not to be soon shaken in mind
  or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by
  letter, as if from us, as though the day of
  Christ had come.
• (2 Th 23 NKJV) Let no one deceive you by any
  means for that Day will not come unless the
  falling away comes first, and the man of sin is
  revealed, the son of perdition,
• How could the Thessalonians know that the Second
  Coming of Christ had not occurred?
• There must first be the falling away.
• There must first be the revealing of the man of
  sin, the son of perdition.

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What happens if we have doubts about Christs
return?Contd

• (2 Th 25 NASB) Do you not remember that while
  I was still with you, I was telling you these
  things?
• (2 Th 26 NASB) And you know what restrains him
  man of lawlessness, sjc now, so that in his
  time he may be revealed.
• (2 Th 27 NASB) For the mystery of lawlessness
  is already at work only he He, NKJV who now
  restrains will do so until he He, NKJV is taken
  out of the way.
• Why did Paul give details about the events that
  must occur before the Second Coming of Christ?
• These specific events were mentioned to convince
  the Thessalonians that Christ had not come again.
• These specific events would be familiar to them.
• They knew who was currently preventing the
  completion of the events.
• They could see the preliminary events occurring.

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What is the relationship between faith, truth,
and error?

• Is there an inconsistency between the existence
  of apparently conflicting information and Gods
  expectation that we have faith?
• (2 Th 210 NASB) and with all the deception of
  wickedness for those who perish, because they did
  not receive the love of the truth so as to be
  saved.
• (2 Th 211 NASB) And for this reason God will
  send upon them a deluding influence so that they
  might believe what is false,
• (2 Th 212 NASB) in order that they all may be
  judged who did not believe the truth, but took
  pleasure in wickedness.

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What to Remember

• From Chapter 11-212
• A growing faith is one that is progressively able
  to faithfully persevere in Christian doctrine and
  service, even in the face of trials and
  afflictions.
• By the very nature of justice, as defined by God,
  we see that future reward and punishment are
  necessary because of the different experiences
  people have in this life.
• People who make us doubt shake our hope this is
  true about Christs return and our own
  resurrection.
• A person reaches conclusions (has faith or doubt)
  based on both the knowledge available and his
  attitude toward that knowledge (his heart).