Some of the Thessalonians had succumbed to a teaching that Christ had already come and so the second chapter of 2 Thessalonians refutes this false teaching. Paul seems somewhat surprised by their lack of discernment over doctrines he had already taught them (vs. 5). Paul explained that the second coming of Christ ("
day of the Lord" - vs. 2) will be preceded by two events: a widespread rebellion presumably against God by humanity and the appearance of the Antichrist
("the man of lawlessness" - vs. 3), who will personify hostility to God and his revelation. Unfortunately, the Antichrist will be able to deceive many people because "the
coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders" (vs. 9) and because people "
refused to love the truth and so be saved" (vs. 10). When people refuse to love truth, then God allows them to become delusional and they believe what is false. It is as if they bury their head in the sand to keep from hearing and acknowledging the truth. Paul says the satanic activity of deception is a mysterious force, in fact, already at work in this world but is being restrained until the time when it is fully revealed prior to the second coming of Christ. Living in a world filled with deceptions requires discernment. You can't have too much discernment and you develop discernment be learning the truth through Bible study, prayer, meditation, and through the preaching and teaching of God's Word. Avoid becoming delusional by loving the truth of God and His salvation and developing discernment.
