Don’t Let Your Minds Be Shaken
2 Thessalonians 2:1 Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him,
2 Thessalonians 2:2 That ye be not soon shake in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand.
2 Thessalonians 2:3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;
We should know where we are in the program of God. Remember there are two programs in the Bible:
Prophecy Program – Acts 3:21
Mystery Program – Romans 16:25
What happens when believers get shaken in their minds by false doctrine?
1. The assembly had faced a doctrinal problem
2:1 – 2 These believers were attacked with false doctrine
The false teachers had given a false definition to the day of Christ
How did they do this? By taking the day of Christ and Identifying it with the day of the Lord (Prophecy)
2. The assembly had become agitated
2:2 “shaken in mind,” – disturbed – tossed to and fro in their thinking
2:2 “or be troubled,” – disturbed by the circumstances going on around them.
2:2 “neither by spirit,” – talking about a preacher – False teachers teaching false doctrine
2:2 “nor by word,” – the message – the content of what is being taught (The doctrine)
3. The assembly was in a state of not thinking clearly
2:2 “nor by letter as from us,” – Somebody sent a letter saying it came from Paul
These false teachers took “the day of Christ” and contradicted what Paul said
How did they do it? By taking “the day of Christ” and saying in 2:3 “for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;
2:3 “that day” – Is in prophecy. “that day” is called “the day of the Lord”.
The false teachers mixed the Prophecy Program with the Mystery Program. The Bible clearly states that these two programs are different
4. The assembly was not discerning what program they were in
To see or understand the difference – to make distinction – to discern between good and evil – between truth and falsehood
2 Thessalonians 2:3 “Let not man deceive you by any means:”
“deceive” – to believe something that is not true
Has the rapture taken place? NO – 1 Thessalonians 4:16 – 17
The day of Christ is something that is encouraging, hope building, and to be rejoicing in.
Conclusion: I encourage you as a believer to read, study the word rightly divided, and to know where you are in the program of God. It’s encouraging to know that the Body of Christ is in the Mystery Program, and to know that we are not part of the Prophecy Program.