2 THESSALONIANS 2:1-12

STUDY ON THE WRITINGS OF PAUL

Bible Study Questions

Date: Friday, May 23, 2025

MAIN TEXT: 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12

1 Concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to him, we ask you, brothers and sisters, 2 not to become easily unsettled or alarmed by the teaching allegedly from us—whether by a prophecy or by word of mouth or by letter—asserting that the day of the Lord has already come. 3 Don’t let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction. 4 He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God’s temple, proclaiming himself to be God.

5 Don’t you remember that when I was with you I used to tell you these things? 6 And now you know what is holding him back, so that he may be revealed at the proper time. 7 For the secret power of lawlessness is already at work; but the one who now holds it back will continue to do so till he is taken out of the way. 8 And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will overthrow with the breath of his mouth and destroy by the splendor of his coming. 9 The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with how Satan works. He will use all sorts of displays of power through signs and wonders that serve the lie, 10 and all the ways that wickedness deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. 11 For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie 12 and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

1. What is Paul’s advice or admonition to the church regarding the coming of the Lord and being gathered to him?

2. According to Paul in verse 3, what has to happen first before the coming of the Day of the Lord? How does Paul describe the man of lawlessness? 

3. What will this man of lawlessness oppose? What will he do as he sets himself up in God’s temple?

4. As Paul reminds the church what he told them when he was with them before, what do you think holding the man of lawlessness back and for what reason is this man being held back?

5. What is already at work and who holds back his secret power and until when? How will the Lord Jesus overthrow and destroy the lawless one?

6. How does the coming of the lawless one compare with the works of Satan?

7. In verse 10, how do those who are perishing be deceived?

8. What does God send that they begin to believe the lie and what will the consequence be?

9.  Since the man of lawlessness is no other than the anti-Christ, as Christians, how do we protect ourselves from believing the lies he spreads?

10. Do you believe that the anti-Christ is now living among us and just waiting to be revealed? Explain your answer.