THE K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S
80 (h im ) to naugh t by th e m anifestation of His com ing” (cf. Rev. 1 9 .20 , 20. 10 ). Here we see th e Saviour become th e destroyer. I t is as th e Saviour o ms people7 th a t He destroys, th e ir ene mies (cf. ch. 1 :5 -20 ). He is so much m igh tier th a n the anti-Christ th a t the m ere “ b reath of H is mouth and mani festation of H is coming” 18 e™ugh to destroy him. The coming of the anti C h rist is according to th e S atan,” i. e„ Satan works m him and m anifests his power m him . As Christ was an incarnation of God, so th e a n t Christ will be an incarnation of Satam Because of th is working of Satan in him , th e coming of the anti-Christ will be “w ith (or, in) all power and signs and lying wonders (wonders of false h o o d )” (cf. Matt. 24:24; Deut 13 1, 3 5- Rev 13:2-4, 11, 15, 19.¿V). M iracles real or pretended, do not prove th a t the one who perform s them ta a teacher of th e tru th . The m iracles may he of Satanic origin. The coming of “ th e lawless one” will also he w ith (ra th e r, in) all deceit of unrighteous n e s s ’’ i. e., w ith every form of decep tio n ’ th a t unrighteousness can suggest. This deception will he “ for them th a t nerish ” The reason why they are per ish ing ’is “ because they received no t the love of th e tru th .” The end of receiv ing th e love of th e tru th is salvation, th erefo re th e ir no t receiving the love of tru th “ th a t (to th e end th a t) they m ight he saved,” - was, and for this oarise (i. e„ because they received not th e love of th e tru th ) God sendeth them a working of erro r, th a t they should believe a lie.” These are very solemn words, they teach us th a t God Sives . every man w hat he chooses; if he chooses tru th God gives him all th e tru th he desires (cf. John 7 .1 7 , Matt c-6 ) If he chooses erro r God gives him all he w ants of th a t (cf. Rom. 1:24 26 28). The purpose for which God sendeth them a working fof erro r th a t they should believe a lie, is th a t they , all m ight be judged.” THURSDAY , Ja n u ary 30. 2 T hess. 2 :13- 3 :5 . '
God always for (concerning) you, b reth ren , beloved of th e Lord. Here, as always, P au l attrib u tes all th a t is good in man to God. God must be always thanked for everything th a t is good (cf. Jas. 1 :1 7 ). The “Lord” of whom they were beloved, was the Lord Jesus (cf. Rom. 8 :37 ; Gal. 2 .2 0 , Eph. f§2 25) The reason why P au l gave th ank s to God for them was a good one viz., “ for th a t God chose you from th e beginning unto salvation m saM ti flcation of th e Spirit and belief of the tru th .” Our salvation does no t begin wUh our choice of Christ, b u t w ith S od ’s choice of us, “ from th e begin ning ” But God does no t choose us to salvation independently of how we ?fve He chooses us to salvation “ in sanctification of th e Spirit and belief of th e tru th I i. e., sanctification and faith are the sphere in which He chooses us. There is no salvation separate from “ sanctification and belief of th e tru th . Sanctification of th e Spirit is f ife Spirit separating us from sin unto God. it th e Spirit does not separate us from sin and separate us unto God, it is t P aul here tu rn s from those th a t “ received no t th e love of the tru th , and therefore were given over to a w orking of erro r th a t they should believe a lie,” to the believers whom God had chosen. The con trast is very strik ing , and regarding them he says, “ But we are bound to give th an k s to
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