for the prosperity of God’s Word. Note that the prayer here is not for personal blessing, but for the good success of the Gospel. You and I ought to be praying regularly both for the workmen of God and for the success of the Word of God. We ought to pray for every servant of Jesus Christ. If there is a person who is responsible for tempting or seducing a man of God, I solemnly warn you that the judgment of God will fall upon you. If the devil can’t get you through the mishandling of money, he’ll get you through a wo man. Beware of these things, lest you lose your opportunity for serv ice. “Wherefore let him that think- eth he standeth take heed, lest he fall” (I Cor. 10:12). This verse comes to my own heart with pungen cy and power. I know my own hu man weakness and temptations. I urge you to be much in prayer, and much in the Word of God. Remain in unbroken fellowship with God, that we shall not yield to temptation in these difficult days. There is a final word concerning patience (3:5, 13). It is Paul’s final reference in this epistle to the second coming of Jesus Christ. Oh how much those suffering saints needed patience. James wrote, “Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord” (5:7). The patient en durance which characterizes Christ as He waits for the last soul to be saved, should characterize Christ’s own followers. The goal of the Chris tian’s expectation is the return of the Lord. Whatever the cost, the Christian must be persistent, prayer ful, and patient. There must be no forsaking of duty in our walk (3:6- 9) or in our work (3:10-12). Do all in your power to remain faithful to the end. Don’t lose heart, however long our Lord should delay His com ing. Whatever trials may beset, we must remain stedfast. May God help you to be unmoveable in these days!
ished (II Pet. 3:6), it means that the earth suffered the loss of its well-being. The man of sin will be stripped of all power and effective-* ness, and thus rendered completely inoperative merely by the Word of Jesus Christ at His appearing. Our blessed Lord will see to it that the man of sin is put out of business. In conclusion we come to the re sponsibility of the saints in II Thes- salonians 2:15 (also 3:1-2, 13). Here is a word of counsel concerning per sistency. The exhortation to stand fast is a call to continue steadfastly in the apostles’ teaching as given by oral word or the written word. The canonical Scriptures are the full and final revelation of God. No new reve lation has been made since the close of the apostolic age. The word tradi tions is used here, in a good sense, referring to the inspired writings as found in the Bible, the Word of God. The authority is completely out- sidë of the writer himself. These traditions which have their com mencement in God and their con tinuance in His written Word, are to be firmly laid hold of. This calls for the exercise of much care lest we be come confused by the traditions of men. Do you know the difference be tween the traditions of the Word of God and the traditions of man? There are some churches which hold to the traditions of the church, that is, their particular church with men at its head. The exhortation here is to hold to the traditions of the Word of God. There is a word of counsel concern ing prayer in 3:1-2. The believers are exhorted to pray for the preser vation of God’s work. See Paul’s pub lic acknowledgment of his utter de pendency upon God. The verb pray is in the present tense. The need is specific and definite. There were par ticular enemies who were giving Paul a hard time. Thus this definite and concrete situation called for earnest prayer. They were exhorted to pray 10
Made with FlippingBook HTML5