I am using the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Today, I am reading and commenting on 2 Thessalonians 1-3.

    It is clear from Paul’s second letter to the Thessalonian believers that there were disagreements in the Thessalonian Church about Christ’s Second Coming. I suspect that the same people were involved in this as had been denying the resurrection of the dead (which Paul addressed in the first letter). Paul wrote that Jesus’ will not return until after the “man of lawlessness” has been revealed. This is perhaps the most specific of all of the prophesies regarding the Second Coming. Paul seems to be saying that this “man of lawlessness” is a specific individual, the Anti-Christ (this passage is where the idea of a singular individual called “the Anti-Christ” comes from. Other references to anti-Christ refer to all who oppose Jesus as being anti-Christ’s). Paul refers to someone who will come and perform miracles, setting themselves up as God. Many people will accept this person’s teachings, which are contrary to the teachings from God. They will do so because they do not want to accept the truth which comes from God.
    It is certainly clear to me from reading this that Paul was referring to a singular individual who would come at some time in the future. However, it is possible that Paul was mistaken. It is possible to understand the words which he actually wrote to refer to a time when people in general do not accept lawful behavior and consider themselves to be gods. Certainly it is reference to a time when people reject God’s truth in favor of lies and deception. I believe that there will be a singular Anti-Christ before Christ’s return, but we should not become complacent because he has not yet appeared. Christ’s return will be sudden and unexpected by most. I will choose to believe that it could happen tomorrow.