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pauline studies

2 Thessalonians: Outlines

Perspectival outlines of the second epistle to the Thessalonians


TRUTHS ESSETIAL FOR PROPER CHRISTIAN HOPE back to top

The Truth about the Children of Light back to top
  • Increased faith and love in persecution is a sign that believers will be counted worthy of kingdom (1:5)
  • Increased persecution is evidence that God is just and right (1:5)
  • God will give relief to those who are troubled, including the apostles (1:7)
  • Believers are chosen to be saved by God (2:13)
  • Beleivers are saved by the sanctifying work of the Sprit and through belief in the truth (2:13)
  • Beleivers are called through the gospel to share the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ (2:14)
  • This is the basis for standing firm in the teachings we have received (2:15)
  • God loved us and gave us eternal encouragement and good hope by His grace (2:16)
  • He is the one who encourages our hearts and strengthens us for service in deed and word (2:17)
  • The Lord is faithful to strengthen and protect us from the evil one (3:3)
  • Beleivers encouraged to never tire of doing what is right (3:13)

The Truth about the Hopeless Enemies of the Gospel back to top
  • God will pay back trouble to those who trouble his church (1:6)
  • He will punish those who do notknow God or obey the Gospel of the Lord (1:8)
  • They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord (1:9)
  • God sends a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie (2:11)
  • So everyone who has not believed the truth, but has delighted in wickedness, will be condemned (2:12)

The Truth about Children Who Act Like Hopeless Enemies back to top
  • Avoidance of idler and rebel is commanded by Paul (3:6)
  • Idlers are commanded to settle down and earn the bread they eat (3:12)
  • Anyone in rebellion against apostolic authority is to be shunned so that they will be ashamed (3:14)
  • Yet, the rebel is not to be regarded as a pagan, but as a brother (3:15)

The Truth about the Man of Lawlessness back to top
  • The man of lawlessness will set himself up in God's temple, proclaiming himself to be God (2:4)
  • The man of lawlessness will oppose and exalt himself over everything worshipped as God (2:4)
  • The one who holds it back will continue to do so until he is taken out of the way (2:7)
  • The secret power of lawlessness is already at work (2:7)
  • The man of lawlessness will be destroyed by the splendor of Jesus coming (2:8)
  • Then the man of lawlessness will be revealed (2:8)
  • The man of lawlessness will be overthrown by Jesus, by the breath of his mouth (2:8)
  • The coming of lawlessness will be in accordance with the work of Satan (2:9)
  • The work of lawlessness will come with counterfeit miracles, signs, and wonders (2:9)
  • The coming of lawlessness will be with every type of evil that deceives those who are perishing (2:10)

The Truth about the Coming of Christ back to top
  • God will comfort his people when Jesus is revealed from heaven (1:7)
  • Jesus will be revealed with blazing fire with his powerful angels (1:7)
  • He will be glorified in His holy people and marvelled at among those who have believed (1:10)
  • This will happen on the day he comes to be glorified in his holy people (1:10)
  • The day of the Lord will not come until the rebellion when the man of lawlessness is revealed (2:3)
  • A Community In Need Of Re-Evaluation And Focus
  • A True Evaluation Of The Thessalonian Community
  • Thessalonian believers were suffering on behalf of God's kingdom (1:5)
  • They are included because they believed the testimony of Paul (1:10)
  • The Thessalonians are included in the throng of marvelling believers (1:10)
  • The Thessalonians faith and love are both growing (2:3)
  • Paul boasts about their perseverence and faith in persecutions and trials (2:4)
  • Paul has confidence in the Lord that the Thessalonians will be faithful (3:4)
  • Thessalonians told to avoid the idler and the rebel against his teaching (3:6)
  • Some among the Thessalonians are idle busybodies (3:11)

A COMMUNITY THAT NEEDS TO KNOW THERE'S STILL HOPE: A True Evaluation of the Reality and Necessity of God's Work in Their Midst back to top

PAUL'S PRAYERS AND DEVOTION FOR THE THESSALONIAN BELIEVERS back to top

Paul's Prayers for the Thessalonians back to top
  • Paul prays that God will fulfill every act prompted by faith (1:11)
  • Paul prays that God will count them worthy of his calling (1:11)
  • Paul prays that by God's power he will fulfill every good purpose of theirs (1:11)
  • Paul prays this so that they might be glorified in Christ (1:12)
  • Paul prays this so the name of the Lord Jesus Christ will be glorified in them (1:12)
  • Paul's request is that the Thessalonians might be encouraged and strengthened by God (2:16,17)
  • Paul's prayer request that the word will spread rapidly (3:1)
  • Paul's prayer request is to be delivered from the hands of evil men (3:2)
  • Paul's request is that God will direct their hearts into His love and Christ's perseverence (3:5)
  • Paul's request for the Lord of peace to grant them peace and be with them (3:16)

Paul's Devotion and Ministry back to top
  • Paul sees it as necessary to thank God for the Thessalonians (1:3)
  • Paul doesn't want them to be confused or deceived about the coming of the Lord (2:1-3)
  • Paul had instructed the Thessalonians about the man of lawlessness when with them (2:5)
  • Paul rejoices in the election of the Thessalonian believers (2:13)
  • Paul reminds them of his model, and the reason for such a model in their presence (3:6-10)
  • Paul worked day and night to provide for himself while he was with them (3:8)

DIACHRONIC OVERVIEW back to top

The Present and Future of Believers back to top
  • Increased persecution is evidence that God is just and right (1:5)
  • Increased faith and love in persecution is a sign that believers will be counted worthy of kingdom (1:5)
  • God will give relief to those who are troubled, including the apostles (1:7)
  • The Lord is faithful to strengthen and protect us from the evil one (2:3)
  • Believers are saved by the sanctifying work of the Sprit and through belief in the truth (2:13)
  • Believers are chosen to be saved by God (2:13)
  • Believers are called through the gospel to share the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ (2:14)
  • This is the basis for standing firm in the teachings we have received (2:15)
  • God loved us and gave us eternal encouragement and good hope by His grace (2:16)
  • He is the one who encourages our hearts and strengthens us for service in deed and word (2:17)

The Future of Unbelievers back to top
  • God will pay back trouble to those who trouble his church (1:6)
  • He will punish those who do notknow God or obey the Gospel of the Lord (1:8)
  • They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord (1:9)
  • God sends a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie (2:11)
  • So everyone who has not believed the truth, but has delighted in wickedness, will be condemned (2:12)

Pending Eschatological Events back to top
  • This will happen when Jesus is revealed from heaven (1:7)
  • Jesus will be revealed with blazing fire with his powerful angels (1:7)
  • This will happen on the day he comes to be glorified in his holy people (1:10)
  • He will be glorified in His holy people and marvelled at among those who have believed (1:10)
  • The day of the Lord will not come until the rebellion when the man of lawlessness is revealed (2:3)
  • The man of lawlessness will oppose and exalt himself over everything worshipped as God (2:4)
  • The man of lawlessness will set himself up in God's temple, proclaiming himself to be God (2:4)
  • The one who holds it back will continue to do so until he is taken out of the way (2:7)
  • The secret power of lawlessness is already at work (2:7)
  • The man of lawlessness will be destroyed by the splendor of Jesus coming (2:8)
  • Then the man of lawlessness will be revealed (2:8)
  • The man of lawlessness will be overthrown by Jesus, by the breath of his mouth (2:8)
  • The coming of lawlessness will be in accordance with the work of Satan (2:9)
  • The work of lawlessness will come with counterfeit miracles, signs, and wonders (2:9)
  • The coming of lawlessness will be with every type of evil that deceives those who are perishing (2:10)