Beginning with the historical background of Paul's founding the church at Thessalonica, this message dispels a pervasive error of our day whereby most Christians, among both pretrib dispensationalists and historicists, completely misread 2 Thes. 2:1-12 thinking the "restrainer" of the passage is holding back the revelation of Antichrist. However, Paul makes it quite clear in v. 1-3 that is not his point. The POINT of the entire passage from ch. 1 v. 7 through ch. 2 v. 12 is that the Day of Christ is not “at hand” – it is not an imminent event – it must be preceded by the coming of Antichrist – thus it is the coming or revelation of Antichrist that is hindering the coming or revelation of Christ. The POINT of the entire passage from ch. 1 v. 7 through ch. 2 v. 12 is that the Day of Christ is not “at hand” – it is not an imminent event – it must be preceded by the coming of Antichrist – thus it is the coming or revelation of Antichrist that is hindering the coming or revelation of Christ:
2 Thessalonians ch. 1
7 And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be REVEALED from heaven with his mighty angels,
8 In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ…
2 Thessalonians ch. 2
1 Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him,
2 That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand.
3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition…

SO THEN – it is the coming or revelation of Antichrist that is hindering the coming or revelation of Christ. That’s the point in v. 1-3, and it is ALSO the point in v. 6-8:
6 And now ye know what withholdeth that he [Jesus] might be revealed in his time. [how do they know? Because he JUST TOLD THEM in v. 3. What withholdeth? The falling away & the man of sin]
7 For the mystery of iniquity doth already work…[1 Jn. 2.18, even now many antichrists have come…”] …only HE who now letteth [that man of sin] will let, until he be taken out of the way.
8 And then [at that time] shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming…[i.e., he will be revealed for the fraud that he is when he is "taken out of the way" by the brightness of Christ's coming.]

CONCLUSION: the restrainer in v. 6-7 is a “he.” To all Pretribbers: the Church is not a “he” and will not be “taken out of the way.” To all historicists: the pagan Roman empire was not a “he.”
The “he” in view is THAT MAN OF SIN – who will be taken out of the way when Christ returns, since it is his coming that is, in God’s plan and timing, holding back the day of Christ. But he (that man of sin) will be taken out of the way at Christ’s glorious return, at which time he will be revealed to the world for the FRAUD that he is, who never was worthy of the worship it gave him. At that time the elect remnant of Israel will mourn in repentance for Him whom they pierced (Zech. 12.10, Rom. 11.26, Rev. 1.7).

This sermon was preached by Pastor Sam Adams on 4-15-2018 at Independence Baptist Church in Ocala, Florida. Bible text: Acts 17:1-8; 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12.

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