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R E WA
LK
M
LESS
TALK
More Walk.
Less Talk.
An End Times Survival Guide
from 2 Thessalonians
REALFAITH.COM
By Mark Driscoll
More Walk. Less Talk: An End Times Survival Guide from
2 Thessalonians
© 2023 by Mark Driscoll
ISBN: 979-8-9884124-6-5 (Paperback)

ISBN: 979-8-9884124-7-2 (E-book)
Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy

Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by
Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Used by permission. All rights reserved. The ESV text may
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be translated in whole or in part into any other language.
All emphases in Scripture quotations have been added by

the author.
No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored

in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by any
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otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher,
except as provided for by USA copyright law.
CONTENTS
Real Groups . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1
CHAPTER 1
Introduction to Paul's Second Letter to the Thessalonians. 3
CHAPTER 2
A Basic Introduction to End Times Beliefs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13
CHAPTER 3
2 Thessalonians Personal and Group Study Guide. . . . . . . . . .27
1. More Courage. Less Coward. (1:1-12). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
2. More Discernment. Less Deception. (2:1-12). . . . . . . . . . . . . .34
3. More Rising Up. Less Bowing Down. (2:13-3:5). . . . . . . . . . . .41
4. More Working. Less Whining. (3:6-18) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .47
APPENDIX
Answers to Common Questions About Heaven and Hell. . . 55
Endnotes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
About Pastor Mark & RealFaith. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .77
REAL G ROUPS
WITH REALFAITH
Faith that does not result in good deeds is not real faith.
James 2:20, TLB
A t RealFaith, we believe that the Word of God isn’t

just for us to read, it’s to be obeyed. And living in
community with fellow believers is one of the ways God
the Father allows us to learn and grow to become more
like His Son Jesus through the power of the Holy Spirit.
We do this through something called Real Groups. Here
are a few tips to start your own.
1. Invite
Invite your friends, neighbors, family, coworkers, and
enemies, because they all need Jesus whether they
know Him or not! Whether it’s a group of men, women,
families, students, or singles, explain that you’d like to
start a weekly sermon-based small group based on
Pastor Mark Driscoll’s sermons.
2. Listen to the sermon on realfaith.com or on the

RealFaith app
You can host a viewing party to watch RealFaith Live
and discuss it all at once, or you can watch it separately
and gather to discuss it at another time that works for
the group.
1
MORE WA L K . L E SS TA L K .
3. Get into God’s Word

In addition to watching the sermon, make sure you and
all group members have a study guide from realfaith.
com for the current sermon series. There are questions
for personal reflection as well as for groups that can
guide your devotional times throughout the week. You
can also sign up for Daily Devos at realfaith.com.
4. Gather together
Whether at someone’s house, a public place, or through
something like Zoom, meet weekly to discuss the
sermon and what God has taught you through it. The
great thing about Real Groups is that you don’t all have
to be in the same location. You can talk about sermon
takeaways, what stood out to you in the study guide, or
what God taught you in His Word that week. Focus on
personal application as much as possible.
5. Pray
When you gather, feel free to share prayer requests,
pray for each other on the spot, and continue praying
throughout the week. Prayer is a great unifying force
that God gives us to strengthen His family.
6. Share
Send us photos, videos, testimonies, and updates of how
your group is doing to [email protected]. You might
even be featured on our RealFaith Live show!
We will be praying for you and your group and look

forward to hearing what God does through it.
2
CHAPTER 1
Introduction to Paul's Second Letter
to the Thessalonians
P astoring a flock is a lot like parenting a family.

As a father, there were many times when our five
kids were little that my wife and I would call a “family
meeting”. Sometimes, the agenda was to make the kids
aware of some things that weren’t going well, and we
would lovingly encourage them to make progress on
these things.
Like all kids, the responses varied. The compliant
kids would immediately respond with obedience and
make the changes we were asking. The rebellious kids
would not respond with obedience and stayed their
course. The easily distracted kids would make the
requested changes for a while but then forget and fall
back into their old habits.
After our first family meeting, we would wait a while
to see if all the kids made the requested changes.
If they did not, we would then call a second family
meeting to review what we had asked in the first family
meeting, oftentimes repeating our instructions in
hopes that all the kids would comply.
The Thessalonian church was, like every healthy
local church, a family. Paul and the other leaders
mentioned (e.g., Timothy and Silvanus) are like the
fathers. Paul actually uses this very language when he
says, “like a father with his children, we exhorted each
3
one of you and encouraged you and charged you to

walk in a manner worthy of God, who calls you into his
own kingdom and glory”.a When they wrote the letters
of 1-2 Thessalonians, the church would have gathered
for a family meeting to hear the letter read aloud to
everyone in the church family. Apparently, the first
family meeting at which 1 Thessalonians was read did
not result with all the children of God obeying what
they were taught, and so there was a second family
meeting called at which 2 Thessalonians was read to
repeat many of the themes from the first letter and
encourage everyone to believe and behave as God was
asking.
Paul
Like 1 Thessalonians, the author of the letter is the

Apostle Paul along with Silvanus and Timothy, senior
leaders on his ministry team. The opening and closing
of 2 Thessalonians clearly name Paul as the author:
•2 Thessalonians 1:1 – Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy,
To the church of the Thessalonians in God our
Father and the Lord Jesus Christ…
•2 Thessalonians 3:17 – I, Paul, write this greeting
with my own hand. This is the sign of genuineness
in every letter of mine; it is the way I write.
Paul was likely born in the same decade as Jesus

Christ and is believed to have died between AD 62-64.
Known as the “apostle to the Gentiles”, he was largely
responsible for Christianity expanding beyond the
Jewish people to the nations of the earth and largest
and most diverse movement of any kind in world
_________________
a
1 Thessalonians 2:11-12
4
AN E N D T I M E S S U RV I VA L G U I D E FROM
2 THESSALONIANS
history. The following are some of the details regarding

the life and ministry of Paul:
•Born as Saul in Tarsus (on the southern coast of
modern-day Turkey). The exact date of his birth is
unknown.
•Schooled as a Pharisee in Jerusalem under the
religious leader Gamaliel.
•Became a traveling missionary and preacher for
the early church; renamed Paul.
•Worked as an artisan who made tents.
•Was imprisoned multiple times by the Roman
authorities for his religious agitation.
•Wrote several theological letters (some of which
are included in the New Testament).
•Died sometime between AD 62–64; Paul may have
been martyred in Rome.1
It would be difficult to overestimate what the Holy

Spirit has accomplished through Paul. He is one of the
most genius minds and towering figures in the history
of planet earth. Even Peter, the human leader of the
early church following Jesus’ resurrection, was clear
that Paul wrote Scripture, and was a genius saying,
“Our beloved brother Paul also wrote to you according
to the wisdom given him, as he does in all his letters
when he speaks in them of these matters. There are
some things in them that are hard to understand,
which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own
destruction, as they do the other Scriptures.”a
The majority of the New Testament falls into one of
three categories:
1. Written by Paul. Of the 27 books of the New
Testament, Paul wrote at least 13 (the author of
_________________
a
2 Peter 3:15-17
5
Hebrews is uncertain but may have also been

Paul) over the course of 15-plus years. He wrote
to at least seven different churches and two
individual church leaders.
2. Written about Paul. The history book of the early
church, Acts, focuses on the mission work of Paul
in chapters 13-28.
3. Written by someone working closely with Paul.
The author of Luke and Acts, Luke, was Paul’s
friend, travelling companion, and doctor.
When ministry funding was lacking, Paul worked

as a tentmaker to pay for the needs of his gospel
ministry.a Sadly, a popular myth has emerged that
men of God should be soft, not hard; passive, not
active; weak, not strong. Nothing could be further
from the truth when examining the life and ministry of
Paul. He was relentless, endured suffering much like a
military prisoner of war, and never waved a white flag
of surrender but kept marching forward unflinching.
Constantly enduring spiritual warfare against Satan,
demons, and enemies of the gospel, Paul made a list of
his sufferings in 2 Corinthians 11:24–28:
•He was whipped with 39 lashes five times.
•He was beaten three times.
•He was stoned one time.
•He was shipwrecked three times.
•He was arrested three times.
•He was imprisoned two times.
•He was frequently in danger from both Jews and
Gentiles.
•He was often hungry, thirsty, cold, and tired.
•He was anxious for all the churches.
_________________
a
Acts 18:1-3
6
2 THESSALONIANS
If Paul had a job description, it would be: “afflictions,

hardships, calamities, beatings, imprisonments, riots,
labors, sleepless nights, hunger”.a
Paul’s Second Letter to the Thessalonians
The format of both letters to the Thessalonians are

in the common format of an ancient letter:
•Greeting between the author and audienceb
•Encouraging thanksgivingc
•Primary content to communicated
•Exhortations and expectations from the leader to
the peoplee
•A closing farewellf
The New Christians to whom Paul writes believed

that Jesus had come the first time to live without sin,
die for their sin, and rise from death to forgive sin and
open Heaven. They also believed in the Second Coming
of Jesus to raise the dead, lift the curse, judge the
unbelieving, and reward the saints with eternal life in
the Kingdom of God. Like many new Christians, they
became a bit too enamored with the complicated area
of Biblical study called “eschatology”.
A Bible dictionary explains this term is, “Derived
from the combination of the Greek eschatos, meaning
“last,” and logos, meaning “word” or “significance.”
Refers to the biblical doctrine of last things.”2
A dictionary of theological terms further explains
that “eschatology...refers to the ultimate climax or end
of history wherein Christ returns to earth to establish
his eternal kingdom of righteousness and justice
among all nations. Eschatology, then, is the theological
_________________
a
2 Corinthians 6:4-5 b 2 Thessalonians 1:1 c 2 Thessalonians 1:3-4 d 2
Thessalonians 2:1-12 e 2 Thessalonians 3:6-15 f 2 Thessalonians 3:16-18
7
study that seeks to understand the ultimate direction

or purpose of history as it moves toward the future,
both from an individual perspective (What happens
when a person dies?) and from a corporate perspective
(Where is history going, and how will it end?).”3
Once you know Jesus, and believe in life with Him
forever, it can become increasingly frustrating to live in
our fallen, broken, and painful world. The Thessalonians
would have been happy for Jesus to return in their
day and were likely expecting Him to do so. A few
thousand years later, things have not gotten any better
and many, if not most Christians, feel a lot like the
Thessalonians did – wondering how much worse it can
get and when Jesus will return to make it all better.
A Bible commentary says, “The central message
of 2 Thessalonians concerns the tension of living as a
believer in the present while anticipating the return of
Christ and the Day of the Lord. The three main sections
of the letter all relate to this tension, though they may
seem disconnected at first glance. In 2 Thessalonians
1:5–12, Paul reminds the Thessalonian believers that
Christ’s return will bring judgment against those
who persecute them because of their faith. In 2
Thessalonians 2:1–12, Paul dispels rumors that the
Day of the Lord has already arrived. In 2 Thessalonians
3:6–15, he urges the Thessalonian believers to continue
to work diligently and not burden their fellow Christians
by depending on them for their livelihood. As a whole,
2 Thessalonians calls believers to understand the
relationship between their present life on earth and
their future eternal life with the Lord; it anticipates the
promised return of Christ at the Day of the Lord while
simultaneously emphasizing the importance of living
faithfully until His return.”4
8
2 THESSALONIANS
4 Troubles in Thessalonica
For the Apostle Paul to sit down, under inspiration

of the Holy Spirit, to write a book of the Bible means
that a genuine need for the church existed, and that
he loved God’s people so dearly that he would do most
anything to love and lead them. There are three primary
reasons why Paul writes his second letter to the church
at Thessalonica.
1. Persecution. The new Christians in the church
were experiencing ongoing and escalating
persecution, “we ourselves boast about you in
the churches of God for your steadfastness and
faith in all your persecutions and in the afflictions
that you are enduring”.a Like every age, the
suffering came from non-Christians, including
both pagans and religious people.b The
persecution was mentioned in the first letterc
but time only made matters worse. Anytime God
is doing ministry, you can expect Satan to be
doing anti-ministry. In the West, this kind of
opposition exists on every front as Christians
are fighting to keep their churches open and
speech free, are seeing employment at
companies becoming increasingly hostile to
traditional values, and find themselves constantly
berated in mainstream news, social media
platforms, and political decisions. Suffering and
persecution can be confusing for believers,
especially those new to the faith, because
they believe that God is powerful and good, yet
they must go through hardship without God
removing it altogether.
_________________
a
2 Thessalonians 1:4 b 2 Thessalonians 1:5-10 c 1 Thessalonians
1:6,2:14,3:3
9
2. False Teaching. Like most new Christians, these

believers were not yet discerning and more
susceptible to false teaching, especially if they
claimed to be agreeing with Paul, who became
their spiritual father by preaching the gospel
and planting the church before having to leave
town following a riot that threatened his life.a In
the ancient Roman version of fake news, these
false teachers wrote a document that was
a complete forgery that claimed to be another
letter from Paul to be read in the church.b Paul
flatly denounces and rebukes these liars saying
in 2 Thessalonians 2:3, “Let no one deceive you in
any way.”
3. Confusion. The new Christians were confused
about Jesus’ Second Coming and, like most
young believers, had a lot of questions about the
end times.c Like many new Christians, they
wondered what happened to believers who died
before the resurrection, when Jesus would return,
what the signs of His coming would be, and what
Heaven and Hell would be like.
4. Laziness. Some people in the church were lazy,
refused to work, and expected the other
believers to pay their bills and meet their needs.d
Paul addressed this sin in the first letter, but
apparently the sluggards had not yet found
a job and started paying their own bills.e One
Bible commentator says, “Their profile becomes
clearer in chapter 3 than it has been before. These
irresponsible ‘busybodies’ were ignoring the
teaching Paul had already given, both in person
and by letter. So he is obliged now to issue some
_________________
a
Acts 17:1-9 b 2 Thessalonians 2:2 c 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12
d
2 Thessalonians 4:11-12 e 2 Thessalonians 4:11-12
10
2 THESSALONIANS
sharp, authoritative instructions, which border

on excommunication.”5 Sadly, there are some
in every age, including our own, who seek to take
advantage of the love and generosity of
Christians. These moochers burden believers to
house them, feed them, pay their bills, and meet
their needs simply because they don’t like to work
and make others wrongly feel obligated to care
for them and guilty if they do not.
11
12
CHAPTER 2
A Basic Introduction to
End Times Beliefs
T here are two primary ways that history has been

perceived by academics. One is a cyclical view of
history, whereby there is no clear beginning or end to
human history, but rather a series of repeating cycles
and events. The other is a linear view of history, which
is the storyline of the Bible – that God created history
with a beginning, is ruling over history with the purpose
of overcoming human sin and returning to His divine
design plan in Genesis 1-2, and is bringing history as
we know it to an and ushering in a new beginning for
an eternal reset of history with the resurrection of the
dead, return of Jesus Christ for judgment, and His rule
forever and ever over all.
The most controversial and complex area of Biblical
study is the end times, or what theologians refer to as,
“Eschatology, from...[Greek]...eschatos, ‘last’; the term
refers to ‘the doctrine of the last things’.”6
A Bible dictionary says, “The Bible’s images of the
end are built around a cluster of time images. One of
these is the image of ‘latter days’ (Jer 23:20; 30:24;
Ezek 38:16; Jas 3:5) or ‘last day(s)’ (Jn 6:39–40, 44,
54; 11:24; 12:48; 2 Tim 3:1; Jas 5:3; 2 Pet 3:3). Another
motif is ‘the end’ (Dan 8:17; 9:26; 10:14; 11:35, 40; 12:4,
9, 13; Mt 10:22; 13:39–40, 49; 24:3, 6, 13–14; 28:20; etc.).
Yet another image is a coming Day of the Lord (two
13
dozen references). While the details of sequence are

not always clear in these references, they establish an
important aspect of the Bible’s view of history, namely,
that it is moving in linear fashion to an appointed
consummation.”7
Godly Christians with the Holy Spirit who love Jesus
and have studied the Bible intently come to a wide
array of very different conclusions. This reality should
give us humility and grace. We should be humble with
our conclusions and gracious with those who disagree.
There are at least four reasons why the study of
eschatology is difficult.
One, the prophetic portions of the Bible referring
to the last days include a lot of apocalyptic imagery.
There is a debate if these images, including periods
of time, should be taken figuratively or literally.
Sometimes, English translations of the Bible use words
such as “like” or “as” to indicate that what is being
described is difficult for the person who saw something
in the Spirit to explain it with words.
Two, since the end times have not yet happened,
it is complicated to anticipate the future in detail.
Furthermore, since the events promised by the Bible
at the end of time have not happened, we cannot be
sure who was right and who was wrong until it actually
happens.
Three, the end times are painted in massive epochal
imagery that is difficult to fully comprehend because
of its’ sheer scope. A Bible Dictionary says, “Two main
principles underlie the Bible’s images of the end. One
is their cosmic scope. Prophecies of the end times are
not stories of individuals but of natural forces and
nations, both political and spiritual. Events at the end
are happening on a huge scale, creating an impression
of a stampede of masses toward a terrible destruction.
14
2 THESSALONIANS
The second pattern is that the images of the end

are predominantly images of terror-a terror made all
the more forceful by their power or hugeness (e.g.,
earthquakes, floods, invading armies, demonic forces)
and the suddenness with which they inflict destruction
on the earth. The major lessons that these visions of
the end teach are the predictable spread of evil, the
certainty of God’s wrath and judgment against evil,
the need for endurance (Rev 13:10) and a stance of
preparedness for what is coming (Mt 24:25).”8
Four, the last book of the Bible, Revelation, is one
of if not the most difficult and complicated books
for scholars in the entire Bible. The scenes shift from
the seen to unseen realms, the past, present and
future, and are the reports of John the disciple, who is
trying to explain in words what he saw as a vision in
the Spirit.a In the book of Revelation alone there are
many numbers (3, 3.5, 4, 7, 10, 12, 23, 42, 666, 1000,
1260, 12,000, 144,000), colors (gold, white red, black,
green, purple, blue), things (robes, belts, crowns, starts,
swords, eyes, horns, wings, lampstands, stones), places
(Babylon, New Jerusalem, New Zion, New Eden, divine
counsel room, throne), and creatures (angels, demons,
horses, lamb, beastly woman, a beast, harlot, serpent,
lion, bear, birds). Determining whether these are all
literal or figurative, and how they might relate to
other appearances throughout the Bible is incredibly
complicated, to say the least.
3 Views on Eschatology
To catalogue all the nuanced and varied beliefs

about eschatology would be nearly impossible. In
_________________
a
Revelation 1
15
summary, a Bible dictionary says, “In the twentieth

century there have been three basic forms of
eschatology: thoroughgoing or consistent, realized, and
inaugurated.
•Thoroughgoing eschatology...is the view that
Jesus and his followers proclaimed the imminent
end of history. Since the end did not come when
they expected, Jesus submitted to death as a way
of forcing the full arrival of the kingdom.
•Realized eschatology...takes the position that the
first coming of Christ represents the full presence
of the kingdom of God.
•Inaugurated eschatology...views the first coming
of Christ as the beginning of the kingdom that will
be consummated at his second coming. As a
result, believers live between the overlap of
the ‘already’ and the ‘not yet’. The last view most
adequately represents the evangelical
understanding of the biblical material.”9
Like most evangelical Christians, I hold the

inaugurated eschatology view. In our study of 1-2
Thessalonians, I will be teaching from the viewpoint
that the Kingdom of God began at Jesus’ First Coming,
He currently rules over our world and history, is working
through His Church by the Holy Spirit, and will return to
unveil His Kingdom in fullness forever. With other Bible-
believing Christians, despite all the secondary open-
handed issues (e.g. the length of millennium, whether
or not there will be a rapture and if so when, who the
antichrist might be, what the mark of the beast might
refer to, etc.), there are many points of closed-handed
agreement that are well-summarized in an old worship
hymn, “Christ has died; Christ is risen; Christ will come
again.”
16
2 THESSALONIANS
A rather recent system of belief in Christian

history called “dispensationalism”, despite lots of
disagreement, has become the most well-known and
popular eschatology in recent years, dominating best-
selling books and movies on the end times. A Bible
encyclopedia says, “The heart of this system is not,
as has often been supposed, seven dispensations; it
is rather that there are two peoples of God, Israel and
the Church, for whom God has different programs and
different destinies. This basic premise rests upon a
strictly literal interpretation of the OT. The OT promises
that Israel will be God’s people forever and the
promises that the nation will be restored in Palestine to
rule over the Gentiles are taken as the basic program
for eschatology; the NT is interpreted in terms of this
OT program. Therefore, Jesus’ proclamation of the
kingdom of the heavens was an offer of this earthly
nationalistic kingdom to the nation Israel. The Sermon
on the Mount is the new law for the earthly kingdom.
The Olivet Discourse and the Revelation of John are
largely concerned with the eschatology of the Jewish
nation, not with the Church; for the Church belongs to
the “Great Parenthesis” in God’s program for Israel. In
this system the millennium is quite essential, for only
in this period can the promises of God to Israel be
fulfilled.”10
Those Bible scholars who disagree with
dispensationalism would not see two peoples of God
– the age of the Old Testament and the Church age –
but instead one people of God. Subsequently, people in
the Old and New Testaments were saved the same way
– by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. Furthermore,
God’s end times prophecies were given to God’s people
in general, and not Jewish people in particular. In any
case, this is a difficult and deeply debated issue within
17
theology that greatly shapes how much of the Bible is

ready, especially the remaining promises, to be fulfilled
in the last days.
8 Major Themes in Eschatology
Under the broad category of eschatology, there

are individual themes that appear throughout the
Scripture. Each of these themes is critical for God’s
people to understand the purpose of life, what happens
after death, where our deceased loved ones are until
the resurrection, when Jesus will return, and what
happens after He raises His people from the dead.
Here is a brief summary of the major eight themes in
eschatology from an encyclopedia of the Bible:
“Death. The Bible teaches that all humans will die

(Heb 9:27). The only exceptions will be those who are
still alive when Christ returns (1 Thes 4:17). Physical
death, or the ‘first death,’ is the separation of the soul
from the body...
The Intermediate State. This refers to the condition

of the person between the time of death and the
resurrection. The traditional orthodox view is that
believers experience a state of conscious bliss in the
presence of the Lord, while unbelievers are tormented
by separation from the presence of God....
The Second Coming. Scripture teaches that at the

end of time Christ will return in a personal, bodily form
(Acts 1:11). No one knows exactly when this will occur,
and it will consequently catch some by surprise, coming
as a thief in the night (Lk 12:39, 40). Although the time
is not known, the fact that it will occur is very definite.
18
2 THESSALONIANS
Many of Jesus’ parables (esp. in Mt 24; 25) refer to this

fact and to the appropriateness of alert, faithful, and
intensive activity.
The Resurrection. All who have died will come to

life. This will be a bodily resurrection, a resumption of
bodily existence of each person. For believers this will
take place in connection with the second coming of
Christ, and will involve the transformation of the body
of this present flesh into a new, perfected body (1 Cor
15:35–56). The Bible also indicates a resurrection of
unbelievers, unto eternal death (Jn 5:28, 29).
The Judgment. There will be a time of judgment...

some will be sent off to everlasting reward and others
to eternal punishment...
The Final States. The Bible teaches the existence of

heaven, a place of eternal joy, where Christians are in
the presence of God, and of hell...
The Millennium. Many Christians believe there will

be an earthly reign of God, called the millennium,
immediately preceding the final judgment...based
on Revelation 20:4–7. Those who hold that Christ
will return personally to inaugurate this period are
called premillennialists. Others, who teach that the
kingdom will be established through the progressive
successful preaching of the gospel, are termed
postmillennialists. Still others, called amillennialists, do
not believe that there will be any earthly reign of Christ
at all, interpreting the 1,000 years of Revelation 20
symbolically.
The Great Tribulation. The Bible speaks of a time
19
of great anguish or tribulation...exceeding anything

that has ever occurred before. Some, identifying
this with the 70th week of Daniel 9:24–27, believe
it will be of seven years duration. Some believe the
church will be present to experience this, the Lord not
returning until the end of the period. These are termed
posttribulationists. Others, known as pretribulationists,
believe that the Lord’s second coming will be in two
stages, or phases—that, in addition to his public
second coming, Christ will come for his church,
to remove them from the world, or “rapture” them,
before the great tribulation. Still others, known as
midtribulationists, believe that the church will be
present for the first half of the seven years but will
be removed before the severe part of the tribulation
begins.”11
In closing, eschatology can be a fun area of Bible

study to discuss, dialogue, and debate. However,
we must not let it become a divisive issue between
Christians. The one thing we all agree upon is that we
will be together forever with Jesus, and every one of us
will learn some things that we were wrong about while
we studied the Bible on the earth. Jesus encouraged
us to approach the last days with humility saying in
Matthew 24:36, “concerning that day and hour no one
knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but
the Father only.”
Lastly, studying eschatology can and should have
some tremendous blessings to believers. Returning
to the books of 1-2 Thessalonians, here are some
examples of the ways that the growing darkness that
leads to the Second Coming of Jesus Christ should
comfort, strengthen, and encourage believers:
•Knowing that Jesus is returning to pour out wrath
20
2 THESSALONIANS
on unrepentant sinners motivates us to say no to

idolatry, and yes to ministry: “…you turned to God
from idols to serve the living and true God, and to
wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from
the dead, Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to
come.”a
•Knowing that the world will become more opposed
to Christians as the return of Christ nears is a
good encouragement for believers to love one
another more and more: “Now may our God and
Father himself, and our Lord Jesus, direct our
way to you, and may the Lord make you increase
and abound in love for one another and for all, as
we do for you, so that he may establish your
hearts blameless in holiness before our God and
Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his
saints.”b
•Knowing that believers who die are safe with Jesus,
and that we will see them again in the eternal
Kingdom of God allows us to grieve the loss of
loved ones with hope and encouragement that the
loss is only temporary: “But we do not want you to
be uninformed, brothers, about those who are
asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who
have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus
died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God
will bring with him those who have fallen asleep.
For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord,
that we who are alive, who are left until the coming
of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen
asleep. For the Lord himself will descend from
heaven with a cry of command, with the voice
of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet
_________________
a
1 Thessalonians 1:9-10 b 1 Thessalonians 3:11-13
21
of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.

Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught
up together with them in the clouds to meet the
Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the
Lord. Therefore encourage one another with these
words.”a
•Knowing what the future holds allows us to be
sober in body and mind, devoted to enduring
whatever birth pains are necessary to see the
Kingdom of God birthed, and building one another
up so that God’s family is strong, healthy, and
ready to greet Jesus at His return: “Now
concerning the times and the seasons, brothers,
you have no need to have anything written to you.
For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of
the Lord will come like a thief in the night. While
people are saying, “There is peace and security,”
then sudden destruction will come upon them as
labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and
they will not escape. But you are not in darkness,
brothers, for that day to surprise you like a thief.
For you are all children of light, children of the day.
We are not of the night or of the darkness. So then
let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep
awake and be sober. For those who sleep, sleep at
night, and those who get drunk, are drunk at night.
But since we belong to the day, let us be sober,
having put on the breastplate of faith and love,
and for a helmet the hope of salvation. For God
has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain
salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died
for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we
might live with him. Therefore encourage one
_________________
a
22
2 THESSALONIANS
another and build one another up, just as you are

doing.”a
•Knowing that God will get vengeance on our
enemies, and reward us for all we have suffered,
should give us a long and patient view that keeps
us from bitterness as we are being treated as
Jesus was when He was on the earth: “This is
evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that
you may be considered worthy of the kingdom of
God, for which you are also suffering— since
indeed God considers it just to repay with
affliction those who afflict you, and to grant relief
to you who are afflicted as well as to us, when the
Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his
mighty angels in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance
on those who do not know God and on those who
do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They
will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction,
away from the presence of the Lord and from the
glory of his might, when he comes on that day to
be glorified in his saints, and to be marveled at
among all who have believed, because our
testimony to you was believed. To this end we
always pray for you, that our God may make you
worthy of his calling and may fulfill every resolve
for good and every work of faith by his power,
so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be
glorified in you, and you in him, according to
the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.”b
•Knowing that the spirit of anti-Christ is at work
in our world until Jesus comes to forever defeat
it helps us to understand why life is hard even
though God is good, and assures us that the end is
_________________
a
23
coming, and the new eternity is certain: “…that

day will not come, unless the rebellion comes first,
and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of
destruction, who opposes and exalts himself
against every so-called god or object of worship,
so that he takes his seat in the temple of God,
proclaiming himself to be God. Do you not
remember that when I was still with you I told
you these things? And you know what is
restraining him now so that he may be revealed
in his time. For the mystery of lawlessness is
already at work. Only he who now restrains it will
do so until he is out of the way. And then the
lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord
Jesus will kill with the breath of his mouth and
bring to nothing by the appearance of his coming.
The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of
Satan with all power and false signs and wonders,
and with all wicked deception for those who are
perishing, because they refused to love the truth
and so be saved. Therefore God sends them a
strong delusion, so that they may believe what is
false, in order that all may be condemned
who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in
unrighteousness.”a
•Knowing that Jesus Christ has secured our eternal
life allows us to have the hope and grace we need
to remain steadfast throughout this life: “Now may
our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God our Father,
who loved us and gave us eternal comfort and
good hope through grace, comfort your hearts and
establish them in every good work and word.”b
_________________
a
24
2 THESSALONIANS
Throughout the Bible, including Paul’s letters of 1-2

Thessalonians, the contrast between the eternal fate
that awaits believers and unbelievers is put forth in the
starkest terms. For God’s people, this life is our Hell.
This is as close to Hell as we will ever get, and Heaven
ruled by our King Jesus awaits us. For the unbeliever,
this life is their Heaven. This life is as close to Heaven
as they will ever get, and Hell ruled by our King Jesus
awaits them. Forever is a long time, and this life for the
Christian is the walk through a little Hell on our way to
Heaven.
For those who might have some specific common
questions about Heaven and Hell, there is a revised
10-year anniversary edition of Doctrine: It’s All About
Jesus!, a detailed systematic theology I wrote.a In the
appendix of this study guide, portions of Doctrine will
be used to answer some common questions about
Heaven and Hell.
_________________
a
https://realfaith.com/store/doctrine-its-all-about-jesus/
25
26
CHAPTER 3
2 Thessalonians Personal and
Group Study Guide
Week 1: More Courage. Less Coward.
Scripture to Read: 2 Thessalonians 1:1-12
Scripture for Memorization and Meditation:

2 Thessalonians 1:11-12 – To this end we always pray
for you, that our God may make you worthy of his
calling and may fulfill every resolve for good and every
work of faith by his power, so that the name of our
Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him,
according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus
Christ.
Commentary:
A friend of mine who was in the military once
shared a harrowing war story with me. He and his men
were deployed in Iraq and on patrol when they walked
into an ambush. Enemies had set a trap for them that
they unfortunately could not get out of. They were
surrounded on all sides, taking heavy enemy fire, low
on supplies and ammunition, and had to settle in for
a long fire fight. Thankfully, their communications
still worked, and they were able to call in for support.
Exhausted, beat up, stressed out, and on alert, the
soldiers needed to keep fighting to hold their position
until reinforcements showed up, put down the enemy,
27
and got them safely home.

The Bible talks a lot about spiritual warfare, which
has a lot in common with actual combat. For the
Church, we are surrounded by the Enemy at work in
the world seeking to steal, kill, and destroy. In prayer,
we have communications access to Jesus Christ who
is our King of Kings and Lord of Lords. We know that
one day, Jesus Christ is riding into history on a white
horse with an army called the angelic host to destroy
His enemies and ours. The question is, when will this
happen? How long do we need to wait?
This is precisely the mood behind Paul’s two letters
to the Thessalonians who were experiencing “affliction”,
“conflict”, “distress”, “darkness”, “evil”, “persecutions”,
“suffering”, “rebellion”, “lawlessness”, “wicked
deception”, “unrighteousness”, ultimately from “wicked
and evil men”, and “Satan”.
Paul opens his letter by telling the believers that
he and his senior leadership team with Silvanus and
Timothy are for them and there to help. Paul also
says that “grace and peace” come from the Father
through the Son to teach them that the troubles they
are battling are not from God but because God’s
Enemy and enemies are now theirs as well. In this way,
getting attacked and having trouble is a good sign,
because it reveals that the church has been loyal to
King Jesus, which made them a target for the Kingdom
of Darkness. As God often does, the pressure on the
church increased the “love” in the church, as they are
“steadfast”, rock solid, and immovable in their loyalty to
the Lord.
Paul then reminds us all that Jesus Christ is coming.
Jesus Christ came the first time in humility and will
come the second time in glory. Jesus Christ came the
first time to die for sinners and will come the second
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2 THESSALONIANS
time to put sinners to death. Jesus Christ came the

first time as a Lamb and will come the second time as
a Lion.
The promises in this section of Scripture are
staggering, intended to put steel in the spine of weary
believers:
1. You are suffering for King Jesus and the Kingdom
of God!
2. King Jesus will return and “afflict” everyone who
has caused you “affliction”!
3. Your affliction will end forever once King Jesus
returns!
4. You won’t need to fight, because King Jesus will
bring His army of “mighty angels” to the battle
with Satan, demons, and evildoers much like the
Air Force or Navy Top Gun pilots reigning down
fire from the skies!
5. The Bible repeatedly tells us not to seek
vengeance, because vengeance is the Lord’s and
King Jesus will come as our Avenger greater than
the blockbuster movies with “punishment” and
“eternal destruction”!
6. You won’t have to deal with demons or evildoers
again because they will be sentenced away from
God’s “presence” in the Kingdom!
7. King Jesus will make you “glorified” so that you
are perfectly healed, whole, resurrected, and
restored forever!
We know Who is coming, and how He is coming, but

we do not know when He is coming. Faith is holding
the line until we see Him face-to-face and that is the
exhortation Paul gives the early Church and the Church
in every age since.
29
Dig Deeper.
1. In this section of Scripture, we see our God and
Savior Jesus Christ getting vengeance on
evildoers. Look up the following Scriptures where
we are told to not take vengeance but trust the
Lord to take vengeance on our behalf:
Deuteronomy 32:35-43; Romans 12:17-21.
2. In his previous letter, Paul also explained the
Second Coming of Jesus Christ (1 Thessalonians
4:13-5:4). Read that Scripture along with 2
Thessalonians 1:1-12.
3. Read what Jesus had to say about His Second
Coming in Matthew 24:30-31, 25:31-46.
4. For those who want to learn more about Spiritual
Warfare, I wrote a book with my wife Grace called
Win Your War that is available at realfaith.com/
store, and there is also a free sermon series by
the same name on that website.
Walk it out. Talk it out.

1. Start by having someone in the group read 2
Thessalonians 1:1-12 aloud.
2. Some Christians lean more toward mercy, while
others lean more toward justice. With kindness,
go around the group and explain which direction
you lean and your initial reaction to the language
of Jesus bringing an army to unleash fire,
affliction, and vengeance.
3. Christians often talk about being “saved” but
don’t often understand that we are saved by God
from the wrath of God. Reading what will happen
to unbelievers, how does it make you grateful that
Jesus came the first time to die and rise for you
and save you from His wrath?
4. Who are you praying becomes a Christian and
30
2 THESSALONIANS
gets saved by Jesus so they can avoid the

terrifying promise of this section of Scripture?
Spend time praying for lost family and friends
and committing to intentionally pursue them to
share the love and hope of Jesus Christ with
them.
NOTES
31
32
2 THESSALONIANS
33
Week 2: More Discernment. Less Deception.

2 Thessalonians 2:9-10 – The coming of the lawless
one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false
signs and wonders, and with all wicked deception for
those who are perishing, because they refused to love
the truth and so be saved.
Commentary:
Lord Acton writing to Bishop Creighton in 1887
made the now famous statement, “Power tends to
corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely”.12
Throughout human history, there has been a parade of
people who seem to be the embodiment of evil proving
this very tragic truth.13
Khmer Rouge regime leader Pol Pot brought
genocide to Cambodia from 1975-1979. It is estimated
that anywhere from 1.5-3 million people died in a failed
attempt at agrarian socialism based upon the failed
communist teachings of Stalinism and Maoism. The
ensuing relocation and torture of citizens that included
slave labor, along with executions that filled 23,745
discovered mass graves, along with starvation and
disease, likely killed an additional 2 million people so
that 25% of the nation’s population was murdered in
some form or fashion by their government.
One of history’s most brutal women was
Ranavalona I of Madagascar who had a 13-year reign
of terror (1829-1842). Cutting her nation off from trade,
enslaving citizens to pay off burdensome taxation, and
committed to never-ending wars of expansion, half the
citizens of Madagascar died as the total population fell
34
2 THESSALONIANS
from 5 to 2.5 million citizens across the island.

The Nazi holocaust (1939-1945) took the lives of
some 17 million people. Adolf Hitler looked a lot like the
Bible’s depiction of the antichrist – worshipped like a
god with seemingly supernatural power trying to rule
the earth with force and evil.
Joseph Stalin’s rule (1922-1953) included murder,
famine, slavery, and massacres that took the lives of
an estimated 15 million people at minimum, with some
estimates being much higher.
Lastly, Chinese dictator Mao Zedong (1946-
1976) imposed slave labor, killed political dissidents,
exterminated entire classes of people, and let 15 million
people starve to death with some estimates saying he
is responsible for the death of upwards of 70 million
people.
Jesus Christ is God who became a man and lived a
perfectly righteous life by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Satan has always worked through evildoers in every
generation to counterfeit Christ with the anti-Christ.
To be anti-Christ is to seek to remove Christ as Lord
and replace Christ with another Lord. 2 Thessalonians
2:4 says he “exalts himself against every so-called
god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in
the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God.”
Throughout history, anti-Christ leaders are filled with
demonic power to do anti-ministry. 2 John 1:7 says
that the parade of anti-Christs throughout history will
culminate in the coming of the Anti-Christ at the end
of history, “For many deceivers have gone out into the
world, those who do not confess the coming of Jesus
Christ in the flesh. Such a one is the deceiver and the
antichrist.”
In 2 Thessalonians 2:1-2, Paul teaches about the
“man of lawlessness”. Before Jesus returns, this fully
35
Satanic possessed world leader will rise up, seeking to

rule the earth in place of Christ: “The coming of the
lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power
and false signs and wonders, and with all wicked
deception for those who are perishing, because they
refused to love the truth and so be saved.”
Combining politics, religion, and celebrity status,
people from the nations of the earth will worship him
as the hope of the planet and love him because he
preaches celebration of sin instead of repentance of
sin to those who take “pleasure in unrighteousness.”
In every age, the lawless anti-Christ has longed to
rule the world, but we are told through Paul that he
has been restrained by God, proving that even though
Satan rules the earth, Jesus Christ still rules over the
Devil.
Where is history going? Paul is clear the progressive
myth that people are good, and civilizations improve
over time is a lie. The storyline of the Bible is that
people are sinners, the world is cursed, Satan and
demons are real, and evildoers are everywhere. A Bible
commentary says, “To convince the Thessalonians
that the Day of the Lord had not yet arrived, in 2 Thess
2:1–12 Paul asserts that two events must first occur:
the arrival of the man of lawlessness and ‘the rebellion’
(hē apostasia). Typically translated as ‘rebellion’ or
‘apostasy’ in English...”14
The last days delusion will be so powerful that
even some who profess to be Christians but do not
possess saving faith will fall away and join the man
of lawlessness. Some churches, pulpits, and even
entire denominations will get caught up in the frenzy
of worshipping a counterfeit Christ. The only hope for
everyone and everything is the Second Coming of
Jesus Christ at the final moment in history when the
36
2 THESSALONIANS
anti-Christ man of lawlessness rises up: “And then the

lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will
kill with the breath of his mouth and bring to nothing
by the appearance of his coming.”a
How incredible is this scene! The most powerful
person ruled by Satan in the history of the earth is
brought to nothing by one single breath from the
mouth of our God and Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ!
Dig Deeper.
1. To learn more about the “man of lawlessness”,
read Daniel 11:29-35.
2. To learn more about Jesus’ Second Coming and
battle with the anti-Christ, read Revelation 22:1-7.
3. To learn more about Jesus coming for His people,
read Isaiah 43:5-7 and 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18.

1. Paul mentions a fake letter that apostate false
teachers wrote in his name to confuse and
deceive the people (2 Thessalonians 2:1-3a). How
is it easier than ever for Christians in our day to
get “shaken”, “alarmed”, and “deceive[d]” by fake
news, outright lies, and false teaching?
2. What are some anti-Christ movements and
leaders in our own day that are against Christ,
and seeking to replace Him with ungodliness, that
believers should be aware of? How should we
respond to them?
3. While this scene is dark, spend some time
encouraging one another with the thought of
Jesus’ Second Coming including His utter defeat
of Satan, the anti-Christ, evildoers, and all that
_________________
a
2 Thessalonians 2:8
37
is against God and His people. Spend some time

in prayer thanking Jesus that He is coming and
do so to encourage one another.
NOTES
38
2 THESSALONIANS
39
40
2 THESSALONIANS
Week 3: More Rising Up. Less Bowing Down.
Scripture to Read: 2 Thessalonians 2:13-3:5

2 Thessalonians 3:3 – …the Lord is faithful. He will
establish you and guard you against the evil one.
Commentary:
In many battles, great sacrifices are made, including
lives lost, to secure small areas of land. Once ground
has been taken, it must then be secured and kept, or
the entire victory is in vain.
One such example from American history is the
Battle of Bunker Hill on June 17, 1775, during the
American Revolutionary War. Colonial and British
troops grappled for control of the strategically
advantageous Bunker Hill in Massachusetts, which
helped to safeguard a nearby harbor. Some 1200
Colonial soldiers stood guard to solidify this and other
surrounding hills, but the British attacked them and
eventually overtook the hill because Colonial soldiers
ran out of ammunition. The British, however, could not
secure and retain the hill they won in battle, losing
around 1,000 soldiers, including 100 officers, and
running low on supplies and leadership. Even though
the British soldiers outgunned the Colonials largely
comprised of farmers by a margin of 2-1, the Colonials
retook the hill. The British lost many lives to take
ground that they would quickly lose, making their entire
effort in vain and demoralizing, a classic example of a
Pyrrhic victory.
In this section of his letter to the new Christians in
the church at Thessalonica, Paul is encouraging them
to “stand firm” with “steadfastness” and not give in
41
to all the criticism and temptation (especially sexual)

that surrounded them. Their day was just like ours; it
was easy to be an unbeliever or an apostate who said
they believed in God but did not live for God, and it
was difficult and costly to be a true Christian who was
unwavering in their beliefs or behavior.
Since believers get so much criticism and
discouragement, Paul’s example of praising and
encouraging is important. He says, “we...thank God for
you...beloved by the Lord...”a He goes on to encourage
them that they were undergoing “sanctification by the
Spirit”.b What this means is that God was using the
worst hardships of their life to shape the best parts of
their character. Because of their steadfastness, they
were becoming more like Jesus, which explains why
the world hated them more and more. The same is true
for you if you are a Christian. To be sure, sometimes
we sin and make a mess of our own life. Other times,
we are suffering not because of anything we’d done
wrong, but precisely for doing what is right. When we
are in these tough seasons, Paul’s words bring much
encouragement, hope, and resolve: “Now may our Lord
Jesus Christ himself, and God our Father, who loved us
and gave us eternal comfort and good hope through
grace, comfort your hearts and establish them in every
good work and word.”c When you are for God, you can
be sure that God is for you! When you are standing
for Christ, you can be sure that Christ is standing with
you! The Holy Spirit says through Paul, “But the Lord
is faithful. He will establish you and guard you against
the evil one. And we have confidence in the Lord about
you, that you are doing and will do the things that we
command. May the Lord direct your hearts to the love
_________________
a
2 Thessalonians 2:13 b 2 Thessalonians 2:13 c 2 Thessalonians 2:16-17
42
2 THESSALONIANS
of God and to the steadfastness of Christ.”a

Lastly, as their most senior human leader, Paul asks,
“pray for us”.b A ministry leader spends their life pouring
out and needs God to pour in to replenish them. Paul’s
main concern is for the Word of God: “…that the word
of the Lord may speed ahead and be honored, as
happened among you, and that we may be delivered
from wicked and evil men.”c When the Bible says that
the Bible is a swordd, it means that it’s an offensive
weapon of war to dethrone lies and darkness for King
Jesus. A Bible teaching ministry that is advancing
to reach more people will face attacks from those
doing anti-ministry. Anymore, you have to wonder if a
preacher who never gets in trouble or endures slander
and controversy is actually faithful to the Word of God.
Preaching and teaching the Word of God is an act of
spiritual war, and anytime a faithful believer picks up
the Bible you can expect Satan, demons, and their
minions of evildoers to declare war and bring the fight.
For the Christian, this fact should bring clarity and
encouragement. This is a normal part of the faithful
Christian’s life, and is nothing that should shock or
discourage us.
Dig Deeper.
1. To learn more about perseverance, which is the
theme of this section, read the following
Scriptures: Matthew 24:13; Romans 5:3-5, 8:35-39;
James 1:23; Jude 1:17-21.
2. Those who persevere are called overcomers. Look
up what the Bible says about these people who
follow in Jesus’ victory: John 16:33; Romans 12:21;
1 John 1:4-5, 2:13-14; 4:4, 5:4-5.
_________________
a
2 Thessalonians 3:3-5 b 2 Thessalonians 3:1 c 2 Thessalonians 3:1-2
d
Hebrews 4:12; Ephesians 6:17
43

1. What are the beliefs that God is calling you to
“stand firm” in and not waver?
2. What are the behaviors that God is calling you to
“stand firm” in and not compromise?
3. How can you be praying for each other? Spend
time doing that by starting with encouragement
for one another on things that are noble as Paul
mentions to the Thessalonians.
4. As Paul asked for prayer for himself and the other
ministry leaders, spend some time praying for the
leaders in your church or ministry.
NOTES
44
2 THESSALONIANS
45
46
2 THESSALONIANS
Week 4: More Working. Less Whining.

2 Thessalonians 3:13 – As for you, brothers, do not grow
weary in doing good.
Commentary:
We tend to think of Jesus’ life on earth largely in
terms of His ministry – preaching sermons, casting out
demons, performing miracles, and getting pestered by
religious neatniks. Scholars believe that Jesus lived
roughly 33 years on the earth and spent around three
years doing ministry. That means about 90% of Jesus’
earthly life was spent NOT doing vocational ministry.
What then was He doing? Working a job to pay his bills.
Our God works. The opening pages of Genesis
reveal God working in six days and taking a day off
to Sabbath. When Genesis says that God “created”,
it is the same Hebrew word used elsewhere in the Old
Testament for people working their jobs. God’s people
have always followed this pattern, as commanded
throughout the Scriptures.
Since Christ worked, you simply cannot be like
Christ if you won’t work. To be sure, our work can be
paid like a dad who goes to his job or unpaid like his
wife who stays home to raise the kids – but work is
worship for the Christian. Colossians 3:23–25 says,
“Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not
for men...from the Lord you will receive the inheritance
as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.”
Because our God rules and reigns over all, there
is no such thing as sacred and secular, as is common
in many other religions. In the Bible, a long list of
47
honorable professions are named among God’s people

– carpentry, tent making, fishing, medicine, teaching,
farming, politics, metal work, music, investing, labor,
construction, law, consulting, cooking, architecture,
athletics, entertainment, banking, military, real estate,
clothing, mothering, sales, etc. are all affirmed as God-
honoring labors in the Scriptures.
Historically, Protestants have worked, and the noted
German sociologist Max Weber (1864-1920) famously
said the “Protestant work ethic” was the primary force
responsible for American prosperity as people chased
the American dream through hard work. To prepare
their children to work, Protestant parents gave their
children chores to teach them how to work unto the
Lord.
There is a myth that once we are raised from the
dead and living in the Kingdom of God, that there will
be no more work. That is untrue. In the opening pages
of Genesis, before sin entered the world, we are told
that, “The Lord God took the man & put him in the
garden of Eden to work...”a To be sure, Genesis 3 says
that work is now cursed and far more difficult but work
itself is a grace and not a curse. God’s eternal plan
is to return to His original divine design of Genesis
1-2 because His plan was right and, though we got it
wrong, He’s not changing His plan. This means, in the
Kingdom, we will have meaningful work to do, we will
explore the vast corners of God’s creation, build cities,
cook amazing meals, hear incredible bands, enjoy jaw
dropping art, play sports, throw parties, and do what
God planned for us before our sin crushed us.
In Paul’s day, and our own, there is a group of
Christians who don’t want to work, expect the church
or the government to provide for them from womb to
_________________
a
Genesis 2:15
48
2 THESSALONIANS
tomb, are lazy, entitled, and make people feel guilty for
not giving more and more to them. The rising affluence
along with a sense of socialistic entitlement in the
West has made this worse than ever. This cultural
entitlement explains why one of the most controversial
Scriptures is 1 Timothy 5:8: “But if anyone does not
provide for his relatives, and especially for members
of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse
than an unbeliever.” I have gone viral to millions of
young men on social media by triggering them through
simply reading this verse without comment. The Bible
has nothing good to say about able-bodied believers
who will not work, or are lazy, and the rebuke is
strongest for men who claim Christ but don’t work.
In our day, when it seems everyone wants to be a
victim so they can be compensated and not have to
work, or politicians promise to take money from people
who go to work to give it to people who do not, the
words of Paul are incredibly timely:
“Now we command you, brothers, in the name of

our Lord Jesus Christ, that you keep away from any
brother who is walking in idleness and not in accord
with the tradition that you received from us. For
you yourselves know how you ought to imitate
us, because we were not idle when we were with
you, nor did we eat anyone’s bread without paying
for it, but with toil and labor we worked night and
day, that we might not be a burden to any of you. It
was not because we do not have that right, but
to give you in ourselves an example to imitate. For
even when we were with you, we would give you
this command: If anyone is not willing to work, let
him not eat. For we hear that some among you walk
in idleness, not busy at work, but busybodies. Now
49
such persons we command and encourage in the

Lord Jesus Christ to do their work quietly and to
earn their own living. As for you, brothers, do not
grow weary in doing good. If anyone does not obey
what we say in this letter, take note of that person,
and have nothing to do with him, that he may be
ashamed. Do not regard him as an enemy, but warn
him as a brother.”a
Today, there is a record number of young people,

especially young men, who are able-bodied but not
working or looking for work. They are referred to as
NILF – Not in Labor Force. These young men are living
with their mother, mooching off her hard work, and, if
Paul is to be believed, these young men need to either
get a job or get kicked out of their mother’s house.
Eventually, their hunger will motivate them to go look
for work.
There is something dignified and honorable about
working hard, being a responsible adult, and not being
dependent upon others to provide for your needs. The
less people work, the less people there are to mooch off
in church and tax through the government which leads
to the kind of unprecedented national and personal
debt that is crushing the United States and other
foolish nations. God’s people are supposed to think and
act differently, as the Lordship of Jesus Christ extends
all the way to the mechanic turning a wrench to the
glory of God.
Dig Deeper.
1. To learn more about what the Bible says about
work, look up the following Scriptures: Proverbs
22:9; Ecclesiastes 2:24; John 5:17,36; Ephesians
_________________
a
50
2 THESSALONIANS
2:8-10.
2. If you would like to learn more about what kinds
of work, and other things, you will be doing
in Heaven, there is a free sermon series at
realfaith.com.a

1. How has God used working to disciple you, teach
you vital lessons, grow your character, and
disciple you?
2. What motivates some people to not work, or work
halfheartedly? Have you ever fallen into this
yourself or wrongly enabled and hindered
someone who struggled with this?
3. What current work has God given you to do in this
season of your life?
4. How can we pray for you?
NOTES
_________________
a
https://realfaith.com/sermon-series/good-news/
51
52
2 THESSALONIANS
53
54
APPENDIX
Answers to Common Questions About
Heaven and Hell
Many years after the death of my Grandpa George,

history repeated itself when my wife Grace got a call
shortly after Christmas that her dad was dying. We
were out of state on vacation at the time and hurried
to the hospital to say our goodbyes.
Our five children had a lot of questions about the
death of their grandpa Gib, most of them the same
ones I had with my Grandpa George. In the days
surrounding his death, we had some amazing and
hopeful conversations.
Grandpa Gib was a pastor who loved Jesus and
spent most of his life ministering to hurting people. So,
we gave them the hope of the resurrection of Jesus
Christ. First, we told them that, after dying, Grandpa
Gib had everything not only get better but become
perfect because “to live is Christ, and to die is gain.”a
Second, we told them that Grandpa Gib was hanging
out with Jesus Christ, his favorite Person because to be
“away from the body” is to be “at home with the Lord.”b
Third, we told them that my Grandpa George and their
Grandpa Gib were probably hanging out as friends
having fun. Fourth, we told them that one day there
would be a huge family reunion when Jesus returns
to give us perfect health in a resurrected body to live
_________________
a
Philippians 1:21 b 2 Corinthians 5:8
55
forever in a world filled with peace, joy, and sunshine

together since “in fact Christ has been raised from the
dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For
as by a man came death, by a man has come also the
resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also
in Christ shall all be made alive.”a
The Bible says that believers should grieve, but not
like unbelievers who have no hope because our hope
is in the risen Christ Jesus!b So, we grieved as a family,
thanked God for the memories with our grandpas,
and had fun imagining what eternity will be like at the
family reunion. One of the kids asked if they could play
whiffle ball with the grandpas. Another asked if the
grandpas could take them swimming and buy them ice
cream. Since none was a sin, I told them that sounded
like a good thing to look forward to. We explained that,
after resurrection, we would all be happy living in a
Kingdom made up by brothers and sisters from across
the nations enjoying sunshine every day.
Hilariously, one of the kids said, “So heaven is
basically like California!” We chuckled, thought about it
for a moment, and said yes but only it’s better because
it has similar weather but none of the taxes or politics.
The new Christians Paul writes 1-2 Thessalonians
to had a lot of questions about Heaven and Hell. For
those who have the same kind of questions, the book
Doctrine: It’s All About Jesus! I co-wrote with Dr.
Gerry Breshears has a special 10-year greatly revised
version that is a comprehensive, yet readable, series of
answers to big Bible questions.c In this appendix, there
are some summaries from Doctrine to answer common
questions about Heaven and Hell.
_________________
a
1 Corinthians 15:20-22 b 1 Thessalonians 4:13 c https://realfaith.com/
store/doctrine-its-all-about-jesus/
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2 THESSALONIANS
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE DIE?
Bible-believing Christians grieve the loss of

someone they love, but with the reassurance of
eternal life, resurrection of the dead, and reunion of
God’s entire Forever Family. This is grieving God’s
heart, “Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be
uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that
you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no
hope.”a
Upon death, a believer’s spirit immediately goes to
Heaven to be with God.b One picture is John’s vision of
the souls of the martyrs crying out with a loud voice,
“How long before you will judge and avenge our blood
on those who dwell on the earth?”c Paul’s confidence
that death will be “far better” than fruitful work here on
earth also serves to give hope to the believer.d
Jesus gives us a picture in Luke 16:19–31 of
existence after death. Lazarus, the godly beggar, goes
to be with Abraham, while the self-indulgent rich man
is in a place of torment. His deeds show that he does
not love God.e The rich man, self-absorbed in life and
now in death, sees Lazarus only as an instrument of his
comfort. His sinning continues in the afterlife. There is
neither repentance for his injustice nor the expectation
that he can get out of torment now that he is dead.
Jesus, who has come back from death and is thus
the expert on what awaits us on the other side, was
emphatically clear that a day of judgment is coming
when everyone will rise from their graves and stand
before Him for eternal sentencing to either worship in
His Kingdom or suffer in His Hell.f
At the final judgment, all—even you—will stand
_________________
a
1 Thessalonians 4:13 (NIV) b 2 Corinthians 5:1-10; Philippians 1:23
c
Revelation 6:10 d Philippians 1:23 e 1 John 3:10, 4:8-21 f John 5:21-30
57
before Jesus. Jesus’ followers, whose names are written

in the Book of Life, will be with him forever. The Bible
could not be clearer: “If anyone’s name was not found
written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake
of fire.”a
WHAT IS THE BIBLICAL EVIDENCE FOR JESUS’

RESURRECTION?
The biblical evidence for Jesus’ resurrection is

compelling and can be briefly summarized in 10 points.
Each of these points is consistent, and together they
reveal that the Bible is emphatically and repeatedly
clear on the fact of Jesus’ resurrection.
1. Jesus’ resurrection was prophesied in advance.

Roughly 700 years before the birth of Jesus, the
prophet Isaiah promised that Jesus would be born
into humble circumstances to live a simple life,
die a brutal death, and then rise to take away our
sin.b
2. Jesus predicted His resurrection. On numerous
occasions, Jesus plainly promised that He would
die and rise three days later.c
3. Jesus died. Before Jesus died, He underwent a
sleepless night of trials and beatings that left
Him exhausted. He was then scourged—a
punishment so horrendous that many men died
from it before even making it to their crucifixion.
Jesus was crucified, and a professional
executioner declared Him dead. To ensure Jesus
was dead, a spear was thrust through His
side and a mixture of blood and water poured
_________________
a
Revelation 20:15 b Isaiah 53:8-12 c Matthew 12:38-40; Mark 8:31, 9:31,
10:33-34; John 2:18-22
58
2 THESSALONIANS
out of His side because the spear burst His heart

sac.a Jesus’ dead body was wrapped in upwards
of 100 pounds of linens and spices, which, even
if He was able to somehow survive the beatings,
floggings, crucifixion, and a pierced heart, would
have killed Him by asphyxiation. Even if through
all of this Jesus somehow survived (which would
in itself be a miracle), He could not have endured
three days without food, water, or medical
attention in a cold tomb carved out of rock. In
summary, Jesus died.
4. Jesus was buried in a tomb that was easy to
find. Some 700 years before Jesus was even
born, God promised through Isaiah that Jesus
would be assigned a grave “with a rich man in
his death.”b This was incredibly unlikely, because
Jesus was a very poor man who could not have
afforded an expensive burial plot. Following Jesus’
death, though, a wealthy and well-known man
named Joseph of Arimathea gifted his expensive
tomb for the burial of Jesus.c As a result, the
place of Jesus’ burial was easy to confirm.
Joseph, who owned the tomb, governmental
leaders and their soldiers who were assigned to
guard the tomb, and the disciples and women
who visited the tomb and found it empty all
knew exactly where Jesus’ dead body was laid
to rest. Had Jesus truly not risen from death, it
would have been very easy to prove it by opening
the tomb and presenting Jesus’ dead body as
evidence.
5. Jesus appeared physically, not just spiritually,
alive three days after His death. Following Jesus’
_________________
a
John 19:34-35 b Isaiah 53:9 c Matthew 27:57-60
59
resurrection, many people touched His physical

body: His disciples clung to his feeta, Mary clung
to Himb, and Thomas the doubter put his hand
into the open spear hole in Jesus’ side.c Jesus
also appeared to His disciples after His
resurrection, but they were uncertain if He had
truly physically risen from death. Still, Jesus was
emphatic about His bodily resurrection and went
out of His way to prove it:
“As they were talking about these things, Jesus
himself stood among them, and said to them,
‘Peace to you!’ But they were startled and
frightened and thought they saw a spirit. And he
said to them, ‘Why are you troubled, and why do
doubts arise in your hearts? See my hands and
my feet, that it is I myself. Touch me, and see.
For a spirit does not have flesh and bones as
you see that I have.’ And when he had said this,
he showed them his hands and his feet. And
while they still disbelieved for joy and were
marveling, he said to them, ‘Have you anything
here to eat?’ They gave him a piece of broiled
fish, and he took it and ate before them.”d
Furthermore, Jesus appeared physically alive
over the course of 40 dayse to crowds as large
as 500 people at a time.f It is also significant
to note that no credible historical evidence
from that period exists to validate any alternative
explanation for Jesus’ resurrection other than His
literal bodily resurrection.15
6. Jesus’ resurrected body was the same as His pre-
resurrection body. His disciples recognized
Him as the same person who had been crucifiedg
_________________
a
Matthew 28:9 b John 20:17 c John 20:20-28 d Luke 24:36-43 e Acts 1:3
f
1 Corinthians 15:6 g Luke 24:31; cf. John 21:7, 12
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2 THESSALONIANS
and Mary Magdalene recognized Him by the

sound of His voice.a While Jesus’ resurrection
body was the same, it was transformed. This
explains why Jesus was not always immediately
recognized after His resurrectionb and seemed
to appear and reappear mysteriously.c As James
Orr noted, “[In] the narratives…it is implied that
there was something strange – something
unfamiliar or mysterious – in His aspect, which
prevented His immediate recognition…which held
them in awe.”16 Paul explains this phenomenon in
the lengthiest treatment of the nature of a
resurrection body in all of Scriptured: “It is sown
a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. If
there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual
body.”e This “spiritual body” refers to a resurrected
body that has been perfected to its glorious state
by the power of the Holy Spirit.
7. Jesus’ resurrection was recorded as Scripture
shortly after it occurred. Mark’s Gospel account
of the days leading up to Jesus’ crucifixion
mentions the high priest without naming Him.f It
can logically be inferred that Mark did not
mention the high priest by name because he
expected his readers to know who he was
speaking of. Since Caiaphas was high priest from
AD 18–37, the latest possible date for the
tradition is AD 37.17 This date is so close to
the death of Jesus that there would not have
been sufficient time for a “legend” of His
resurrection to have developed. This proves
that the biblical record of Jesus’ resurrection
_________________
a
John 20:16 b John 20:14,15; 21:4; Luke 24:15-16 c John 20:19; Luke
24:31,36 d 1 Corinthians 15 e 1 Corinthians 15:44 f Mark 14:53, 54, 60, 61,
63
61
was penned while the eyewitnesses were still

alive to verify the facts. Thus, His resurrection is
not a mythical legend that developed long after
the time of Jesus. In fact, John Rodgers, former
dean of Trinity Episcopal School for Ministry, says,
“This is the sort of data that historians of
antiquity drool over.”18
8. Jesus’ resurrection was celebrated in the
earliest church creeds. In 1 Corinthians 15:3-4,
Paul says, “Christ died for our sins in accordance
with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he
was raised on the third day in accordance with
the Scriptures.” This statement is widely accepted
as the earliest church creed, which began
circulating as early as AD 30-36, shortly after
Jesus’ resurrection. Considering the early
age of this creed, there was not sufficient time
between the crucifixion and the creed for any
legend about Jesus’ resurrection to accrue. In
addition, the witnesses mentioned were still
alive and available to be questioned about the
facts surrounding the resurrection. The early
date of this creed also proves that the church
did not corrupt the truth about Jesus with fables
and folklores. Rather, the early church simply
clung to the plain and incontrovertible facts of
Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection.
9. Jesus’ resurrection convinced His family to
worship him as God. James, Jesus’ half-brother,
was originally opposed to the claims of deity
by his brother.a A transformation occurred in
James, though, after he saw his brother
resurrected from death.b James went on to
_________________
a
John 7:5 b 1 Corinthians 15:7
62
2 THESSALONIANS
pastor the church in Jerusalem and authored the

New Testament epistle bearing his name.a He
was also actively involved in shaping the early
Church, which suffered and died to proclaim to
everyone that Jesus is the one true God.b Also,
Jesus’ mother Mary was part of the early church
that prayed to and worshiped her son as Godc,
as was Jesus’ other brother Jude, who wrote a
book of the New Testament bearing his name.d
While it is not impossible to imagine Jesus
convincing some people that He was God if
He were not, it is impossible to conceive of Jesus
convincing His own mother and brothers to suffer
persecution in this life and risk the torments of
Hell in eternal life for worshiping Him as the one
true God unless He truly was.
10. Jesus’ resurrection was confirmed by his
most bitter enemies, such as Paul. Paul was a
devout Jewish Pharisee who routinely persecuted
and killed Christians.e After an encounter with the
risen Christ, Paul was converted and became the
most dynamic defender and expander of the
Church.f Had Jesus not truly risen from death, it is
absurd to assume that Paul would ever have
worshiped Him as God, particularly when Paul
rightly believed that worshiping a false God
would send one into the eternal flames of
Hell. Simply, Paul hated Jesus and would never
have changed his religious practice unless Jesus
had risen from death to prove him wrong.
Furthermore, Paul insisted that Jesus had risen in
almost all of his letters that are saved for us in
the New Testament.
_________________
a
James 1:1 b Acts 12:17, 15:21-21, 21:18; Galatians 2:9 c Acts 1:14 d Acts
1:14; Jude 1 e Philippians 3:4-6; Acts 7:54-60 f Acts 9
63
WHAT HAS THE RESURRECTION

ACCOMPLISHED FOR CHRISTIANS?
Those who come into God’s family will be joined

to Jesus in His death and resurrection life.a This is
what John calls being born againb and Peter calls new
birth.c
Now that the risen Christ has been installed as our
Messiah King, we can rest assured that, one day, Jesus
will return to establish His throne on the earth and
rule over His Kingdom, which extends to all of creation.
Practically, Jesus’ resurrection gives us confidence in
His other promises that we are waiting to see fulfilled,
such as His returning one day to judge sinnersd and
reward saints.e The Bible often speaks of our being
united with Christ by His resurrectionf, being raised
with Christg, and enjoying the same powerful Holy Spirit
that raised Christ.h In so doing, the Bible is stressing
the innumerable blessings and benefits conferred on
believers because of Jesus’ resurrection.
Regarding our future, Jesus’ resurrection is the
precedent and pattern of our own: “Christ has been
raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who
have fallen asleep.”i As His body was resurrected
in complete health, so too will we rise and never
experience pain, injury, or death ever again. Because
Jesus rose from death physically, we learn that God,
through Christ, intends to reclaim and restore all that
he made in creation and saw corrupted through the
Fall. Our eternity will be spent in a world much like the
one enjoyed by our first parents in Eden, because the
earth has been reclaimed and restored by God through
_________________
a
Romans 6:3-5 b John 3:1-16 c 1 Peter 1:3, 23 d John 3:16, 18, 36; 5:25-
29 e John 14:3 f Romans 6:5 g Colossians 2:12, 3:1 h 1 Corinthians 6:14; 2
Corinthians 5:15 i 1 Corinthians 15:20
64
2 THESSALONIANS
Jesus’ resurrection.
WHAT IS THE KINGDOM OF GOD?
At its simplest, the Kingdom of God is about God

ruling as King over everyone and everything forever,
bringing His rule and reign to bear on every inch of
creation for all eternity. This is the result of God’s
mission to rescue and renew His sin-marred creation.
Jesus not only saves our souls; He’s King over all kings
and Lord over all lords, establishing His rule and reign
over all, defeating the human and divine evil powers,
bringing perfect order to all, enacting justice, and being
worshiped as Lord.
God does not want us to be naïve, as if the
Kingdom is fully here. And God does not want us to
be hopeless, as if the Kingdom has not yet begun. The
Kingdom has come with Jesus and is coming again
with Jesus’ Second Coming. God will work His rescue,
not by obliterating the physical earth but by recreating
it. He will use humans, who are part of the problem but
become, by grace, part of the solution, to bless, redeem,
and restore. In all this, we are not observers of a divine
drama but participants helping with the redemption,
each playing the role God has assigned for us to play
in making the invisible Kingdom visible.
Jesus’ resurrection prefigures our resurrection.a In
Jesus’ death and resurrection, not only is the price of
our sin paid, and our life after death secured, but the
eternal life of God has truly come to this cursed earth
with the coming of the King, God’s Kingdom has come
into this world.b Because of King Jesus, there will be
physical life again after a period of physical death.c
_________________
a
1 Corinthians 15:12-57 b John 3:16, 5:24, 6:40; 2 Corinthians 4:10-11
c
1 Corinthians 15:44-46; 2 Corinthians 5:1-8
65
WHAT JUDGMENT AWAITS CHRISTIANS

AT THE END OF THIS LIFE?
Christians will not be judged at the end of this

life in the same way that non-Christians will be. The
Bible teaches this truth clearly and repeatedly. Jesus
said, “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word
and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He
does not come into judgment, but has passed from
death to life.”a Paul says, “There is therefore now no
condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”b
Simply stated, in Christ, all sin is forgiven having been
judged at Jesus’ cross.c Subsequently, Christians are
members of the family of God now and forever.
Nonetheless, Christians will be judged at the end of
this life in a way that is different from the judgment of
non-Christians. This life, and what we do and do not do
with it, matters greatly. The Holy Spirit has given every
Christian time, talent, and treasure that they are to
steward well for the Kingdom. The Christian’s judgment
is a day of assessment when “we must all appear
before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one
may receive what is due for what he has done in the
body, whether good or evil.”d
This theme of accountability and reward runs all
through Scripture as a continual reminder not to waste
our life but rather steward it in light of eternity.e
Negatively, some Christians will be grieved by the
lack of reward given to them. Paul says, “If anyone’s
work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself
will be saved, but only as through fire.”f The Bible is
clear that there are eternal consequences for believers
_________________
a
John 5:24 b Romans 8:1 c Colossians 2:13; 1 John 2:12 d 2 Corinthians
5:10 e Matt. 24:45–47; 25:14–30; Luke 12:42–48; 16:1–13; 17:7–10; 19:12–
27; Rom. 2:16; 14:10; 1 Cor. 3:8–15; 4:5; 9:17–27; Col. 3:23–25; 1 Tim. 2:3–6;
2 Tim. 4:8; 1 Pet. 1:7; 5:4; Rev. 4:4, 10; 22:12 f 1 Corinthians 3:15
66
2 THESSALONIANS
doing both good and evil.a

We are children of God with the full right of
inheritance. Participation in the Kingdom is already
ours, not because of what we have done for God,
but because of what God has done for us. We should
respond by being trustworthy. Bit by bit, we learn and
grow in faithfulness with the small kingdom works He
has entrusted to us. We know that God is a Father
whose love for and devotion to His children is purely by
grace and will never change. Still, as a good Father, He
also gives chores and responsibilities to each of His
children to help them mature and grow so that He can
entrust to them increasingly important things; in the
Kingdom, He rewards the children who are faithful in
this life in ways that He does not reward the children
who are unfaithful in this life.b
WHAT JUDGMENT AWAITS NON-CHRISTIANS

AT THE END OF THIS LIFE?
When a great injustice has occurred, there is cheering

when justice is served. This explains why joy rises when
a dangerous criminal is captured, or a demonic dictator
is toppled. Because God made us in His image with a
conscience, we long for righteousness where wrongs
are made right.
Romans 2 is one chapter of the Bible that deals
in depth with the blessings and benefits for God’s
judgment. Human judgment and justice are usually
imperfect because they’re generally only known in
part and have biases. Making matters worse, to some
degree, we are all guilty of the very things we judge
others for doing, “Therefore you have no excuse, O
_________________
a
2 Corinthians 5:10 b Luke 16:10-12, 19:17-19
67
man, every one of you who judges. For in passing

judgment on another you condemn yourself, because
you, the judge, practice the very same things.”a We tend
to see the sin of others much more clearly than our
own. Thankfully, there is a day coming when God will
perfectly judge everyone, “on the day of wrath when
God’s righteous judgment will be revealed.”b
The reason God has not yet had the final judgment
is not because He is indifferent, but rather He is
patient, giving sinners ample opportunity to trust
in the Savior, “Or do you presume on the riches of
his kindness and forbearance and patience, not
knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to
repentance? But because of your hard and impenitent
heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the
day of wrath when God’s righteous judgment will be
revealed.”c
Just as Jesus said that believers store up treasures
for themselves in Heaven by their works in the Spirit, so
Paul says that unbelievers similarly store up wrath for
themselves in Hell by their works of the flesh. Paul even
uses the same Greek word as Jesus to contrast the
judgment of believers and unbelievers.d Paul concludes
by saying of God, “He will render to each one according
to his works: to those who by patience in well-doing
seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give
eternal life; but for those who are self-seeking and do
not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will
be wrath and fury...For God shows no partiality.”e
A day is coming when God will judge the living and
the deadf through the Son.g When the Son of Man’s
throne arrives on the earth, all will stand before Him
_________________
a
Romans 2:1 b Romans 2:5 c Romans 2:4-5 d Matthew 6:19; Romans 2:5
e
Romans 2:6-8, 11 f Acts 10:42; 2 Timothy 4:1; 1 Peter 4:5 g Psalm 2:12;
Mark 14:62; John 5:22; Acts 17:31
68
2 THESSALONIANS
for judgment.a From the beginning of creationb to the

endc, the Bible makes it clear that the basis of God’s
judgment is our deeds.d
There are degrees of punishment in Hell like there
are degrees of reward in Heaven. Jesus told the people
of Capernaum that it would be worse for them in the
judgment than for Sodom.e The one who sins knowingly
and willfully will receive a more severe beating than the
one who did not know.f Both in life and in Hell, some
sins receive more severe punishment, because that is
just.g This fits the scriptural teaching that some sins
are qualitatively worse than others in that the depth of
their evil and the damage that ensues is greater. Jesus
illustrated this when he told Pilate, “He who delivered
me over to you has the greater sin.”h
WHAT DOES SCRIPTURE TEACH ABOUT HEAVEN?
According to the Bible, there is one reality ruled

by God over two realms. One realm is the spirit world
where God, divine beings (including angels), and
departed saints live right now. The other realm is the
physical world where human beings live right now.
Originally, these two realms were connected.
The Garden of Eden in Genesis was literally Heaven
on earth where the unseen realm and seen realm
connected. This explains why Adam and Eve met with
God there, were not shocked when a divine being
showed up (Satan), and saw an angel keep them from
the Tree of Life once they sinned. Once we sinned, the
realms were disconnected. So, upon death, the two
_________________
a
Matthew 25:31-46; Revelation 20:11-15 b Genesis 2:15-17 c Revelation
20:12-13 d Jeremiah 17:10, 32:19; Matthew 16:27; Romans 2:6; Galatians
6:7-8; Revelation 2:23, 22:12 e Matthew 11:21-24 f Luke 12:47-48
g
Numbers 15:22-30; Leviticus 4:1-35, 5:15-19; Matthew 18:6; 1 Timothy
5:8; James 3:1; 1 John 5:16-18 h John 19:11
69
parts of our being are also disconnected. Our body

goes into the ground awaiting resurrection. Our soul
goes to be with God.
The apostle Paul says this is “far better” than
our current life on earth and all we have is “gain” to
look forward to being “at home with the Lord”.a So, if
someone loves Jesus and dies today, they are with
Jesus in the spiritual Heaven. That, however, is not
their final destination. When Jesus returns to earth, He
brings Heaven to earth with Him to restore things to
how they were before sin entered the world. Those who
love Jesus will be joined to their resurrection bodies
to live forever on the New Earth. Far too many people
think of Heaven only in terms of the intermediate
spiritual state, and not the earthy physical reality that
God has planned for all eternity.
Right now, Heaven exists in the unseen realm and is
just as real as the world we occupy in the seen realm.
Much like a Zoom call, Isaiah, Ezekiel, and John all
got to communicate with Heaven and see what was
happening there. For example, Revelation 6:9-11 says, “I
saw...the souls of those who had been slain for the word
of God and for the witness they had borne. They cried
out with a loud voice, ‘O Sovereign Lord, holy and true,
how long before you will judge and avenge our blood
on those who dwell on the earth?’ Then they were each
given a white robe and told to rest a little longer...”
Right now, there is a place called Heaven that exists
in the unseen realm. Living there are God, divine beings
including angels, and departed saints who loved Jesus
in their life on earth. When you die, you go there to be
with them if you love Jesus. Theologians call this the
“intermediate heaven”.
_________________
a
2 Corinthians 5:8; Philippians 1:21-23
70
2 THESSALONIANS
One day, maybe in hours or centuries, Jesus Christ

will return to this sin-cursed, tear-soaked world with
Heaven as the King and everyone and everything in
His Kingdom make the big move to New Earth. Just as
Jesus brought Heaven and earth together at His first
coming, He will bring the New Heaven and New Earth
together at His Second Coming.a
For the Christian, dying is really just moving. Like
any move, it’s important to do some research so you
can prepare yourself for your new home, get directions
(which is basically following Jesus, who is the way
home) and pushing through the hassles of this life
to move to your Forever Home in Heaven. One of my
favorite pictures of Heaven in the Bible is a party. At
our church, we like to throw parties and have fun as
practice for Heaven.
WHAT DOES SCRIPTURE TEACH ABOUT HELL?
Jesus talks about Hell more than anyone else in

all of Scripture. Jesus’ words come in the context of
the rest of Scripture, which says that God “desires all
people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of
the truth.”b Furthermore, He “is patient toward you,
not wishing that any should perish, but that all should
reach repentance.”c
The Bible does not give us a detailed exposition of
Hell, but there are many descriptions of the fate of its
inhabitants in that place of eternal punishment. They
include (1) fired; (2) darknesse; (3) punishmentf; (4)
exclusion from God’s presenceg; (5) restlessnessh;
_________________
a
Isaiah 65:17; 2 Peter 3:13; Revelation 21:1-3 b 1 Timothy 2:4 c 2 Peter
3:9 d Matthew 13:42, 50; 18:8,9; Revelation 19:20; 20:14-15 e Matthew
25:30; Jude 13 f Revelation 14:10-11 g Matthew 7:23; 25:41; Luke 16:19ff;
2 Thessalonians 1:9 h Revelation 14:11
71
(6) second deatha; and (7) weeping and gnashing of

teeth.b
Hell is not a fun place where sinners get to live out
their sinful pleasures, as if Satan rules over Hell and sin
can be pursued without inhibition. Satan will not reign
there. Hell is a place of punishment that God prepared
for the devil and his angels.c It is where the beast and
the false prophet and those who worship them will
drink the wine of God’s wrath, poured full strength into
the cup of His anger, and they will be tormented with
fire and sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and
in the presence of the Lamb. And the smoke of their
torment goes up forever and ever, and they have no
rest, day or night.d
At the end of the age, the devil will be “thrown into
the lake of fire and sulfur where the beast and the
false prophet were, and they will be tormented day
and night forever and ever.”e Hell will be ruled by Jesus,
and human and demon alike, including Satan, will be
tormented there continually.
Hell is real and terrible. It is eternal. There is no
possibility of amnesty or reprieve. Daniel says that
some of the dead will be resurrected “to shame and
everlasting contempt.”f Jesus says, “Depart from me,
you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil
and his angels…And these will go away into eternal
punishment.”g
Paul tells us, “God considers it just to repay with
affliction those who afflict you, and to grant relief to
you who are afflicted as well as to us, when the Lord
Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels in
flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not
_________________
a
Revelation 2:11; 20:6, 14; 21:8 b Matthew 13:42, 50; 22:12-13; 24:51;
25:30; Luke 13:28 c Matthew 25:41 d Revelation 14:10-11 e Revelation
20:10 f Daniel 12:2 g Matthew 25:41, 46
72
2 THESSALONIANS
know God and on those who do not obey the gospel

of our Lord Jesus. They will suffer the punishment of
eternal destruction, away from the presence of the
Lord and from the glory of his might.”a
Perhaps the clearest and most gripping depiction
of Hell in all of Scripture is the frequent mention of Hell
as “Gehenna.” The name refers to an area outside of
the city of Jerusalem where idolatry and horrendous
sin, including child sacrifice, were practiced.b Gehenna
was a place so despised and cursed by God’s people
that they turned it into the city dump where feces,
refuse, and the dead bodies of criminals were stacked.
Jesus spoke of Gehenna as the hellish final home of
the wicked.c Since Gehenna is described as a fiery
abyssd, clearly it is also the lake of firee to which all
the Godless will ultimately be eternally sentencedf,
together with Satan, demons, and unrepentant sinners.g
So, when the Bible speaks of Hell as a place where
the fire is not quenched and the worm does not die,
the original hearers would easily have remembered
Gehenna, where this reality was ever present outside of
their city.h
AM I GOING TO HELL?
After explaining Heaven and Hell, the closing verses

of the Bible say, “Come!” as an invitation for all who
desire to receive God’s saving grace as a gift. The
Gospel says that Jesus is Immanuel, God with us.
Jesus died and rose and is exalted in Heaven. If you
repent of sin, change your mind about who or what
_________________
a
2 Thessalonians 1:6-9 b 2 Kings 16:3; 21:6; 2 Chronicles 28:3; 33:6;
Jeremiah 19:56; 32:35 c Matthew 5:22, 10:28, 18:9 d Mark 9:43 e Matthew
13:42, 50 f Matthew 23:15, 33 g Matthew 25:41; Revelation 19:20; 20:10,
14, 15 h Isaiah 66:24; Mark 9:47-48
73
is Lord of your life, and believe, trusting that you can

stake your life and eternity on the truth of what God
says, then you will receive full forgiveness of all sin, new
life in and by the Holy Spirit, membership in the church
of Jesus Christ, a meaningful part in His rescue mission
in the world, and citizenship in His Kingdom. You will be
with Jesus and His people now and forever.
I want this for you, and we would be unloving if I
didn’t seek to ensure that you are a Christian.
Have you confessed your sins to Jesus Christ,
seeking forgiveness and salvation? If not, asking
Jesus to forgive your sin as your Savior, and leading
you through life as your Lord is what you should do in
prayer right now!
Lord Jesus, I confess that you are God

I am a sinner who has broken your laws and rebelled
against you
I invite you to forgive me of my sin, and be my Savior
Thank you for loving me enough to come to earth and
die for my sin
Thank you that you have conquered death and opened
Heaven for me
Amen!
74
ENDNOTES
1. Anthony Le Donne, “Paul the Apostle,” ed. John D. Barry et
al., The Lexham Bible Dictionary (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press,
2016).
2. Paige Patterson, “Eschatology,” ed. Chad Brand et al.,
Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible
Publishers, 2003), 503.
3. Stanley Grenz, David Guretzki, and Cherith Fee Nordling,
Pocket Dictionary of Theological Terms (Downers Grove, IL:
InterVarsity Press, 1999), 46.
4. Derek R. Brown, 2 Thessalonians, ed. Douglas Mangum,
Lexham Research Commentaries (Bellingham, WA: Lexham
Press, 2013).
5. John R. W. Stott, The Message of Thessalonians: The Gospel
& the End of Time, The Bible Speaks Today (Leicester, England;
Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1994), 140–141.
6. Sinclair B. Ferguson and J.I. Packer, New Dictionary of
Theology (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2000), 228.
7. Leland Ryken et al., Dictionary of Biblical Imagery (Downers
Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2000), 231.
8. Leland Ryken et al., Dictionary of Biblical Imagery (Downers
Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2000), 233.
9. J. Daniel Hays, J. Scott Duvall, and C. Marvin Pate,
Dictionary of Biblical Prophecy and End Times (Grand Rapids,
MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 2007), 140.
10. G. E. Ladd, “Eschatology,” ed. Geoffrey W. Bromiley, The
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, Revised (Wm. B.
Eerdmans, 1979–1988), 131.
11. Walter A. Elwell and Barry J. Beitzel, “Eschatology,” Baker
Encyclopedia of the Bible (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House,
1988), 716.
12. https://oll.libertyfund.org/quote/lord-acton-writes-to-
bishop-creighton-that-the-same-moral-standards-should-
be-applied-to-all-men-political-and-religious-leaders-
75
included-especially-since-power-tends-to-corrupt-and-
absolute-power-corrupts-absolutely-1887
13. https://about-history.com/list-of-dictatorships-by-death-
toll-the-top-10-biggest-killers-in-history/
14. Derek R. Brown, 2 Thessalonians, ed. Douglas Mangum,
Lexham Research Commentaries (Bellingham, WA: Lexham
Press, 2013), 2 Th 2:1–17.
15. William Lane Craig, “Did Jesus Rise from the Dead?” in
Jesus Under Fire: Modern Scholarship Reinvents the Historical
Jesus, ed. Michael J. Wilkins and J. P. Moreland (Grand Rapids,
MI: Zondervan, 1996), 160, emphases in original.
16. James Orr, The Resurrection of Jesus (London: Hodder &
Stoughton, 1908), 198.
17. J. P. Moreland, Scaling the Secular City (Grand Rapids, MI:
Baker, 1987), 172.
18. Quoted in Richard N. Ostling, “Who Was Jesus?” Time,
August 15, 1988, 41.
76
ABOUT MARK DRISCOLL
& REALFAITH
W ith Pastor Mark, it’s all about Jesus! He is a
spiritual leader, prolific author, and compelling
speaker, but at his core, he is a family man. Mark and
his wife Grace have been married and doing vocational
ministry together since 1993 and, along with their five
kids, planted Trinity Church in Scottsdale, Arizona as a
family ministry.
Pastor Mark, Grace, and their

oldest daughter, Ashley, also
started RealFaith Ministries, which
contains a mountain of Bible
teaching for men, women, couples,
parents, pastors, leaders, Spanish
speakers, and more, which you can
access by visiting RealFaith.com or
downloading the RealFaith app.
With a master’s degree in exegetical theology from

Western Seminary in Portland, Oregon, he has spent the
better part of his life teaching verse-by-verse through
books of the Bible, contextualizing its timeless truths
and never shying away from challenging, convicting
passages that speak to the heart of current cultural
dilemmas.
Together, Mark and Grace have co-authored Win Your

War, Real Marriage, and Real Romance: Sex in the Song
of Songs and he co-authored a father-daughter project
called Pray Like Jesus with his daughter, Ashley. Pastor
Mark has also written numerous other books including
77
Spirit-Filled Jesus, Who Do You Think You Are?, Vintage
Jesus, and Doctrine.
If you have any prayer requests for us, questions for

future Ask Pastor Mark or Dear Grace videos, or a
testimony regarding how God has used this and other
resources to help you learn God’s Word, we would love to
hear from you at [email protected].
78
IT 'S ALL
ABOUT
JESUS!
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Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy

All emphases in Scripture quotations have been added by

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored

1. More Courage. Less Coward. (1:1-12). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

2. More Discernment. Less Deception. (2:1-12). . . . . . . . . . . . . .34

3. More Rising Up. Less Bowing Down. (2:13-3:5). . . . . . . . . . . .41

4. More Working. Less Whining. (3:6-18) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .47

A t RealFaith, we believe that the Word of God isn’t

2. Listen to the sermon on realfaith.com or on the

3. Get into God’s Word

We will be praying for you and your group and look

P astoring a flock is a lot like parenting a family.

one of you and encouraged you and charged you to

Like 1 Thessalonians, the author of the letter is the

Paul was likely born in the same decade as Jesus

history. The following are some of the details regarding

It would be difficult to overestimate what the Holy

Hebrews is uncertain but may have also been

When ministry funding was lacking, Paul worked

If Paul had a job description, it would be: “afflictions,

Paul’s Second Letter to the Thessalonians

The format of both letters to the Thessalonians are

The New Christians to whom Paul writes believed

study that seeks to understand the ultimate direction

For the Apostle Paul to sit down, under inspiration

2. False Teaching. Like most new Christians, these

sharp, authoritative instructions, which border

T here are two primary ways that history has been

dozen references). While the details of sequence are

The second pattern is that the images of the end

To catalogue all the nuanced and varied beliefs

summary, a Bible dictionary says, “In the twentieth

Like most evangelical Christians, I hold the

A rather recent system of belief in Christian

theology that greatly shapes how much of the Bible is

8 Major Themes in Eschatology

Under the broad category of eschatology, there

“Death. The Bible teaches that all humans will die

The Intermediate State. This refers to the condition

The Second Coming. Scripture teaches that at the

Many of Jesus’ parables (esp. in Mt 24; 25) refer to this

The Resurrection. All who have died will come to

The Judgment. There will be a time of judgment...

The Final States. The Bible teaches the existence of

The Millennium. Many Christians believe there will

The Great Tribulation. The Bible speaks of a time

of great anguish or tribulation...exceeding anything

In closing, eschatology can be a fun area of Bible

on unrepentant sinners motivates us to say no to

of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.

another and build one another up, just as you are

coming, and the new eternity is certain: “…that

Throughout the Bible, including Paul’s letters of 1-2

Week 1: More Courage. Less Coward.

Scripture to Read: 2 Thessalonians 1:1-12

Scripture for Memorization and Meditation:

and got them safely home.