Question:  Dear Greg ,

            I have been wondering why so many pastors and teachers are teaching in 2 Thessalonians 2:7 that one who is taken out of the way is the Holy Spirit.  Because, if the Holy Spirit were taken out of the way, then there would not be any so-called Tribulation force or believers in the tribulation because the Holy Spirit is who convicts us and leads us to Jesus Christ to be saved.

            Just wondering,

            Don

Answer:  Dear Don,

            Many have, and continue to attempt to give 2 Thessalonians 2:7 a meaning that it never had—their interest is, bottom line, sensationalism and “relevancy”.  They are attempting to show that the Bible has meaning for “today”.  But God does not need our help in twisting and contorting the Bible to give it meaning.  When human beings try to improve upon the Bible or the gospel of Jesus Christ the result is usually human religion that enslaves people in legalism, rather than the authentic message of grace God gives to us.

            One of the cardinal principles of understanding the Bible is: the Bible cannot have a meaning now that it never had before.  That is, the message that God is giving to us from a passage is based upon what that passage meant when it was first written and spoken—when the first readers and listeners were given the message.  We cannot give a “new” meaning to the Bible that it never had.

            What did 2 Thessalonians 2:7 mean in the first century?  The passage is vague, which leaves an open door for current commentators to make it mean anything they want.  However, we must remember that the Roman Empire at the time was not pro-Christian—in fact in places it was anti-Christian, and in places throughout the Empire remained that way for some time.  The man of lawlessness, the one who holds back—at that time would have been the Roman Emperor, the power of Rome , as well as lesser Roman civil/military leaders.  Their holding back concerned their repression of the gospel.  Paul says that when Jesus returns all who oppose him, including the great power of Rome at that time (or any power in our lifetime today) will be destroyed “by the splendor of his coming” (verse 8).

            Paul continues, explaining that many perish because they refuse to love the truth, they refuse to be saved (verse 10)—they believe a lie (verse 11) and not the truth.  Instead, they delight in wickedness (verse 12).

            This happened then, has happened at all times since the first century and continues to happen now.  There have been many lawless men and women who have held back the truth—but in the end they and their agendas will all be destroyed “by the splendor of his coming”.

            In Christ,

            Greg Albrecht