20 Feb March 3rd Daily Devotion

A SERIES OF DEVOTIONS BASED ON PAUL’S SECOND LETTER TO THE  CHURCH AT THESSALONICA

THE LAWLESS ONE IS AT WORK

2 Thessalonians 2:7 “For the secret power of lawlessness is already at work; but the one who now holds it back will continue to do so till he is taken out of the way.”

Lawlessness is at work in the world right now.  This is the message of today’s devotional verse.  The lawlessness referred to is the evil that is brought about by Satan, the world, and the sinful flesh of humanity.  Lawlessness points forward to the antichrist. This antichrist, the Chief enemy of Christ, will reign at the end of time.  He will fight against the forces of good and against Jesus Himself and the message of salvation.

There is already in the world evidence that the work of the antichrist has commenced, but the antichrist himself has not yet been revealed.  True, there have been and perhaps even now are antichrists, but we are unaware that The Antichrist has yet appeared.

From the Scriptures we are told that at this time God continues to hold back His enemy, preventing him from unleashing all of his venom and vile upon the earth and especially upon the Gospel, believers in Christ and the Holy Christian Church.  There are always skirmishes occurring between the forces of evil and the holy one’s of God.  He has not yet come, but the powers that he embodies are already active: the “mystery of lawlessness.

Today’s verse says that this remains a mystery.  It is, however, a movement against divine law directed by Satan that is happening even now. But it is restrained, and this restraint will continue until the time appointed for revealing the man of sin and the climax of lawlessness.  It is the omnipotent Holy Spirit who does this restraining.  He does it through the power of God’s Word and the sacraments and through Christians in whom He lives and through whom He works in society to hold back  the swelling tide of lawless living.

Prayer:  Holy Spirit, continue to restrain lawlessness in this world through the Means of Grace, me, and my fellow Christians.  In Jesus’ name.  Amen.

Come, Holy Ghost, God and Lord,

With all Your graces now outpoured.

ON each believer’s mind and heart;

Your fervent love to them impart.

Lord, by the brightness of Your light

In holy faith Your Church unite;

From ev’ry land and ev’ry tongue

This to Your praise, O Lord, our God, be sung:  Alleluia, alleluia!

Come, holy Light, guide divine, Now cause the Word of life to shine

Teach us to know our God aright And call Him Father with delight.

From ev’ry error keep us free; Let none but Christ our master be

That we in living faith abide,

In Him, our Lord, with all our might confide.  Alleluia, alleluia!

Come, holy Fire, comfort true, Grant us the will Your work to do

And in Your service to abide; Let trials turn us not aside.

Lord, by Your pow’r prepare each heart,

And to our weakness strength impart

That bravely here we may contend,

Through life and death to You, our Lord, ascend.  Alleluia, alleluia!

(LSB 497)