The passage
      v13. In the face of the "revealing" ("coming") of the man of lawlessness and the "delusion" that will come on many believers, Paul can give thanks to Jesus for the Thessalonians. They are certainly not deluded and this because God has chosen them to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit. The word "chose" conveys the idea of divine election - the idea that salvation rests with a divine initiative rather than a human response. The difficulty lies in defining the nature of this divine election. Is it the election of individuals to salvation (the effectual predestination of believers), or is it the election of a class of people (those saved by grace through faith)? The second option is best. Since only a holy person can stand before God, the believer is sanctified (made holy) by the renewing work of the Holy Spirit through the instrument of faith (reliance on the revealed word of God).
      v14. The divine call of the Thessalonians has, as its purpose, the gift of glory (Christ-likeness). The term "call" is often seen as an effectual call to salvation, but is most likely the gospel call to the lost (the broken seeker). Of course, the seeker finds.
      v15. So then, although the future coming of the man of lawlessness will herald terrible days, the Thessalonians remain God's chosen people, and so need not be shaken. Being sanctified, and soon to be glorified, they need only apply themselves to the Word of God.
      v16. Paul prays that the Lord will "encourage" (comfort, cf. 1Thess.3:2) and "strengthen" (establish) them in their Christian lives. Note how Paul gives Jesus his full title and places him before the Father. This is unusual, but not unique. The "who loved us" refers to the Father who demonstrates his love for us in the giving of his son upon the cross. The Father also gives us "eternal encouragement." Given that the man of lawlessness will cause so much trouble, it is nice to know that we will be encouraged and strengthened through the ordeal and carried into eternity. Linked with this encouragement is a "good hope." The Christian hope is a firm anticipation of the glory that is ours in the coming day. As such, it is a good hope compared to the false hope of secular humanity.
      v17. Paul outlines the gist of his prayer. He prays for the strengthening of the inner life of his readers. The "heart" is the whole inner being of a person, not just the emotional self. The words "comfort" and "establish" carry the thought of strengthening, cf. 1Thess.3:2. Paul prays that his readers are strengthened in their Christian living - in their saying and in their doing.

Knowledge is power
      In marriage counselling, it is often said that marital problems develop where there are unrealistic expectations. If young people have false expectations about their relationship then they will inevitably be frustrated, hurt, angry, disappointed, and sad. Their false expectations will destroy their marriage. Feelings are prompted by preconceived ideas, and are followed up by emotionally driven action supported by face-saving rationalizations. Getting the expectations right can save a whole lot of pain.
      In the Christian life, false information, as to the intentions of God, or the assumed perfection of Christian living, can lead to depression and even a questioning of our faith. If we believe God is our healer, then we are in trouble when sickness strikes. If we believe our brothers and sisters are perfectly principled in their service to Christ, then we are bound for a big let-down when the "old Adam" raises his head. God will do what he promised, and our brothers will do what they are able.
      Mr. Loss, the man of lawlessness, is always there causing trouble, corrupting ideas, driving individuals, institutions or organizations to compromise their principles. This world is not heaven, yet by grace through faith we are God's children, learning to be what we are in Christ through the ministry of the Holy Spirit as we await our glorification. So then, how shall we stand firm in these troubled times? "Hold onto the teachings", says Paul; hold onto the Word of God. Get the information right and let it strengthen us.
      Yet, there is more we can do. Paul asks that his readers be encouraged in their inner being. This is clearly a ministry of the indwelling Spirit of Christ - the "Comforter", as described in John's gospel. Against the wiles of this age, may we look in faith to the Spirit of Christ to encourage us in our inner self so that we may stand firm and not be overwhelmed by the vagaries of life. Jesus will buttress us in our faith; this we can pray for, believing.