Nan Cunningham taught a women’s Bible class studying Second Thessalonians Chapter one on March 19th, 2024 at Living Truth Church Prescott Arizona. The full video is here: https://youtu.be/1X72TbzBPFE

Obviously, this is Paul’s second letter to the Thessalonians. It was written probably within a year of the first book, and it was written to encourage them in a time of persecution. And Paul also writes to clarify errors that they were believing about the end times.

There are many connections between First Thessalonians and Second Thessalonians. First Thessalonians Chapter five opens with the statement, “Now, as to the times and seasons, brethren, you have no need of anything to be written to you.” Paul was referring in that chapter to their sound understanding of end time events because he had taught them about in time events and they had a good understanding of it. But by the time Paul writes Second Thessalonians, the believers in Thessalonica have already needed to be reminded again of these in time events. Chapter two tells us that someone had come along and deceived the Thessalonians. They were now believing that the persecution they were suffering was because they had missed the rapture of the church and they were now living in the time of the tribulation. Therefore they had been robbed of the joy and the comfort of anticipating the rapture. So Second Thessalonians is written by Paul to clarify this error. But along with this correction, Paul gives his beloved brothers and sisters in Christ much exhortation and much encouragement in the Lord.

Paul highlights God’s Grace in the beginning and ending verses of this chapter. The Bible says that the Lord Jesus Christ is full of Grace, the source of Grace, and through faith in Him we receive Grace. By His Grace, we can come boldly before His throne in prayer. By God’s Grace, we are called justified and forgiven. We are partakers of God’s Grace as it works with us, in us and through us. It humbles us, strengthens us, and calls us into eternal glory. Grace is described as a gift sufficient, abundant, rich manifold, lavish and true. We are to be good stewards of God’s Grace. We are to understand it, not fall short of it, fix our hope on it, and not go astray from it. We are to grow in Grace, conduct ourselves with Grace, season our conversations with Grace and be strong in God’s Grace. In this glorious book, the Bible that covers thousands of years of history. Hundreds of prophecies. It is full of spiritual truths and promises concerning God’s plans for our lives. The final verse of the Bible says, “The Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.”

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