Deeper Reflection
SATAN IS MENTIONED FOUR TIMES IN 1 AND 2 THESSALONIANS
and in two discipleship arenas: suffering afflictions and countering
deception.Opposition against the Gospel forced Paul to leave Thessalonica abruptly
(Acts 17:1-9). This put the young Thessalonian believers into a spiritually
precarious situation which caused Paul to be fearful over. They were suffering
afflictions for their faith (1 Thess 2:14). Behind these afflictions was “the
tempter” who was tempting them to give up their faith (1 Thess 3:5). Thus,
it was critical for Paul to return to “establish” and “supply what is lacking”
in the Thessalonians’ faith (1 Thess 3:2, 10). But “Satan hindered” him in
all his attempts (1 Thess 2:18). Satan attacks in both the discipleship and
disciplemaking battlefront. Victory in suffering afflictions is when we are
“enduring” with “perseverance and faith” (2 Thess 1:4).The Thessalonians were “quickly shaken in mind” by false teachings on
Christ’s Second Coming (2 Thess 2:1-2). Deception in any form is “the
activity of Satan” (2 Thess 2:9-10). “Let no one deceive you in any way”
(2 Thess 2:3) ought to be one of our discipleship mottos. We can detect
and discern falsehoods by the truth. So, we are to have “the love of the
truth” (2 Thess 2:10) and grasp the Word of the truth (cf. 2 Tim 2:15).In suffering afflictions and countering deception, we anchor in “the
faithful Lord” who “will establish you and guard you against the evil one”
(2 Thess 3:3), and then we can and must “stand firm and hold to” the Word
of God (2 Thess 2:15).