Deeper Reflection
PAUL’S SECOND LETTER TO THE CHURCH IN THESSALONICA can be summed up as a discipleship call to stand firm in the truth: “So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the traditions that you were taught by us, either by our spoken word or by our letter” (2 Thess 2:15). The “traditions” that Paul “taught” the Thessalonians, in “spoken word” or “letter”, are no mere man-made traditions. They are the truth. Paul “command[s]” the Thessalonians to “keep away” from those who were not “walking…in accord to the tradition that you received from us” (2 Thess 3:6). Such “traditions” are to be obeyed because there are the truth – the source of which is God.The eternal destiny of humanity is determined by two responses to the truth: “receive the love of the truth so as to be saved” (2 Thess 2:10) and “believe the truth” (2 Thess 2:12, 13 – “faith in the truth”). Not loving and believing the truth is the same as “not obey[ing] the gospel of our Lord Jesus”, resulting in “do not know God” (2 Thess 1:8). In contrast to “to be saved”, those who do not love and believe the truth will “perish” (2 Thess 2:10) and “be judged” (2 Thess 2:12). There is no sitting on the fence as far as the truth is concerned. One either “believe[s] the truth” (2 Thess 2:12) or “believe[s] what is false” (2 Thess 2:11).2 Thessalonians is characteristically marked by thanksgiving (1:3; 2:13) and prayer (1:11-12; 2:16-17; 3:1-5, 16), which mainly have to do with standing firm in the truth.