What the Bible says about Iniquity, Mystery of
(From Forerunner Commentary)

2 Thessalonians 2:5-9 We should get two things out of this prophecy. One is that the lawlessness was already working in Paul's day, and the second is that it has the force of the supernatural power of Satan. We are dealing with something significant here. The "he who restrains" therefore has to be one of supernatural power in order to restrain. Thus, He who restrains must be God. When He lifts the restraint, the man of sin will come to full power. In this is the vague implication that, since Paul says the mystery of iniquity was already working, a man of sin was also on the scene—not the man of sin, but a man of sin. John W. Ritenbaugh A Place of Safety? (Part 3) Related Topics: God's Restraint | Iniquity, Mystery of | Lawlessness | Lawlessness, Mystery of | Man of Sin | Mystery of Iniquity | Mystery of Lawlessness | Satan's Influence

2 Thessalonians 2:7 Paul wrote II Thessalonians in the early AD 50s and the mystery of iniquity, the mystery of lawlessness, was already working. Galatians, in which Paul gave a similar warning (Galatians 1:6-7), was also written in the early AD 50s. In a short period of time - about 19 or 20 years after the resurrection of Jesus Christ - the mystery of iniquity was already at work, and it was beginning to have a negative impact on the church of God. John W. Ritenbaugh A Place of Safety? (Part 4) Related Topics: Iniquity | Iniquity, Mystery of | Lawlessness | Lawlessness, Mystery of | Mystery | Mystery of Iniquity | Mystery of Lawlessness