The Lawless One

Today in our Lectionary, 2 Thessalonians 2.1-5, 13-17, paints a sinister picture. The lawless one appears, "He opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, declaring himself to be God."

Today it is so easy to point to the lawless ones around us. Many world leaders seem more corrupt then ever; younger generations are holding protests which tip towards violence. If verse four is your only focus in the reading you are preparing yourself for the wild west of the world. Yet we are not called to be cowboys and gunslingers and Paul is begging his followers to not be shaken. Further on he talks about their sanctification by the Spirit that they may hold fast and stand firm and that God will strengthen them in every good work and word.

The illusion that we are part of a worldly army fighting for God's will falls flat on its face; the mere idea that we wish to only look at the worldly perspective eliminates the will of God. Rather then being reflective and patient we are being rash and rushing in; we have to do good works. Only God is Good, only gifts from God are truly good. Jesus by dying and being raised has proven that God is God of all creation; not even death the grand equaliser has power. As we look around from our creaturely perspective we can judge good and evil around us but our battle is not beyond us but within.

The lawless one sits in the temple of God, declaring themselves God; often that is us. When I prioritise myself and my needs above others and above God's will, When I lay judgement on another person not merely their actions, When I cut my own path through even though God has paved a road for me to follow.

Thanks be to God, Father, Son and Spirit that through the endless gifts and abundance of grace we can all learn to be more steadfast, more patient, more kind, more loving, more sanctified. The lawless one of greatest concern to us is ourselves, the lawless one I need to be the most cautious of always is me.