Overthrown by the Word

“Then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will overthrow with the breath of his mouth and destroy by the splendor of his coming.” (2 Thessalonians 2:8)

In this chapter, Paul warns Christians about the “man of lawlessness” who would exalt himself over the Christian Church and entice people away from the truth of Jesus’ salvation. This sounds scary, doesn’t it?

The Lutheran Church believes that Paul is talking about the papacy of the Roman Catholic Church. For 1500+ years, the pope in Rome has exalted himself over the Christian Church and obscured the truth of salvation by faith in Jesus.

Should true Christians lose hope? Not at all! No matter what the pope in Rome claims, he is not really the Lord of the Church. Who is the only true Lord of the Christian Church? Jesus! Paul tells us exactly how Jesus overthrows this “man of lawlessness”: “With the breath of his mouth.” With God’s Word!

It’s amazing to look back at history and see how this really happened. In the Middle Ages, the popes in Rome really did exercise authority over almost all Christians on earth. Yet, Jesus overthrew them. How? By using Martin Luther and the Lutheran Reformation to return the Church to the truth of God’s Word.

Martin Luther didn’t fight against the pope with swords. Physical warfare is not how true Christians fight. What did he use? The Word of God! Luther trusted in Jesus to overthrow the pope’s power with the breath of his mouth. He once said, “I simply taught, preached, and wrote God’s Word; otherwise I did nothing. And while I slept or drank Wittenberg beer…, the Word so greatly weakened the papacy that no prince or emperor ever inflicted such losses upon it. I did nothing; the Word did everything.”

What a statement! “I did nothing; the Word did everything.” The lawless one is overthrown by the Word.

Just realize that the “man of lawlessness” and his lies won’t be completely destroyed until Judgment Day. Don’t be surprised when the pope and other false teachers continue spreading lies. Their end date is already set in stone. They will finally be destroyed on the Last Day “by the splendor of his coming.”

In the meantime, fight with the sword of the Spirit—the Word of God. When Christians proclaim the truth of salvation by faith in Jesus Christ, the “man of lawlessness” is overthrown by the Word.

Dear Jesus, there are powerful enemies who war against your church, but you have given us a powerful weapon: Your Word! Use your Word to overthrow the man of lawlessness. Amen.

Pastor Nathan