Blown away

2nd Thessalonians chapter 2 is plain or enigmatic depending on what experience one has had with people who are reckless and absolutely indifferent toward anyone but themselves. Verses 3 & 4 bring to mind a number of people I have been acquainted with over the years. I have seen the type that have "sold their souls" to the one who is lost and destroyed (son of perdition). I have seen the type that think they are supreme, accepting others' accolades for self-made success. I have seen the type that are so full of themselves that they have taken over God's place in their lives (and possibly in the lives of others) with their own success. I have even seen people that accept people's reverence, meaning that they accept regard from people who consider them to be connected to God in such a superior way that other humans are not.

The writer is clear—Christians should not be deceived by these kind of people. Their end is clear because they belong to the one whose end has been decided already. If Christians should give credence to such people, they would be supporting an idea as bad as claiming that Christ's era is already over (verses 1&2). We are assured, however, that the era of Christ is alive and well and that Christ will come and destroy these weak, reckless people as if they were made from sand. Breathing on them will blow them away (verse 8).

Although so many times it looks as if arrogant or prestigious people have everything the world has to offer, I will take the advice of verse 2 and be encouraged in keeping faith, which is really hard at times. I will not rearrange my thinking or trouble my spirit. Christ will come and those who appear so successful as self-made successes will be simply blown away.