WHO IS THE RESTRAINER ?

[Gerbolski]

There are some things that are "possible," and there are some things that are "impossible."

It is possible for a man to have works and yet have no faith at all, but it is impossible for a man to have faith without having works.

it is possible for the Church to be taken out of this world with the Holy Spirit remaining, but it is impossible for the Holy Spirit to be taken out of this world without the Church going with him.

Jesus said the Holy Spirit will never leave you or forsake you.

Well God is omni present and the Holy Spirit is God (3 persons, one God), and no doubt there are truths you are saying, but I would not equate them to the Thessalonian verses, Yes the church shall be caught up, but who is this "he" which it says it is an "he", that gets taken out of the way?

Is there an "he" that we have not yet mentioned, that gets taken out of the way, to were the bible itself shows this ? Yes there is.

 

[Gerbolski]

But before I get there, I want to go to the question, what does the mystery of iniquity referring to ?

And by some of Curtis' statements, and others, we are getting closer to our answer of the "he".

 

[Gerbolski]

So let us answer the question of what is this mystery of iniquity referring to.

And in saying that, I will qive an hint on things, so just like the falling away was hindering prophetically the revealing of the Antichrist, for it had to take place, so is this "he" hindering in a prophetic way, the revealing of the Antichrist, because his taking away has not yet taken place.

 

[Gerbolski]

Here is another hint.

It is the apostasy that will prepare the atmosphere that will bring in the antichrist, and people receiving him, but also it will lead to the eventual revealing of the Antichrist in whom he is.

 

[Curtis]

Is there an "he" that we have not yet mentioned, that gets taken out of the way, to were the bible itself shows this ? Yes there is.

Col 1:17 And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist.
Col 1:18 And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence.

If Jesus (who is a he) would not his body also be called a he?


Eph 4:13 till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ

Is the Church suppose grow up to a perfect man?

2Th 2:7 For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way.

 

[Gerbolski]

Ok concerning the mystery of iniquity, I will give an hint at what that is referring to.

What is iniquity ?

 

[Gerbolski]

Col 1:17 And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist.
Col 1:18 And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence.

If Jesus (who is a he) would not his body also be called a he?


Eph 4:13 till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ

Is the Church suppose grow up to a perfect man?

2Th 2:7 For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way.

I see in what way you are saying things, but there is no clear connection with these Colossians verses, and this Ephesians verse, with Thessalonians.

Something as to be clear, there has to be some connection, we have to stick to context.

The church is a bride, but yes it talks about the church coming unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ.

Interesting observation, but nevertheless, no real connection to our verses in Thessalonians.

I think the revealing of this mystery of iniquity, can help us go towards the right direction.

Generally speaking the church is truly referred to as a "she", so would God really use her as truly representing an "he" ?

And unto a perfect man, I believe is used in a general way (such as referring to mankind), to point to all the church coming in the unity of the faith, which will bring us one day unto a perfect man, unto the fullness of the stature of Christ.

We must continuously be perfected, and mature in the Lord.

 

[Gerbolski]

So what is iniquity ?

 

[B-A-C]

So what is iniquity ?

sin.. lawlessness disobedience.

 

[Gerbolski]

Ok, then if iniquity, is sin, lawlessness or disobedience, which it is, then what is the mystery of iniquity ?

Or the mystery of lawlessness, or one way to say it, the mystery of sin ???????

 

[B-A-C]

• "Mystery" implies that the exact mechanisms or manifestations of this lawlessness are not fully known — they’re unfolding over time.
• Daniel 9:27, Matthew 24:15, and 2 Thessalonians 2 all point to a future moment when this mystery becomes fully visible — especially when the man of lawlessness sets himself up in the temple.
• The abomination of desolation is a key event that marks the climax of this lawlessness — a direct challenge to God's holiness and authority.
• The "regular sacrifice" being stopped implies a return to temple worship, which itself is a major prophetic milestone. The lawlessness may involve false worship, idolatry, or a counterfeit religious system that masquerades as truth.

 

[Gerbolski]

• "Mystery" implies that the exact mechanisms or manifestations of this lawlessness are not fully known — they’re unfolding over time.
• Daniel 9:27, Matthew 24:15, and 2 Thessalonians 2 all point to a future moment when this mystery becomes fully visible — especially when the man of lawlessness sets himself up in the temple.
• The abomination of desolation is a key event that marks the climax of this lawlessness — a direct challenge to God's holiness and authority.
• The "regular sacrifice" being stopped implies a return to temple worship, which itself is a major prophetic milestone. The lawlessness may involve false worship, idolatry, or a counterfeit religious system that masquerades as truth.

I do see many things similar in what you are saying here, though just slightly different on certain points, but you are certainly bringing us within context.

 

[Curtis]

The Church in Thessalonica knew what the mystery of iniquity was; it was no mystery to them, as the Apostle Paul told them what it was and who the restrainer was. All born-again persons know that the mystery of lawlessness is sin. It is only a mystery to those who are not saved.

2Th 2:5 Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things?
2Th 2:6 And now you know what is restraining, that he may be revealed in his own time.
2Th 2:7 For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way.

The Church in Thessalonica knew that they themselves were the restrainer in this world.

Jesus told his disciples that He was the light of this world, and then later he told his disciples that they were the light of this world.

Joh 9:5 As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world."

Mat 5:13 "You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.
Mat 5:14 "You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden.

Take the light out (the church, the restrainer), and this whole world plunges deeper into darkness.

 

[Gerbolski]

There are many mysteries in the bible, and I do believe that certain mysteries can certainly be known.

An example:

Col 1:26-27
(26) Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints:
(27) To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:

This is one mystery that has been revealed, and I also believe you can know whom mystery Babylon the great is.

2Th 2:7
(7) For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.


Paul was telling us that this mystery of iniquity was at work in his day, and I believe it was at work in his day, in a literal way.

To know what this mystery points to, you have to go back at the beginning, of when man sinned.

Gen 3:5
(5) For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.

What was Satan's promise to man ? Ye shall be as gods, he was pointing man away from God, so to not depend upon him and be their own gods, which of course would glorify Satan.

Well let us look at some of the themes in our Thessalonian verses:

2Th 2:3
(3) Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;

2Th 2:7
(7) For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.

1. It mentions this man of sin which points to the Antichrist.
2. it mentions this falling away which points to the Apostasy.
3. and it mentions this mystery of iniquity which points to a spirit that leads people away from God, unto some other god, which is the spirit of antichrist.

Notice that they are all very similar themes, and it is this spirit of antichrist, that brings this end times apostasy on the scene, and that eventually brings the Antichrist on the scene.

And these themes flow into each other, nothing is out of context.

 

[Gerbolski]

2Th 2:7
(7) For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.

The mystery points to a certain spirit that was at work in Paul's time, and even ever since man sinned, which was the spirit of antichrist.

 

[Gerbolski]

I know that once a doctrine is ingrained year after year in someone, it is not always easy to get it out of you, it takes a lot of humility to do so.

We always must check with the bible, and check for sound doctrine.

 

[Gerbolski]

2Th 2:7-8
(7) For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.
(8) And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:

So who is the "he" that now letteth ?

That hinders the revealing of the Antichrist in who he is ?

And I repeat what it says, for it says the revealing of the Antichrist (then shall that wicked be revealed), and not the increase in evil.

Now with the spirit of antichrist at work, and the apostasy on the scene, does that work towards the increase in evil ?

Yes, but the context of both things that hinder, which are the apostasy, and this "he" who gets taken out of the way, is in conjunction with the revealing of the Antichrist, and not the increase in evil, like I said in another post, it mentions this revealing 3 times, and some seem to ignore this, and make the bible say the increase in evil.

Let us say what it actually says.

So in saying that, who is this "he" ?

Now I will mention all kinds of names here, but do not be alarmed, for most of these names, if not all of these names, may not fit.

Just prompting to thought.

So could the "he" be Elijah ? Or could it be the apostle John ? Or could it be this type of Latinos man ? Could it be some Jewish priest being removed from the temple ? Could it be Beelzebub ? Could it be God the Father ? Or could it be Elvis Presley (of course not) ?

Or maybe it is none of these ?

 

[Gerbolski]

B-A-C said: ...It would seem this act of taking his seat in the temple... is exactly the act that reveals who he is….

This is something brother B-A-C said in one of his posts, on page 1 of this thread.

And this event is actually mentioned in our passages:

2Th 2:3-4
(3) Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;
(4) Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.

This event is key, to understanding the "he" who now letteth.

 

[Gerbolski]

2Th 2:7-8
(7) For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.
(8) And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:

Questions we must ask, is this, from were does he get taken out of the way ? And for what purpose ?

And after he does get taken out of the way, the Wicked one gets revealed.

 

[Gerbolski]

Verses to consider

2Th 2:3-4
(3) Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;
(4) Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.

This is when the Antichrist marches into the temple to proclaim himself as God, and here are other verses that go along with this event:

Dan 9:27 (27) And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.

Mat 24:15-16 (15) When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand) : (16) Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains:

Rev 13:5-7 (5) And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months. (6) And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven. (7) And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.

Rev 13:15 (15) And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.