3月10日；
帖撒罗尼迦后书 2:1-12；
唱诗：赞美诗 27:1,3；

因为那不法的隐意已经发动。只是现在有一个拦阻的，等到那拦阻的被除去。（帖后2·7）

NIV 版本称不法的隐意为“不法的隐秘力量（the secret power of lawlessness）”，而原文的意思是“不法的奥秘（he mystery of lawlessness）”。RSV版本也是用的这个翻译。再说一遍，圣经中的“奥秘”一词意指那些我们不能完全明白，而神将它们向我们显明的事情。

我想我们都为罪是如何进入这个世界的这个问题而挣扎。神的创造是如此美好，以致罪的进入是不可理解的。有时候，我们会有这样一种印象，是神想要人犯罪。但是圣经说得很明白，神恨恶罪，也与罪无关，且在祂的独生爱子耶稣基督里战胜了罪。雅各写道“神不能被恶试探，他也不试探人……”（雅 1: 13-14）。罪永远也只能归咎于人类。

我们在这里简要地指出，罪总是违背神的律法，“违背律法就是罪”（约一 3:4）。关于这个主题的更详细的研究，请参阅《Ready For The Rapture?》这本书，我对于“不法的奥秘”这部分的探讨。（Ready For The Rapture? Premier Publishing,Winnipeg,2007,p.35ff.）

在今天的经文中，“奥秘”被用来形容罪，因为我们知道它的起源和发展。这也是为什么 NIV 把它翻译成“不法的隐秘力量”的原因。我们总是面对这种邪恶的力量，但在最后的日子里，它将走到尽头且被公诸于世。

“不法的奥秘”是福音的一部分，因为基督已经战胜了罪和撒旦。“神的儿子显现出来，为要除灭魔鬼的作为”（约一 3:8）。我们可能无法领悟罪的力量，但我们不需要畏惧它。

思考问题：为什么要告诉我们“不法的奥秘”？

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March 10
2 Thessalonians 2:1-12
Song: Hymn 27:1,3

THE MYSTERY OF LAWLESSNESS

“For the secret power of lawlessness is already at work; but the one who now holds it back will continue to do so till he is taken out of the way." (2 Thessalonians 2:7)

The NIV translation speaks about "the secret power of lawlessness" but the original text has "the mystery of lawlessness". This is also the way the RSV translation reads. Again, the word "mystery" in the Bible means something that we know because God has made it known, but that we cannot properly understand yet.

I suppose we all struggle with the question of how sin could ever have entered into the world. God's creation was so good and beautiful that the entry of sin is incomprehensible. Sometimes, we get the impression that God wanted mankind to sin. But the Bible makes clear that God hates sin, has no part in it, and has overcome it in his Son, Jesus Christ. James writes that "God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone..." (James 1:13-14). Sin is always and only ascribed to mankind.

We briefly note here that sin is always a breaking of God's law, "in fact, sin is lawlessness"(1 John 3:4). For a more detailed study of this topic, see my treatment of the mystery of lawlessness in Ready For The Rapture?, Premier Publishing,Winnipeg,2007,p.35ff.

In today's text, the word "mystery" is applied to sin because we know about its origin and development. That is why the NIV translation speaks about "the secret power of lawlessness". We are always confronted with this evil power but in the last days, it will be extreme and open.

The "mystery of lawlessness" is part of the Gospel because Christ has overcome sin and Satan." The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil's work"(1 John 3:8). We may not comprehend the power of sin but we do not have to fear it.

Question: Why are we told about the “mystery of lawlessness" ?