I get asked the question a lot about the passages in 2 Thessalonians.  What I have found is that many people take Paul's comments out of context from the passage.

Some say that Paul is telling us that the falling away and the antichrist must come first... prior to the rapture.  However, the context surrounding 2 Thessalonians, tells us something a little different.

The point of 2nd Thes is that the church there thought they had already missed the rapture because they were unworthy.  They had heard rumours that the day of the Lord had come and gone, and that they'd missed Christ coming for them.

Paul wrote to them to correct them in their fears.

The Man of Lawlessness (2 Thess. 2)

1  Concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to him, we ask you, brothers,
2  not to become easily unsettled or alarmed by some prophecy, report or letter supposed to have come from us, saying that the day of the Lord has already come.
3  Don't let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction.
4  He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God's temple, proclaiming himself to be God.
5  Don't you remember that when I was with you I used to tell you these things?
6  And now you know what is holding him back, so that he may be revealed at the proper time.
7  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.
8  And 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.
9  The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with the work of Satan displayed in all kinds of counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders,

These same verses can be rewritten as such. (in my own words)

1 Concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus and us being gathered unto him (the rapture) we ask you brothers
2 That you don't worry if you "hear by letter" that you are in or have missed the day of the Lord (Daniel's 70th Week - The Tribulation) - the time of God's wrath
3 Don't be deceived.  The Day of the Lord (Tribulation) doesn't come until after the great falling away, rebellion agaisnt God and the revealing of the Anti-Christ,
4 Who will say he is God, and who will sit in the temple and declare it.
5 Don't you remember this doctrine I told you already?
6 And now what is holding back the Antichrist, so that he may be revealed at the proper time.
7 Yes, the AntiChrist is working, but not fully, because the restrainer is preventing his works by your prayers, until the restrainer is taken out of the way.
8 And then the AntiChrist will come out of hiding, and the Lord will destroy him.
9 The coming of AntiChrist will be evidenced by the works of Satan through counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders (The False Prophet)

Paul was concerned and troubled on how the church could have been so easily misled, deceived and troubled that they missed the rapture? And by a mere letter?   He was distraught and wrote the words to comfort a church that was confused.

Essentially Paul is saying, "Wait a minute.  Hold on.  How can you have missed the rapture (gathering) and the Day of the Lord as you are suggesting?  Don't you remember when I told you that during the day of the Lord the Antichrist will have been revealed?  That he will have stood up in the temple and declared himself God?  That he would be proceeded by apostasy and false signs and wonders?  No my friends, we are not in the Day of the Lord.  The coming of the AntiChrist cannot occur until the restrainer is removed from the earth.  Until he who restrains is taken out of the way.  Therefore, as the Restrainer is still here, the Antichrist has not been revealed and therefore there is no evidence that we are in the Day of the Lord as the false letters may have suggested. "

The question now is who is the restrainer.  Well we've answered that question here -> http://www.bereanwatchmen.com/j.r.lawendowski/the-restrainer-and-the-rapture-2.html

The fact that Paul was explaining to the Thessalonians was a reiteration of all the other scriptures that tell us that the church is exempt from the Wrath of God.

For it is written.

"For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ." - 1 Thes. 5:9

"Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come upon the whole world to test those who live on the earth." - Rev. 3:10

"Be careful, or your hearts will be weighed down with dissipation, drunkenness and the anxieties of life, and that day will close on you unexpectedly like a trap. For it will come upon all those who live on the face of the whole earth. Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man." - Luke 21:34-36

As Paul continues in verse 17 of 2 Thess 2 - 

"Take Comfort in these words and the faith in Christ."

-- J.R.Hall

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