The Fullness of God’s Grace
September 2026 / Bible Study of the Month based on 2 Thessalonians
It’s easy to use the word “grace” without thinking through where grace comes from or how it applies to us. The fullness of God’s grace is the death and resurrection of Jesus, who is God in the flesh for you. To see God’s grace, look to Jesus. In a world where the church is rejected and God’s grace in Christ is ignored, Jesus is still present with His grace. That’s Paul’s point in 2 Thessalonians, where he helps us move our eyes from our suffering to our gracious Savior, Jesus.
Read 2 Thess. 1:1-12. Notice “grace” in vs. 2 & 12. How does God’s grace affect you when those who reject Christ afflict you and cause you to suffer? How are God’s judgment & salvation both gracious?
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Read 2 Thess. 2:1-12. Does the presence of “the man of lawlessness” in the church mean that Jesus is not present with His grace? How so?
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Read 2 Thess. 2:13-17. How is God’s grace in Christ presented in this section? How does grace relate to how we live?
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Read 2 Thess. 3:1-5. How does Jesus comfort you and bring you His grace in this world in which you suffer?
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Read 2 Thess. 3:6-15. What role does Christ’s grace play in Paul’s example to the church in Thessalonica and as you understand it?
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Read 2 Thess. 3:16-17. Is Paul’s expression of the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ a wish or a declarative statement that does what it says? ___________________________________________________________________
What is the significance that Christ’s grace is present at the beginning, in the middle, and at the end of a letter to Christians who are rejected by the world? ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Second Thessalonians calls Christians to see their salvation in Christ’s grace, even when they suffer. God’s grace is with you when you’re called as a Christian, as you live as a Christian, and as you await Christ’s gracious return for His Church. Suffering doesn’t mean God has withdrawn His grace, but shows that Jesus is your gracious Savior in the past, in the present, and in the future. Thus Christ’s death and resurrection are always, always real for you!