In the early first century, Thessalonica was the capital of the Roman province of Macedonia. In his second letter, Paul firstly encouraged the Thessalonians to remain steadfast in the midst of the escalating persecution and to not be deceived by the false teaching about the day of the Lord.

One might wonder whether a letter written by a Pharisee-turned-Christian to a group of people living in Roman Macedonia in the mid first-century has any relevance to the 21st century Christians living in a metropolitan city of Melbourne, Australia. However, in the midst of increasing hostility against Christians and Christianity, the circulation of false teachings about the end times even within the church, and the temptation to be complacent in our faith, Paul’s second letter to the Thessalonians is both an encouragement and a warning for us today.