Who is the "son of perdition" mentioned in 2 Thessalonians 2:3?

Question

This is a serious question. However, I know that many will take potshots. So, be my guest.

Answer 1

In this context, the "son of perdition" is the Antichrist.

Answer 2

I notice that a couple of posters say that the Roman Catholic popes are the anti-christ. this is not true. There were some bad popes , who may have been in the number of anti-christs, but this is the The AntiChrist. John tells us that there are many antichrists, anyone who has known the truth and then apostasizes or rejects the truth purposefully and rebels against Jesus. Indeed there have been many, including some popes.

But this AntiChrist, referred to in 2 Thes 2:3 is not just one of these antiChrists. In this one will be fulfilled the prophecies of Daniel about the end times, and of Jesus that this one person will not only be against the truth and teachings of Jesus, but will be seen to do amazing supernatural things and will come to be like a god in his powers. These amazing feats and god-like powers are going to impress people such that they will think that no human could do those things and so he must be god himself,,, and thus he will deceive very many people, until Christ himself comes in Glory with the real Truth, bringing Light into the darkness and confusion of the AntiChrist and establishing His reign forever.

Know that the key to discenment is this: John tells us, in his first letter, that "God is Love, and whoever lives in Love lives in God, and whoever says that he loves God, whom he can't see, while hating his neighbor, whom he can see, is a liar, and there is no truth in him" Paul tells us, in Galatians chapter 5, verses 16 on, that the fruits of the Spirit are Love, Joy, Peace, Self control,,, look for these fruits. Jesus says we can tell the tree by its fruit. Paul tells us in 1 Cor chapter 12 and 13,, though a person may have all knowledge, and be able to do all things,,, if Love is not there, it is nothing but clanging cymbals and noisy gongs. Jesus tells us to be merciful - blessed are the merciful for they shall obtain mercy; and 'as ye measure it shall be measured unto you', so look for the quality of mercy as part of the Love that should be there.

Someone put it very simply once: if it tends toward Love then it is good,, if it leads us away from Love then it is bad. This is how you will know this son of perdition, by the absence of Christ-like Love, and that he is leading others away from Love.

The time will be hard and there will be persecution,, Jesus said it would be a time when people who persecute Christians will think they are serving God. But we are advised to hold to our faith firmly and God will help us through if we persevere.

Answer 3

Doesn't 2 Thessalonians 2:4 help you to understand 2 Th 2:3?

Answer 4

Son of Perdition found in 2 Thessalonians 2:3 and is a name commonly associated with the Antichrist mentioned in 1 and 2 John. Some commentators have linked the term and identity to the Roman Catholic Church and the Pope (See Free Presbyterian Church, Ian Paisley and Historicism). The Eastern Orthodox tradition condiders him to come at the time of the End of the World, when the 'katechon' (the one who restains) will be taken out. Some understand 'katechon' as an Orthodox emperor, some as a secret mysterious organization, that keeps on restraining the Evil after the fall of all Orthodox empires.

Son of Perdition is also well known as a term used by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (sometimes referred to as Mormons) to describe a person who will not take any part in the glory of God in the afterlife. This is in contrast to most people, who will receive a "kingdom of glory" after the Final Judgment, and enter into either the Celestial, Terrestrial, or Telestial Kingdom. Most Latter-day Saints believe that the Sons of Perdition will be cast into outer darkness; the scriptures do not use this term in connection with the Sons of Perdition, but state that they "shall go away into the lake of fire and brimstone, with the devil and his angels."[1]

Mormons believe that free will is one of the greatest gifts of God, and therefore that there could be some who completely reject Jesus Christ and salvation. God will not force someone, for example Satan, to be saved if Satan desires not to be saved. Sons of Perdition are not so much punished in Mormon theology as allowed to walk away from God and live in whatever amount of darkness feels comfortable to them.

In an LDS context, the name Perdition refers to either Lucifer (D&C 76:26) or Cain (Moses 5:24), both of whom are symbols of ultimate evil.

According to LDS theology, there are two classes of persons who will become sons of perdition:

The pre-mortal hosts (or followers) of Satan. It is taught that, in the pre-mortal life, they chose to follow a plan proposed by Satan, rather than God and Jesus' plan. Thus ensued the First War in Heaven.
Those in mortal life who "deny the Holy Ghost," which is generally interpreted as leaving and fighting against the LDS Church after receiving a personal witness of the truthfulness of the Gospel from the Holy Ghost. It is frequently—though not universally—added that a son of perdition must have a "perfect knowledge" of the truth of the Church (mere faith is not enough). Generally, the requirement of perfect knowledge is only fulfilled by a personal visitation from Jesus Christ or an angel of the Lord. This was taught by LDS Church President Spencer W. Kimball.
In The Doctrine and Covenants, Covenant 88:24, they are described as inhabiting "a kingdom which is not a kingdom of glory." The most comprehensive exposition of the phrase can be found in Section 76 in the Doctrine and Covenants (The Doctrine and Covenants, Covenant 76).

Answer 5

The son of perdition is another name for the coming anti-christ.

Answer 6

In this instance, the son of perdition is referring to the Antichrist talked about in Revelations. Here's some interesting reading for you though:

2 Thess 2:3

The son of perdition-applied to none else besides Judas the traitor (John 17:12). The Pope, like Judas, holds a high position in the Church, professing an affectionate reverence for Christ, yet really betraying Him. As 'the lawless one,' he claims supremacy over all law, civil, divine, and that of conscience; with lying signs, and professing to transform a wafer into God. But Rev 17 represents apostate Christendom as "a woman," the usual emblem of a church. Antichrist is a man, seemingly, a beast really, and continues only 'a short space:' Christ in person destroys him. But apostate Christendom is destroyed by ten human kings, instruments of God's vengeance (Rev 17:16; 18:2,8,20), Antichrist (the second "beast" coming up out of the earth) shall at first be "like a lamb," while he 'speaks as a dragon' (Rev 13:11): 'coming in peaceably and by flatteries,' 'working deceitfully,' but 'his heart shall be against the holy covenant' (Dan 11:21,23,28,30). Seeds of the "falling away" soon appeared (1 Tim 4:1-3), but the full development and concentration of anti-Christian elements in one person are still to appear. Contrast the King of Zion's coming as JESUS --

(1) Righteous;

(2) having salvation;

(3) lowly:

whereas Antichrist is:

(1) "The man of (the embodiment of) sin;"

(2) the son of perdition;

(3) exalting himself above all that is worshipped.

He is the son of perdition, as essentially belonging to, and finally doomed to it (Rev 17:8,11). As "the kingdom of heaven" is first brought before us in the abstract, then in the concrete, the King, the Lord Jesus; so here, first we have (2 Thess 2:7) "the mystery of iniquity" [anomias (NT:458), 'of lawlessness']; then 'the iniquity one' [ho (NT:3588) anomos (NT:459)], 'the lawless one' (2 Thess 2:8). Doubtless 'the apostasy' of Romanism (the abstract) is the greatest instance of the working of the mystery of iniquity; its blasphemous claims for the Pope (the concrete) are forerunners of the final concentration of blasphemy in the man of sin, who shall not merely, as the Pope, usurp God's honour as His vicegerent, but oppose God openly.
(from Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown Commentary, Electronic Database. Copyright (c) 1997 by Biblesoft)

Answer 7

in 2nd Thessalonians 2:4 it explains that he is the anti-christ.

Answer 8

I'm not Christian but a little research makes me tend to believe it would be the Anti-Christ.

Answer 9

Most likley the antichrist

Answer 10

The devil. The only one that has been sentence to death.