2 Thessalonians 2:1-7 CLARIFICATION The first-century assembly at Thessalonica had come from idolatry and Judaism to the kingdom of God by putting their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Their conversion was truly from darkness to light. Their conduct changed from the power of Satan to God. Their faith, hope, and love were maturing the character of the saints. But even such exemplary believers committed to the Gospel and the assembly are targets for satanic attack. Sometimes it comes from those whom we do not even suspect. In the end times, there will be persecution and suffering right to the end of the age in the same way it was at the first, and all the time in between. "All that live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution." However, we know that evil will not prevail because our Lord Jesus Christ will judge evil righteously and thoroughly upon His return.
In view of that assurance, we need to conduct our daily living in a way that will not make us ashamed when He comes for His saints, opening the day of the Lord. Only God knows the whole chain of events that leads up to the first part of that day (the day of the Lord, not the day of Christ), although we have been given by the Lord some signs of the coming of the Lord in relation to the Tribulation and His public appearing. The coming of our Lord Jesus Christ refers to both the rapture and His appearance as one event with two parts. This is the key to these verses being the point of Paul writing the epistle.
Paul asks the Thessalonians not to be uneasy or alarmed regarding the Lord's return. They apparently had been upset by some false teaching and false preaching. Also, a forged letter that allegedly had come from Paul had made them think they were in the Tribulation or were going into it. We should never let claims people have to divine revelation as to dates and times of the Lord's return upset us. This has been done quite a few times by people saying that some of the events that are happening at the time or dates they have calculated tell us when the Lord will come. That deception tends to shake people's minds with uncertainty if they do not read the Bible carefully and in context. It "troubles" people and sidetracks them from the truth of God. Satan uses whatever means he can to deceive and hinder the work of God. The "day of the Lord" is not in the past, even though there have been terrible times experienced on this earth. As for saying the "day of the Lord" is happening now is an act of the enemy to stop the spread of the Gospel. We will know when that happens; we will be with the Lord.