Are some people born without hope? While reading 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12 NASB


  1Now we request you, brethren, with regard to the coming of our
  Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, 2that you not
  be quickly shaken from your composure or be disturbed either by a
  spirit or a message or a letter as if from us, to the effect that the
  day of the Lord has come. 3Let no one in any way deceive you, for
  it will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of
  lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, 4who opposes and
  exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that
  he takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being
  God. 5Do you not remember that while I was still with you, I was
  telling you these things? 6And you know what restrains him now, so
  that in his time he will be revealed. 7For the mystery of
  lawlessness is already at work; only he who now restrains will do so
  until he is taken out of the way. 8Then that lawless one will be
  revealed whom the Lord will slay with the breath of His mouth and
  bring to an end by the appearance of His coming; 9that is, the one
  whose coming is in accord with the activity of Satan, with all power
  and signs and false wonders, 10and with all the deception of
  wickedness for those who perish, because they did not receive the love
  of the truth so as to be saved. 11For this reason God will send
  upon them a deluding influence so that they will believe what is
  false, 12in order that they all may be judged who did not believe
  the truth, but took pleasure in wickedness.


I was struggling with these terms (the ones in bold):

1) Verse 10 may be talking about unbelievers or apostates that did not receive properly the love of the truth by xtians.

2) Verse 12 the unbelievers or apostates took pleasure in wickedness instead. Possibly right after having a taste for it. As if being born with the pleasure for wickedness.

Am I understanding that some are born with such a selfish ambition that have no obedience to Christ. No hope. No matter how much love is shown to them.

Or, they never had a chance because the Christians around did a bad job showing them true love.

I mean I'm always thinking that the people that don't love me are ones that don't talk to me or see me when I walk on the street or ride the bus. The one that said hi to me loved me. Even the one that was rude to me. I mean hate and love are the same thing right? And then [Matthew Henry][1] wrote on his commentary about 2 Thessalonians 2:5-12, "God leaves them to themselves". I think he meant to say they were hopeless.

Does 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12 confirm that some are born with a nature to disobey, thus cannot be saved?

Like the narrow gate and the broad road?
In order to understand those passages, we have to take several other things into mind. Paul was writing this letter to the Thessalonians after having gotten word back from them following his first letter.

Also remember in Acts where everyone was getting together selling their possessions and living in a communal group, the reason for that was that those people expected Christ to return for them right away. Paul especially thought that Jesus return would be during his lifetime.

After years had passed and Christ had not returned as most of his disciples expected, many rumors began to circulate and among them were some which declared that Jesus had returned already.

Paul's second letter to the church in Thessalonica is a plea to not listen to those rumors. So let's break down his letter and see what we can extract from it.


  Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him, 


Here Paul is referring to the rapture of the church as described in his first letter to them.


  That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand. 


Here Paul is saying don't pay any attention to all these rumors.


  Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; 


Or; don't let people fool you, remember that before Christ returns the prophesy of:

Daniel 11:31 and 32  


  And arms shall stand on his part, and they shall pollute the sanctuary of strength, and shall take away the daily sacrifice, and they shall place the abomination that maketh desolate.  And such as do wickedly against the covenant shall he corrupt by flatteries: but the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits. 


Must be fulfilled, (This same event is referred to in Revelation and is the beginning of the great tribulation)


  Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God. 


This is the Antichrist.


  Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things? And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time. 


Don't you remember me explaining these things to you, so now you know why there is a delay.


  For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way. And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, 


And see it is already started, and God will let these things continue even including the coming of the Antichrist, who will even perform miracles.

So now let's take a look at where you where you have your trouble understanding.


  And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness. 


I believe where your confusion comes, is because you need some clarification on predestination:


  Predestination is the concept that some people are predestined by God to not receive Salvation and receive eternal damnation. 


Predestination is greatly misunderstood; That some will be eternally damned is not the will of God.


  Matthew 18:14  Even so it is not the will of your Father which is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish. 


Predestination is based on the fact that God is All Knowing.
Or in other words God knew even before Creation who would and who would not accept Salvation. And based on that fore knowledge during the Great Tribulation, God will allow those who you indicated to be deceived by the Antichrist, since Satan does not really have any power, to accomplish anything unless God permits it.