Major, all you are showing us is that you really don't understand this passage.
Did you notice, for example, that verses 6 - 8 show us absolutely that the man of sin cannot be revealed until this restraining force is removed or "taken out of the way?" Get it straight: he CANNOT be revealed until the restrainer is gone - no longer restraining or holding back.
Then, did you notice that in verse 3b the man of sin IS REVEALED? WHAT? Yes, IS REVEALED.
Did you notice that Paul wrote, "and now you know what is restraining..." How Paul? HOW can we know? Paul's intent is that we back up and read more carefully. Because it is very plain: in 3b the man of sin IS revealed, meaning that in 3a the restrainer has been "taken out of the way."
I challenge you to search 3a to find something that has been taken out of the way. There is only ONE possibility: it is hidden in that word, "apostasia." Early translations into English translated that word as "the departing." Go and look: the "THE" is there in every Greek text. It is a very significant "departing."
You choose: since the THEME of the entire passage is the rapture of the church, or Paul's "gathering," the departing could be the church being taken out of the way, so the Holy Spirit would a moment after have NO ONE on earth to work through to restrain.
OR, it is a great falling away (from what that word does not tell us)that causes the man of sin to be revealed. Again, you choose.
Question: if you choose the falling away, how in the world would anyone in that situation: thinking that The Day of the Lord had started and they were no in it - how would they know that ENOUGH have fallen away to know: "ah, this is what Paul was saying..." The truth is, when one "falls away" two more come. The church has been steadily growing.
Since Paul's theme is the rapture, I think Paul is telling us that it is the Holy Spirit - through the church - that is the restraining force. But when the church has departed - been "taken out of the way" - THEN the man of sin can be revealed.
Paul's argument then for those who thought the day had started: NO, it has not started. When you see the departing of the church, THEN the man of sin revealed, THEN you can know for sure that "The Day of the Lord" has started and you are now IN IT. Everyone in the world will know for certainty that a HUGE group of people have departed earth: just disappeared. Those that read Paul can know for certain that this is a very significant departure. (This is supposing that someone knows the scriptures but are not a true believer so are left behind. Hmmm. Jews know the scriptures will - even the New Testament.)
You equate the removal of the Holy Spirit with the removal of the church.
That is not necessarily so. When the Great Commission is finished (also shown
as the testimony of the Two Witnesses being finished) then the Holy Spirit can
be withdrawn and Satan can be loosened and his chief emissary on earth,
the Anitchirst, can rise to deceive the Last Saints.
Just as there is still Jewish churches (Temples) around AFTER they had the
Holy Spirit
TAKEN from them... so also there can be Christian churches
around AFTER the Holy Spirit is
TAKEN from them... in fact, we could
argue there are many apostate churches today with no Holy Spirit.
Mat 21:43
Therefore say I unto you,
The kingdom of God shall be
TAKEN from you,
and
GIVEN to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof.
Mat 21:45
And when the chief priests and Pharisees had heard his parables,
they perceived that he spake of them.
In fact we can make the argument that Satan cannot be "loosened"
from the Pit and his Antichrist cannot rise until AFTER the Holy Spirit
has been taken away. How could Satan and the Antichrist RULE
when the Great Commission is still ongoing... clearly Jesus said
that HE RULES during the Great Commission;
Mat 28:18
And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying,
All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name
of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them
to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you:
and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
BTW... the correct translation is the "end of the age" (not world)
which indicates the end of the age of the Great Commission.
And we see the Great Tribulation "
Kingdom of Heaven" [Mat 25:1]
could not begin (Satan and the Antichrist could not RULE) until AFTER
all the elect have been "sealed" (saved).
Rev 7:2
And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal
of the living God: and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels,
to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea, Saying,
Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees,
till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads.
Jesus talked about a "NIGHT" in which no man can "work".
That was talking about the RULE of Satan and his Antichrist
RULING during the Great Tribulation and/or Revelation Beast.
That means the Holy Spirit (but not the church) must be
removed BEFORE Satan and the Antichrist are able to
have the POWER and SEAT [rule] and AUTHORITY
during the Great Tribulation/Revelation Beast.
Rev 13:2
And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet
were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion:
and
the dragon [Satan] gave him
[the Antichrist] his power,
and his seat, and great authority.
Just as there are now Jewish churches (Temples) after the Holy Spirit
was TAKEN from them... so also there will be Christian churches on
earth after the Holy Spirit is TAKEN out of the way... in fact, the
focus of the attack of Satan and the Antichrist is on the Last Saints
that are IN THE CHURCHES
Rev 12:17
And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war
with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God,
and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.
I could go on with more examples... but I think you can get the idea
from what I have already revealed.
Jim
.