2 However, brothers, ccerning the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered together to him, we ask you
2 not to be quickly shaken from your reason nor to be alarmed either by an inspired statement or by a spoken message or by a letter appearing to be from us, to the effect that the day of Jehovah is here.
3 Let no one lead you astray
* in any way, because it will not come unless the apostasy comes first 4. and the man of lawlessness gets revealed, the son of destruction.
4 He stands in opposition and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship,
* so that he sits down in the temple of God, publicly showing himself to be a god.
5 Do you not remember that when I was still with you, I used to tell you these things?
6 And now you know what is acting as a restraint, so that he will be revealed in his own due time.
7 True, the mystery of this lawlessness is already at work, but only until the one who is right now acting as a restraint is out of the way.
8 Then, indeed, the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will do away with by the spirit of his mouth and bring to nothing by the manifestation of his presence.
9 But the lawless one’s presence is by the operation of Satan
+ with every powerful work and lying signs and wonders
* 10 and every unrighteous deception for those who are perishing, as a retribution because they did not accept the love of the truth in order that they might be saved." 2 Thes. 2
The bible appears to show that the man of lawlessness knew God before went into rebellion. If we talk about the lawlessness practiced before knowing Jehovah that's different.