Daily Bread 2011 - 2 Thessalonians 1
Thanksgiving and Prayer
3 We ought always to thank God for you, brothers, and rightly so, because your faith is growing more and more, and the love every one of you has for each other is increasing. 4 Therefore, among God’s churches we boast about your perseverance and faith in all the persecutions and trials you are enduring. 5 All this is evidence that God’s judgment is right, and as a result you will be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are suffering. 6 God is just: He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you 7 and give relief to you who are troubled, and to us as well. This will happen when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven in blazing fire with his powerful angels. 8 He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. 9 They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the majesty of his power 10 on the day he comes to be glorified in his holy people and to be marveled at among all those who have believed. This includes you, because you believed our testimony to you.11 With this in mind, we constantly pray for you, that our God may count you worthy of his calling, and that by his power he may fulfill every good purpose of yours and every act prompted by your faith. 12 We pray this so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.
What Does This Mean?
In Paul’s second letter to the Thessalonians, he emphasizes many of the same themes echoed in 1 Thessalonians. Clearly, Paul sees this as a model church and wants to encourage them in the midst of their persecution. Because of the persecution they thought it could be the end when Jesus would returns, so Paul reminds them of their ultimate destination, and the fate of those who oppose God’s purposes.
In that light Paul uplifts that God is just, and those who reject God and don’t know Him will face judgment on the final day. Of course, we know God is merciful and desires for all to repent and come to knowledge of the truth in the Son of God! But we also see a pretty dire picture for those who refuse the knowledge of God and persist in unbelief. Part of the reason Paul mentions this is to remind the Thessalonians that those who are persecuting them unjustly will one day be accountable for their actions.
What Does This Mean For Us?
As we look out on the world around us and see the acts of evil perpetrated by those who deny God and reject any sort of moral restraint (as we remembered 9/11 last week i.e. those who perpetrated the horrible tragedy of 9/11), we long for justice to be done on earth. While we may not see total justice in this life, there will be a day of reckoning for those who have rejected God and done such things. So while we may want to exact justice, the bible reminds us that vengeance belongs to the Lord. (Romans 12:19 and other places) But there is always hope that some of the people who do such things will repent and turn to God. I.e. Paul persecuted and killed many Christians until he met the Lord.
So then how should we live in a world where acts like this occur on a regular basis on the nightly news? One approach might be not only to pray for those who are victims, but also those who commit the crimes that they too might repent and turn to God. We need to remember that those who reject God and His Son are, “Subject to an everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of God.” Since we have all received God’s mercy and don’t have to pay for our sins we have done through what Christ has done for us, the proper response is to pray for those who haven’t received mercy and will be subject to judgment on that day.
Lord have mercy on us who are sinners. Thank you for sending us Your Son so that we would not perish but have everlasting life. We pray for those who have rejected You that they might turn from a path that is leading to everlasting destruction and turn to You where they might find life here and now and eternally in Your Kingdom. Amen.
3 We ought always to thank God for you, brothers, and rightly so, because your faith is growing more and more, and the love every one of you has for each other is increasing. 4 Therefore, among God’s churches we boast about your perseverance and faith in all the persecutions and trials you are enduring. 5 All this is evidence that God’s judgment is right, and as a result you will be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are suffering. 6 God is just: He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you 7 and give relief to you who are troubled, and to us as well. This will happen when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven in blazing fire with his powerful angels. 8 He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. 9 They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the majesty of his power 10 on the day he comes to be glorified in his holy people and to be marveled at among all those who have believed. This includes you, because you believed our testimony to you.11 With this in mind, we constantly pray for you, that our God may count you worthy of his calling, and that by his power he may fulfill every good purpose of yours and every act prompted by your faith. 12 We pray this so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.
What Does This Mean?
In Paul’s second letter to the Thessalonians, he emphasizes many of the same themes echoed in 1 Thessalonians. Clearly, Paul sees this as a model church and wants to encourage them in the midst of their persecution. Because of the persecution they thought it could be the end when Jesus would returns, so Paul reminds them of their ultimate destination, and the fate of those who oppose God’s purposes.
In that light Paul uplifts that God is just, and those who reject God and don’t know Him will face judgment on the final day. Of course, we know God is merciful and desires for all to repent and come to knowledge of the truth in the Son of God! But we also see a pretty dire picture for those who refuse the knowledge of God and persist in unbelief. Part of the reason Paul mentions this is to remind the Thessalonians that those who are persecuting them unjustly will one day be accountable for their actions.
What Does This Mean For Us?
As we look out on the world around us and see the acts of evil perpetrated by those who deny God and reject any sort of moral restraint (as we remembered 9/11 last week i.e. those who perpetrated the horrible tragedy of 9/11), we long for justice to be done on earth. While we may not see total justice in this life, there will be a day of reckoning for those who have rejected God and done such things. So while we may want to exact justice, the bible reminds us that vengeance belongs to the Lord. (Romans 12:19 and other places) But there is always hope that some of the people who do such things will repent and turn to God. I.e. Paul persecuted and killed many Christians until he met the Lord.
So then how should we live in a world where acts like this occur on a regular basis on the nightly news? One approach might be not only to pray for those who are victims, but also those who commit the crimes that they too might repent and turn to God. We need to remember that those who reject God and His Son are, “Subject to an everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of God.” Since we have all received God’s mercy and don’t have to pay for our sins we have done through what Christ has done for us, the proper response is to pray for those who haven’t received mercy and will be subject to judgment on that day.
Lord have mercy on us who are sinners. Thank you for sending us Your Son so that we would not perish but have everlasting life. We pray for those who have rejected You that they might turn from a path that is leading to everlasting destruction and turn to You where they might find life here and now and eternally in Your Kingdom. Amen.
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