Day 63, 2 Thessalonians 1 
It is assumed that
Paul's second letter to the Thessalonians was also written when he was settled
in Corinth for 18 months. Paul elaborates on some of the same issues as
he did in his first letter, so this second letter may well have followed the
first by just a few months.
Persecution had
not abated in Thessalonica (1:4). Interestingly, Paul wrote that the
"persecutions and afflictions" the believers were enduring were
"a plain indication of God's righteous judgment" (1:5). He was not
saying that the persecution itself was a manifestation of God's righteous
judgment. Rather, the current persecution against God's people vindicated
His righteous and ultimate plan to punish persecutors and reward the
persecuted. Such a plan is "only just" according to Paul (1:6), and
those who scoff at the idea of future punishment and reward need to think
again. A God who delays judgment upon sinners and pardons those who repent is
merciful. A God who does not, however, ultimately punish unrepentant evildoers
or reward the righteous is unjust. To claim that there is no such thing as
ultimate future punishment and reward is to accuse God of injustice.
In light of these
simple truths, it is astounding that so many professing Christians think
that they can continue sinning with impunity once they have prayed a
prayer to accept Jesus, and that holiness is unimportant since they are
allegedly "covered in the blood of Jesus." The New Testament solemnly
warns against such "conversions":
For if
we go on sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no
longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a certain terrifying expectation
of judgment, and the fury of a fire which will consume the adversaries (Heb.
10:26-27).
In this same regard,
notice that Paul wrote that the gospel was not just something to believe, but something to obey (1:8). It is the gospel of "our Lord Jesus" (1:8), and we must not overlook
that word, Lord. The
gospel calls everyone to turn from sin and bow their knee to the King of kings
and Lord of lords.
It is those who
patiently endure their persecutions who prove themselves "worthy of the
kingdom of God" (1:5). If our faith does not cost us something, it is
worthless.
The idea that
everyone ultimately will be saved, even those who are cast into hell
(known as Universalism),
is debunked by Paul's warning in 1:9: "And these will pay the penalty of eternal
destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His
power." The destruction of the wicked is eternal. Incidentally, Paul's words, "eternal
destruction," have been interpreted in at least two ways. Some see a
never-ending cycle of destruction and reconstruction that will be suffered by
the unrepentant in hell. Others, who consider eternal conscious punishment to
be unjust, see a one-time annihilation of the wicked---with no hope of
resurrection. Thus, it is a destruction that is eternal. Personally, I would
prefer to believe that second interpretation of the phrase "eternal
destruction," but there are some scriptures that stand in my way.
Did Paul believe that
Jesus would return twice, first to rapture His church, and then, seven years
later, return once again to pour out His wrath on the world? If the answer to
that question has not been clear before, it is today. Paul wrote that
Jesus would "give relief" to the afflicted Thessalonian
believers when He
would be "revealed from heaven with His mighty angels in flaming fire,
dealing out retribution to those who do not know God" (1:7-8). This, of
course, harmonizes perfectly with what Jesus taught in His Olivet Discourse.
Jesus will rapture His surviving remnant when He returns to pour out His wrath
on "the day of the Lord" (see Matt. 24:29-31). This means that there
will be a generation of believers who will face the persecution of the
antichrist, as foretold by the prophets Daniel (see Dan. 7:21-25) and John (see
Rev. 13:7).
Still not convinced?
Wait until tomorrow's reading!
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