2 Thessalonians (written)

Monday, 25 September 2017

…that the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and you in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.
2 Thessalonians 1:12

The use of the term, “the name,” is given to denote the Person. It is more than a mere title or form of honorary dignity. Everything about the Person – His title, His power, His being, etc., is summed up in the term “the name.” Therefore, the words, “that the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified,” is speaking as a summary of what has previously been said, not just about those saved, but about those set for destruction as well. They will see the honor and glory placed upon the saved which will demonstrate God’s righteous judgment upon them. This is because we are “in Christ,” and thus we are a part of His body. When we are vindicated, it glorifies Him. This is why Paul continues with the words, “in you.”

Everything about the name of the Lord Jesus Christ is exalted when He is glorified in His saints. And the reciprocal is true as well. As Paul then says, “and you in Him.” Our salvation and God’s favor upon us because of our faith in Christ will be seen as having been vindicated before the eyes of those who mock the faith and the faithful. In their lives, they pursued either self indulgence, or some type of works-based salvation. However, the true Christian sets aside self and instead trusts in the work of Christ alone. This explains how we will be glorified in Him. In the end, it is all about Jesus and what He has done. Our works are excluded. As it says, “according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.”

Grace is unmerited favor. Any work or effort to be reconciled to God on our part would mean we merited God’s favor, and thus grace would be excluded. But such is not the case. Instead, we hear the gospel, we receive the words, and we are saved. The grace is two-fold. First it is of “our God,” and secondly it is of “the Lord Jesus Christ.” Rather than this being an argument against the deity of Christ, it forms an argument for it. Throughout his epistles, Paul speaks of the grace of God, and then he defines that as being the gift of Jesus. The two are inseparably linked. Jesus Christ is God working out our salvation in human form.

The point of Paul’s words is to demonstrate that God is just, He is righteous, He is holy, He is gracious, He is merciful, He is loving, and He is truthful. But more, He is perfectly so in each of these ways. He cannot violate His own righteousness in order to be gracious. If He did, He would be unrighteous. The same is true with each of these attributes. But through Jesus, He can accomplish all of these things without violating His perfect nature. This will be seen and understood with all clarity by those who have rejected Him, and by those who were faithful to receive Him.

Life application: Jesus is God’s way of working out the salvation of man. No other way is possible, and therefore let us hail Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith. To God be the glory.

Heavenly Father, considering what You have done through Jesus, how can we but praise You? You have reconciled us to Yourself, and we stand before You purified, cleansed, and holy. And it is all because of what You have done. Can we boast in the work of another? How much more then should we boast in You! Thank You for sending Jesus to bring us home to Your glory. Amen.

Sunday, 24 September 2017

Therefore we also pray always for you that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfill all the good pleasure of His goodness and the work of faith with power,
2 Thessalonians 1:11

The word “therefore” is looking back to the previous verses. In verse 5, he, Paul, said “that you may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God.” In that verse, it was noted that this was a worth not of merit, but of standing. In verse 10, it then noted that when the Lord comes, He will “be glorified in His saints.” Because of these things, and the surrounding verses, Paul says “therefore,” or “with a view unto this,” he and those with him “also pray for you.” When Christ is glorified in His saints is the view to which their prayers are directed.

His adding in the word “also” stresses the thought of the prayers they offer. They didn’t just hope in a good outcome, but they actively prayed for it. With prayers being offered, they looked forward to the good outcome “that our God would count you worthy of this calling.” The “calling” here takes us right back to verse 5, which is a call of standing. Paul prayed that they would stand firm in their calling and not shy back.

They had been called, they were suffering for it, and Paul prayed that they would continue in their calling despite this. This is obvious because in 1 Thessalonians 1:12, he stated hopes that they would walk worthy of God who called them. Again in 1 Thessalonian 4:7, he noted God had called them unto holiness. And then again, in 1 Thessalonians 5:24 he noted that God who calls is faithful. These things show us that the calling was already in existence, and that it would continue.

With this in mind, he then noted that they also prayed that God would “fulfill all the good pleasure of His goodness.” The word “His” is inserted here. It is true that the goodness is that which is godly, but it is more a personification of goodness which stems from Him. The scholar Oldshausen says of these words, “May God fill you with all that good which is pleasing to him.” They stand in their calling and, because of this, the hope is that they will perform according to their standing, reflecting the goodness that would be expected of a person who was so called.

Finally, he says to them that their prayers are also directed to “the work of faith with power.” This essentially means “to powerfully complete the work that faith was able to produce in you.” The gospel was presented to them, they received this gospel by faith, and now it was prayed that they would be filled with godly power to complete the work set before them in this new life. As Albert Barnes notes of these words, “The work of religion on the soul is always represented in the Bible as one of power.”

Life application: As always, care needs to be taken when evaluating words which may appear as if we must do something apart from faith in order to be saved or to continue to be saved. Such is not the case. If this were true, our salvation would not be by grace through faith. Instead, it would be by personal merit worked out in our action. This is not the gospel.

Lord God, thank You that the race is not up to us to complete. Instead, it is You who have saved us through an act of faith, and it is You who keeps us because of that belief. Our faith may weaken, and we may lose heart at times, but You never forget the time that we called out to be saved, we believed in the work of Christ, and we were forever reconciled to You. Thank You for this, our precious God. Amen.

Saturday, 23 September 2017

…when He comes, in that Day, to be glorified in His saints and to be admired among all those who believe, because our testimony among you was believed.
2 Thessalonians 1:10

Here we have a sharp and resounding contrast to the previous verse. He just said that those who don’t know God, and who don’t obey the gospel of Jesus, will but punished. This will include their removal from the glory of His power. In contrast to that, it says, “when He comes.” This is speaking of Jesus. This defines the period of time that the punishment upon the wicked will occur. It is “in that Day” that the contrast for those who have believed in the gospel will come about.

In this he says that He is “to be glorified in His saints.” The glory spoken of is not “through” His saints, nor is it “among” His saints. Instead, it will be “in His saints.” He suffered and died so that we may live. In contrast, those who reject Him will suffer and die because He, in fact, lives. They ignored this willingly, and they will receive their just punishment for their failure to acknowledge His work which He accomplished for them. Thus, they are found unworthy of its merits.

But for the saints, they will reflect His glory, because they received His atonement and are covered in His righteousness. And along with this, He is “to be admired among all those who believe.” This reflects the state of what has occurred in us. We have, by a simple act of faith, been granted the righteousness of Christ. But it is His righteousness. We can claim no credit for this. Instead, we will always remember that the Lamb was slain so that we might live.

What is done is past, but its effects will endure forever. It is a one-time-for-all-time thing. When we behold Him in glory, we will give Him the admiration He eternally deserves because we have been eternally redeemed. As noted, this was by an act of faith, as Paul once again explains with the words, “because our testimony among you was believed.”

The Calvinist doctrine of election and predestination is shown, once again, to be wholly incorrect here. Nowhere in Scripture do we find the notion of being “regenerated in order to believe.” That is as nutty as a football bat. Paul and his associates shared the gospel, the people believed, and they were saved. The same is true with every person who has been redeemed since. Faith is excluded as a work according to Romans 3:27. It is something that comes from us, and it is what then results in our salvation.

Life application: If you are excited about Jesus, then imagine how great it will be when we see Him face to face. If you are saved, but not excited about Jesus, you have a serious problem with understanding the magnitude of what He has done for you. Reconsider your station, and be excited to glorify Him for the marvelous things He has done for you!

Lord God, help us never to lose our excitement over what Christ Jesus has done for us. May we be willing to share that excitement everywhere we go, and to be willing to provide the lost with the same chance of being saved as we once had. Help us to not sit on our hands and idly wait for the day of our passing. Instead, help us to be active and alive concerning the wonderful news that brought us to salvation. Amen.

Friday, 22 September 2017

These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power, 2 Thessalonians 1:9

Wow Paul. Really? Rather un-PC of you to say such a thing!

The result of the “vengeance” of the previous verse is defined here. Punishment lies ahead for those, as Paul said, “who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.” It is punishment that is eternal in nature, and it is punishment that is universal in scope, excepting only those who have called on Jesus and who are the redeemed of the Lord.

It needs to be understood from the Greek here that the word translated as “destruction” does not mean “annihilation.” Instead, “it emphasizes the consequent loss that goes with the complete ‘undoing’” (HELPS Word Studied). In other words, one cannot justify the doctrine of “no eternal hell for unbelievers” with this verse. The Bible elsewhere speaks of eternal punishment. Instead of annihilation, it will be a type of ruination “from the presence of the Lord.”

Whatever hell will be like in its fullest sense, and whatever pains or sufferings the damned soul will receive, the worst possible punishment is the thing that those who hate God claim they want the most – to cast off the Lord, and to have nothing to do with God. This they will receive, but it will only be after they have beheld His glory at the Great White Throne Judgment. In this, they will see the Source of all goodness, glory, and desire; and then they will be removed from that forever. The memory of that separation alone will be the greatest torment of all.

There will be nothing of God’s eternal splendor; and thus there will be only lack, deprivation, and the highest desire to return to Him for the Water of Life and the spiritual connection they had run from in this life. The memory of what they saw will be the last good thing they ever will see and it will be seared into their memories, but they will be cast from His presence “and from the glory of His power.”

This glory of the power of the Lord certainly has, at least in part, the thought of the human Christ, reigning on His throne. And yet, it surely signifies the divine Lord as well. There is both the physical and spiritual aspect of Jesus, which will endure forever. He will lead His people, but He will also continuously and ceaselessly reveal the unseen Father to us.

It is this on-going revelation of the glory of God that those to be cast away from His presence will desire with all of their mind. They will be deprived of this boundless joy, and it will utterly consume them. However, the misery of having realized that it is the human Jesus that made this possible, and that they rejected Him… that will be the source of their eternal regret. It will eat them up for all eternity that they had mocked and mistreated the exalted name of Jesus, exchanging it for whatever lie they held to in this temporary, pitiful life.

Life application: In 2 Kings 25, Zedekiah, the king of Judah was captured by the king of Babylon. He was taken before him and his sons were killed before his eyes. After that, they put out his eyes. Thus the last thing he ever saw was the ending of his family line. The painful memory of his failed life would be seared into his conscience forever. This is the thought presented to us by Paul’s words of this verse. In both cases, the wounds were self-inflicted. But in the case of those who have rejected Christ Jesus, the wounds will be infinitely more painful. Pay heed, and call on Christ today.

Lord God, Your word speaks of eternal punishment for those who reject Your one and only avenue to peace with You, Jesus. As You have revealed Yourself through Him, and as He is our only way back to You, it would be good for people to consider this, to see if it is true, and to make the right choice now. This life is temporary, it is fleeting, and the ending of it is completely unknown. Help us to be wise and responsible with this moment in time. To Your glory we pray. Amen.

Thursday, 21 September 2017

…in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.
2 Thessalonians 1:8

The “flaming fire” here belongs to the angels, not to the judgment of the angels. Thus, there should be a comma after fire instead of before it. In the Old Testament, angels are known as seraphim, or “burning ones.” Much of the tribulation judgment does not come in the form of fire. Thus, there would otherwise be an inconsistency in the text. These powerful angels display a burning aura around them. Their judgments will be poured out on the world according to the descriptions found in the book of Revelation.

They will be, as it says, “taking vengeance.” However, the word “taking” is not appropriate. It implies personal vindictiveness, a characteristic not found in the true God. The Greek reads “giving” or “rendering.” God is not punishing because of a personal grudge against offenders. Instead, he is assigning to the unrepentant world their just due, and each man will receive that just due for not ascribing to God what is appropriate, and for just repayment of those who troubled His people.

It is for this reason that vengeance will come, and it will come upon “those who do not know God.” Jesus stated that if one sees Him, they have seen the Father. It is He who reveals God to us in a manner which we can understand, and it is He who mediates between God and man. Those who reject Jesus do not ascribe to God what is appropriate; and they, in turn, are those who then trouble His people. Otherwise, they would be His people. But they are, instead, at odds with God; enemies of Jesus. This is explicitly stated in the words, “and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

By the words here then, we have two different categories:

1) Those who do not know God.
2) Those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Though the two go hand in hand, they are listed separately because there are different types of knowledge in Paul’s mind. There are those who “know” God (even that Jesus is God), but they then do not acknowledge Him. And there are those who don’t “know” God, because they don’t know who Jesus is. This then follows through with the next clause. The first category may “know” God because they know who Jesus is, but they do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. They reject the truth of Christ, and thus they reject God. The two categories are necessarily stated separately to show that all will be punished because of failing to meet one or the other category.

The words “of our Lord Jesus Christ” are specifically used here to define those who may know the gospel, but who still reject the work of Jesus as the Messiah. In other words, this includes Jews of the end times who will be destroyed, even to two thirds of the nation (Zechariah 13:8). With God, there is no partiality, and both Jew and Gentile are favored only because of their standing with Christ Jesus. No other distinction will save them. Destruction lies ahead for all who fail to come to Christ.

Life application: If you have failed to come to Christ through the gospel of Christ (and this includes all who attempt to be justified by works of the law), you will be left behind at the rapture, and you will endure the judgments of the tribulation period. Now would be a good time for you to leave the Hebrew Roots movement, the SDA, or any other group who mandates observance of the law, in part or in whole. Call on Christ, trust in Christ, rest in Christ.

Lord God, You word assures us that there is a period of time coming on the earth which will be complete destruction and final judgment. You have shown in Your word that there is but one way to be freed from that time – trusting in the gospel of Christ Jesus. You gave us this avenue, and so for us to willingly reject it means that we merit Your disfavor. Help people to realize this, and help us to be willing to lead all to a saving knowledge of what He has done for us! Help us in this, O God. Amen.