Righteous Judgment of God

1:3-12

The doctrine of eternal torment is likely the most difficult doctrine in Scripture to believe. It is also the most sober and weighty doctrine in Scripture. However, much good is done to our souls to contemplate eternity.

The primary responsibility of a pastor, that supersedes all other responsibilities is to watch for your souls. If at the great judgment day you end up separated from Christ and are told, “depart from me ye that work iniquity, I never knew you” you will not care what other aspects of pastoral ministry your shepherds did well. If your financial advisor is a nice guy but when it comes time to retire he invested poorly and your retirement was squandered, his magnetic personality will be of little consequence.

Paul frequently repeated his warnings of coming judgment and stated, that to say the same things to you is not grievous, but for you it is safe. John the Baptist warned his hearers to flee from the wrath to come. Each NT writer addressed this subject. The state of our souls carries eternal consequence.

Despite the difficulty of the doctrine of eternal torment, Paul did not hesitate to introduce this young Thessalonian church to specific details related to it.

Why would he address this subject to such a young church? What was his purpose in writing to them?

The doctrine of divine retribution helps those under persecution to understand that God will fully and finally measure out justice. He will do so in a way that leaves no question. From this we learn that it is appropriate and necessary to draw from this doctrine in the face of persecution.

In times of freedom and prosperity to dwell on divine retribution seems dark and dour. In those times, the subject seems unnecessary. However, it can also be vitally necessary in times of prosperity to remember that this is not our final destination, that we are pilgrims and sojourners.

Like the angels warning Lot that God is going to destroy the city and burn the place down.

Genesis 19:17-25,30

The angel’s instructed Lot to flee to the mountains to avoid the coming judgment. Instead, he wanted to negotiate for a closer city. The angels agreed. Then when the judgment came he decided they may have been right and fled to the mountains.

The difficulty, like in the days of Noah, is when God is about to do something truly unprecedented, like flood the earth, we must accept it by faith. Our mind says, God has never done that before. Peter warned they will say where is the promise of His coming? All things continue as they have since the beginning of Creation. Christ has not returned before.

This is a one time deal. He will only return one time and he will come like a thief in the night. The Son of Man comes at an hour when you think not. He has been, as the parable says, on a long journey. James says, he that shall come, will come, and will not tarry.

1 Thess 5:1-4

Prop. Consider the Righteous Judgment of God at the Second Coming of Christ

This judgment is something that once you consider it and really see it, you cannot unsee it. It is like garlic and onion, it has a way of flavoring the dish and overpowering other tastes.

Verses 3-4 persecution - The Requisite for the Righteous Judgment of God

This demonstrates what makes divine retribution necessary. Because they were persecuted for righteousness sake, it demonstrates that God’s judgment is righteous.

Persecution - the infliction of pain, punishment or death upon others unjustly, particularly for adhering to a religious creed or mode of worship

They are inflicting pain and death upon people for worshiping God. Why does the enemy do this? Because he cannot punish God, he pours out his fury on those that bear his image. If you had an earthly enemy that could not get to you but they attacked, tortured, and killed your children how would you respond?

Psalm 44:22 quoted in Romans 8:36

The Thessalonian response to persecution was supernatural. They were flourishing.

Paul shows The obligation to express gratitude. Bound to give thanks, it is meet or necessary.

Listen to the report card of this infant church.

Because - Paul praises them because in the face of such suffering their faith was growing exceedingly, their charity was abounding, and their patience in persecution and tribulation was steadfast.

What pastor Jeff preached this morning from Philippians about Paul’s prayer that their love would abound more and more. This was true of the Thessalonians. Their love for each other was abounding.

We need to be quick to recognize the grace of God in others.

This wasn’t flattery. This was seeing the grace of God in their lives.

At the pastors conference last week watching people joyfully serve. We are bound to give thanks for you.

also, when people are facing unjust suffering, we can commend their patient endurance and being steadfast.

Years ago we were doing push up contests with the kids. And one of them was running out of gas and about to quit and Jess came in and started cheering them on. He rattled off another ten pushups and said, you just woke up more strength.

In the face of such suffering, it can be very disorienting. Like being in a whirlpool in the river where you are being thrown around and do not know which direction is up let alone out.

A proper and eternal view of suffering for righteousness sake, is that it is a great privilege to be counted worthy to suffer for the great king - Acts 5:41 Matthew 5:10-12

2 Timothy 3:12 Matthew 13:20-21

Paul himself when he was Saul persecuted the church. Pastor Matt read it this morning in 1 Corinthians 15 - Paul, I am the least of the apostles, who am not worthy to be an apostle because I persecuted the church of God. He carried that.

What do you say to encourage saints that are facing significant persecution? Your faith is growing exceedingly. Offer perspective from outside. When you are in the whirlpool, you are just trying to survive, you are oblivious to growth.

There are times as a pastor when people are suffering when you know it has to get worse before it will get better. Imagine being the doctor that had to amputate a leg prior to anesthetic.

I don’t remember details of each of our children’s births. But I remember when after being in active labor and dilated to 9 for a couple hours the midwife saying, “your contractions are not strong enough to fully dilate”

1 Corinthians 15:52-58 this is hope in the great physician.

Not only your faith is growing. You charity and love is abounding.

Paul’s glory for them in the churches. but his anticipation for their reward when they stand before Christ. Romans 8:18

The prerequisite for persecution is godliness.

2. Verses 5-10 punishment - The Requirement of the Righteous Judgment of God

Verses 3-10 are a single sentence.

A. The righteous judgment of God. verse 5 Their persecution - verse 5a this is the evidence that justifies the propriety of God’s judgment. This evidence demands a verdict.

Suffering for the kingdom of God - his righteous punishment is because they persecute you and trouble you.

Peter clarifies that persecution is not suffering for your faults. 1 Peter 2:20 God will be taking vengeance upon them.

They are mistreating the children of God, primarily because they are the children of God.

counted worthy of the kingdom of God

Just before they were burned at the stake at Oxford in 1555, Hugh Latimer famously said to Nicholas Ridley, “Play the man, Master Ridley; we shall this day light such a candle, by God’s grace, in England, as I trust shall never be put out.”

If we rightly comprehend the righteous judgment of God, there is no need for us to add a drop.

B. verse 6 it is a righteous thing with God to recompense

Romans 12:19 Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.

Nahum 1:2-3 God is jealous, and the Lord revengeth; The Lord revengeth, and is furious; The Lord will take vengeance on his adversaries, And he reserveth wrath for his enemies. The Lord is slow to anger, and great in power, And will not at all acquit the wicked:

Romans 2:5 But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God;

Deuteronomy 32:35 the text for Edward’s sermon “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God”

C. verse 7 - rest with us - wait with us.

And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar xthe souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held: 10 And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth? 11 And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled

The Holy Bible: King James Version, Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version. (Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 2009), Re 6:9–11.

Psalm 94:1-3 O Lord God, to whom vengeance belongeth; O God, to whom vengeance belongeth, shew thyself. Lift up thyself, thou judge of the earth: Render a reward to the proud. Lord, How long shall the wicked, How long shall the wicked triumph?

D. verse 8 description of this punishment -

Look who shows up - Jesus who is violently angry and coming with his mighty angels

they obey not the gospel

It comes down to what you have done with the gospel. Your relationship with God and your obedience to the gospel. The world does not view Jesus as relevant to their life. They must realize that the king has good news, he has offered conditions of peace. There is no neutrality.

Remember the story of Antiochus Epiphanes when he attacked Alexandria Egypt. His army was surrounded by a surprise maneuver and he was told to surrender. He asked for time to think about it. The opposing General drew a circle around him and said to decide before leaving the circle.

E. They will be punished with everlasting destruction

And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt - banished from the king

The Holy Bible: King James Version, Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version. (Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 2009), Da 12:2.

At His return is Jesus will be the single polarizing figure. The only thing that will matter then will be your relationship to him. Consequently, that is the ONLY thing that matters now. Matthew 10:32-39 his significance supersedes any human relationship

3. Verses 11-12 prayer - The Response to the Righteous Judgment of God

What is the proper response to the righteous judgment of God? Pray God would count you worthy of this calling. Fulfill the good pleasure of his goodness. The work of faith with power.

Matthew Henry’s Commentary on the Whole Bible: Complete and Unabridged in One Volume 2 Thessalonians 1:5–10

Religion, if it is worth any thing, is worth every thing

Conclusion

Where do you stand in relation to the Righteous Judgment of God? There are only two appropriate responses - for yourself, to flee to the mercy seat where God atones for your sin by placing his righteous judgment for your sin upon his Son.

The City of Refuge - when you realized your guilt, you could flee inside the city gates and be safe, as long as you stayed inside the city of refuge until the death of the High Priest. Then you were free to go. But if the avenger of blood caught you before you got to the city of refuge he could kill you. So when you realized your guilt, there was only one response, RUN!

For our sin, God is the avenger of blood. You are running from the wrath of Almighty God. When you have made Christ your refuge, do not leave him.

The second appropriate response is to warn those who have God as their enemy, who are abiding under his wrath, to warn them to flee from the wrath to come. To walk worthy of this calling, our life needs to demonstrate we believe this, that gives weight to our warning.

Remember Lot.

Gen 19:14 And Lot went out, and spake unto his sons in law, which married his daughters, and said, Up, get you out of this place; for the LORD will destroy this city. But he seemed as one that mocked unto his sons in law.