2 Thessalonians 1

Introduction

Last Week We Started a Month-Long Series On the Day of Judgement

We Looked at 1 Thessalonians 5, Where Paul Encouraged the Thessalonians to Not Be Concerned About When Jesus Will Return

No One Knows When it Will Come

But Christians are in the Light of Day

Which is to Say, We Know that Jesus is Coming

The Rest of the World Lives in Darkness and Jesus’ Return Will Be an Unpleasant Surprise for Them

But We Need to Stay Awake and Alert to His Coming

How?

By Living By Faith, Hope, and Love

If We Do That, We are Destined for Salvation at Jesus’ Return

The Thessalonians Were a Young Church Who Were Severely Persecuted

Paul was Ran Out of Town By the Jewish Persecutors Before He Could Spend Much Time Edifying This Young Church

So He was Worried About Them

After Timothy Checked On Them and Brought Word Back to Paul, He Wrote 1 Thessalonians

Then, Not Long After Writing the 1st Letter, He Wrote the 2 Letter

To Go Along With Our Theme of the Day of the Lord, We are Going to Look at the 1st Chapter of 2 Thessalonians

2 Thessalonians 1

2 Thessalonians 1:1–3 (NASB)

Paul and Silvanus and Timothy, To the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

We ought always to give thanks to God for you, brethren, as is only fitting, because your faith is greatly enlarged, and the love of each one of you toward one another grows ever greater;

After a Pretty Typical Greeting of Praying for Grace and Peace From the Father and Jesus to the Thessalonians…

Paul Says Thanks Ought to Be Offered to God for Them

“Ought” Means an Obligation

Paul and His Companions Felt Obligated to Give Thanks to God for This Church

Why?

Because it is “Fitting”

God is “Worthy” of Such Gratitude

Why?

Because the Faith and Love of the Thessalonians Has Increased Greatly

Even Through All the Persecution They’re Facing…

They Continue to Trust God More and More

Even Through All the Oppression They’re Facing…

They Continue to Love Each Other More and More

What a Beautiful Picture of a Church!

Paul Thanks God for This Church Because of How God is Helping Them to Grow in These Necessary Christian Traits…

Even in Such a Brutal Time of Suffering

2 Thessalonians 1:4 (NASB95)

therefore, we ourselves speak proudly of you among the churches of God for your perseverance and faith in the midst of all your persecutions and afflictions which you endure.

Paul Brags On Them to Other Churches

“Look at Those Thessalonians!”

“Look at All They are Facing!”

“And Yet They Continue to Trust God and Love Each Other!”

Their Perseverance and Faithfulness to God in Times of Persecution and Oppression Was/Is Inspiring

They Didn’t Allow the Suffering to Pull Them Down

They Continued Trusting Jesus

They Continued Loving One Another

They Continued Living Righteously Toward God

2 Thessalonians 1:5 (NASB95)

This is a plain indication of God’s righteous judgment so that you will be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which indeed you are suffering.

“This is” at the Beginning of the Verse is Not Actually Found in the Original Text

This Verse is Continuing the Sentence and Thought of the Last Verse

The Thessalonian Church’s Perseverence and Faithfulness Through Persecutions and Afflictions…

Is a Plain Indication/Proof of God’s Righteous Judgement

God’s Judgement in Verse 5 Doesn’t Mean God’s Punishment

God’s Judgement = His Legal Decision

The Thessalonian Church’s Faithful Endurance Through Persecution…

Is Proof that God Has Righteously Judged Them Worthy of the Kingdom of God

Righteous = Right, Just, Fair

Since God Has Promised Access into His Kingdom to Those Who Place Their Faith in His Messiah

It is Right, Just, and Fair of God to Consider Those of Faith Worthy of His Kingdom

And Faithful Endurance Through Severe Persecutions is the Truest Test of Genuine Faith

They Were Suffering for the Sake of the Kingdom

And Through Their Suffering They Have:

Increased in Faith/Trust in God

Increased in Love for One Another

Endured Faithfully and Righteously

So it is Fair and Just for God to Include Them in His Kingdom

This Doesn’t Mean They Earned Their Access into God’s Kingdom

God, in His Grace, Offers Access into His Kingdom to Those Who Place Their Faith in Jesus

And Those Who Faithfully Endure Persecution for the Kingdom’s Sake…

Are Those of True Faith

And Those of True Faith, God Has Promised to Have Access to His Kingdom

In the Likely Chance that I Have Just Muddied the Water Instead of Making it Clearer…

Here’s My Understanding of the Principle that Paul is Laying Out:

Those Who Suffer for the Kingdom, God Considers Worthy of the Kingdom

And the Faithful Suffering of the Thessalonians is Proof that God Has Considered Them Worthy of the Kingdom

2 Thessalonians 1:6 (NASB95)

For after all it is only just for God to repay with affliction those who afflict you,

Not Only is it Right, Just, and Fair for God to Consider the Thessalonian Church Worthy of His Kingdom…

But it is Also Right, Just, and Fair for God to Afflict Those Who are Afflicting the Thessalonian Church

That is the Very Meaning of Justice

If God is a God of Justice, then the Oppressors Will Be Oppressed

Suffering is Difficult When Those Who Cause Our Suffering Go Unpunished

But it Helps Us to Stand Firm in the Faith When We Realize that Justice Will Be Served Eventually

The Wicked Will Not Go Unpunished Forever

2 Thessalonians 1:6–7 (NASB95)

For after all it is only just for God to repay with affliction those who afflict you, and to give relief to you who are afflicted and to us as well when the Lord Jesus will be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels in flaming fire,

When Jesus is Revealed From Heaven, Justice Will Be Served

The Persecuted Thessalonian Christians (Along With Paul and His Companions)…

Will Be Given Eternal Relief From Affliction

But the Afflictors Will Be Punished

Jesus Will Return With His Mighty Angels

And He Will Be Coming With Flaming Fire

2 Thessalonians 1:8 (NASB95)

dealing out retribution to those who do not know God and to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.

Jesus Will Be Dealing Out Retribution and Vengeance, Not Only to Those Who Persecute Christians…

But to All Those Who Do Not Know God and Those Who Do Not Obey the Gospel of Jesus

There are 2 Ways to Interpret Who Paul is Referring to in This Verse:

Some Believe Paul is Refrencing 2 Different Groups of People

1. Those Who Don’t Know God

Gentiles Who Don’t Know the One True God

2. Those Who Don’t Obey the Gospel of Jesus

Jews Who Refuse to Acknowledge Jesus as the Messiah

Some Believe Paul is Using 2 Different Descriptions of the Same Group of People

1. Those Who Don’t Know God

Those Who Have Chosen to Have No Relationship With God

2. Those Who Do Not Obey the Gospel of Jesus

Those Who Have Refused to Acknowledge Jesus as the Messiah

Essentially These Equal Out to Be 2 Descriptions of the Same Group

One Thing is for Sure…

Those Who Deny a Relationship With God…

And Reject Obedience to Jesus as the Messianic King…

Will Be Repayed With Vengeance When Jesus Returns

2 Thessalonians 1:9 (NASB95)

These will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power,

“Eternal Destruction” is a Difficult Phrase to Understand

Some People Take an Annihilationist View of God’s Judgement

Where People Will Experience a Second Death Which Will Lead to Non-Existence

Others Believe God’s Judgement Will Result in Eternal Ruin for the Lost

But One Thing I Believe is Absolutely Evident From Paul’s Words is This:

When the Day of the Lord Comes, Those Who Do Not Know God and Do Not Obey the Gospel…

Will Experience Eternal Separation From the Presence and Glory of Jesus

We Can’t Even Fathom What Separation From Jesus Would Be Like

But, Unfortunately, Many Will Experience it…

Because of Their Refusal to Obey Him Now

2 Thessalonians 1:9–10 (NASB95)

These will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power, when He comes to be glorified in His saints on that day, and to be marveled at among all who have believed—for our testimony to you was believed.

At Jesus’ Return, Vengeance Toward the Lost is Not All that Will Take Place

He Will Also Be Glorified in His Saints

Does This Refer to Him Being Glorified and Praised By His People…

Or Him Causing His People to Be Glorified?

The Answer is “Yes”

Romans 8:16–18 (NASB95)

The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him. For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us.

Christians Being Glorified is Always in Relation to Our Resurrection and Transformed Bodies

In That Day, He Will Also Be Marveled at By All Who Trusted Him

As We Will Continue to See…

The Day of Judgement/the Lord is Not Just a Day of Firey Condemnation

But it is a Day of Salvation and Celebration For the Saved

2 Thessalonians 1:11–12 (NASB95)

To this end also we pray for you always, that our God will count you worthy of your calling, and fulfill every desire for goodness and the work of faith with power, so that the name of our Lord Jesus will be glorified in you, and you in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Paul Always Prays that God Will Consider the Thessalonian Church Worthy of Their Calling

What is Their Calling?

The Same Calling God Has Offered to All of Us - The Gospel

The Invitation to Receive Salvation From Sin and Death and to Receive Eternal Life Through Jesus the Messiah

No One is Worthy of Such Grace in and of Themselves

God Makes Worthy Those Who Place Their Trust in Jesus

Essentially Paul is Praying that Their Faith in Jesus Continues to Flourish

Paul Also Prayed to God that He Fulfill/Complete All of Their Desires to Do Good and Works of Faith with Power

That God Allow Their Good Works that They Do By Faith to Be Completed Through the Power of the Holy Spirit

Faith and Works Always Go Hand in Hand

Through Faith We are Saved

Through Works Our Faith is Proved to Be Genuine

Neither Faith Without Works Nor Works Without Faith are Pleasing to God

When Our Faith Leads to Good Works, Jesus is Glorified in Us and We in Him

Application

There’s So Much to Learn From This Short Chapter

But Our Focus in This Series is On the Day of the Lord

What Do We Learn About the Day of the Lord From This Passage?

The 2 Primary Points Paul was Making to the Thessalonians are:

1. Jesus is Bringing Firey, Destructive Judgement On:

Those Who Persecute, Afflict, and Oppress His People

Those Who Don’t Know God

Those Who Don’t Obey the Gospel

2. Those Who Faithfully Suffer for the Sake of Christ and His Kingdom…

Are Considered Worthy of the Kingdom By God

The Day of the Lord is Going to Be a Wonderful Day

But Only for Those Who Know God

Those Who Have an Intimate Relationship With Him as Their Father and Know His Will

It Will Only Be a Wonderful Day for Those Who Obey the Gospel of Jesus

Those Who Trust and Obey Him as Their King

It Will Only Be a Wonderful Day for Those Who are Willing to Suffer to Remain Faithful to Jesus