2 Thessalonians 1:5-12
To this end we always pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling and may fulfill every resolve for good and every work of faith by his power. – 2 Thessalonians 1:11
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I am sure by now we have become familiar with the theme of persecution and sufferings endured by believers in the young Thessalonian church. Supposing you were a member of the Thessalonian church what would your response be? Would you simply give up and walk away? Or would you plead with God like David when he asked, “How long, O LORD? Will you forget me forever?” (Ps 13:1a) Or would you get so upset and impatient that you take things into your own hands like King David’s son, Absalom, who proceeded to kill his half-brother Ammon for sexually abusing his sister, Tamar? (see 2 Samuel 13)
Paul wanted none of these reactions from the Thessalonian Christians. In his letter to the Christians in Rome, he wrote: “Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it[i] to the wrath of God” (Romans 12:19a). Here, in his letter to the Thessalonians he went a step further to explain the significance of suffering for Christ and how God would eventually restore justice to them.
He wanted the Thessalonians to know that their sufferings did not go unnoticed; neither are they in vain because they are “considered worthy of the kingdom of God”. On the other hand, their persecutors and “those who do not know God and those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus” will meet with God’s “flaming fire” when He returns to judge the living and the dead. He then went on to explain that these people “will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might”.
What does it mean to suffer the punishment of eternal destruction? Well, scriptures provide us with a glimpse of what would happen to the people Paul referred to. In Luke 16:19 – 30, we are told when Lazarus died he was carried by the angels to Abraham’s side, which some call paradise. On the other hand, when the indulgent rich man who had no compassion on Lazarus died he was brought to Hades where he was so badly tormented that in his anguish he begged Abraham to “send Lazarus to dip the end of his finger in water to cool his tongue”.
But that is not the ultimate end. Revelation warns of a second death when God delivers final judgment on every man and woman when “Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire” (Revelation 20:14). Those who are condemned to the lake of fire will be eternally separated from God. There is no room for any reversal whatsoever. And since God is light these people will be banished into permanent darkness and unending miseries.
Reflection:
Some of these people facing future eternal separation from God may well be people we know today. They can be our friends, relatives, neighbours or even our family members. Can we put ourselves in a position to see them in that state? Even if they were once our persecutors or arch-enemies, wouldn’t all past wounds be replaced by sadness and compassion for them? More critically, what do we do for these people before it is too late?
Prayer:
Eternal and merciful God, except for your grace, we do not count ourselves worthy of your calling. We pray that you will constantly remind us and teach us to live our lives with eternity in mind. Increase in our heart, Lord, our burden for those that may be eternally separated from you and deepen our faith and commitment to diligently care for and reach out to them for the sake of your love for them and to your glory. In our Lord’s mighty Name we pray. Amen
Click to read passage
I am sure by now we have become familiar with the theme of persecution and sufferings endured by believers in the young Thessalonian church. Supposing you were a member of the Thessalonian church what would your response be? Would you simply give up and walk away? Or would you plead with God like David when he asked, “How long, O LORD? Will you forget me forever?” (Ps 13:1a) Or would you get so upset and impatient that you take things into your own hands like King David’s son, Absalom, who proceeded to kill his half-brother Ammon for sexually abusing his sister, Tamar? (see 2 Samuel 13)
Paul wanted none of these reactions from the Thessalonian Christians. In his letter to the Christians in Rome, he wrote: “Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it[i] to the wrath of God” (Romans 12:19a). Here, in his letter to the Thessalonians he went a step further to explain the significance of suffering for Christ and how God would eventually restore justice to them.
He wanted the Thessalonians to know that their sufferings did not go unnoticed; neither are they in vain because they are “considered worthy of the kingdom of God”. On the other hand, their persecutors and “those who do not know God and those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus” will meet with God’s “flaming fire” when He returns to judge the living and the dead. He then went on to explain that these people “will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might”.
What does it mean to suffer the punishment of eternal destruction? Well, scriptures provide us with a glimpse of what would happen to the people Paul referred to. In Luke 16:19 – 30, we are told when Lazarus died he was carried by the angels to Abraham’s side, which some call paradise. On the other hand, when the indulgent rich man who had no compassion on Lazarus died he was brought to Hades where he was so badly tormented that in his anguish he begged Abraham to “send Lazarus to dip the end of his finger in water to cool his tongue”.
But that is not the ultimate end. Revelation warns of a second death when God delivers final judgment on every man and woman when “Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire” (Revelation 20:14). Those who are condemned to the lake of fire will be eternally separated from God. There is no room for any reversal whatsoever. And since God is light these people will be banished into permanent darkness and unending miseries.
Reflection:
Some of these people facing future eternal separation from God may well be people we know today. They can be our friends, relatives, neighbours or even our family members. Can we put ourselves in a position to see them in that state? Even if they were once our persecutors or arch-enemies, wouldn’t all past wounds be replaced by sadness and compassion for them? More critically, what do we do for these people before it is too late?
Prayer:
Eternal and merciful God, except for your grace, we do not count ourselves worthy of your calling. We pray that you will constantly remind us and teach us to live our lives with eternity in mind. Increase in our heart, Lord, our burden for those that may be eternally separated from you and deepen our faith and commitment to diligently care for and reach out to them for the sake of your love for them and to your glory. In our Lord’s mighty Name we pray. Amen