Flaming Fire

Paul, 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 our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

We ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers,as is right, because your faith is growing abundantly, and the love of every one of you for one another is increasing. Therefore we ourselves boast about you in the churches of God for your steadfastness and faith in all your persecutions and in the afflictions that you are enduring.

This is evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are also suffering—since indeed God considers it just to repay with affliction those who afflict you, and to grant relief to you who are afflicted as well as to us, when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might, when he comes on that day to be glorified in his saints, and to be marveled at among all who have believed, because our testimony to you was believed. 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, so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Thessalonians 1:1-12

After his standard greeting of grace and peace to this church, Paul repeats the glowing commendations we saw in his first letter to them, written just a few months before this one. He is rightly proud of their growth in grace and their steadfastness of faith, demonstrated by their increasing love for the brethren. Wherever Paul taught, he held this church up as an example of grace under pressure. They continued to endure persecutions and afflictions, but their faith in Christ was their refuge and strength. We call that Faith-Rest. Knowing the character of God and depending on His promises to bring us through whatever conflict we face day-by-day. Remembering WHOSE we are in all circumstances of life.

Our sufferings in life are an indication of our faithfulness to God’s Word, because the world hates His Word and we are deemed worthy to be identified with Him, thereby receiving the disdain of unbelievers. God is not ignoring our affliction, brethren. God is perfect Justice, among other eternal attributes, and He will repay those who afflict His own. When Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, the score will be settled with those who have rejected Him and have persecuted His Church. Vengeance will be visited upon those who do not know God. Why? How is this just? Because, v.8: they do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. And what is the gospel?  The gospel is the good news (literal meaning) of eternal life through faith alone in Christ alone. Our penalty for sin is paid in full. That is good news.

John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life." 

John 3:18 "Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God." 

John 3:36 "Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him."

Acts 16:31 Then he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.”

Romans 6:23 "For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."

Since the unbelievers have rejected this free gift of salvation, there remains no more sacrifice for sin. Jesus, the Lamb of God, is the only one qualified to purchase our salvation. Those who leave this physical life without having obeyed this one requirement (believing in the finished work of Jesus Christ) have no other means of salvation. There will be unbelievers alive on earth when He returns, and they will suffer eternal destruction, while His glory is being revealed in His saints (you and me, Paul and the Thessalonian saints and all who are IN CHRIST).

That is why we are here. Not so we can have ease, comfort, wealth and admiration. Some believers do have those things as part of their grace package, but most of us do not. We are here to reveal to the world the person and authority of Jesus Christ and to offer His grace in salvation to all who will receive it. No matter our circumstances, Jesus is glorified in us, because His Word is always true and His love is limitless. That is our message. Jesus Christ and Him crucified.

His glory is in us, because of our weakness that becomes the showcase for His power. Our glory is IN HIM, because His Righteousness is our Righteousness for all eternity. His Life is our life. We have no righteousness or life without Jesus. The world cannot see this because they choose not to see it. And most people, as Yogi Berra said, “if they don’t know, you can’t tell ‘em.” We tell 'em anyway. Well, after the Lord is revealed from heaven in flaming fire, then they’ll know and it will be too late for them.

But they will know.