2 Thessalonians 1:4-5
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.
The Judgment at Christ's Coming
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—
Tag: Persevering through Suffering is the Evidence of Belief
In the above passage Paul is commending the Thessalonians for their endurance and perseverance through suffering. He actually tells them that the “enduring through the affliction” is evidence of their suffering. He is not saying that simple suffering is evidence, although it can be (and is taught so in other places of God’s Word ... Christ told us we WILL suffer for His sake). But, Paul is praising them for their endurance in the suffering. The "evidence" of our salvation is not prayer, going to church, and/or anything we are doing ... but it is proven by persevering through suffering ... that is the "evidence"
Understanding the Bible Commentary: “It is not God’s purpose that, by suffering, we should be made worthy to enter his kingdom, but that, having entered by grace, we should be counted worthy to be there (cf. Matt. 5:10) This is just another way of saying that suffering is part of the package of being a Christian (see disc. on 1 Thess. 3:3). Paul puts the same thought into different words at the end of the verse when he speaks of suffering “on behalf of” (hyper with the gen. in the causal sense “for the sake of”; for other uses see disc. on 2:1 and 1 Thess. 5:10) the kingdom of God. In this context, the kingdom means the final phase of God’s rule, which will be inaugurated at the coming of Christ (see disc. and note on 1 Thess. 2:12).”
When Christ suffered, for our sins, it was a grave injustice. That may make the suffering even worse. It could be said that the greatest times of suffering are in the greatest times of injustice. We might suffer for our own sins and stupidity. We might suffer because the world is just foolish and broken and things get messed up (planes break and crash, bodies fail and hurt, etc.). But, the greatest suffering is when we decide to stand for Christ and the world hates us ... they will hate us for standing for truth and righteousness. They will mock us for no other reason that we claim to be Christ’s followers. That is the injustice that we see in the above verses. Yet, note what Paul will tell these same believers later in this little book:
2 Thessalonians 3:3-5
But the Lord is faithful. He will establish you and guard you against the evil one. And we have confidence in the Lord about you, that you are doing and will do the things that we command. May the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God and to the steadfastness of Christ.
This is what Paul states to the Romans:
Romans 8:37-39
No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Suffering for our faith and in our faith is part of the package of belief in Christ. All mankind can do foolish things and suffer and find no relief for such choices. But, the believer can make the right choice and will find suffering. Yet, our relief is in our relationship with Christ.
No comments:
Post a Comment