II
Thessalonians 1 God’s Final Judgment and Glory
During
Paul’s time, certain false teachers had infiltrated the young Thessalonian
church. They played on people’s hopes and fears, creating a climate of wild
speculation. Complicating matters was the increase of persecuting Christians.
Paul wrote this second letter to urge his brothers and sisters in the faith to
avoid fanatical and anxious speculation about the events related to Christ’s
return. For the unbeliever, the future holds terrible judgment. But Christians
do not have to fear the end because God has all things under His perfect
control. The patience and faith of these Christians were unshaken as they were
enduring a great deal of trouble, persecutions and afflictions.
In
I Peter 4:16 it says, “Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be
ashamed; but let him Glorify God on this behalf.” There is a difference between
being disciplined to learn patience and the punishment of the wicked. God
disciplines His children for their developmen, for their growth, that they
might have patience and a hope for the future. Our suffering has nothing to do
with salvation, but it sure prepares us for our eternal state. Whatever God
does is absolutely right. He can do no wrong. Sometimes we complain about the
things that happen to us because we do not understand God’s ways. But God has a
very dfinite purpose for all that He does. And God is righteous in sending the
Great tribulation. It is a judgment of sinners. He has a purpose for our lives
on earth, and He wants us to fulfill that purpose. The coming of Christ to the
earth in judgment will justify the believers who have pur their trust in Him,
and it will glorify the Savior.
The
Bible never encourages the people of God to sit around aimlessly waiting for
the end of the world. On the contrary, the scriptures urges us to be about our
Master’s business until He returns. The key to a successful Christian life and
a healthy soul is to do what we have been called to do, and to leave our future
(and the world’s) in the good hands of our wise and mighty Father in heaven.
Please
read the chapter listed so that you can understand God’s Word better.
If
you have missed any lessons, you can go to: https://sherrysouthard.blogspot.com. Nelson’s Quick Reference Commentary.
Dr.
David Jeremiah Study Bible. Through the Bible by J. Vernon McGee.
No comments:
Post a Comment