You Haven’t Missed It

Reading:  2 Thessalonians 2:1-4
    
    This section of the letter (2:1-12) is challenging to interpret because Paul refers back to his previous teachings that we have no record of (see 2 Thess 2:5, 6).  The topic here is the return of Jesus, something he spoke about at length in his first letter (1 Thess 4:13-5:11).  “Now concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to him, we ask you, brothers, not to be quickly shaken in mind or alarmed, either by a spirit or a spoken word, or a letter seeming to be from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come”(2 Thess 2:1-2).  Paul has previously described that day as something universal everyone will see (1 Thess 4:13-5:4, 2 Thess 1:6-12), yet some message has convinced the Thessalonians that Jesus came back and they missed it.   This must have greatly upset them, so he urges the Thessalonians “not to be quickly shaken in mind or alarmed.”  You haven’t missed it; God’s timetable is still on track.  

    Instead, Paul informs them that some things must happen first.  “For that day will not come, unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, who opposes and exalts himself against every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God”(2 Thess 2:3-4).  First there will be a “rebellion” (or apostasy), which seems to imply a widespread departure from God’s ways.  Then there will be a figure of great evil, the “man of lawlessness” and “son of destruction.”  His work will be characterized by an arrogation of power and effort to be recognized as a divine authority (“proclaiming himself to be God”).  It appears that many will be swept up in this man’s consolidation of power and influence.  The details are fuzzy, but Paul’s point is clear:  things will get worse before they get better.

    It is remarkably difficult to pinpoint what Paul is describing.  Every generation identifies its own religious figures, world leaders, and false prophets as the “man of lawlessness.”  Many people fit the description of proclaiming themselves to be God.  Is the temple reference literal?  It seems to me that in the absence of further information, we must acknowledge that rebellion and apostasy happen in each age.  Rather than seeing this as a sign that God has lost control, it should serve as a reminder that Jesus can return at any time.  No matter how ugly the world becomes, you haven’t missed it; Jesus is still coming back!

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One Thing to Think About:   Why might someone follow a figure like this?

One Thing to Pray For:  Stability in my faith so that I am not “shaken in mind or alarmed”
 

God Considers It Just

Reading:  2 Thessalonians 1:5-12
    
    As the Thessalonians experience “persecutions” and “afflictions”(2 Thess 1:4), Paul insists that their experience is actually “evidence of the righteous judgment of God”(2 Thess 1:5).  How?  First, their persistence in difficult circumstances is vital “that you may be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you also are suffering”(2 Thess 1:5).  Paul wants to remind them that their ultimate goal is full fellowship with God and that present hardship does not remove that hope (but rather proves the genuineness of their faith).  Second, God is paying attention to the present situation and will act to remedy it.  “Since 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”(2 Thess 1:6).  Justice means that the afflicters will be afflicted and the afflicted will have relief.  Jesus will ensure this when he returns.

    The next verses are both fearsome and comforting.  “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”(2 Thess 1:7-9).  Notice that Jesus does not come to terrorize, but in “vengeance.”  Those who suffer deserve their fate.  Christians do not avenge themselves because we trust in God’s perfect vengeance, accomplished when Jesus returns.  Those who have rejected God and his righteous will for them will be punished.  Simultaneously, Jesus will be “glorified in his saints” and “marveled at among all who have believed”(2 Thess 1:10).  Jesus will right all the wrongs we endure and bring true justice.

    It is tempting to allow these verses to feed our malevolence toward our enemies, relishing their coming judgment.  Far better is to see Jesus’ return as the fulfillment of true justice.  We all grow despondent at a world where evil abounds and people wrong one another without any fear of retribution.  Here Jesus promises to right all the wrongs.  We yearn for that—but only if we acknowledge that we too deserve the same fate and escape it only by the mercy of our God.  Rather than gloating, we should work to help others avoid “eternal destruction.”

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One Thing to Think About:   How have I observed injustice?

One Thing to Pray For:  Opportunities to reach the hearts of those who “do not know God” and “do not obey the gospel” before it is too late
 

Spreading Good Gossip

Reading:  2 Thessalonians 1:1-5
    
    As Paul writes the Thessalonians a second letter, things seem to be going well.  “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”(2 Thess 1:3).  These are the measures of Christian growth—stronger faith and increasing brotherly love—and Paul is thrilled to see that the group is healthy and thriving.  He thanks God for them “as is right,” implying that the appropriate response to vibrant churches is to praise God, not people.

    It is because of this growth that “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”(2 Thess 1:4).  As Paul travels from church to church, he reports on the success of these believers, boasting about how well they are doing.  Just as in his first letter (see 1 Thessalonians 1:6-10), the Thessalonians’ story is the source of fascination and encouragement.  As time passes, it is the more impressive that they show “steadfastness and faith in all your persecutions and in the afflictions that you are enduring.”  The very people who used to join them in worshiping idols now oppose, oppress, and ridicule them, yet these disciples continue to follow Jesus.  Paul wants others to be encouraged by such surprising and genuine faith, so he brags.

    When we spread gossip, it is usually destructive and critical.  Yet here Paul shows us the beauty and power of good gossip.  We can spread positive information about others, praising their example and lauding their successes.  This kind of talk does not need to be whispered, nor does it hurt anyone’s feelings when they hear we’ve been talking about them behind their back.  We may even begin to look for good things to spread around, confident that this confirms to everyone that God is at work among us.

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One Thing to Think About:   Whom can I spread “good gossip” about today?

One Thing to Pray For:  A steadfast heart through difficult times
 

He Will Surely Do It

Reading:  1 Thessalonians 5:23-28
    
    Paul finishes the letter with a beautiful prayer for blessing on the Thessalonians.  He asks that “the God of peace himself sanctify you completely”(1 Thess 5:23).  This is a work that is so important that God will not leave it to surrogates, but will do it “himself.”  Paul longs for God to bring these young believers to full holiness, not just in sexual matters (1 Thess 4:3), but in their “whole spirit and soul and body.”  God’s purity and separateness can extend through all of our thinking, deep into our hearts, and out into our bodies.  He can cleanse us and set us apart to his work, keeping us “blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.”  His prayer is for God’s ongoing sanctification of his people, all the way to the end when Jesus returns.

    After leaving us breathless with this awesome benediction, Paul reassures us:  “He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it”(1 Thess 5:24).  Because God is dependable and trustworthy, we can be confident in his work in our hearts.  He will not leave us half-finished.  He will be faithful to his words and commitment.  Will we?

    There is assurance here that since our salvation depends on God, we are safe in his hands.  He has more work to do in us.  He wants to bring our sanctification into richer, fuller fulfilment.  He wants to preserve us blameless through the trials of life.  Paul insists that “he will surely do it.”  He does not mean that God will save us against our will—or despite persistent rebellion.  His point is that God will always be faithful.  Will we?

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One Thing to Think About:   How can I be holier in my spirit, soul, and body?

One Thing to Pray For:  God to continue and complete his work in me
 

Three Things that Are Always Appropriate

Reading:  1 Thessalonians 5:16-22
    
    Paul gives three short instructions that express “the will of God in Christ Jesus for you”:  “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances”(1 Thess 5:16-18).  His language is striking because it is so sweeping:  always, without ceasing, in all circumstances.  As the Thessalonians prepare for the ups and downs of life, these are three spiritual activities that they need to continue.  We rejoice because we remember that we are the recipients of tremendous spiritual blessings.  We pray because we long to speak to God, praise him, thank him, and ask his help with whatever we are facing.  We give thanks because even when things are unpleasant, there is so much good in our lives.

    He also wants the Thessalonians to think rightly about new information that purports to come from God.  “Do not quench the Spirit.  Do not despise prophecies, but test everything; hold fast what is good.  Abstain from every form of evil”(1 Thess 5:19-22).  There is a danger that we will refuse to hear messages that challenge and convict us, quenching the Spirit and despising God’s words.  Likewise there is a danger that we will believe every message to the point of absurdity (see 1 John 4:1).  Paul’s solution is to “test everything; hold fast what is good.  Abstain from every form of evil”(1 Thess 5:21-22).  We compare every message to God’s revealed word.  If it syncs up and agrees with what has been revealed, we accept it; otherwise, we abstain from it.  In this way, Christians are both open-minded (ready to hear messages from God) and closed-minded (ready to reject whatever is not from him).  

    Rejoicing, prayer, and thanksgiving are three things that are always appropriate.  The Thessalonians have suffered persecution and rejection, yet there is still a place to rejoice, pray, and give thanks.  More than occasional acts, these become disciplines that characterize us and buoy us through whatever circumstances we encounter. 

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One Thing to Think About:   In what circumstances do I find it hard to rejoice, pray, or give thanks?  Why?

One Thing to Pray For:  The discernment to test everything I hear—but only accept what is from God