2nd THESSALONIANS 1

      2nd Thessalonians 1.....correction              concerning persecution
Written from Corinth, only a short time after the first epistle, the purpose being to offset false teaching that was threatening to destabilise the church.   The first letter was for comfort, the second for correction;   chapter 1...correction concerning persecution;   chapter 2....correction concerning prophecy;   chapter 3....correction concerning practice.  The first letter majors on the rapture of the Church to heaven, the second on the return of Christ to earth.   An important distinction between the two epistles is how each unfolds the character of God:   In 1 Thessalonians the emphasis is on the holiness of God and the issue being our sanctification;   in 2 Thessalonians the emphasis is on the righteousness of God and the issue our satisfaction.   God is not unaware of the troubles suffered by His people in this world and He will take steps to recompense any loss we may incur for His sake.   Following the same introduction as the first letter, Paul focuses on two outstanding aspects of the Thessalonian church;   a) their remarkable progress in spiritual matters, vv3-5 and b) their deep perplexity at the continuation of the persecution, vv6-12.   There is little doubt that this second epistle is corrective in character, as are all second epistles.   He begins in chapter 1 with a word to those who are troubled by their sufferings and points them to the God of recompense, who, without exception, exercises righteousness in the earth.  
Verses 3-5     Spiritual progress             His first approach is to declare their unbounded joy at the progress made by these believers.   He speaks of obligatory thanksgiving to God for their development, despite the trials.   Later Paul would have occasion to bemoan the lack of progress at Corinth (1 Corinthians 3vv1-4) where after four or more years there had been little or no growth.   Christianity is dynamic in character and normally progresses with time and experience.   In Christian terms stunted growth is a tragedy of major proportions.   The extent of growth at Thessalonika, however, was a cause for rejoicing.   In the first epistle, he had noted the three Christian graces demonstrated in their work of faith, and labour of love and endurance of hope.   Now he says they have taken this to another level, note the language.....”your faith groweth exceedingly, and the love of every one of you all towards each other aboundeth; so that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that ye endure.”   Can there be anything to rival this kind of progress in such a young church?   Amazing faith, abundant love, and outstanding endurance in the face of persecution.   It may be that  this remarkable growth was a direct result of their persecution, but Paul wanted to focus their attention on the God who would make it alright.   He says  “This is a manifest token of the righteous judgement of God.”   It would be easy to consider these persecutions as coming from men only, because unrighteousness abounds on the earth, and this epistle predicts that that will only get worse (chapter 2v7,8,10 & 12).   There is something far more sinister behind these persecutions.   The bible is clear that God is against all ungodliness and all unrighteousness of men.   He will judge the world in righteousness, and in the meantime He suffers their ways and His people must suffer along with Him.   Jesus predicted it  “From the days of John the Baptist the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence and the violent take it by force.”  (Matthew 11v12); again “ in the world you shall have tribulation (John 16v33).   Paul predicted it “All that will live godly will suffer persecution (2nd Timothy 3v12).   Peter wrote about it all over his first epistle that Christians would suffer in this world just because they are Christians.   This has created an imbalance in the universe and a righteous God will redress the balance.
Verses 6-12      Spiritual perplexity          “..to you who are troubled rest with us....” 
He proceeds to speak of recompense for their suffering, that a righteous God will set everything straight, compensating the good and punishing the evil.   He will punish all evil and this will culminate in the return of the Lord Jesus to the earth to restore Divine order and subjugate all in opposition to God.   Paul appeals for these troubled believers to “rest with us” that is to settle their minds and calm their souls, as the apostles had learned to do, that God will deal with all in a righteous way;   ultimately justice will be done.   He views the local persecution at Thessalonica in light of the end times and refers to the righteous judgment of God that will take place at the return of Christ.
The outline of the second advent of Christ continues until the end of chapter 2, but here in chapter 1 from verses 6-12 we have the return of Christ in regard to the end of all Christian suffering.   It is these last few verses to which we now turn.   “It is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you.”   This is the law of retribution and is a major bible subject .   God will correct every moral imbalance and the principle is to be understood in the oft quoted verse “vengeance is mine saith the Lord I will repay.”   We have in these verses the executor of vengeance, the Lord Jesus;   we have the exactors of vengeance, the mighty angels;   and we have the execution of vengeance, the flaming fire.   These are extremely solemn verses calling for fear in the hearts of all who think they will escape, for none will.   This is a different Lord Jesus Christ to the One who came the first time;   He came in grace to save, the second time He comes in judgment to subjugate.   He will come with the avenging angels.   In the present day angels of mercy are involved to serve those who are the heirs of salvation, in that coming day angels of might will do His bidding as they dismantle a world of rebellion against God.   In the Old Testament, in 2nd Kings 19v35,  one mighty angel destroyed 185,000 of an army opposing Israel.  The book of the Revelation is full of events where angels will do the bidding of almighty God.  The flaming fire is frightening and is almost a quotation from Isaiah 66v15  “For behold the Lord will come with fire and with His chariots like a whirlwind, to render His anger with fury, and His rebuke with flames of fire.”   Fire is always the symbol of divine judgment in scripture; flaming fire is such that it will be visible to all.  
There follows, now, an awesome contrast, concerning the fate of the unbeliever, and the glorious destiny of the saints.   The issues are permanent and eternal. He depicts the unbeliever as “them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.”   The thought is of those who wilfully know not God, not that they had no knowledge  of Him, but they rejected the knowledge they were given (Romans 1vv20-21).   The proper rendering of Psalm 14v1 is apparently “The fool hath said in his heart NO GOD.”  ( Literally no God for me, no God who will rule my life).   It is not that they do not know, it is that they do not want to know.   Then there are those who knew the gospel, understood its demands and disobeyed....the bible presents faith as obedience, and no faith as disobedience.   The fate of the ungodly is solemn and spelt out here in no uncertain terms.
• “Who shall be punished...”    From two Greek words meaning a penalty which is just.
• “...with everlasting...”   There will be no end, it will be forever; the crime is against an eternal God, therefore the penalty is forever.
• “...destruction...”   The word “destruction” implies not annihilation but  actual ruin in eternal consciousness.   The Greek word orethros implies waste/uselessness/futility.  Others have said, “it is not the cessation of being, but the cessation of wellbeing”.
• “,,,from the presence of the Lord    The essence of eternal punishment is banishment from the presence of God and therefore from all that is good...the ultimate loss of wellbeing.   This is the opposite of “the Parousia” which will be enjoyed by all believers.
• “...and from the glory of His power”.  They will be placed beyond the power of salvation, therefore no purgatory, no appeal, no relief, no possibility of parole
The phrase “the glory of His power” is a wonderful description of the saving power of Jesus Christ in the gospel.  For those who believe, who by reason of His great salvation are made saints, His Coming will be a time of unfettered joy that will have no ending....”when He will come to be glorified in His saints and to be admired in all them that believe.”   This statement portrays the fullness of this salvation;   It does not say He is coming to be glorified and admired by His saints but in them, that is, the believers who have been fully transformed into His image and whose appearance will be glorious, will become reflectors of His glory to all peoples who will populate the millennial earth.   This is surely the same idea as Romans 8 v19 “the manifestation of the sons of God” for which the whole creation  is waiting!
The prospect of all this is to wean them away from their trials and to use the glorious future to empower their spiritual lives.   To this end Paul prays, not so much for an end to their suffering but for their spiritual development in the midst of it.   He prays for four outcomes:
 “...that our God would count you worthy of this calling..”   High calling indeed; not that they can lose their salvation, but the standard is high and we need to be worthy.   We are called to kingdom royalty (verse 5), this demands a dignity on our part.
 “...and fulfil all the good pleasure of His goodness.....”   God wants us to enjoy the Christian life here and now and experience all His goodness which comes from His great heart of love for us.  This is for the perfection of our inward character.
 “.....and the work of faith with power.”   Not just faith, but faith with power.   The bible indicates little faith, weak faith, strong faith, and faith that can remove mountains.   His prayer for them is that their faith will be with power.  This is for the perfection of our outward service.
 “......that the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you and ye in Him.”   His reputation in this world can be enhanced or otherwise by us; and our reputation likewise as we allow His grace to operate in our lives.