Faith, Love, Suffering, and the Lord’s Return: Part 1

Norbert Lieth

In a few words, the Apostle Paul shows the importance of lived faith and active love in the face of our suffering and the Lord’s return. An interpretation and application for our personal life.

At the beginning of the second letter to the Thessalonians, the Apostle Paul writes: “We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is meet, because that your faith groweth exceedingly, and the charity of every one of you all toward 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” (2 Thess 1:3-4).

Paul had already written in 1 Thessalonians: “We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers; Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father” (1 Thess 1:2-3). In the meantime, their faith and love was confirmed, and had even grown so much that Paul felt obliged to give thanks: “We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is meet, because that your faith groweth exceedingly, and the charity of every one of you all toward each other aboundeth” (2 Thess 1:3).

Each of us has probably thanked someone at some point, but who among us has felt “bound” to do so? We’re familiar with guilty feelings due to missed opportunities, poor responses, improper behavior or sin. But few people are familiar with a feeling of obligation to thank God for others. “God, I owe it to You to thank You for my brothers and sisters, for my wife or husband, for our children, for my parents, for a particular mission field…” We owe thanks to God for the traits He puts into fellow believers that honor His name, bless others, or glorify Him. We owe thanks to God because other people honor Him, are obedient to Him, and present a good testimony.

This obligation to give thanks, which Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy experienced, had two causes: First, “because…your faith groweth exceedingly” (2 Thess 1:3). In his first letter to the Thessalonians, the Apostle had written: “Night and day praying exceedingly that we might see your face, and might perfect that which is lacking in your faith” (1 Thess 3:10). In his second letter, he’s able to express his joy in the fact that their faith is growing “exceedingly.” When have we thanked God for our neighbor’s faith? Or we could ask the reverse: could others thank God for our faith? What do others see in us? Do they find more faith, growing faith, faith growing exceedingly? Do they recognize changes in us that would cause others to be astonished and feel obligated to offer thanks?

It’s notable how much the Bible values growth: “Furthermore then we beseech you, brethren, and exhort you by the Lord Jesus, that as ye have received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God, so ye would abound more and more” (1 Thess 4:1). “And indeed ye do it toward all the brethren which are in all Macedonia: but we beseech you, brethren, that ye increase more and more” (v. 10).

Let’s ask ourselves a question here: can faith even grow? Isn’t our faith the greatest at conversion? What’s meant by faith that “groweth exceedingly”? That the dead will rise again? That mountains will move? That the impossible becomes possible? Can we believe more than we already do? Don’t we just either believe or not?

So, what’s meant by growing faith? The context makes it clear. It pertains to their “work of faith,” and their increasing steadfastness and faithfulness in all their persecutions and tribulations: “your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that ye endure” (2 Thess 1:4). “Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ…” (1 Thess 1:3).

Their faith was showing an increasing amount of fruit. It was proving itself more and more clearly in everyday life. Can we say the same of ourselves? Can we say that instead of declining over time, we are proving ourselves ever more steadfast?

Additionally, “the charity of every one of you all toward each other aboundeth” (2 Thess 1:3). Not just their belief, but also their love increased and proved itself. Not just the love of the church as a whole, but the love of each individual. The Holy Spirit has an eye on every individual Christian. He sees both the love of our church and the love that we practice personally. This love applies to everyone without exception. Sympathy and antipathy are ruled by love, not the other way around. Love is supreme. Jacques Prèvert once said, “There aren’t six or seven wonders of the world. There is no more than one: it is love.” This prompted Paul to offer thanks and glory.

“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” (2 Thess 1:4).

Paul boasted about the Thessalonians. Wasn’t that a little prideful? Possibly, but in a good and spiritual sense. It was part of Paul and his colleagues’ fruitful work, which God had validated. Just as parents can rejoice in obedient children, as a master can rejoice in an apprentice, a professor over his students, or a gardener over his ornamental plants, so Paul could rejoice in the Thessalonians (and even boast, in a way). This church was firm proof of the good work that the Spirit of God could achieve through Paul and his colleagues. It was all certainly an undeserved grace, but nonetheless worthy of glory.

“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: Which is a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God, that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which ye also suffer: Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you” (2 Thess 1:4-6). This not-so-simple text gives us insight into the purpose of suffering. While we often believe that suffering, persecution, and affliction are unjust, we’re taught otherwise here. They are a sign of God’s just judgment.

Of all the books of the Bible, it’s the final one, the book of judgment and the “Day of the Lord,” that presents the just ways and judgment of God. And the ones who witness it should know. The ones who overcome “sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints. Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name? for thou only art holy: for all nations shall come and worship before thee; for thy judgments are made manifest” (Rev 15:3-4). “And I heard the angel of the waters say, Thou art righteous, O Lord, which art, and wast, and shalt be, because thou hast judged thus…And I heard another out of the altar say, Even so, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are thy judgments” (Rev 16:5, 7). A large crowd in heaven testifies: “For true and righteous are his judgments: for he hath judged the great whore, which did corrupt the earth with her fornication, and hath avenged the blood of his servants at her hand” (Rev 19:2). “And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war” (Rev 19:11).

1. For believers: Suffering is a “token of the righteous judgment of God,” and serves the purpose of making us “counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which ye also suffer” (2 Thess 1:5). Don’t confuse this with justification by works. We know that we are saved by grace alone, and that we reach the heavenly, glorious goal of living with God by grace alone. It is a fundamental and unshakeable truth.

“Even when we were dead in sins, [God] hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: That in the ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast” (Eph 2:5-9).

But suffering is a further sign of mercy. God allows it in the life of His church as another means of grace, a tool. Suffering for the kingdom of God serves to glorify and is “counted worthy of the kingdom of God” (2 Thess 1:5). The letter to the Romans sheds light on this: “And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us” (Rom 8:17-18).

We aren’t saved so that we can be free of all suffering, but we are saved to suffer and to inherit the kingdom of heaven by grace. Therefore, these three things belong together:

– We have become joint-heirs.

– We suffer with Him.

– We are glorified with Him.

“But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you” (1 Pet 5:10).

2. For the unbelievers: “Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you” (2 Thess 1:6).

The church of Jesus was, and is, persecuted and oppressed by God’s enemies. God will avenge the faithful on the unfaithful; it’s absolutely just. That’s why it is also written, “Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord” (Rom 12:19). The just judgment of God serves to perfect the believers and to retaliate against the godless. Both are absolutely fair and a just balance.

The time of revelation that is mentioned in 2 Thessalonians 1:7, is the time of retribution, vengeance, and the wrath of God upon the children of unbelief. The church doesn’t belong to this time. “Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him” (Rom 5:9).

God allows judgment of His children in the current age of salvation. This comes from those who are placed over them, despite not being in obedience to the faith themselves. Nonetheless, this serves the glory of the church. In the transition to the future age, however, unbelievers will be judged by those who are suffering now.

“And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels” (2 Thess 1:7). The revelation cited in our text is the unveiling of Jesus Christ, which is detailed in the Book of Revelation. The way I understand it, the church has already entered into its heavenly rest, because it is saved from the coming wrath (God’s retribution) and does not have to go through the horror of the Great Tribulation (cf. 1 Thess 1:10; 4:13ff.; 5:9). So, the dead in Christ and the later martyrs are under the altar at that time, experiencing God’s rest (cf. Rev 6:11; 14:13). Death by means of resurrection or rapture is the entrance into God’s rest.

Afterward, the church will reappear from this triumphant rest at the revelation of the Lord Jesus from heaven, along with His apostles and the angels of His might. If the church were still on earth, we wouldn’t be able to speak of it being at rest. But instead, the church experiences rest while judgment is rendered over the earth.

Midnight Call - 05/2021

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