'We ought to thank God always for you, brothers, as is fitting, because your faith flourishes ever more, and the love of every one of you for one another grows ever greater. Accordingly, we ourselves boast of you in the churches of God regarding your endurance and faith in all your persecutions and the afflictions you endure. This is evidence of the just judgment of God, so that you may be considered worthy of the kingdom of God for which you are suffering. For it is surely just on God’s part to repay with afflictions those who are afflicting you, and to grant rest along with us to you who are undergoing afflictions, at the revelation of the Lord Jesus from heaven with his mighty angels, in blazing fire, inflicting punishment on those who do not acknowledge God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. These will pay the penalty of eternal ruin, separated from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power, when he comes to be glorified among his holy ones and to be marveled at on that day among all who have believed, for our testimony to you was believed (2 Thess. 1:3-10).’
The persecutions and tribulations the Thessalonians were experiencing were an indication of the coming judgment of God. In persevering through the trials, they were proving themselves worthy of the kingdom of God. It was right and just for them to give thanks to God because through their patient endurance their faith and love increased. God’s just judgment applied not only to the faithful but also to the persecutors of the faithful. God will grant the faithful relief from the wicked. At his second coming, Christ will manifest himself in an all-consuming destructive force to those who do not acknowledge God or obey the Gospel. Those who reject Christ will be eternally separated from the presence of the glory of the risen Christ, but the faithful will marvel at the glorified Christ.
Almighty God, you sent your only begotten son to reconcile mankind to yourself and did not spare him from trials and tribulation. Through the example of your Son, you have shown us the demands of our faith and the great rewards we will receive if we persevere. Grace us with the strength to share in the sufferings of Christ that in so doing we may lead others to the Kingdom. This we pray through Christ our Lord. Amen!
References:
Raymond E. Brown, Joseph A. Fitzmyer, & Roland E. Murphy, (Eds.). (1990, 1968). The New Jerome Biblical Commentary. Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Prentis Hall, Inc.
Jose M. Casciaro, Santiago Ausin, Gonzalo Aranda, Claudio Basevi, Vincente Balaguer, Francisco Varo, James Gavigan, Brian McCarthy & Thomas McGovern (Eds.). (2017). The Navarre Bible - New Testament. Dublin 8, Ireland: Four Courts Press.
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