By Sam Nobles
The
second letter Paul wrote to the Thessalonians was sent a year after his first
letter in A.D. 53. Confusion had crept into the church by way of some bogus
teachers who taught that the persecution devastating the church was living
proof that the Tribulation was upon them. Not only was the church in
Thessalonica having to contend with false teachers, they were also having to
deal with false letters. The same group of false teachers had forged a letter
to the church from the Apostle Paul, claiming that the Tribulation had begun.
It’s easy to see why there was confusion among this church.
Proud
in Persecution (v.1-4)
Their spiritual progress of the believers
in Thessalonica caused Paul to brag about them to other churches he was in
contact with. The believers in Thessalonica had remained persistent and full of
determination in spite of the persecutions
they were suffering for their faith. The Apostle Paul was letting these beat-up
and wiped out Christians, who were suffering persecution, know that he was
proud of them.
Reassurance in Persecution (v.5-10)
The Apostle Paul changes gears here to show
the Thessalonian believers that all of the persecution they are suffering is
not proof of the Tribulation that is to come, but proof that they are indeed
part of God’s Kingdom here and now. Paul says there’s coming a day when the Lord will return with
His angels to take vengeance on those who are purposefully and knowingly coming
against those who belong to Him.
Prayer
in Persecution (v.11-12)
Up until this point, the Apostle Paul has
described that persecution is a glorious calling of the saints. They have been
called to suffer persecution, which in turn proves and prepares them for their
place in God’s Kingdom. “Now he prays that their lives in the meantime will be
counted worthy of such a high calling, and that God's mighty power will enable them to obey every
impulse to do good, and to accomplish every task undertaken in faith.”[1]
Scripture
to Claim:
“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
Thessalonians 1:3)
[1]
Believer’s
Bible Commentary, Second Edition, accessed May 16,
2017,
https://www.christianbook.com/believers-bible-commentary-second-edition/william-macdonald/9780718076856/pd/076856.
