Showcase: Assorted Treats

  • Paradigm Questions +

    Paradigm Questions To which of the following commands of Christ’s do you only pay only lip service? Love your enemies Read More
  • July 27 Devotional: FB Meyer +

    He suffered thee to hunger. Deuteronomy 8:3 Read More
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Don  Carsonhttp://www.biblestudytools.com/rsv/2-kings/1.html

http://www.biblestudytools.com/rsv/2-thessalonians/1.html

http://www.biblestudytools.com/rsv/daniel/5.html

http://www.biblestudytools.com/rsv/passage/?q=psalm+110;+psalm+111

2 Kings 1; 2 Thessalonians 1; Daniel 5; Psalms 110–111

I ONCE HEARD A PASTOR PREACH THROUGH 2 Thessalonians 1 under the following outline:

A good church going through a rough time (2 Thess. 1:3–4)
A good God waiting for the right time (2 Thess. 1:5–10)
A good man praying in the meantime (2 Thess. 1:11–12)
Today I wish to reflect a little on the second point.

(1) Paul can speak of the Thessalonians being "worthy" of the kingdom of God that will come in consummated power when Jesus returns (2 Thess. 1:5, 11). The context shows that Paul is not supposing that somehow they become worthy enough to be accepted by God in the first place. The idea, rather, is that, having become Christians, they are manifesting Christian faith and love (2 Thess. 1:3–4), and are persevering in the Christian way despite suffering and trials (2 Thess. 1:4–5). This continued display of grace under fire, this perseverance, is evidence of what is going on in their lives, and "as a result you will be counted worthy of the kingdom." In other words, genuine Christians, by God's grace, persevere in the Gospel, and this marks out their fitness for the consummation. In this sense they prove "worthy."

(2) "God is just" (2 Thess. 1:6). Therefore there will be payback time for those who have cruelly opposed his people (2 Thess. 1:7) and ignored his Word (2 Thess. 1:8). When Christ returns he "will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus" (2 Thess. 1:8). What is presupposed is that the perfections of God's justice are not manifest until Jesus returns. Some outworking of his justice is displayed in this broken world, but let's face it: in this world, many evil people seem to get away with a lot, and many people of extraordinary goodness suffer a lot. Wise parents often tell their children, "Life isn't fair. Don't expect it to be." Yet at the same time, God is "fair"; he is perfectly just. But do not expect his justice to be manifested in instantaneous rewards and retribution. His time scale is not ours. Life isn't fair on our time scale. When Jesus returns, however, not only will justice be done, it will be seen to be done.

(3) At that time, Christ himself, and not any of us individuals, is the center of everything. Because of Christ's centrality, punishment is almost defined in terms of being "shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the majesty of his power," thereby being "punished with everlasting destruction" (2 Thess. 1:9). Conversely, among his saints, his "holy people," that same Lord Jesus will be "glorified" and "marveled at among all those who have believed" (2 Thess. 1:10). If Christ were not there, heaven would be hell.

http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/loveofgod/2013/10/20/2-kings-1-2-thessalonians-1-daniel-5-psalms-110%e2%80%93111/

 

Reflections to Consider

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Publications

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Music

  • Jesus be the centre

    Center is a song that speaks of the essence of our life in Christ, and echoes the words the Christ Read More
  • I Lift My Hands

    A powerful hymn of adoration and praise Arkansas Gospel Mass Choir. This succinctly captures the joy of knowing our savior. Read More
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Audio & Video

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Favorites

  • Transforming this World: The Hope of Glory by NT Wright +

    Wright confronts the perspective that this world doesn’t matter, and that we live only to be in heaven. He shows Read More
  • What is Good in a World that Defies Hope: a talk by NT Wright +

    This is the second part of three talks by NT Wright at Harvard University in November, 2008 on the topic Read More
  • The Stream, the Lake and the River: NT Wright +

      Acts 2.1-21; John 7.37-39; a sermon at the Eucharist on the Feast of Pentecost, 11 May 2008, by the Read More
  • Jesus in the Perfect Storm by NT Wright +

    Zechariah 9.9-17; Luke 19.28-48; A sermon for Palm Sunday, April 17, 2011, In the University Chapel of St Salvator, St Read More
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Hidden Blessings

  • Christ is a Great Savior: a review of the movie Amazing Grace +

    Amazing Grace is a historical drama about William Wilberforce who was elected to British Parliament at the age of 21 Read More
  • Wilberforce, Hollywood's Amazing Grace, Charlotte Allen +

    William Wilberforce's relentless campaign eventually led the British Parliament to ban the slave trade, in 1807, and to pass a Read More
  • Making Beauty out of Ugly Things: Grace by U2 +

    Grace, she takes the blame She covers the shame Removes the stain It could be her name Grace, she carries Read More
  • The True Nature of Grace and Love: a movie review of the Soloist +

    The 2009 movie The Soloist is based on a book by the same name, written by Los Angeles Times columnist Read More
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