2 Thessalonians 1:8-12 VINDICATION AND PUNISHMENT The last time the Lord Jesus Christ was seen publicly was when He was on the cross suffering for sin on our behalf so that He might bring us to God. Those who saw Him in resurrection knew and loved Him personally. For "forty days, He showed Himself alive after His passion with many infallible proofs." The next time He will be publicly seen, He will be "revealed from heaven" with great hosts of angels and the saints of God attending Him. His glory will be obvious, for it will be the glory that is inherent in Him personally, and there will be glory reflected in all those who are with Him. The mighty angels and the glorified believers will be with the Lord as He is revealed, and that sight will strike terror into the unsaved. The One they had chosen not to believe in, and had no interest in God or His Gospel, will have no opportunity to be saved.
There are reasons why those left behind at the rapture, even though they had heard the Gospel, will not be saved. The first one is that they did not know God. It is not that they could not, but that they would not. "This is life eternal, that they might know Thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom Thou hast sent." Many who were brought up in their early life listening to the Gospel and seeing it lived out in the lives of those they knew, chose to say, "No God for me," or "I don't believe there is a God." The second reason is that when they heard the Gospel, they refused to believe its message. The rejection of light is darkness. "If that light in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness." The claims of Christ on them by His vicarious suffering for sin were rejected, and they are forever lost.
Thirdly, in chapter 2, there are those who "received not the love of the truth that they might be saved." When the Gospel was preached, some "gladly received His words." They received the message of the Gospel by faith, and through the testimony of the word of God in the Bible, they personally received Christ as their own Savior. Others allowed themselves to be deliberately deceived. Instead of believing God, they believed the deceivers who speak for Satan. Then there are those who "believe not the truth." They may not have been deceived, but it was their choice to "believe not." Others just want sin. They know that becoming a child of God and following Christ would change their whole life, and they have become so used to the deceitfulness of temporary pleasure that they do not want to be saved. One person said to me, "It would interfere with my lifestyle."
The judgment at the appearance of the Lord in glory will be awesome, obvious, and thorough. Justice will prevail, and evil will be punished. Chastisement and righteous vengeance will be carried out by the righteous and just Judge. He has been holding back righteous justice for a long time, but the "times of recompense" will definitely come. Punishment has to do with repayment for wrongs committed. Destruction means the whole purpose for its being is unable to be accomplished - ever. This is payment for willful sin against God.
Those who do not obey the Gospel will be completely and permanently shut out of heaven in the lake of fire. God expects the Gospel to be obeyed. Repentance toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ - and continuing to live for Him- are part of what it means to obey the Gospel. Being reconciled to God is part of the Gospel message, and conversion is another. "Repent and be converted that your sin may be blotted out."
When the Lord Jesus Christ comes, His glory will be evident, and believers with Him will reflect that glory. God's grace will be put on display through those who accompany Him. They are the result of the preaching of the Gospel. The Lord is glorious in Himself and will be glorified when the evidence of consecrated people is there to be seen publicly. The Thessalonian believers will be among those in that great throng of people. No one will be saying, "Crucify Him," then. Loud "Hosannas" will accompany the Lord as the triumphs of His grace are on display to "be admired."
In that public appearance, the objective is that God will put on display in His own way, His mercy and why He called us in the first place. God has called us, so we should live each day worthy of that calling. We can experience the power of God in every act of faith. In trust and confidence, we are to display and demonstrate to the world now the grace of God. Paul prayed for the Thessalonians, and we pray for God's people today, that the name of our Lord Jesus Christ will be glorified here in His people. His glory will be seen in the future. That glory should be seen in those who live the kingdom life now. We are a work in progress because of God's grace. We have been called, kept, filled, and empowered by His grace to accomplish His will. We will be glorified with Him because of His grace at His coming.
These truths should give comfort to those who are suffering and enduring persecution now. We thank God for His people. These truths are also a terror to those who are in their sins and have refused to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and be saved. Payday is coming. There will be divine retribution for the deceivers and eternal punishment for those who refused the Gospel. As intercessors for those who suffer for Christ's sake, we know that the work and goodness of God are continuing. In this way, Christ is publicly honored today by His grace being seen through suffering saints. All of this will be worth it in the future glory that will be seen.
We wonder at the things that are happening to them Who labor and suffer for God. There seems to be no limit to the extent that sin Is directed to those serving the Lord. But we know that through their trials, God is working out His will - And so, we are separated from them by miles We will continue as intercessors still.
It seems hard for us to be able to share What some of God's people go through. However, we are able some of their burdens to bear By our prayers and what here we can do. So, in faith, we labor, and in faith, we pray That God will through them bring - Glory and honor to Himself and blessings that stay As the Gospel bells through them do ring.
We live here and now, but in a coming day When the Lord appears here in His glory - There will be those for whom the trials of the way Will add chapters to the unfolding story Of God's grace to men that will be on public display To a watching and fearful world. Those who rejected Christ will be sent away When the banner of righteous justice is unfurled.
"Father, the days around us seem to be rapidly increasing into dark days with very little light to be seen. I pray that those lights shining in the world from the assemblies of those gathered out saints will still guide people to hear the Gospel and trust in the Savior. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, Amen."