Righteous affliction
This week's study is on 2 Thessalonians 1:6-9:
I have to admit I was actually shocked when I read these verses last night as part of my devotional time! Paul is talking to Christians about persecution, and as part of his encouraging words he talks about how their tormentors deserve Hell. And he describes how eternally terrible it will be. There's so much goodness in the New Testament that when you come across Hell it is jarring in contrast.
On the surface of it, he's right. People who torment and kill Christians (or any people group for that matter) deserve to be punished. And if they've missed the mark badly enough that they are doing it to those people who God has selected to represent his blessing on Earth, they're probably in for a fairly severe punishment. If your kids, or your girlfriend, or your brother got dragged off and killed, hearing about the eternal pain in store for those who did it would probably make you feel pretty good.
In a sense, it sets the stage for grace though, because what are you going to do to those people that's worse than what God has in store for them in eternity? What are you going to do to the guy who ruined your childhood that's worse than Hell? Nothing! Depending on what they did, even if you tortured them for the rest of their life, would it seem like enough? And yet by doing nothing, you know they'll suffer for eternity. You'd be a fool to intervene in that case. If anything, you'd be tempted to let them hurt you again, to add to the punishment they have in store. So in that sense, knowing the certainty of Hell for people who reject God makes it easier to let horrible things go.
But in a deeper sense, Paul is even more right. And the stage is set even more for grace than we first realised. If we love others like God loves them, the idea of them suffering eternal destruction is horrible! I've caught a glimpse of this a couple times in my life, where I'd be upset that someone got away with something and would be praying and see them being taken away to Hell. And I'd immediately feel sorry for them and beg God to not count their sin against them. You find yourself thinking "Oh no! It's not worth that! I'm fine, just don't let them suffer like that." That may have been what was going through the minds of the people Paul was writing to when they read these verses themselves. "Whoa. There are bigger problems than what's happened to me."
So at first glance, you might look at what Paul is writing and see it as very different from how Stephen behaved when Paul's people were about to crush his skull with rocks in the name of militant first-century Judaism. Stephen prayed that their sin wouldn't be held against them. Paul is saying that it is right for God to repay them with affliction. But in a subtle way, Paul is inspiring them to think like Stephen thought, in a very Christ-centred selfless-loving sort of way. Remember, Paul's seen this from both sides.
If you've been on the wrong side of injustice, especially if you feel as though God should have protected you, let these verses sink in a bit. First, realise that what happened didn't go unnoticed. Then imagine the torment rightfully in store for those who did it. This may take awhile, as it's eternity you're looking at, and if you don't have a good imagination, you probably won't realise the half of what could happen to them. At some point you may find yourself more concerned for your enemies than for whatever it is you suffered. Finally, pray for their soul, or for your own if you don't feel compassion for them and a desire for goodness.
For it is right for God to repay with affliction those who afflict you, and to you who are being afflicted to give rest together with us when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels. With flaming fire he will mete out punishment on those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will undergo the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his strength
I have to admit I was actually shocked when I read these verses last night as part of my devotional time! Paul is talking to Christians about persecution, and as part of his encouraging words he talks about how their tormentors deserve Hell. And he describes how eternally terrible it will be. There's so much goodness in the New Testament that when you come across Hell it is jarring in contrast.
On the surface of it, he's right. People who torment and kill Christians (or any people group for that matter) deserve to be punished. And if they've missed the mark badly enough that they are doing it to those people who God has selected to represent his blessing on Earth, they're probably in for a fairly severe punishment. If your kids, or your girlfriend, or your brother got dragged off and killed, hearing about the eternal pain in store for those who did it would probably make you feel pretty good.
In a sense, it sets the stage for grace though, because what are you going to do to those people that's worse than what God has in store for them in eternity? What are you going to do to the guy who ruined your childhood that's worse than Hell? Nothing! Depending on what they did, even if you tortured them for the rest of their life, would it seem like enough? And yet by doing nothing, you know they'll suffer for eternity. You'd be a fool to intervene in that case. If anything, you'd be tempted to let them hurt you again, to add to the punishment they have in store. So in that sense, knowing the certainty of Hell for people who reject God makes it easier to let horrible things go.
But in a deeper sense, Paul is even more right. And the stage is set even more for grace than we first realised. If we love others like God loves them, the idea of them suffering eternal destruction is horrible! I've caught a glimpse of this a couple times in my life, where I'd be upset that someone got away with something and would be praying and see them being taken away to Hell. And I'd immediately feel sorry for them and beg God to not count their sin against them. You find yourself thinking "Oh no! It's not worth that! I'm fine, just don't let them suffer like that." That may have been what was going through the minds of the people Paul was writing to when they read these verses themselves. "Whoa. There are bigger problems than what's happened to me."
So at first glance, you might look at what Paul is writing and see it as very different from how Stephen behaved when Paul's people were about to crush his skull with rocks in the name of militant first-century Judaism. Stephen prayed that their sin wouldn't be held against them. Paul is saying that it is right for God to repay them with affliction. But in a subtle way, Paul is inspiring them to think like Stephen thought, in a very Christ-centred selfless-loving sort of way. Remember, Paul's seen this from both sides.
If you've been on the wrong side of injustice, especially if you feel as though God should have protected you, let these verses sink in a bit. First, realise that what happened didn't go unnoticed. Then imagine the torment rightfully in store for those who did it. This may take awhile, as it's eternity you're looking at, and if you don't have a good imagination, you probably won't realise the half of what could happen to them. At some point you may find yourself more concerned for your enemies than for whatever it is you suffered. Finally, pray for their soul, or for your own if you don't feel compassion for them and a desire for goodness.
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