Comfort In Christ’s Return — 2 Thessalonians 1

Paul also wanted to clear up any false expectations of the early coming of the Lord. The people of Thessalonica believed that Christ would return soon to establish the Kingdom on earth, which in turn would alleviate them from their sufferings. Paul did not want them to become discouraged when Christ’s return did not come as anticipated. These expectations stemmed from false teachers as Paul explained:

“Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, we ask you, not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us, as though the day of Christ had come. Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition…” (2Thess 2:1-3).

The overall message of the second epistle is to encourage the brothers and sisters with the second coming of Christ. Paul reminds them of the victory that will take place when this happens and the reward that accompanies it for those who have suffered righteously in Christ’s name. Paul encourages them to be patient in 2Thess 3:5: “Now may the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God and into the patience of Christ”.

As we await the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, let us remain focused on the reward and patiently endure to the end.

Focusing on the return of Christ

Paul begins the second epistle in identical fashion to the first epistle. Paul, Silvanus and Timothy had originally brought the gospel to Thessalonica and now address the ecclesia a second time. Paul said:

“We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers, remembering without ceasing your work of faith, labor of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the sight of our God and Father” (1Thess 1:2-3).

There is very little difference to the commendation he gives here:

“We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is fitting, because your faith grows exceedingly, and the love of every one of you all abounds toward each other, so that we ourselves boast of you among the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that you endure” (2 Thess 1:3-4).

Notice that Paul emphasizes that the brothers and sisters were doing well at continuing to grow in the aspects of love, patience and faith. Their faith continued to grow and because of that, other aspects of their worship flourished as well. Faith must be alive and active before it can grow. Paul had previously conveyed that he wanted to return to them and strengthen their faith (1 Thess 3:10), but was now grateful that their faith had grown in his absence. This faith, coupled with patience, was used by the Thessalonians to endure persecutions and tribulations.

Paul continues to acknowledge their answer to his prayer when he commends them for the love that abounded toward each other. Paul says, “And may the Lord make you increase and abound in love to one another and to all, just as we do to you, so that He may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all His saints” (1 Thess 3:12-13). The word for “love” in this case is “agape,” which is self-sacrificing love. This is the type of love that our Lord Jesus Christ demonstrated when he hung on the tree as our Passover lamb. For this, the Thessalonians were praised by Paul.

It’s often a mistaken principle in the world around us that persecutions and tribulations show God’s apathy or lack of love. Even within our own mind we can see this thinking. Often times we go through a trial and think “how can God let this happen?” In reality, we’re told that God does this so that we might be drawn closer to Him.

“…My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord, nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him; For whom the Lord loves He chastens, and scourges every son whom He receives. If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten? But if you are without chastening, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate and not sons” (Heb 12:5-8).

Indeed, this is exactly what the Thessalonians were able to accomplish through their trials. They allowed themselves to be as sons and daughters to God and to remain focused on the imperishable crown that awaited them.

In the following verses, Paul describes for them the divine judgment that would occur at the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. Paul reveals to them that when Christ returns, that he will punish those who have brought trouble onto the believers. Paul delivers the same message: “Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, ‘Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,’ says the Lord” (Rom 12:19). Later in Romans 12, Paul encourages them to love their enemies, to provide physical refreshment to them and to overcome evil with good. By doing so, they would lift themselves higher than those around them and would be able to focus on the reward that awaited their patient enduring.

Paul describes the judgment on these ungodly men and women who persecuted the believers in verses 8-10. Paul says in verse 9, “These shall be punished with ever ­lasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power…”. With much anticipation the Thessalonians waited for the second coming of the Lord Jesus as we do today. But with this expectation of his return, they prepared in a way so that this judgment would not be their fate. Their faith grew, their love for one another grew and their patience abounded in tribulations. They were able to put on the collective fruit of the spirit: love, joy, peace, long suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Let this be a lesson to us as we live in a period where the world is continuously trying to pull us away from the commands of God to a lifestyle that will soon be destroyed with everlasting destruction.

On the contrary, Paul describes the divine glory on those who obey God’s commands as sons and daughters (2 Thess 1:10). The apostle John does the same.

“Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure” (1 John 3:2-3).

If it is our hope to be made like Christ at his coming. We too need to be purifying ourselves in these last days. We too must be using our time now to serve the Lord, to bring honor and glory to his name like the Thessalonians did. Paul was able to boast of them to other ecclesias as an example of brothers and sisters who endured trial and tribulation faithfully. Their faith grew in a very trying time period, where men and women were physically persecuting them for what they believed. We have been given plenty of opportunity to express our love for God in the way that we live. Can we say that others boast because of our faith?

Paul ends the chapter with a prayer. He says: “Therefore we also pray always for you that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfill all the good pleasure of His goodness and the work of faith with power, that the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ” (2 Thess 1:11-12). These men and women had already attained much in their walks toward God’s Kingdom, but there was still room for improvement and growth. We know that it is only through the mercy of our Heavenly Father that we are to be granted a place in that Kingdom age, but we need to be doing our part now. Just as the Thessalonians were praised for their continuation of Paul’s instruction in the first epistle, we too need to be growing in faith as we continue to be instructed by God’s word.