A Manifest Token of the Righteous Judgment of God
2Thessalonians 1:3-10

1. God rewarded these church members because they served God.
1. 2Thessalonians 1:3 - The phrase: because that your faith groweth exceedingly, and the charity of every one of you all toward each other aboundeth  tells us the results of their true service to God.
   1. It takes serving God, in obedience to God and His pastor, in order to grow our faith.  The fact that their faith groweth exceedingly  shows how much they believed the promises of God and served God because of His promises
   2. The word charity  is showing God’s love to others regardless of who they are.  Many people confuse charity  with love  and claim that 1Corinthians 13 is the love  chapter.  1John 4 uses forms of the word love  thirty (30) times.  1Corinthians 13 is truly about charity.  Love  is given to people whom we know.  charity  is showing God’s love to others even when we don’t know them.
   3. These two actions are only done when God works in the lives of His people and are evidence of God’s people responding to God’s motivations.
2. 2Thessalonians 1:4 - They served God in spite of all your persecutions and tribulations that ye endure 
   1. They had persecutions and tribulations  because devil motivated religious people ran Paul and his missionary team out of the city and then tried to destroy the church which God had Paul start (Acts 17). ii. After running off the preachers, they tried to destroy the church.  But these people continued to serve God and to prove that they were truly saved.  It is your actions while suffering persecutions and tribulations  that proves your true salvation.  And, this is especially true when the preacher is not around.
2. God protected these church members because they served God.
1. 2Thessalonians 1:5 - ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which ye also suffer 
   1. The phrase: kingdom of God  is God’s character in you.  Some saved receive God’s character and some do not.
   2. The word may  means that some saved receive the kingdom of God  and some do not.
   3. Having God’s character in us causes us to mature spiritually and lets us understand the true doctrine of the word of God  while avoiding being deceived by lies from devils (Ephesians 4:14; Hebrews 13:8).
2. The fact that they were still there, and serving God, proved that God protected them from greater problems than they could handle (1Corinthians 10:13).
3. 2Thessalonians 1:7 - And to you who are troubled rest with us  The word rest,  in the Bible, means: 'Stop worrying about physical things because God will take care of them.  Worry about serving God instead'.  They could stop their worry because they truly understood, in their heart, that God would protect and provide.
3. God revenged these church members because they served God.
1. 2Thessalonians 1:6 - Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you.  Notice that we are literally told that: God will recompense tribulation to them that trouble you.  We are told to not get vengeance on others who treat us wrong but to let God do that.  And, this is only one of several places where the Bible promises this truth.  If we get vengeance, then God will not and God can do far more.  Therefore, believe the promise and leave vengeance to God.
2. 2Thessalonians 1:7-9 - “when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ 
   1. This tells us when the Lord Jesus  will do this.
   2. This tells us how the Lord Jesus  will do this.
   3. This tells us that He will take vengeance  on all the lost who know not God  because they rejected the message of salvation.
   4. This tells us that He will take vengeance  on all the saved who followed doctrinal error and who that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.  This is all saved people who preach and follow doctrinal error after they have been corrected and rejected to correction.
3. 2Thessalonians 1:9 - Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power 
   1. This prophecy and promise are against the lost who will be cast into Hell at the 'Sheep and Goat Judgment' and, later, cast into the lake of fire  (Revelation 20:14-15).
   2. This prophecy and promise are also against the saved who refused to serve God’s kingdom while in this physical life.
      • They are put into outer darkness  (Matthew 8:12; Matthew 22:13; Matthew 25:30) which is in Heaven.
      • They have tears until the great white throne judgment  (Revelation 20:11).
      • They are not allowed to be at the marriage supper of the Lamb  (Revelation 19:9).
      • They do not receive a crown and even lose their spiritual gift, according to the 'Parable of the pounds' and the 'Parable of the talents'.
      • They are not allowed to return with our Lord Jesus Christ  for His 1,000 years reign because they are not called, and chosen, and faithful  (Revelation 17:14).
4. God prophesied these church members because they served God.
1. 2Thessalonians 1:7-9 - when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ  This is a prophecy of the Second Coming of our Lord Jesus Christ  for His 1,000 years reign.  This tells us when the Lord Jesus  will do this.
   1. I have identified seventy-eight (78) Bible references to this event.  While I am sure that there are many more Bible references to it, I have not yet identified them.
   2. There are several things which are prophesied about this event.  However, the important thing, which our current reference tells us is that there will be three different things that will happen to people depending on how they live in this current life.  And, only those saved people who devote this life to serving God will return with Lord Jesus Christ.
2. 2Thessalonians 1:10 - because our testimony among you was believed 
1. i. True Biblical belief motivates us to obey.  Saved people who claim to believe, but never act, are liars who will not receive the reward.
2. A testimony  reveals God’s power working in the life of a person.  They did not just believe the p[reaching but believed preaching which was backed by evidence of God working in, and through, the life of the preacher.  That is what you have here with Pastor Nono.  That is what you have here with the growth of this church and ministries in spite of the pandemic.  That is what you have here in the lives of many people who serve God and see God providing blessings which are beyond their expectations and which they use to further the ministry.
3. 2Thessalonians 1:11-12 - Wherefore also we pray always for you, that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfil 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 ye in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ 
1. i. The promise of: the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and ye in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ  is a promise of glory,  during the 1,000 years reign, for those saints who return with Jesus.  Not all saved will return and not all saved will receive this glory.
2. The amount of glory  that someone receives is according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.  The more we draw nigh to God and the more we serve Him the more grace  that we receive.  Some people will receive more and some less depending on how much you personally serve God.  (That is the meaning of the word according.)

Summary:

Our prophecy promises three different results for all people depending on how they live their life.

1. The lost will receive:
1. The vengeance  of the Lord Jesus  in Hell and the lake of fire  because they know not God.
2. They will be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power  in Hell and the lake of fire.
2. The saved but carnal will receive:
1. They, probably, will not receive God’s provision and protection in this life.
2. Often, God will recompense tribulation,  in this world, and to these people, for their troubling saved people who serve God.
3. The vengeance  of the Lord Jesus  in outer darkness  until the great white throne judgment  because they obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.
4. They will be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power.  All of the rewards that God wanted to give them will be destroyed  and people in Heaven will also know their judgment for ever. In addition, even though they will be in heaven, they will be sent far from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power.  In this life we determine how close we will be to Jesus for all eternity.
5. God will recompense tribulation  in this world for their troubling saved people who serve God.
6. They have tears until the great white throne judgment  (Revelation 20:11).
7. They are not allowed to be at the marriage supper of the Lamb  (Revelation 19:9).
8. They do not receive a crown and even lose their spiritual gift, according to the 'Parable of the pounds' and the 'Parable of the talents'.
9. They are not allowed to return with our Lord Jesus Christ  for His 1,000 years reign because they are not called, and chosen, and faithful  (Revelation 17:14).
3. The saved who serve God will receive:
1. Personal persecutions and tribulations  from the world.
2. God’s provision and protection in this world.
3. Can avoid the deceptions and doctrinal errors of Satan.
4. Spiritual maturity.
5. Understanding of God’s word.
6. God’s character (the kingdom of God).
7. God’s rest.
8. God’s vengeance on them that trouble you.
9. Participation in the marriage supper of the Lamb  and the 1,000 years reign of Christ.
10. Glory  from God during the 1,000 years reign of Christ.

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Contact:  Webmaster@LJC1611KJV.com.  Member of Tower Road Baptist Church, Abq., NM, U.S.A., 87121.  Copyright 2009 Lord Jesus Christ in the 1611KJV.  All rights reserved. Revised: 11/29/23.