Based on 2 Thessalonians 1 (New King James Version)
“Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy, to the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 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, which is manifest evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you also suffer; since it is a righteous thing with God to repay with tribulation those who trouble you, and to give you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power, when He comes, in that Day, to be glorified in His saints and to be admired among all those who believe, because our testimony among you was believed. 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.”
We read in this passage that these converts in Thessalonica were people that really demonstrated a true and genuine faith, and that it was something quite visible. And we see this through the way the apostle speaks about them, that their faith continues to grow, in the love that is seen among them, and, because they endure with patience persecution and tribulation. And through this, we understand that truth faith in Christ is not a guarantee for tranquility, or prosperity, or personal well-being, but rather, it is designed, per se, to endure any circumstance. In this instance, we see that faith was totally applicable to whatever circumstance our predecessors experienced, whether in Judea, or in Thessalonica, or in any part of the world, and that in all reality, circumstances did not interfere with it. But, quite the contrary, that it was able to endure adversity, and that it even prospered that much more. This continues being applicable today.
But through this passage, we see two groups of people, per se, those that have a genuine faith in Christ that endure persecution and tribulation, and those that bring about tribulation to those that believe, those that do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. And we see that each group of people will receive something when all this world passes, that those of us that suffer for Christ will be comforted, and those that refuse to believe will suffer eternal perdition, and that they will be excluded from the presence of the Lord and the glory of His power. So then, it is very clear that each person will either have a reward or punishment, depending on what they did during this life.
So then, can it be deduced that faith in Christ consists of certain suffering, persecution, and even tribulation, and that not following Christ, but rather refusing to believe in Him, means some form of tranquility and even comfort while a person is here? Everything in this life in the end has a consequence, and as such, everything has its reward. The Word of God says that following the Lord is not easy, that difficult decisions will need to be made that will affect our comfort and well-being, our security, and that we will even need to sacrifice our closest relationships because of our love for Him, depending on what the will of God is during this time. In other words, in one way or another, our life here will not be easy because we have decided to follow Christ. In the same manner, the life of those that do not want anything with the Lord will not be so difficult (humanly speaking), because they will follow the world’s current, in summary, sin, and sin is what prevails in this temporary world. And be very careful because many believers also follow the world without realizing it, because they look for their own well-being instead of doing the Father’s will. That is why the Lord Himself taught this: “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.” Matthew 7:13-14.
This issue reminds me of a story (not a parable) that the Lord told, as it was left written: “There was a certain rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and fared sumptuously every day. But there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, full of sores, who was laid at his gate, desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table. Moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. So it was that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s bosom. The rich man also died and was buried. And being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. Then he cried and said, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.’ But Abraham said, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted and you are tormented. And besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, so that those who want to pass from here to you cannot, nor can those from there pass to us.’ Then he said, ‘I beg you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father’s house, for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, lest they also come to this place of torment.’ Abraham said to him, ‘They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.’ And he said, ‘No, father Abraham; but if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’ But he said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead.’ ” Luke 16:19-31. Those that desire the world, and its delights will have them, but there will be none after all of this.
As an end, there is something else that the apostle does in this passage, and that is that he mentions twice that they be found worthy of God’s kingdom and of His calling, even though they are exemplary. Why does he do that? Because this Way to Christ does not consist only of a single prayer that was made in some moment, nor even less, of a fruitless and barren faith, but rather, it consists of following the Lord faithfully, day-by-day, and of overcoming every obstacle and difficulty that we may encounter, so that at the end of the way, when all of this is done, that our works in Christ can be counted worthy before the eyes of the Most High when we stand before Him giving an account. Just as the Word says: “…For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required; and to whom much has been committed, of him they will ask the more.” Luke 12:48b. Whatever our condition may be, no matter what the cost, if we desire to get to that divine reward, it is necessary to do the Father’s will, without exceptions. So then, will God count you worthy to enter His kingdom, or will He discard you to eternal perdition because you did not do His will, and refused to pay the price that needs to be paid in this world? Lord bless! John