Living Room Study

2nd Thessalonians 1

“God is just.  He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you and give relief to those who are troubled, and to us as well.  This will happen when the Lord is revealed from Heaven in blazing fire with His powerful angels” 2nd Thess 1:6-7

My wife and I have four children.  In our house, it is difficult to keep a secret.  There’s just too many people, and too little space for privacy.  Over the years we have developed an elaborate Christmas shopping process.  Everyone shops on the same day, yet nobody knows what they’re getting till they open their presents on Christmas morning.

When it comes to gift giving, my kids demand FAIRNESS.  Everyone must get the same amount.  If it were discovered that we spent more on one sibling, there would be a huge whine-fest till next year.

Adults have similar expectations about God.  “God must be fair!”

You’ll be disappointed, if your hope of God’s goodness is weighed on the scale His fairness.  God is not fair.  (see also: Ecclesiastes)  Fairness assumes that we should all get the same thing.  Our American understanding of “Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness” has led us to assume that everyone deserves equal portions. 

Each of us has different “callings”, or missions to accomplish within God’s Kingdom.  In the Army, soldiers are rationed supplies and armaments, according to their distinct missions.  Some need overwhelming supplies, and others would be hindered by abundance.  It’s not a question of fairness, or equity.  Supplies are rationed, based on what is right for the mission.

If God is not fair, what makes Him good?  He is JUST.  Justice does not assume all men get equal shares in life.  It simply represents that God can always be trusted to judge fairly and display His righteousness with ultimate authority.

The Thessalonian church endured severe persecution.  Notice Paul didn’t promise equality with other churches.  Instead, He encouraged them to persevere as a testimony to others.  He focused their hope on God’s JUSTICE, instead of a false hope of equal treatment with other believers.

Some acts of Justice may not occur in our lifetime.  Our oppressors may die, believing they got away without punishment.  Our hope is that God will judge in His time.  Nobody escapes God’s justice.  Paul indicated that aspects of the fullness of God’s justice will not be fully weighed on the Thessalonian oppressors, until the Lord is revealed.

Enter Grace.  Messiah took God’s judgment towards the World’s sin, upon Himself.  Through a saving relationship with Jesus, we can boldly stand before the Lord, “justified”.  Now the Grace of Jesus is offered freely, to ALL who would receive it, by faith.  That’s fair, enough.

Blessings.

Steve Wiggins