Counted Worthy

 

“This is evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are also suffering— since indeed God considers it just to repay with affliction those who afflict you, and to grant relief to you who are afflicted as well as to us, when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.”

2 Thessalonians 1:5-8 ESV

 

As we read about the suffering and persecution of the church, whether it be in times past or even today, we consider it to be a horrible thing. And indeed, it is. None of us enjoy the sight of others suffering.  And none of us like the thought of suffering ourselves.

 

This is especially true when the suffering is unjust. It’s especially true when that suffering is undeserved. And it seems clear to us that suffering because of our faith, suffering for what we believe, is certainly undeserved.

 

For this reason, we count ourselves blessed. We feel fortunate that, up to this point, we’ve avoided suffering for our faith. We’re happy to live in a place where, for the most part, the church has been able to freely live out our faith.

 

However, Paul tells the Thessalonians that their faithfulness, in the face of persecution and affliction, is an indication of God’s righteous judgment. It’s evidence of God’s righteous judgment. In other words, it’s an indication that, in God’s righteous judgment, they are worthy of his eternal blessing.

 

Perseverance and faith are tried in the course of persecution. They are proven as persecution is experienced. And, in the case of the Thessalonians, their unshaken faith was evidence of the blessing they were to receive.

 

The same is true, of course, of those who are suffering for our faith today. The same is true of those who remain faithful in the face of persecution today. And the same will be true of us, if we ever find ourselves being persecuted for the sake of the gospel.

 

That being said, the opposite is true of their persecutors. Those who inflicted this misery would suffer on account of it. God considered it just, Paul says, to repay them for what they’ve done.

 

And they will be repaid in the end, at the final judgment. This will take place when Jesus is revealed from heaven with his angels. It will take place when Jesus inflicts vengeance on those who have not received the gospel.

 

In this way, their roles are reversed. In this way, the tables are turned. Those who have been afflicted will find relief, and those who have afflicted the people of God will themselves be afflicted.

 

In this sense, suffering can serve as a blessing for us. As we persevere in the face of suffering and affliction, we’re assured that we are counted worthy of God’s salvation. We’re assured that we will receive the blessing Jesus has promised to all who believe in him.