You Will Be Counted Worthy

IIT UBF - University Bible Fellowship at IIT

You Will Be Counted Worthy

Date: Feb. 23, 2022

Passage

2 Thessalonians 1:1-12 (ESV)

1 Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy,

To the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:

2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

3 We ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers, as is right, because your faith is growing abundantly, and the love of every one of you for one another is increasing. 4 Therefore we ourselves boast about you in the churches of God for your steadfastness and faith in all your persecutions and in the afflictions that you are enduring.

5 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—6 since indeed God considers it just to repay with affliction those who afflict you, 7 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 8 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. 9 They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might, 10 when he comes on that day to be glorified in his saints, and to be marveled at among all who have believed, because our testimony to you was believed. 11 To this end we always pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling and may fulfill every resolve for good and every work of faith by his power, 12 so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.

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Daily Bread

Key Verse: 1:5

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—

Paul wrote 2 Thessalonians shortly after he had written 1 Thessalonians. As with the first letter, Paul wrote to a church that was under heavy persecution. But the persecution didn’t cause the Thessalonians to shrink back or to lose their faith. Instead, both their faith and their love for their brothers and sisters in Christ had only grown. For this, Paul was thankful to God. The persecution they were enduring was testimony that God’s judgment against his enemies is right, and that because they had endured, God would reward them with the kingdom of God.

God is just (6). What does this mean? It means God will bring justice to those who have been harmed. It means that God will repay with trouble those who had troubled his people. On the day the Lord Jesus returns to judge the world, those who have persecuted God’s people will be punished with everlasting destruction.

But on that same day, the Lord Jesus will be glorified. Those who believe in him will share in his glory on that day. And so, Paul prayed that they might live as worthy of God’s calling and that God brings their desire for goodness to fruition.

Prayer: Prayer: Father, make us worthy of your calling by being steadfast and faithful even in the midst of suffering.

One Word: One Word: God makes us worthy of his calling

God’s Wrath and Justice

Revelation 6:1-17

Key Verse: 6:17

for the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?”

Today's Question

What does God require from us to escape His anger and curse, which we deserve for our sin?

See answer and references