"Who" (2 Thessalonians 1:6c, 8b)

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 9/29/2014 11:07 AM

My Worship Time                                                                                                     Focus:  “Who”

Bible Reading & Meditation                                     Reference:  2 Thessalonians 1:6c, 8b

            Message of the verses:  “with affliction those who afflict you…to those who do not know God and to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus,”

            Yesterday we asked the question “why,” why was it just for God to afflict those whom He was going to afflict.

            Today we ask the question “who,” who is it that this affliction from God will come. 

            Let’s look at a couple of OT verses that tell us who God will actually curse if they harm His people:  Genesis 12:3 is a verse that God is speaking to Abraham, and it is actually a part of the covenant that God made with Abraham:  “And I will bless those who bless you, And the one who curses you I will curse. And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed."”  The highlighted portion of the verse is what we are focusing on at this time.  Next we look at Zechariah 2:8 which states “For thus says the LORD of hosts, "After glory He has sent me against the nations which plunder you, for he who touches you, touches the apple of His eye.”  Now we will look at Matthew 18:6-10 and comment on it afterward looking at it:  “but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him to have a heavy millstone hung around his neck, and to be drowned in the depth of the sea 7 "Woe to the world because of its stumbling blocks! For it is inevitable that stumbling blocks come; but woe to that man through whom the stumbling block comes! 8  "If your hand or your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it from you; it is better for you to enter life crippled or lame, than to have two hands or two feet and be cast into the eternal fire. 9 “If your eye causes you to stumble, pluck it out and throw it from you. It is better for you to enter life with one eye, than to have two eyes and be cast into the fiery hell. 10 “See that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that their angels in heaven continually see the face of My Father who is in heaven.”  Jesus is speaking of those who are new in the faith as being those “little ones,” and not necessarily young in age.

            In the verses we are looking at today we see the phrase “those who do not know God,” and this refers to those who do not have a personal relationship with the Lord.  James says the following:  “Jas 2:19 You believe that God is one. You do well; the demons also believe, and shudder.”  People can know about God, as even the demons do, but that does not mean that they have a personal relationship with the Lord.  These people who think that they know God may think that they are serving Him by persecuting true believers as was the case of Paul when he persecuted the true believers of Jesus Christ. 

            John MacArthur writes:  “The reason they do not know God is not ignorance but wickedness that causes them to suppress the truth that they know:  “18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness 19 because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. 20  For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse. 21 For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened (Romans 1:18-21).”

            There will be people who stand in front of God at the Great White Throne Judgment who will think that they were working for the Lord, but will find out that they did not know Him as Jesus speaks of in Matthew’s Gospel, chapter 25:12 “"But he answered, ’Truly I say to you, I do not know you.’”  Now here is what the word “know” means “1) belonging to a house or family, domestic, intimate 1a) belonging to one’s household, related by blood, kindred 1b) belonging to the household of God 1c) belonging, devoted to, adherents of a thing.”  We can see here that this word means more than just knowing about someone.  When we look at verses 20-21 of Romans chapter one we see that God has made it possible for everyone to know him “20  For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse. 21 For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened.”

            Next we look at the phrase “those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord, “ for these too will be afflicted by the Lord.  MacArthur writes “This description intensifies their guilt.  It is damning to reject an innate knowledge of God; it is to incur severer judgment to openly reject the gospel.  The hottest hell, the severest punishment, is reserved for those who do not obey the gospel.  In Luke 12:47-48 Jesus taught that there are varying degrees of punishment:  “47  "And that slave who knew his master’s will and did not get ready or act in accord with his will, will receive many lashes, 48  but the one who did not know it, and committed deeds worthy of a flogging, will receive but few. From everyone who has been given much, much will be required; and to whom they entrusted much, of him they will ask all the more.”

            Hebrews 10:26-31 shows clearly that rejecting the gospel intensifies unbelievers’ guilt “26  For if we go on sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, 27  but a terrifying expectation of judgment and THE FURY OF A FIRE WHICH WILL CONSUME THE ADVERSARIES. 28 Anyone who has set aside the Law of Moses dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. 29 How much severer punishment do you think he will deserve who has trampled under foot the Son of God, and has regarded as unclean the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has insulted the Spirit of grace? 30 For we know Him who said, "VENGEANCE IS MINE, I WILL REPAY." And again, "THE LORD WILL JUDGE HIS PEOPLE." 31 It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God.”

            Salvation is a gift to receive, however the gospel is a command to obey as Paul spoke of in his sermon on Mars Hill in Athens when he said “God is no declaring to men that all people everywhere should repent.”  MacArthur writes “for that reason, Paul wrote that his apostolic mission was ‘to bring about the obedience of faith among all the Gentiles for His name’s sake’ (Rom. 1:5; cf. 15:18; 16:19, 26; 1 Peter 1:22).  Therefore, those who remain disobedient to the command to believe the gospel will face God’s retribution.

            This judgment is not rendered by God because He is angry at unbelievers for hurting His children but rather because the persecutors did not come to the Lord Jesus Christ and embrace the gospel.  Specifically, this Day of the Lord judgment comes in two phases on the ungodly:  First, at the close of the seven-year Tribulation (Rev. 19:11-21), and second, at the end of the millennial kingdom (Rev. 20:7-10).  It will then be the fate of all the ungodly of all ages to be judged at the Great White Throne and sentenced forever to the lake of fire (Rev. 20:11-15).”

            This is the most serious manner that a person can think about in all of their lives, as accepting the Lord Jesus Christ and obeying His gospel is the only way to live out one’s life.

            Spiritual meaning for my life today:  There is a song that comes to mind as I think about what I have just wrote, and it is a song of thanksgiving to the Lord for my salvation.

The Family of God

 

I'm so glad I'm a part of the Family of God,
I've been washed in the fountain, cleansed by His blood!
Joint heirs with Jesus as we travel this sod,
For I'm part of the family,
The Family of God.

You will notice we say "brother and sister" 'round here,
It's because we're a family and these are so near;
When one has a heartache, we all share the tears,
And rejoice in each victory in this family so dear.

I'm so glad I'm a part of the Family of God,
I've been washed in the fountain, cleansed by His blood!
Joint heirs with Jesus as we travel this sod,
For I'm part of the family,
The Family of God.

From the door of an orphanage to the house of the King,
No longer an outcast, a new song I sing;
From rags unto riches, from the weak to the strong,
I'm not worthy to be here, but praise God I belong!

I'm so glad I'm a part of the Family of God,
I've been washed in the fountain, cleansed by His Blood!
Joint heirs with Jesus as we travel this sod,
For I'm part of the family,
The Family of God

 

My Steps of Faith for Today:  I want to pray for a young lady who is a new believer and is going through some persecution.

Memory verses for the week:  Colossians 3:1-9.

1 Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.  2 Set your mind on the things of God, not on the things that are on earth.  3 For you have died and you life is hidden with Christ in God.  4 When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory.  5 Therefore consider the members of your earthly body as dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry.  6 For it is because of these things that the wrath of God has come upon the sons of disobedience; 7 and in them you once walked, when you were living in them.  8 But now you also, put them all aside: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive speech from your mouth.  9 Do not lie to one another, since you laid aside the old self with its evil practices,

Answer to yesterday’s Bible question:  “Elijah” (1 Kings 17:2-7).

Today’s Bible question:  “Who wrote most of Proverbs?”

Answer in our next SD.

9/29/2014 12:09 PM