Obey the Gospel

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 (2 Thess 1:5-10).

(Sorry about the lengthy quote. It was a single thought, two long sentences. Talk to Paul about his run-on sentences.)

Paul uses this strange phrase as he warns about unbelievers. The phrase is found in verse 8 and warns that God will inflict "vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus." So not obeying the gospel is a bad thing. Peter uses the same phrase in 1 Peter 4:17 and uses it to differentiate between "the household of God" and "those who do not obey the gospel of God". And, again, it's about judgment.

Wait. Tell me again what "the gospel" is. Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 15, "I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you" -- good, that's where we can find out what "the gospel" is -- and goes on to explain that the gospel he preached was how Christ died for our sins, was buried, and rose again (1 Cor 15:1-8). Ummm, okay ... so, how do we "obey the gospel"?

Paul uses the same phrase elsewhere that might help answer that question. "But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, 'Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?'" (Rom 10:16). In this verse, Paul links "obey the gospel" with "believed what he has heard". Indeed, the context of Romans 10 is about hearing and faith. He assures his readers that "everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved" (Rom 10:13), but goes on to ask, "How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in Him of whom they have never heard?" (Rom 10:14). He concludes, "So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ" (Rom 10:17). Obviously, then, "obey the gospel" begins with belief.

Does it end there? No, not at all. Belief produces repentance. To "obey the gospel" requires, if you believe, that you repent. Indeed, we are not invited to repent. We are commanded to repent and believe (Mark 1:15; Acts 17:30). And it doesn't end there. If faith produces works (James 2:14-26), then obeying the gospel means that you submit to Christ.

Obedience to the gospel, then, entails belief, repentance, and obedience to the Lord Jesus Christ. Obeying the gospel doesn't save you -- God does that by grace through faith -- but it does mark you as part of "the household of God". Failure to believe, repent, and subsequently do the "works of faith" is labeled not obeying the gospel and indicates you are outside the household of God. And let me just say, that's not a good place to be.