Fit for Glory

Paul wrote his two epistles to the church at Thessalonica to a church that was very young. He had been able to spend a very brief time there (Acts 17:1-10) before the crowd got ugly, so they went to Berea briefly (before the Thessalonians who didn't like him made trouble there, too) and then on to Athens. We're looking at a very young church. From there he sent Timothy to see if they were okay and, now in Corinth, received the news that they were thriving. So he wrote 1 Thessalonians followed just a month or two later with 2 Thessalonians to encourage a young but vibrant group of believers in the midst of poverty and persecution. In his second epistle, he writes,

³ We ought always to give thanks to God for you, brethren, as is only fitting, because your faith is greatly enlarged, and the love of each one of you toward one another grows ever greater; ⁴ therefore, we ourselves speak proudly of you among the churches of God for your perseverance and faith in the midst of all your persecutions and afflictions which you endure. ⁵ This is a plain indication of God's righteous judgment so that you will be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which indeed you are suffering. (2 Thess 1:3-5)

He starts out with the obligation ("ought") they have to thank God for them. Why? Because their faith was greatly enlarged and their love was growing -- proofs of a genuine believer, a functioning church. I think it's interesting that Paul thanks God because of their faith and love, indicating quite certainly that God was growing their faith and love. He goes on to say that he brags about them to others because of their perseverance and faith in the midst of persecutions. Another key indicator of a genuine body of believers. But then it gets ... weird. "This," he says, "is a plain indication of God's righteous judgment." What is? Well, obviously, their persecutions and afflictions. So, wait ... who is receiving God's righteous judgment? Clearly it's those who are being persecuted. But we've already seen they are genuine believers genuinely saved. How does this work?

There are a couple of words in that last verse that are ambiguous and ought to be examined. First is that word, "judgment." We typically think of judgment as punitive, but we know, in fact, it isn't always so. We often talk about having "good judgment" when we do things, and that's not punitive. It's wise. And this isn't punitive judgment; it's God's righteous wisdom. Yes, the persecution and afflictions are God's righteous wisdom. Why? That brings us to the second word: "worthy." He says it was "so that you will be considered worthy of the kingdom of God." But, on one hand, they already were, right? I mean they were forgiven and they had the righteousness of Christ. That's worthy, right? So, maybe, worthy isn't the best expression there. The word also means "fit." The idea here is that God is using persecutions and afflictions to make them entirely fit for the kingdom. It echoes Romans 8. There Paul writes, "And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren" (Rom 8:28-29). All things work together for good "to those who are called according to His purpose." What purpose? God's purpose is to conform us to the image of His Son. And that takes a bit of work. A bit of major work. So He uses hardships to shape us into the image of His Son -- to fit us to the kingdom. So it's good judgment on His part.

Trials and tribulations are always troublesome for anyone, even Christians. They needn't be. Over and over again God's Word says that suffering is for our benefit. Tribulations perfect us (e.g., Rom 5:3-5; James 1:2-4). So He grants to us -- as a gift -- to not only believe, but to suffer for His sake (Php 1:29). Now, none of it feels good at the time, but a loving Father "disciplines the one He loves, and chastises every son whom He receives" (Heb 12:6). In fact, if He does not, it indicates you are not a legitimate child of God (Heb 12:8). So bring it, Lord. You will walk with us through it and You will guarantee that it won't be too much and You will use it to make diamonds out of coal, a suitable reflection of You. Make us fit for glory, Lord, by any means.