Calvary Road Baptist Church

“THE WITNESS’S ASSURANCE”

Second Thessalonians 1.7b-10 

Second Thessalonians 1.7b-10: 

7  ... the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels,

8  In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:

9  Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power;

10 When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day. 

Let us be very narrow in scope. A passage initially directed by the Holy Spirit of God to a particular group. Let me explain. Sometimes, we do not appreciate that a certain portion of Scripture is directed to a specific group or category.

The Corinthian letters were directed to Gentile believers in a Church who were very selfish, unloving, carnal, and indulgent despite being believers. They should have known better.

The letter to the Hebrews was written to Jewish Christians contemplating dropping out of the Christian lifestyle altogether and returning to Judaism. Under a great deal of pressure, they underestimated the wisdom and might of our glorious Savior.

The Philippians were a very spiritual congregation, a very spiritual Church, probably Paul’s favorite. But internal Church bickering among two women, the pettiness of Euodias and Syntyche, put the entire congregation at risk by distracting them from the wonder of the Savior.

Galatians was written to Churches influenced by judgmental legalists who thought they understood the Bible better than the Apostle Paul. They were enticing Christians to sit in judgment of others using Judaistic legalism. By doing this, they subverted Christ as our sole Judge.

So, different portions of the Word of God are addressed to specific groups of people in special situations. Second Thessalonians was written to a congregation of new believers excited about the Savior and committed to sharing their newfound faith in Christ.

As young as they were in the Lord, that Church understood that “the Son of man had come to seek and to save that which was lost.”[1] Some people claim to be Christians but never seem to figure that out, never witness to anyone themselves, or are willing to tag along to encourage others who do witness to folks.

Are such too sophisticated to be excited about Jesus? Is their schedule too tight to spend time doing what God left us here on earth to do after their supposed conversion? Do they have a problem with what they perceive to be institutional Christianity, the congregations Jesus loves and gave Himself for, Ephesians 5.25?

The Thessalonian Church members had been believers for just over a month, yet they had it figured out. Paul was used by God to write this short letter to keep those believers involved in the practice of bringing the lost to our wonderful Savior.

If you are not involved in seeking the salvation of the lost, I want you to see the lengths to which God will go, take note of what God will do, and understand what measures He will take to keep the soldiers of the cross on the battle lines exalting Jesus to our lost world.

Witnessing Christian? I want you to remember that the last time you testified about Christ and worked to bring someone to Church, God worked in your life to keep your attitude right while you were doing the Lord’s work, even though you may have encountered people who rejected the message that you offered to them.

Whether you were conscious of it or not, the Spirit of God helped you maintain the proper attitude toward those who were opposing you as you conveyed the precious Gospel. We learn that in Second Thessalonians 1.5-7, where the attitude of the evangelistic Christian and the witnessing believer is bolstered.

Especially you who seek the salvation of the lost, I want you to know that during this week, when you pray for the lost, witness to the lost, and invite the lost again to Church, God is going to give you, and God does give you, assurance about the future. Let us label it the Christian witness’s assurance.

You who witness to others can ask what those who claim to be believers but who do not witness to others cannot ask: “Why is God interested in us in having assurance about the future?” Let me explain. It’s elementary.

How many of you have ever worked for a company and heard rumors about the employees going out on strike, or there were rumors about the company planning layoffs, or there were whispers about the company being bought out? Be honest.

If you have ever been in that situation, then you know it is very demoralizing to try and do a job when you do not know on that job what the future holds, when you have no idea what is going to happen next week, next month, or next year. You don’t know. And it does affect your job performance.

There’s nothing wrong with feeling bad about uncertainty. God made us that way. God knows this, and He deals with it in the Christian who witnesses by ensuring the witnessing believer is never in that situation.

The witnessing Church member is assured about what is in store for him or her. It is obvious to everyone who studies the Bible that God does not give us every detail about the future. For instance, God tells us about His great plan and His grand scheme of things and about what will happen in the future. But He doesn’t give a hoot in a whirlwind whether Aunt Lottie will burn the cake tomorrow.

Though God is the God of the infinite and the God of the infinitesimal as well, certain things really do not demand a great deal of our attention. And they shouldn’t require a great deal of your attention.

We sometimes spend too much time on piddly things, which can easily cause us to forget about the significant things. Too many so-called Christians in the world today spend time on piddling things without properly attending to important things, such as looking unto Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith (Hebrews 12.2).

They forget that the main thing is to bring people to Jesus Christ. God’s assurance about the significant things of the future is given to you and me for one purpose: to give us the assurance that we need as fruit-bearing witnesses to avoid becoming demoralized and impotent in our evangelism. If we become demoralized, we’ll stop doing what we have been saved by God to do.

God assures us of the future to keep us witnessing to the lost. How else could Paul and Silas pray and sing in the Philippian jail?[2] So that we might have this same kind of assurance, He lets us know about three future realities. We can be sure of these things so that we know the big picture about our future and that it will all work out okay.

Let’s examine them one at a time: 

First, THE CHRISTIAN WITNESS IS ASSURED OF THE REALITY OF CHRIST’S RETURN (1.7) 

“And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels.” 

Paul writes to troubled personal evangelists. And the “us” in this verse refers to Paul and his colleagues, God-blessed gospelers. Notice some things about the Lord’s return, about His revealing:

First, notice the method of His return. Paul wrote that “the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven.” This speaks not of the Rapture but of the Revelation of the Lord Jesus Christ. Not His invisible coming to catch away the saints, but the glorious and magnificent Second Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. Let me tell you something. Invisibility is not revealing, and the Bible says that He shall “be revealed.” His Second Coming was described by the Lord, Himself in Mark 14.62, where He said, 

“... ye shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven." 

I don’t know about you, but I believe the Lord Jesus Christ was telling the truth when He uttered that remark. And He said, “You are going to see me coming in the clouds.”

Now turn to Acts chapter 1. He told His enemies they would see Him coming in the clouds. Now let’s see what was said to His friends. Acts 1.9-11: 

9  ... while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight.

10 And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel;

11 Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven. 

“In like manner” means that as He visibly ascended, He shall someday visibly descend. This visible method of the Lord Jesus Christ’s return attests to the reality of His return. 

Paul wrote to the Thessalonians, “Let me tell you something. Not only will He return, but I will tell you how He will return. He is going to return visibly.”

Notice something else about His return from heaven. Notice the might of His return. Again, in verse 7, Paul wrote that Christ’s return would be “with His mighty angels.” Understand that Christ’s visible return is going to be opposed. His return to this earth will be opposed by natural and supernatural foes. The natural enemies opposing His return will be the gathered armies of Armageddon fighting in the Middle East, along with the antichrist. The supernatural enemy will be, of course, none other than Satan.

We know that this One, Who is titled in “the Word of God,” “the King of kings,” “the Lord of lords,” and in Isaiah, “the mighty God,” needs no angels to support His return. He doesn’t need anyone’s help to do anything. His mighty angels will serve in the regal entourage of His Majesty, the King. As He comes to claim that which is rightfully His, which is everything, therefore, the might of His magnificent return, the fact that He comes in great power, the fact that He comes with great majesty, assures the Christian who engages in personal witness anticipating the Lord’s return.

Jesus is coming again! We need to realize that, react to it, and respond to it. And we need to reach the lost for Jesus Christ because of it. 

Next, NOTICE THAT THE WITNESSING CHRISTIAN IS ASSURED OF THE REALITY OF CHRIST’S REVENGE (1.8-9) 

8  In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:

9  Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power; 

A word about “vengeance” before we examine the persons and the punishment of His revenge. “Vengeance” refers to that which proceeds from justice, “full, complete punishment.”[3] So, we are speaking of right things. We are speaking of proper things. Paul is writing about consequences visited upon people that they justly and properly deserve from the hand of God.

Let’s look at the people Paul described. In verse 8, the Apostle Paul uses the phrase, “them that know not God.” What about those that know not God? What about them? Matthew 7.22-23: 

22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?

23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. 

What does it mean when you “know not God?” It means that no matter how religious you are, no matter how good you may happen to be, no matter how many charities you have supported in your lifetime, and no matter how many virtues you have signaled, you are lost unless you know Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. The only criterion for salvation is to know Him. To know Him is to have forgiveness and life.

Do you know Him? “Yeah, well, I was baptized.” But do you know Him? “Yeah, I have always gone to Church.” But do you know Him? “Yeah, but I have always tried to ....” Yes, but do you know Him? “But I ....” But do you know Him? “Well, I read the Bible.” But do you know Him? And does He know you? “Well, I know a lot about Him.” That is not the same as knowing Him. And if you know Him, you will not be the person you were before you met Him. What assurance do you have that you know Him? You say, “How do I know that I know Him?” First John 2.3-5 speaks to that: 

3  And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.

4  He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.

5  But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him. 

Anybody who claims to be a Christian and does not serve God or obey God is a liar. You say, “You do not have to be that harsh.” John is that harsh. As Paul wrote, “Am I therefore become your enemy, because I tell you the truth?”[4] You have no business believing, much less telling people, that you are a child of God if you are not serving God. “Well, I went forward at an old-fashioned altar many years ago, and I ....” That doesn’t mean anything. The only assurances of your salvation given in the Word of God have to do with what is happening right now in your life. Anyone can have an emotional experience years ago, get baptized, and still go to Hell. Anybody can. If your life is one of obedience to Christ, then you know Him. If your life is one of disobedience to Him, then you are not saved. Of course, being obedient does not get you to heaven and does not make you saved from sins. As well, it doesn’t make you lost. Obedience doesn’t do that. But it does a great job of indicating whether you are saved or lost.

Again, in verse 8, Paul used another phrase. He referred to them that 

“obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.” 

Romans 10.13-16 are four verses that shed a great deal of light on what it means to obey the Gospel: 

13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

14 How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?

15 And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!

16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report? 

God’s plan is this. It is very simple. Very straightforward. Very easy to understand. Requires no great intelligence at all. God’s plan is for His people to take the message of salvation to the uttermost parts of the world. That message, the Gospel, which means “good news,” is the good news of Christ’s death, Christ’s burial, and Christ’s resurrection as a payment for the penalty of a sinner’s sins.

When a sinner hears the Gospel message, when he is informed of his sin against a holy God, the just penalty for said sin and the fact that a saving substitution has been made, the Substitute’s price was paid for the sin so that the sinner won’t have to pay the penalty, his appropriate response upon hearing that message is to receive Jesus Christ as his personal Lord and Savior, which is repentance from sin. When you turn to Christ, you have repented from sin. Turning to Christ and repentance are not, in reality, two separate things. You cannot repent of sin without turning to Christ. It is not possible. By doing the one you do the other. And by doing the other, you do the one.

Paul lets readers know that those who hear the Gospel message and do not respond, those who hear the plan of salvation and do not respond by receiving Christ, are described as those who have not obeyed the Gospel. They have, in effect, refused to heed the Lord’s call. They have not responded to His directive to, “Come to me.” That, of course, is disobedience. Paul is here referring to those who don’t know Christ, who have not obeyed the Gospel. He is referring not only to those who do not know Jesus Christ, perhaps because they have never heard the Gospel message but also to those who have heard the Gospel and have refused. Those who have never heard are in the same boat as those who have heard and yet refused.

What about the punishment Paul described? What happens to you who do not obey the Gospel? What happens to those who never hear? They are born. They are raised. They live their life. They die without ever hearing about Jesus Christ, ever hearing the Gospel, never even knowing that there is a Word of God. What happens to them? Verses 8 and 9 of Second Thessalonians chapter 1: 

8  In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:

9  Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power; 

Three things about this punishment stand out:

First of all, this punishment will fall upon anyone who does not know Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior; anyone who dies without Jesus Christ is in this situation. First, the punishment is a flaming fire: 

“In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God.” 

How in the world can people read the Word of God and deny the torment of the dammed? How can they?

Second, the punishment is everlasting destruction. The destruction Paul refers to is not annihilation but ruination. Not the loss of being but the loss of well-being. This destruction is everlasting. It will never end. No annihilation, Jehovah’s Witnesses. When a person dies, it is not over. It has just begun. No annihilation, Seventh Day Adventists. When a person dies, it is not just over. It has just started. No temporary purgatory, Romanist. You will be there forever once you enter that place where the flames of fire are. Christian witnesses know that lost people burn forever. And forever and ever.

Third, the punishment is described as separation. Paul writes, “from the presence of the Lord.” Let’s be honest, okay? Let’s quit the facade. Let’s take the mask off. Let’s forget about what an active young person you are, how active a couple you are, or how great your social life is. I have been there. I know. In reality, if you are lost, you are lonely. If you are lost, you are lonely. If you are lost and think you are lonely now, my lost friend, wait until then. If you feel you are lonely now, you wait. If you think you are going to spend all eternity in Hell drinking beer with your buddies, like Evil Knievel said before his conversion, think again. Accompanying the awful torment of the flames of fire will be the most agonizing loneliness a human soul can possibly experience.

On his deathbed, Howard Hughes, the wealthiest man alive at one point, said, “Bob, I am so lonely.” And it will be far worse than he knew, forever. Separated from the only One Who could have been the friend that sticketh closer than a brother.

Christian witness, Paul did not provide these truths to people like you so that you would yawn in a sophisticated fashion and forget them. You have been given to know the destiny of the damned so that you can be encouraged by it and respond to it. 

Finally, THE CHRISTIAN WITNESS IS ASSURED OF THE REALITY OF CHRISTIANS’ REACTIONS (1.10) 

“When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day.” 

If worship is a person’s proper response to God, then no one worships God like a witnessing believer does. Pastors say, “We are going to spend more time on worship. I want us to spend more time on worship. Oh, we are not into doctrine here. We are into worship.” Worship is responding to God in the way that He dictates.

If worship can be defined as responding to God the way He decides and the way that pleases Him, then no one worships God like a witnessing Christian does.

Witnessing believers, I guarantee you, are more conscious than almost anyone on this planet of their failings and inadequacies. Witnesses are the ones who are concerned about their relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ because they cannot bring people to Christ without the blessings of God in their lives. They can’t do it. The evangelist is the one who seeks to please the Lord. And gospelers, perhaps more than anyone else, are faced with their own frailties, faced with their own inadequacies, faced with their own faults, and faced with uncertainty about the way we might respond in the future if we do not know what the future brings.

The Christian witness will wonder, “Lord, when it gets really tough, will I continue to glorify you? Lord, when it gets to be really hard, will I stay faithful? Lord, I want to remain faithful. I want to continue to glorify you. I don’t ever want to deny you. Lord, I am weak. And I am concerned about the future. Especially, Lord, I want to know what I will be like when You come. I am concerned about that.” Thankfully, the Apostle Paul declares what our reactions will be when Jesus comes.

First, notice the future. We are told that when Christ comes, He is going to be glorified in His saints ... that is, all believers. He is going to be glorified. And since evangelists are part of that company of all believers, we know that when the Lord Jesus Christ comes in us, He will be glorified. This matter of glorifying the Lord Jesus was started by God the Father, according to Philippians 2.9-11: 

9  Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:

10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;

11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. 

We know in Revelation 4.11 that this banner will be taken up by those of us who will be Raptured: 

“Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.” 

And so, it will continue. When the Millennium arrives, when Jesus comes and takes that which is rightfully His and establishes His one thousand-year kingdom of personal rule over the earth, His glorification throughout the Millennium will continue. When Christ returns, in addition to being glorified, He will be admired by all who believe. The word “admire” means to wonder, or to marvel, to be marveled at.[5] How glorious it is to have a Lord, a Master, a Savior that, when you see Him, the more you see Him, the more you know Him, the more intimate you are with Him, the more marvelous it will be to realize Who He is.

Next, notice the cause. Yes, we are going to glorify Him. You say, “Well, what is the cause of glorifying Him? How do I know that I am going to do that?” Because simple belief causes Christians to react to Christ in the future. You are going to glorify Him, Christian. Not because you attend Church. You are not going to glorify Him because you take communion or because you were baptized. You will not even glorify Him then because of your evangelistic efforts now. If you are reaching the lost for Christ now, you are already glorifying Him. But at His Second Coming, glorifying the Lord, admiring Him, giving Him glory, has nothing to do with what you have done. This response to Christ on your part at that time will be because you believed. Everyone who has passed from spiritual death to spiritual life when Jesus comes again will react and properly respond to Him. 

Assurance about the future. The gospeler, the witnesser, the evangelist, needs present assurance about the future to function properly. You need to know He is coming. And you need to know He can come soon. We need to keep on keeping on that we know Jesus is coming and that He can come soon.

Assurance of Christ’s revenge. Paul felt that we needed to know that. The Holy Spirit did, too. You need to know that your job as a witness for Jesus is very important. You need to know because those who die without Christ, the damned, shall surely suffer eternal Hellfire.

Finally, assurance of Christians’ reactions. Gospeler? Fruitful Christian? Guide to Christ? You, more than any other kind of Christian, are going to be someday what you agonize in the flesh to be now: someone who only and always pleases your Lord. It will be wonderful to worship Him then. Nothing hindering. Nothing inhibiting. No frail or fragile flesh to hold you back. No fatigue. No injuries. No damage to your body. Nothing affecting your thought processes. Oh, what assurances and comfort they are.

Kinda makes you want to keep trying to see folks saved. Amen? You are never going to hurt yourself by doing right. Kinda makes you want to start. Amen? I have nothing to lose. You say, “I am afraid if I go out and seek the salvation of the lost, it will harm me.” It is not possible to be so harmed by doing right.

Unsaved friend? Paul did not write this passage to you. He wrote it to those of us who are saved, specifically to witnessing believers. But after hearing what is most assuredly going to happen and Paul’s warning to us, don’t you want to be saved? Don’t you want to be saved?

“Well, I think it is kind of irresponsible to want to be saved just to escape Hell. I don’t think anyone should use Jesus as a fire escape.” Let’s you and me talk, and we’ll deal with that.

__________

[1] Luke 19.10

[2] Acts 16.25

[3] Rogers, Jr., Cleon L. and Rogers III, Cleon L., The New Linguistic and Exegetical Key To The Greek New Testament, (Grand Rapids, MI: ZondervanPublishingHouse, 1998), pages 482-483.

[4] Galatians 4.16

[5] Ibid., page 483.

 

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