Chapter 1

(2 Th 1 KJV) Paul, and Silvanus, and Timotheus, unto the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: {2} Grace unto you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. {3} We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is meet, because that your faith groweth exceedingly, and the charity of every one of you all toward each other aboundeth; {4} So that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that ye endure: {5} Which is a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God, that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which ye also suffer: {6} Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you; {7} And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels,

Once again, we see the indications of severe, often fatal, persecution on this church. And when you are so miserable in this world, your hope tends very much to be in the next world. And what we yearn for, we beg for, pray for, look for.

{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.

I know you are going through hell right now, Paul wrote, but soon the shoe will be on the other foot. It is plain that the early Christians thought the return of Christ was imminent. They desperately wanted it to be so. Jesus had given them no reason to think it was not so. Even Paul expected the return of Christ early on, preached it, believed it and betrays that belief in his letters. In the process of time, he came to realize that he was getting ahead of himself.

{11} Wherefore also we pray always for you, that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfil all the good pleasure of his goodness, and the work of faith with power: {12} That the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and ye in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.

To Chapter 2

 

Painting: St. Paul by Rembrandt van Rijn

The Sinless Life
Have you ever considered what it would mean  if you could just live a sinless life?

Youth in Action
Never in our history have young people needed Bible learning and Christian youth programs more than they do today.