RETRIBUTION OR REST?

“since it is a righteous thing with God to repay with tribulation those who trouble you, and to give you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (‭2 Thessalonians‬ ‭1:6-8‬‬)

We are going to spend eternity somewhere—heaven or hell. We can receive retribution, paying the price for what we have earned as we experience the justice and wrath of God, or we can enter rest, because Christ paid the price for us in suffering the wrath and justice demanded in His death on the cross.

What is the “rest” Paul mentions here?  This is how it is described in Revelation 14:13, “Then I heard a voice from heaven saying to me, ‘Write: “Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.“‘ ‘Yes,’ says the Spirit, ‘that they may rest from their labors, and their works follow them.’”

This eternal rest is heaven—the everlasting home of the saints.  It is the place where we will abide in the presence of God in the fullness of His glory, where we will worship Christ and see Him face to face, where we will be united with loved ones gone before us, and where there will be no sin, no sorrow, no sickness—no more.

What a day that will be!  Give praise to God who sent His Son to die that we might live, to suffer the punishment we merit so we can have His merits by faith and enter His rest!

GOD IS JUST TO PRESERVE THE SAINTS FROM WRATH

The greatest mystery is not that some will be sentenced to hell, but that any are saved into heaven.  God would be just to condemn all sinners and that is what we all are.  The saints, however, will be saved.  Notice what Paul says in 2 Thessalonians 1:5-7:

“which is manifest evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you also suffer; since it is a righteous thing with God to repay with tribulation those who trouble you, and to give you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels,”

These sinners who are saved have become “saints,” as the Apostle designates them in verse ten. The word means “set apart,” and suggests that those who are saved are different from others.  But, “saints” does not mean a special class of Christian, as some false teaching, especially Romanism states.  The New Testament is clear that all the saved are saints.  We are sinners set apart from other sinners.  God has set us apart in election—calling us in sovereign grace unto Himself.  We are set apart from the world and unto the Lord.

The issue is, “How can a just God justify unjust sinners without compromising His justice?  How can those deserving wrath be delivered from wrath and God maintain His righteousness?  How can those fit for hell be fitted for heaven without God sullying His holiness?”

There is only one answer. God has poured out His righteous judgment that we deserve on His Son, Who freely took upon Himself that condemnation I deserve, “to demonstrate...His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.”  As John Newton penned, “Amazing grace, how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me!”

INTEGRITY

Integrity is defined in the online dictionary as, “adherence to moral and ethical principles; soundness of moral character; honesty.”  It is a word rooted in the term, “integer,”—a whole number—thus, a person who is whole, where words and works match.  They are not hypocrites.  We will examine a few verses in Proverbs nineteen concerning integrity.

1.  INTEGRITY IS TO BE SOUGHT.  “Better is the poor who walks in his integrity Than one who is perverse in his lips, and is a fool.  What is desired in a man is kindness, And a poor man is better than a liar.” (v.1, 22).  Poverty is not an easy state in which to live.  Our fleshly passion and worldly philosophy will lead us to covet and seek after money.  Yet, we must not do so at the cost of “selling out,” and casting away integrity.  Integrity is to be valued more than money and pursued diligently.  The one who “walks in his integrity,” is one who has unwavering direction set by conviction.  He or she may not be perfect, but they will make progress in pursuing integrity.  Their life is oriented toward honesty and directed by integrity.

2.  DISHONESTY IS TO BE SHUNNED.  “A false witness will not go unpunished, And he who speaks lies will not escape. A false witness will not go unpunished, And he who speaks lies shall perish.  A disreputable witness scorns justice, And the mouth of the wicked devours iniquity.” (v.5, 9, 28). Within the span of a few verses, this truth about lies is virtually repeated. Whether it be perjury in the courtroom or deception in daily life, we are on the trail to judgment. One lie feeds a pattern of dishonesty, as more lies are required to cover up for the last lie. While a Christian, sadly, in this mortal state might sometime lie, it cannot be the pattern of his or her life, for, “all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone,” (Rev.21:8b).  If justice is evaded on earth, it will not be in eternity. 

What does your integrity or lack thereof reveal about your heart?  Are you a whole person—one of honesty, or a divided person—one of hypocrisy?

JUSTICE

God is just: He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you and give relief to you who are troubled, and to us as well. This will happen when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven in blazing fire with his powerful angels.  He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.  (2 Thessalonians 1:6-8 NIV)

Because wickedness is not punished immediately, we may foolishly think it will not be punished eventually.  Paul reminds us that since God is just, sin must be punished.  Yet, God is also merciful, and has made a way of forgiveness through the Gospel, having visited the justice sinners deserve upon His Son.  If we do not obey the Gospel of Christ, and spurn that offer of salvation, then the full fury of God will descend upon sinners.  That it does not happen instantly is another indicator of God/s mercy—His forbearance that affords the wicked occasion to repent.  Payday, however, comes someday for, “the wages of sin is death,” (Rom.6:23a).  Those who are anti-God and assail the people of God will experience God’s wrath.  This will bring the deliverance of God’s children.  That day is the end of the age at the return of Christ—a day of “blazing fire.”  Oh, sinner, obey the Gospel today!  Come to Christ without delay, for tomorrow may be too late!

                                                                                                          

NO PARTIALITY

 

Then Peter opened his mouth and said: “In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality.  But in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him.”  (Acts 10:34-35)

There is no partiality with God.  Now, that doesn’t mean that we are all the same—the Creator didn’t use a cookie-cutter—but, it means, for one thing, that we must all come to God the same way, and that we can all come to Him without distinction.  We are all in the same boat—one that is sinking in sin—and there is no hope to fix the leak.  There is only one way of rescue, and that is through Christ, irrespective of who we are.  No matter whether we are religious or irreligious, rich or poor, young or old, male or female, short or tall—or any other way that we classify people—we cannot enter the Kingdom of Heaven unless we are born again!  What we are concerning our natural birth is universally under condemnation.  What we must have is a spiritual birth that brings our conversion.  There is no partiality.  That is what Peter, a Jew, told to Cornelius, a Gentile. 

Then, without favoritism, yet in His sovereign purpose, God distributes varied gifts, capacities, and callings for His children.  Nevertheless, all God’s children are gifted children.  We are equally accountable to God for the particular stewardship of that assigned to us—not in relation to someone else’s responsibility, but to our own.  It is not a matter of comparison and competition with other saints.  It is about an impartial Judge weighing our faithfulness or lack thereof against the design He has for us. 

If you have not received Christ and His salvation, what will you do with this great privilege to come to God?  Do not debate the need—we all have it.  Do not hesitate over the possibility—we all can come to Him.  There are those who waver by wondering, “What if I am not one of the elect?”  Dear one—you would not have the desire for God unless He desired you!  You would not want righteousness, unless He is drawing you.  This is what Peter means when he speaks of those, “in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness.”   

For those who have come to Him, what will we do with this immense potential to serve our God?  Will we not reverence our Master?  Will we not work for Him who has worked salvation in us?  I cannot imagine someone who has God’s grace in them, failing to evidence it in their character, conduct and conversation to some degree.  Without exception—Christ brings a change in us!  That is the Spirit’s fruit—and if there is not fruit from God, then there is no root in His life.  God, without partiality, will judge such as counterfeit Christians.