2 Thessalonians 1:5 Which is a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God… I. STATE THE POINT. 1. It concerns us to be fully persuaded of the truth of a future judgment for two reasons. (1) It establishes our comfort, for then our wrongs shall be righted (Philippians 1:28), and our labour of love recompensed. (2) It binds our duty upon us by the strictest tie (Ecclesiastes 12:14). 2. This judgment is a righteous judgment (Acts 17:31). The world is now tried in patience: all are not punished according to their deservings. 3. This judgment needs to be evidenced, not only by the light of Scripture, but of reason. Nature says, It may be; faith, It shall be; yet the former must not be rejected — (1) Because things seen in a double light work more strongly upon — (a) Our love and obedience (Philemon 1:16). (b) Upon our faith. When nature teaches us to expect such a retribution, all vain cavils are refuted. (2) Because all have not received the light of Scripture. To them, therefore, the light of nature is a preparative inducement either to believe or to believe more firmly. (3) Because in time of temptation we need all the succour which the nature of the thing can give. Then, besides the grounds of faith, we must study its helps. (4) Among other arguments of a future day of recompence persecution is a plain demonstration. (a) If God chastises so severely the relics of sin in His children, how much more the wicked (1 Peter 4:17; Luke 23:31; Proverbs 11:31). (b) No righteous governor will suffer the disobedient to persecute the obedient, and therefore, though he permit it for a time, yet he will call them to account. II. HOW IT IS A DEMONSTRATION OF FUTURE JUDGMENT. 1. There is a God. This is the supreme primitive truth which lies at the bottom of all religion (Hebrews 11:6). It were to light a candle to the sun to prove this. 2. This God is just, for all perfections are in the First Being (Jeremiah 12:1; Romans 3:5, 6). 3. This just God is the Governor of the world (Psalm 94:1, 2). 4. It is agreeable to the justice of His government that it should be well with them that do well, and ill with them that do evil. Conscience and natural reason own this truth (Romans 1:32; Proverbs 26:1). 5. This reward and punishment are not fully administered in this world. The best often go to the wall, and many wicked prosper, and persecute the ungodly. Hence the complaints of the saints who have stumbled at this (Psalm 73; Jeremiah 12:1; Habakkuk 1:1). 6. Since God's justice does not make a sufficient difference here, there is another life where He will; for otherwise all these absurdities would follow:(1) God would seem indifferent to good and evil, yea, more partial to the evil; but this were a blasphemy (Psalm 73:1; Psalm 11:6, 7). (2) Man would seem left at liberty to break or keep God's laws at pleasure, and no harm come of it, but rather profit. But this would destroy all obedience (Deuteronomy 30:19, 20; Zephaniah 1:12). (3) Obedience would be man's loss and ruin, and so God would be the worst Master (1 Corinthians 15:19). (4) The most eminent virtue would be under perpetual infamy; therefore things must be reviewed, and that which is good restored to its public honour (1 Peter 4:13, 14). (5) The children of wisdom would seem sons of folly in checking their lusts and renouncing all for their fidelity to Christ. (6) All the comfort of the saints in longing for this day is but a fanatical illusion, when yet this desire is quickened by God (Romans 8:23; 2 Corinthians 5:5). 7. This justice will be administered at the last day. (T. Manton, D. D.) Parallel Verses KJV: 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: |
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