Second Thessalonians 1:6-8 Righteous Judgment of God

So the topic today is the righteous judgment of God. That's a simple topic, isn't it? I'm not so sure it's so simple. And I always say to Raj, he always gives me the tough sections. But anyway, that sounds kind of paranoid, so please don't accept that for what I said. You know, all of scripture is for us. And it's not all about us, but it's all for us. And we have fun making sure that we rightly divide the Word of truth.

So what I choose to do here this morning, in fact, Wayne, you have your Bible open. Could you read chapter 1 and 2 Thessalonians verses 1 through 8, please? Now you haven't opened to Ezekiel, is that right? Oh, okay. I've got the right book this time. Paul is obeying this. and Timothy to the Church of the Thessalonians in God, her Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ. Grace to you, and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

We ought always to give thanks to God for you, brethren, as is as is only fitting because our faith is greater and large and the love of each one of you toward one another grows ever greater. 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. This is a plain indication of God's righteous judgment, so that you may be considered worthy of the kingdom of God for which indeed you are suffering. For after all, it is only just for God to repay with affliction those who afflict you, and to give relief to you who are afflicted, and to us as well. And the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels in flaming fire, dealing out retribution to those who do not know God and to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.

All right, good. Thanks very much, Wayne. So the text today is verses 6 through 8, beginning in verse 6. Since it is a righteous thing with God to obey with tribulation those who trouble you, my versions of the New King James Version, I have an exception in verse 7, where we'll look at the intervention of grief. So we're in the middle of a sentence here. So we kind of need to revisit what leads to sense or if.

And by the way, this is I per in the Greek, which is a first class condition. So what the heck does that mean? Well, it means that it's true, basically. So sense is a better interpretation than if. If can be subjunctive. Sometimes it is, sometimes it's not. But this is a first class conditional. So since is a good real interpretation. It's true. So we need to accept this as not equivocal or subjunctive.

What's this based on? Well, Andrew, I reviewed his notes from last week. We were in Aspen with our oldest daughter last week, so we missed the class, but his notes were quite good, and I really appreciated going back and reviewing those. What's happened before verse 6 that really relates to since as kind of a summary of the previous verses?

Well, first, their faith was growing exceedingly, and that's verse 3. Second, their love for one another was abounding. Verse three, and we hope this is true of Holly Hills, that we're growing exceedingly through the teaching and the fellowship we have here. And secondly, that our love for one another is abounding. There's a lot of fellowship here at the body.

Third, they were enduring tribulations and persecutions, verse 4, and we are all having them to some extent, but maybe clearly not those that were like that going on at the church at Thessalonica. And fourth and importantly, there was evidence of the righteous judgment of God that they may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God for which they were suffering. So I mean, welcome to the human existence, right? If we don't think that through our trials and tribulations, ultimately, God is still at work, and he understands what we're going through, then we're missing the boat.

I mean, Scripture is robust in covering that topic, and I don't want to take a lot of time to review that further. How do we interpret that it is a righteous thing with God to repay with tribulation those who trouble us, or you, to the Church of Thessalonica? So the question of the class, is this then or now?

Is this for those left behind? Who are the left behind? After the rapture. Yeah, so who's left behind? Is it the Christians who are not living the Christian life? Unbelievers. Alright, so is that the timing of this? I mean, there's this partial trib where believers who are not living the Christian life will get left behind, or there's a post-trib rapture where in fact we all go through the tribulation. I think the Bible clearly teaches, and we studied this, that the rapture leaves only unbelievers behind.

OK, so is that the timing of this judgment? Or is it after the millennium? Is this the great white throne judgment? What are people's thoughts about this? And we're going to drill down on this and look at this in detail. How many think that the church at Thessalonica, or for us today, God's judgment is being pervasive? on the unbelievers, or those who, in fact, are part of that trial and tribute. Sometimes it could be the faith that's being questioned. That could be true in Thessalonica. False prophets, if you will, false teachers.

Well, it's obvious now that... Everybody press their little buttons if you want to speak, right? Obviously, right now we don't see unjust men or unbelievers or unrighteous men necessarily being punished. Directly, we see there are some that are punished, but a large amount of unrighteousness is not dealt with right now.

And it seems like God is talking about that at a future time. He's going to deal with that. So Roger, if that's true, then what's the purpose of all this? All the unrighteous doings and ultimately criticism of doctrine and our foundation in the cross and everything it represents. Well, to the world system we're in a front. This is world system stuff.

So I think it's unlikely that this righteous judgment of God that's promised here relates to his current activities in the world system. Now keep in mind this, and Margaret and I often share and talk about this, the consequences of our sin everyone pays for.

So, you know, I mean, Anyway, I won't go into it. But there's a famous baseball pitcher who's going through some trials and tribulations now for some accusations by a woman. And he's now put on hold. And ultimately, he's going to appear in court this week. I mean, so I don't know whether that guy is safe or not. But nevertheless, there are consequences to wrong behaviors. And we all, as believers, we pay for that, don't we? I mean, what about our vanity and pride? We often don't pay for that, do we? But before the Lord, that's not of the new nature. I don't know, but I have a hard time believing that God is asleep on the job. Well. You know, I just don't think that he's sitting back and doing nothing. I don't think that that's the God we know.

I think he is actively, it may be that we don't notice big, you know, I don't know, Well, repayments, retribution. I still think that there are things that are happening that we maybe don't see. I mean, you know, look at floods and look at, you know, I mean, there's a lot of stuff going on in the world that certainly, I just don't think God is just sitting back going, okay, let's see, I'm going to wait another thousand years. So you think that then people who built their homes along the Poudre River are paying for their decision to die. No, I'm just saying, I just don't think that God is doing nothing. I just don't think that. He's working in the church. Sure.

That's his purpose, is to bring all men to salvation. And once saved, we don't need to get saved again. We're being constantly saved by the word of God and by the fellowship we share at Church of Psychology. I mean, how do we know that the pandemic, as an example, which is a worldwide event, It wasn't designed to, in fact, make people think about, gosh, there's got to be something else here because this can't be all there is. But see, that's consistent with God's will that all men become women, become saved.

And those that are saved are growing through these trials and tribulations. That's what Thessalonica's experiencing. I just don't think he's sitting back doing nothing. I think there are things that are happening. And we just may not know where they are, recognize where they are.

But how is God working with the unsaved to bring them to salvation? How's he working in us to grow us in grace? There's a third component of the Godhead, right? The Holy Spirit is the proactive nature of God in the world system to bring people to the Lord and also for us as believers to grow us in grace.

Other thoughts? This verse is really focused on, he's talking to the Thessalonians here, and I think we need to keep our focus on that. Who's troubling you? So this is people that are troubling the Thessalonians, and you could say troubling all true believers. So he's focused on those kinds of people. There may be other bad people out there troubling unbelievers and believers alike, but this is focused on believers of Thessalonica.

Well, I guess the timing then still comes up as a question. Is that judgment going to be occurring at the time that this church in Thessalonica is growing? Or in fact, is that judgment going to be delayed? Isn't this encouragement for them? Isn't he trying to encourage them? Maybe they're seeing these people are, quote, getting away with it.

As we see today, local bad people do bad things and seem to have no consequences. We're not going to answer this question here, but I've got, and I could have given an infinite number of verses that reflect on this, but we're only going to look at a few of them. So let's begin with the second psalm, and the entire second psalm is worth reading, but I just chose to read verses 8 and 9.

Ask of me and I will give you the nations for your inheritance. Of course, that's a promise to Israel, right? And the ends of the earth for your possession, you shall break them with a rod of iron. You shall dash them to pieces like a potter's vessel. Well, is that ultimately their entrance into the promised land? I mean, this is in Exodus, right?

Well, I don't think so. Nevertheless, let's turn to the gospel. This is Matthew 25, 31 through 33. In fact, all the way from 31 to 46 is relevant, but I'm going to read this 31 through 33 and 36. When the Son of Man comes in His glory and all the holy angels with Him, notice the holy angels again, that's part of what we're reading in 2 Thessalonians.

Then he will sit on the throne of his glory, and all the nations will be gathered before him. And he will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. And he will set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left, dot, dot, dot, verses omitted. And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous unto eternal life. Now some people could interpret this as the great white throne judgment. So rightly dividing the word of truth.

I'm here to confuse you here. Romans 118, for the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness. So Margaret, is that today? Is that something that he's doing today? That's a question, not an answer.

Romans 1219, beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath, for it's written, vengeance is mine, I will repay. says the Lord. And as believers, we've got to trust Him, that it's His agenda. It's not us to change the world system or the flesh enacted in people who are unbelievers. In the Church, Scripture's pretty clear that the elder's responsibility is when there's wrongdoings in the Church, it's their responsibility to ultimately understand that and deal with it.

Okay, John 3.36. He who believes in the Son has everlasting life, and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.

Pretty strong language. Zephaniah, back to the Old Testament. Prophet, therefore wait for me, says the Lord, until the day I rise up for plunder. My determination is to gather the nations to my assembly of kingdoms, to pour on them my indignation, all my fierce anger, all the earth shall be devoured with the fire of my jealousy." Revelation says a lot about this, but I just picked one verse, Revelation 11, 18.

The nations were angry, and your wrath has come. In the time of the dead they should be judged. And that you should reward your servants, the prophets and the saints, and those who fear your name, small and great, and should destroy those who destroy the earth. So is this repayment anything but consistent with God and his perfect righteousness and holiness?

I've put an exclamation point, not a question. Absolutely not. I mean, he's got to ultimately enact His perfect righteousness and holiness on all that fall short of that by lack of salvation and or, I mean I think as a church when we go before the Judge and Seat of Christ, I mean there's nothing there other than the joy. I don't think there's additional punishment that's already been taken care of at the cross.

So can we trust Him here? I think if we can't, we really have our focus in the wrong place. So my point here is, if not, where's our citizenship? I mean, if we don't see our citizenship above, we're ultimately going to be disappointed with the lack of God's judgment on sin here and on righteousness here.

So remember, for me to live is Christ and die is gain. It's ultimately that true citizenship from above, and Paul talks about that in Philippians. What is the basis for this repayment that God promises this judgment John 16 8 through 11 and when he has come he will convict the world of sin and of righteousness and of judgment of Sin because they do not believe in me of righteousness because I go to my father and you see me no more of Judgment because the ruler of this world is judged now. This is before the cross Okay, so the judgment is is ultimately contingent on Satan himself being judged.

And if you look at Hebrews 2.14, it's absolutely clear. that Satan's power for the believer has been eliminated at the cross. Now we still experience the old man, the sin nature is still there, and ultimately the world system impacts us how we live day in and day out, but the judgment of Satan has historically been placed, but he's still alive and well and influencing the world system and many believers of all, though that's another topic in its own right, how much role he has. And two, which is going to be part of our study this year, I think, Roger, when we're done with Second Thessalonians. This is, I think, another neat area of God's judgment and how it was perceived way back when.

Now, Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about these men also, saying, Behold, the Lord comes with 10,000 of his saints. When's that? When's he going to come with his saints? Well, to execute judgment on all, to convict all who are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have committed in an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things which ungodly sinners have spoken against me. So, after all of those verses, what's our conclusion to when God's judgment occurs?

Think out loud for me. Margaret says, I'm going today, and I can't limit God. There's probably ways in which he's continuing to do it. And the Church of Thessalonica, I think, has experienced this to promise them a position in the kingdom of God. Remember, he's saying, remember verse 6. Let me go back a second. I mean, verse 5, my bad.

There was evidence of the righteous judgment of God that they may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God for which they were suffering. I mean isn't that true of us today? So the kingdom of God is ultimately our position with him going forward from the rapture forward in terms of the millennial age coming with him as saints and also our eternal new heaven and new earth in his presence. So what's the conclusion everyone? When's the timing of God's judgment? Did I confuse you? Nobody has any answers here. Does anybody in Tell-A-World out there have any answers? Yes, Pat, what's your opinion?

I'd say it's at its coming. What, Andrew? Was that Andrew? At its coming, at the second coming. Yeah. Okay, I'm in favor of the second coming, post-trip, really addressed to those left behind, right? Okay, Pat, what were your thoughts? Your hand is now down. Go ahead. Do you have your mic on? Did you push a little button there? I believe so. Yes, good.

It seems like you got the rapture and people are down here suffering because they all hate each other, don't have any love. So I think there's no flaming angels at that time. And then so after that comes the Millennium, and people are conducting their lives, realizing Christ is ruling with a rod of iron. There's no flaming angels there.

So I think by process of elimination, the only thing that's left is after the White Throne Judgment. OK, so what's your conclusion then? Is this all White Throne Judgment stuff? That would be after the Millennial Kingdom, the White Throne Judgment. All right, you're thinking this is the eternal last punishment, the Great White Throne. The logic is, by process of elimination, are flaming angels coming during those two previous periods?

It doesn't seem like it. OK. Other thoughts? So are you saying that there is absolutely no judgment occurring now? I'm not answering the question. This is for the class. I'm just reading this. I'm called the moderator. Well, no, I think, again, Margaret has pointed out, I'm sure God is capable of ongoing some aspect of his judgment. But I think that ultimately, these promissory notes in the Old Testament in the gospel account and in the epistles really relate to some form of ultimate judgment.

Roger, if you were... Well, you know, today, people are judged in a sense by, when they violate the law, like for, they violate the law, God's law of gravity, they die. If they violate taking too much drugs, they die. So people are judged, you know, by their actions and what they, how they conduct, they're judged in many ways.

But this, this is, seems a very specific thing he's addressing here. He's talking about the, It's those who afflicted you, so it's focused on the church being afflicted by a group of people. And the world system doesn't like the church. It hates the church. It hates anything to do with Christ.

So this seems like this is a particular focus on that. that judgment event. And it's interesting to pin it down as challenging. Certainly God is not doing that in any major way right now. So we're left to a future time. I think after the rapture, the white throne judgment sounds good to me, that time period.

Yeah, it seems to me like this, I think it's an ongoing, I mean, there is judgment now. There's going to be judgment during the tribulation, different type of judgment. At the end of the tribulation, when Christ comes back to set up the millennial reign, there's a certain amount of a battle there. And then, even at the end of the millennium, there's judgment. I mean, it's kind of like it's not... Just one judgment. OK, so you're saying that wrapping this up into one time period. It's ongoing. Remember, God has no time period. He's eternal.

But anyway, as we try to understand temporal sequences, we're saying that it could be all three areas in terms of now, during the Tribulation, and ultimately the Great Wendland Judgment. And I have verses, I think, that I shared with you that could support any one of the three. Yes? There was something that Vern said in the study, I believe it was when he was going through Revelation. He said that Jesus takes it very personally when someone comes against one of his own. And he will take care of it, either in time, at the cross, or in eternity. So, I mean, that stuck with me, that comment. All right, good.

Well, I think verse 7 might help us a little bit. Let's turn to verse 7. This is New King James here first. And to give you who are troubled, rest with us when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels. All right? Kind of like the interlinear Greek here. I think it's a little bit clearer. And to you the being afflicted, rest with us. Isn't that kind of comforting, that rephrasing there? At the revelation of the Lord Jesus from heaven with angels of power of him.

Now the only verb here is being afflicted and that's in the passive tense. Rest is not a verb. Rest is a noun reflecting a state of well-being, literally cessation of labor or relaxation. So let's read it again. And to you being afflicted rest In other words, rest is a noun. This isn't something we need to do. That's something that he's created us as being rest and comforted and relaxed. We're being afflicted. Rest with us. In other words, that rest is of him. Okay? So that's, I think, an important interpretation. Describe this affliction. Well, what was the affliction going on at Thessalonica? Persecution. Persecution of the faith, persecution of the church, wrong doctrine, etc. It's no different today.

Well, yeah, welcome to the world system we lived in, right? Well, we're in Christ. He was rejected from this earth, so are we. Well, remember, citizenship, Wayne, right? I mean, that's something we really rest a tired head on, our citizenship. So what does that rejection look like from the world? And you know, as believers, we're rejected. I mean, Margaret and I were out two nights ago with a couple that was believers, Catholic background to some extent. The other is clearly not there. We had a good time, but there's just something lacking there.

I mean, the world system operates as the world system, and that's really something we're all facing day in and day out. So, us likely refers to Paul, Silas, and Timothy. It's not the us today, but we could apply it perhaps today. So what is the timing here? Well, that's what we've been talking about. His return from heaven specifies the timing of this restribution. Now, I'm going to go to Macaulay.

Now, I've quoted very few people here, because people are all over the board on this. They don't know. I'm not saying they don't know what they're talking about. I mean, the uncertainty we have as a class here today is clearly consistent across multiple commentators about the timing of this.

So Macaulay says, theologians often refer to the period between his ascension and return as his session. His session is marked by patient, long suffering, but will someday abruptly end. So that's Macaulay's view of this. So Andrew, you agree with Macaulay.

You're in good stead, if you in fact do. But I think what we've concluded as a class is maybe this judgment is ongoing, will come for those left behind, and ultimately the great white throne is in fact the final. Andrew, I think might have something. Oh, OK. Go ahead. Andrew? Did you have some comment? I was going to agree with you. He's saying the second coming here, isn't he? Yeah. Yes. That's what Macaulay says. Yeah. OK.

But keep in mind, what I tried to do, and not to confuse the class, but show these multiple prophecies about God's judgment. Some were directed at Israel, but some were directed to the church and ultimately beyond. We'll just accept that for what it's worth. Matthew 13 verse 41, the Son of Man will send out his angels, now keep in mind we have angels here, and they will gather out of his kingdom all things that offend and those who practice lawlessness.

That's got to be post-Trib. Did I miss something? Of course, those who died without salvation are now separated eternally, right? The judgment, at least the eternal judgment, has passed, although their great white throne is still ahead of them, like it is for all who go before the great white throne.

Matthew 16, 27, for the Son of Man will come in the glory of his Father with his angels, and then he will reward each according to his works. Where's that reward going to take place? When? Well, after the Great White Throne Judgment, it's not when there's awards here. For the Church, those awards occur when we're with the Lord, and that's after we leave our earthly bodies. But for ultimately, the Lord, each according to its works, will come at the time of this judgment being enacted on those who are unsaved.

And there's scripture, and I didn't take time to go here, but there's scripture indicating that for those who are unsaved, There are not works of righteousness, but there are some that seem to promise a worse outcome in terms of their eternal position. I mean, what did Christ say about people who injure children or something? I mean, I forget what that verse is, but there's something about that, you know, they will go to the depths of hell or something. I mean, I didn't look at that, but the idea of the punishment for the unsaved is in degrees to some extent.

So, all right, verse 8 then. He's coming with 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. How you doing there? What what are we in line for this judgment? Well anyway a flaming fire All right, I I'm borrowing this from logos Bible software, which I you know don't like the quote like that But anyway, I'm gonna use this anyway In Flame of Fire, or as other oldest manuscripts read, in Fire of Flame, this Flame of Fire accompanied his manifestation in the bush, Exodus, also his giving of the law at Sinai, Exodus, and also shall accompany his revelation at his advent, Daniel 7, 9, and 10, symbolizing his own bright glory and his consuming vengeance against his foes. I have a few verses here to support this context.

Hebrews 10.27, but in certain fearful expectation of judgment and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries.

Hebrews 12.29, for God is a consuming fire. That's the fire that relates to his judgment. And 2 Peter 3 7, but the heavens and the earth, which are now preserved by the same word, are reserved for fire until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.

So, and of course the tribulation period has fire as one of the components as part of the second period. Remember, the tribulation period is broken in into two halves, the first part and then the so-called great tribulation. And the great tribulations when all these earthly events like floods and fire and disease and all those kinds enter in. Keep in mind the first three years of the trib may be pretty soft, but the second three are promising this type of judgment of God.

And the first part again is kind of a political kind of positioning, isn't it? Whereas the second part is ultimately God's judgment being portrayed very vividly. And if you've not done the Left Behind series, that's really a worthwhile experience. I think it's a fun read, and it's I think a scripturally accurate read of what the promises are in the future.

2 Peter 3.10, But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat, both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. Tribulation. Great tribulation. Taking or giving vengeance on those who do not know God.

I find it kind of interesting the use of the word know. So know comes in various forms. This is a perfect active participle, which means it's perfect tense, it will continue, it's active. This is God being proactively judging those who need to be repaid. But what Greek term do you think is used here? You got three options. Iaido, Gnoska, or Epigonoska. May we have a vote? How many people vote for Iaido? How many people vote for Gnoska? How many people are Epigonoska favorites? And how many abstaining? The entire class is abstaining. At least we have some person raising his hand that he's abstaining.

Well, let's think about the terms. What does heido in the Greek mean for no? Come on, we've been through this before. It's just knowledge. Yeah, it's facts. Yeah, like we drove a red car to church today. and I'm not going to paint judgment on anybody else's car color. Did you drive the truck today, Peter? I did, yes. So Peter's truck is black. So that's the idea. We know the color of the cars. Okay. Gnuska, what's that? Well, that has the idea of experience and know of experience. Okay, so it's an experiential kind of knowledge.

I mean, I know Marion. I've known her for years, and that's not just factually knowing Marion, but in fact it's someone that I've known for four decades now, really. Right, Marion? Yeah, so she's nodding her head. So we've known each other, and I have experiential knowledge with Marion.

That's great. You too, David, by the way. Okay, and Epigeneska, what's that? Well, if Gnosko is an experiential knowledge... I'm sorry, go ahead. Andrew? Go ahead. Oh, that's a knowledge that's really personalized. You're really invested in being Gnosko, right? Right, and it's profound, isn't it? It's deep.

And how might that be best applied to us as believers? I mean we hope, we just don't know Christ as a person who died, a God-man who died on the cross. We could be saved by the gospel account. But Gnoska's having an experience with him, getting to know him, getting to know you, getting, anyway, but Epi Gnoska's really a higher level of in-depth knowledge and I think that's what we're about at Holly Hills. For me to live is Christ and die is gain. I mean it, you know, I'm crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live, but not I, it's Christ who lives in me. That's this higher, not only just experiential, that I've been crucified, dead and buried and risen, but that I have this life being lived out with me infinitely and daily. I mean, we're not going to measure this with a yardstick, but we're going to measure this in terms of our knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Okay, so what term do you think is being used here? Taking vengeance on those who do not know God. No, this is eidos. Yep, and a couple of verses to reflect the use of this term, but then indeed when you did not know God, same Greek verb, who served those which by nature are not gods, and those who do not, well we'll just stop there for a second, so this is just people who don't When we say no, I think we need to say no God in terms of his delivering the Lord Jesus Christ.

I mean, in other words, knowing God for who he is, not just some God somewhere. I mean, many people believe in a God. And the Muslims and the Jews, we all believe that Abraham is our godly father. And the same God Yahweh for the Jew. Islam name for God, Allah. I mean, I think they all think that's the same God, but we know God factually based on biblical truth. And that's what we're talking about.

Wayne? as in Romans, the first chapter. Okay. I mean, that's really a rejection. They know God because he's revealed himself to them, and they know that's built into man to know that there is a God. Well, that's the conscience, if you will, the conscience that we, okay, go ahead. Yeah, but there's a total rejection there of those that don't know him, they don't want to know him.

Okay, and what happens to those? They go south, don't they, typically? All right. Now, what about those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ? Are we talking about believers here? If they didn't obey it, they didn't believe it, it seems like. Okay, it's tough to obey. And what's our obedience to, Roger?

Well, it's listening to the truth. I mean, I always like to think of listening under. You know, people listen to God's word and they believe it. They trust it. They rely upon it. Well, what did the Jewish nation need to obey in? Well, what was revealed to them at the time? Christ was with them in the person. And some did. Some in the nation of Israel did believe him. But as a nation, the Jew was under law. Wasn't Israel under law? And what was the purpose of law? It was to convict us of sin.

So ultimately, not obeying the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ is not obeying the faith that we've been called to. So this is not... I think the believer who's falling short in some way, they're saved. We're talking about, again, the unbeliever. So what does it mean not to obey the active participle again, the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ? Is this ignorance or willingly obedience to the faith? I think could be either ignorance or willingly obedience to the faith.

And I think Thessalonica, maybe some of the persecutions they were getting were within people who came to church each day, if you will, I'm putting that as a theoretical, who were there and misleading the body. I mean we have plenty of examples in other epistles that Peter, for instance, and others have written about that.

Titus 1.16, again, the great book of truth. They profess to know, again, Iaito God, but in works they deny him, being abominable, disobedient, and disqualified for every good work. If they're disqualified from every good work, they can't They claim they know God, but ultimately their lifestyles do not reflect it. So our obedience is not to the law, it's not to a series of rules and regulations. Our obedience is to the faith and everything is perfectly represented by the teaching of the epistles and also by John in his gospel account.

Romans 10.3, for they being ignorant of God's righteousness and seeking to establish their own righteousness have not submitted to the righteousness of God. So again, either ignorant or they're unwilling, or whatever the reason is, these are people who are not obeying the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. And again, this has got to be for the unbeliever.

I mean, does God judge the believer? No. He encourages, comforts, uplifts, corrects. It's child-rearing, if you will, but it's not judgment. The judgment that we all have is our relationship to the cross, individually. And finally Romans 10.16, but they have not all obeyed the gospel. Reflecting here, that's directed towards Israel to some extent, but I think it reflects the church. So we're going to conclude today, and we're going to conclude, I think, as a class that ultimately the tribulation period looks like a good time for this judgment, but that it doesn't necessarily have to be restricted to that. It could be now in various ways that God's working to repay those who, if you will, are creating trials and tribulations for the body. And clearly, the great white throne judgment, it's going to be dealt with permanently for all.

Any concluding thoughts or comments? All right, let's close in prayer. Father, we're thankful for scripture. It's not always perfectly clear, but I think as we approach it through the teaching of the Spirit and we try to rightly divide the word of truth, we do our best as Spirit-led to try to make conclusions that really relate to really hear the non-believing body around the world. So we're thankful that you're in control of that judgment, how you manifest that, and we want to grow through these experiences in trying to understand your word and apply them to our day-to-day lives. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.