AGM: “Not Ashamed of Suffering for the Gospel”
“As for other matters, brothers and sisters, pray for us that the message of the Lord may spread rapidly and be honored, just as it was with you. And pray that we may be delivered from wicked and evil people, for not everyone has faith. But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen you and protect you from the evil one. We have confidence in the Lord that you are doing and will continue to do the things we command. May the Lord direct your hearts into God’s love and Christ’s perseverance.”
At a training seminar for GAFCON bishops that I was hosting, my friend Archbishop Ben Kwashi made the following striking statement:
“Let’s get this straight, in this fallen world everybody suffers. If you are an unbeliever you suffer for nothing, if you are a believer you suffer for Jesus, the Son of God who loved you and gave himself for you! So, let’s be willing to suffer for Jesus- it’s our privilege- as we await the time when all suffering will cease in Heaven!”
This powerful statement came from somebody who is at the front line of persecution by Islamic extremists on the Christian community in Jos, Northern Nigeria where Ben is Archbishop. Despite the difficult circumstances, he is a Christian full of joy and faith, as anyone who has met him will testify.
In the above passage Paul was concerned about how these young Christians at Thessalonica, that he had spent only three weeks with, were doing in the face of on-going suffering and persecution. He had heard with great relief from Timothy that they were doing well- “for this reason, brothers, in all our distress and affliction we have been comforted about you through your faith. For now we live, if you are standing fast in the Lord” (I Thess. 3:7,8). Paul boasted about the steadfastness of these young Christians, but he also wanted to encourage them in the on-going difficulties they faced (II Thess.1:4). He talks in this verse about this using two different words which cover different kinds of suffering:
‘persecutions’ = which can be defined as ‘a programme of harassment’ and, secondly
‘afflictions’ = which literally means anything that puts you under pressure, be it. difficulties with work, health, family etc.
Their suffering was on going, and in this respect they were in the same boat as Paul and his companions. When he was with them he had warned them that suffering was a normal part of Christian experience this side of heaven, but in the wonderful encouraging words of this passage (II Thess. 3:1-5) he wants to give them a healthy perspective and lift their eyes and hearts upwards.
Paul requests prayer (3:1) and prays for them (3:5). The five verses form a sandwich with an ‘X’ or Chiastic structure- 1,2,3,2,1.Let me explain:
v1 & v5 speak about prayer
v2 & v3b speak about opposition
v3 (& v4a) speak about the faithfulness of God- the key point is in the middle of the sandwich! Let’s look at the passage in a bit more detail.
1. Paul asks for prayer “that the word of the Lord may speed ahead and be honoured…as among you” (v1). It is an athletic analogy- he wants the Gospel message to be the spiritual equivalent of Usain Bolt in the speed and progress that it makes! The Thessalonian Christians are a good example of the kind of reception of the Gospel Paul longs for more widely (v1c). For when people believe in Jesus as Saviour and Lord he is honoured and glorified.
They were not to become ‘shrinking violets’ in their witness – as the Gospel had begun amongst them so it was to continue - Paul would have said ‘Be wise, be careful but be unashamed of the Gospel’ (v1c).
2. Paul asks for prayer for deliverance from wicked men who oppose the Gospel. The ‘we’ of v2 includes the Thessalonian believers. It is not long before Paul’s requests for prayer for himself and his companions turn to care and prayer for these Christians in Thessalonica- “for not all have the faith” (v2b). There was opposition for Paul in Corinth just as there was opposition in Thessalonica. Indeed, there will always be some opposition to the gospel, from unbelievers who pursue a “programme of harassment”. What is surprising is that that can come from the religious establishment (the leaders of the ‘church’ at the time sought and succeeded in the crucifixion of Jesus). Also, opposition can come from false teachers in the church who sow unbiblical ideas, as these Thessalonian Christians were already experiencing.
3. But the central truth is that God is faithful (v3). Our God not only saves but he keeps and stands by those who believe in him. Therefore, “He will establish you and guard you against the evil one” (v3b). Behind the opposition of wicked unbelieving people is the orchestration of ‘the evil one’ who seeks to undermine the saving purposes of God. We are in a spiritual battle but we can have confidence in the Lord that God will strengthen and enable believers to be joyfully obedient to Apostolic Gospel commands. God is at work by his Spirit in his children to encourage, strengthen, equip and enable us to keep going and to win through in the end.
Notice the striking comment of the great early bishop John Chrysostom which is in marked contrast to 21st century self-confidence, which we hear so often:
“God rather than our mutual self-confidence is the source of our strength” (commenting on “We have confidence in the Lord…” v4)
4. So, their evident joyful faith (“as happened among you” v1b) will continue in joyful obedience to the Lord’s commands delivered by the apostles (v4b).
5. Paul now confidently prays for them in the magnificent words of v5- “May the Lord direct your hearts to (literally “into”) the love of God and to (again literally “into”) the steadfastness of Christ” (see NIV). He prays that they may experience a deeper sense of the love of God for them and the persevering love of Christ with them.
Scholars have debated as to whether this refers to the love of God for us or our love for him; likewise, whether it refers to the steadfastness of Christ for us or our steadfast faith in him as our example. That is, whether it is objective or subjective in reference. But the truth is that it is both, for it is the amazing gracious love of God for us in Christ which motivates and enables us to love him, and it is the perseverance of Christ with us (warts and all!) that encourages us to persevere in our faith and look to not only our Saviour’s example but his power and presence with us to enable us so to do. As Leon Morris puts it:
“We should similarly think of Christ’s perseverance as inspiring perseverance in his followers”.
Our Conclusion then is that we should:
· Aim for the spread of the Gospel, which is God’s power for salvation, pray for that and long for that!
· Not be thrown by suffering- Jesus said- “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you” (John 15:18)
· Remember and rejoice that GOD IS FAITHFUL – He is present to save, keep and see us through now- “to establish guard and enable us”
· So, we need to keep our hearts and minds focused on Jesus- Let him/ask him to motivate us to love him and to keep his commandments.
We should BE ENCOURAGED! Any present suffering is nothing compared to our present and eternal joy in Heaven one day!
Bishop Wallace Benn November 9, 2022