Paul the
apostle “gloried in the churches” concerning the
Thessalonians because of their “patience
and faith in
all” their
“persecutions and tribulations that” they
“endured”, and in chapter
one and verse five of this second letter to them, Paul shares his
desire for the Thessalonian church members to “be counted
worthy of the kingdom of God”
where we read:
that you
may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which ye also
suffer:
The
verse begins, “Which
is a manifest token of the righteous
judgment of God,...” Paul
began with the phrase, “Which is a
manifest token”
which is one Greek word, “endeigma”
and
means “evidence or proof” “of the
righteous”
or “observing of divine laws” “judgment”
which means “a separating, sundering, selection, opinion or
decision given concerning anything” “of
God” which
refers to “the Godhead bodily and trinity comprised of God the
Father, Christ the Son and the Holy Spirit”. Paul continued his
thought about the “persecutions and
tribulations”
the Thessalonians “endured” as
he saw their trials as “proof” of their real commitment and
faithfulness to Jesus Christ.
The verse goes on to
say, “...that
you may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you also
suffer:” Paul
continued, “that you may be counted
worthy” which
is one Greek word, “kataxioō”
means “to
judge or deem entirely deserving” “of
the kingdom”
or “royal power, kingship, dominion and rule” “of
God” which
refers to “the Godhead bodily and trinity comprised of God the
Father, Christ the Son and the Holy Spirit”, “for
which you also suffer”
”
which is the Greek phrase “paschō
kai paschō” and
means
the Thessalonian church members “affect, feel, have a sensible
experience and undergo a sensation or impression which is usually
painful”. Though the Thessalonians “suffered”
“persecutions and tribulations” for
their faith in Jesus Christ, these would “deem
them entirely worthy”
of the “kingdom of God”.
When we meditate upon
Paul's words, we understand the “eternal” value of our
“persecutions and tribulations”.
The Thessalonians suffered greatly for their faith in Jesus Christ,
and these became “proofs” they were worthy of entrance into the
“kingdom of God”.
Do we “suffer”
for our faith in Jesus? Have we ever endured “persecutions”
or “tribulations”
because we “trust in, rely upon and cling to” Jesus Christ? Jesus
said, “Blessed are
they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the
kingdom of heaven”,
and His words assure those who “endure”
these things they will be with Him in His kingdom. Let us examine
ourselves and be certain we know the troubles, trials, “persecutions
and tribulations”
we face “count us worthy”
to enter into the Kingdom of God.
Next
time Paul tells the Thessalonians he desires for God “recompense
tribulation to them that trouble”
them, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until
tomorrow…there is more…
Look
for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From
Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be
Married”, and the new devotional “One Year in the Sermon on the
Mount” in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com
; http://www.barnesandnobles.com
; download to e-books, and find it locally at
www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.
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