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Appointed To Affliction Series
Contributed by Glenn Pease on Apr 7, 2021 (message contributor)
Summary: As far as possible the Christian is to live peaceably with all men. The ideal is progress without persecution, but the world will not tolerate the Christian conviction, and so there will be tribulation, and we must be prepared to face it if we stand for the truth as we ought.
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One of our neighbors had a common but nerve wracking
experience. Her little girl did not come home from school at noon.
She got worried and went out to look for her, but she was no where
around. The mother was just sick with worry as the worst possible
thoughts went through her mind. She sought the help of a
policewoman at the school, and she drove her through the area and
they found the little girl playing at a friend’s house. It all ended
well, but the mother was so upset she could not eat for the rest of the
day.
Was her attitude of anxiety a sign of the lack of faith? Not at
all, for it was a sign of the presence of love. Persons and things are
in two different categories. It is a virtue to have great concern for
persons. Jesus wept for them and died for them. It is a vice only
when we transfer such deep concern to things. It is when we get
upset and anxious about the rug, the car and the golf clubs that we
are in danger of sin, but to feel deep concern for persons has all the
weight of Scripture to support it as a virtue. Jesus made it clear that
we are not to worry about tomorrow, or about any of the necessities
of life. Paul said we are to be anxious for nothing. Both of them,
however, made it clear by example and exhortation that we are to
have care for persons. We want to examine our text to see Paul’s
anxious affection and the cause of his concern, which is appointed
affliction.
I. PAUL’S ANXIOUS AFFECTION.
In chapter two Paul said that he was gentle like a mother to
them. He exhorted, comforted and charged them like a father. Now
he carries on the role of an anxious parent who does not know what
is happening to his child in a dangerous situation. With all of Paul’s
assurance of eternal security, he never used that doctrine as a basis
for indifference. He was concerned about these new converts, and
verse 5 shows just how concerned he was. With all of his assurance
he never underestimated the power of the enemy. He believed the
message of the parable of the soils that Jesus taught, which made it
clear that Satan can snatch the seed away. Even where it begins to
grow it can be destroyed before it becomes fruit. Jesus said that
persecution made some whither before they became fruitful, and
Paul was concerned that this could happen to his converts.
Paul was anxious about them. He was no “love them and leave
them” evangelist. He knew that his work was not completed until
they were established and able to meet the enemy and conquer. He
believed in a strong follow up program. Most of the New Testament
is follow up literature. Paul is writing this letter to strengthen them
so that they might be grounded in the faith. It is this kind of anxious
affection that drives us to care to the point of sacrifice. This should
characterize all believers, for there is always danger that fellow
believers will fall back.
Paul says that he couldn’t stand it any longer not knowing how
they were standing up under affliction. He chose the difficult path
of personal loneliness in order to send Timothy to help them and
bring word back to him. It was no small sacrifice to give up his only
Christian companionship and be left alone in Athens. Paul was a
man who counted a great deal on his companions as he traveled
about in a pagan world. He always had a Titus, a Timothy, or a
Silas at his side. Jesus taught that disciples should go two by two,
for our relationship to God has a social aspect as well as the
personal aspect. He said that where two or three are gathered in His
name He will be present. Paul was willing to give up this fellowship
and suffer loneliness that he might aid these new Christians. Calvin
put it, “He chose rather to be left alone than that they should be
deserted.” What was it that made Paul so concerned about them? It
was-
II. THEIR APPOINTED AFFLICTION.
It is the appointed lot of the Christian to suffer affliction, or as
the same word is translated in verse 4, tribulation. This does not
mean God arranged it and brought it to pass, but that it is the
inevitable result of standing for a minority concept that clashed with
the prejudice of the majority. As far as possible the Christian is to
live peaceably with all men. The ideal is progress without
persecution, but the world will not tolerate the Christian conviction,