Who Are These That Persecute The Church

Paul writes a letter to the church in Thessalonians about their problems that they were having, and in his writing he was informing them that judgement was coming. The purpose of judgment is to rectify injustices. You see the believers at Thessalonica were suffering fierce persecution and all kinds of trouble at the hands of their neighbors and the local city government. Most of the citizens of Thessalonica wanted nothing to do with Christ, so they sought out way, looked for ways, hunted out ways to stamp out His name, they were threatening and persecuting all who confessed Christ, they threaten and persecuted anyone that admitted to being a follower. They were like some people I know that threaten to put you out, kick you out and threaten your membership if you don’t acknowledged what is right in their eyesight.

When we look at this situation, this situation had become serious; the situation had become so bad that it affected those that were around them. And I might as well just jump right in here and tell you that when the church is troubled, when the saints are acting like the sinners, when there is trouble in the church house, it will affect the neighborhood. It will keep people from coming to church, it will make people say that’s why I don’t go to church now, and it will cause a rift in the body of Christ. This can be seen and proven by looking at the account in Acts, and by the number of times persecution is referred to in the two letters to the Thessalonians.

Notice these verses.

"But the Jews which believed not, moved with envy, took unto them certain lewd fellows (which means some nasty people, some mean people, ok let me say it like I feel it, some low-down people) of the baser sort, and gathered a company, and set all the city on an uproar, and assaulted the house of Jason, and sought to bring them [Paul and Silas] out to the people. And when they found them, they drew Jason and certain brethren unto the rulers of the city, crying, these that have turned the world upside down are come hither also; whom Jason hath received: and these all do contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, one Jesus. And they troubled the people and the rulers of the city, when they heard these things" (Acts 17:5-8).

"But when the Jews of Thessalonica had knowledge that the word of God was preached of Paul at Berea, they came thither also, and stirred up the people" (Acts 17:13).

"And ye became followers of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost" (1 Thes. 1:6).

"We were bold in our God to speak unto you the gospel of God with much contention" (1 Thes. 2:2).

"For ye, brethren, became followers of the churches of God which in Judaea are in Christ Jesus: for ye also have suffered like things of your own countrymen, even as they have of the Jews" (1 Thes. 2:14).

"That no man should be moved by these afflictions: for yourselves know that we are appointed thereunto. For verily, when we were with you, we told you before that we should suffer tribulation; even as it came to pass, and ye know" (1 Thes. 3:3-4).

"So that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that ye endure" (2 Thes. 1:4).

The suffering of the believers was terrifying; therefore, they needed some encouragement. Paul had done this in the former passages in (2nd Thes. 1:3-5) and he would do at the end of the present passage (2nd Thes. 1:10-12).

But may I tell you that although he encouraged the suffering believers, something else was needed as well: the persecutors, the oppressors, the harassers, the intimidators, the tormenters and the unbelievers of the world needed to be warned. They need to be warned that God is going to rectify all the injustices of the world. God's judgment is going to fall upon every person who has mistreated others. All unjust behavior of men will bear the terrible judgment of God, all the • killing • mocking • cursing • gossiping • criticizing • defrauding • cheating • abusing • stealing • ridiculing • fighting • arguing • misusing • rejecting • ignoring • deceiving • lying • and hoarding God is going to rectify.

I must tell you, I need to tell you, I have to tell you and I shall tell you

that we live in the midst of an evil and an unjust people. Much of the world's behavior and much of man's behavior is evil and unjust. God must judge the world, for judgment is the righteous and just thing.