Jon Chillinsky, Middler M.Div. Student at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary

Scripture

2 Thessalonians 1:5-12

5 This is evidence of the righteous judgment of God, and is intended to make you worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are also suffering. 6 For it is indeed just of God to repay with affliction those who afflict you, 7 and to give relief to the afflicted as well as to us, when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels 8 in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. 9 These will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, separated from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might, 10 when he comes to be glorified by his saints and to be marveled at on that day among all who have believed, because our testimony to you was believed. 11 To this end we always pray for you, asking that our God will make you worthy of his call and will fulfill by his power every good resolve and work of faith, 12 so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Devotional

“God is just...” (2 Thess 1:6a), yet is often proclaimed to be unjust. How can God truly be just if he commands whole people groups to be killed or condemns people to “everlasting destruction” for simply not knowing or obeying the gospel?

Sometimes it is the starting point of our thinking that determines the outcome. Choosing to start with the fact that God is just and then trying to understand how this is so in relation to the seemingly contrary ends with Paul's conclusion, a prayer. A prayer that glorifies Jesus in believers and vice versa. And in this Advent season when we proceed in memory toward the birth of our Lord, we pray in the same way Paul did.

Prayer

Heavenly Father we come before you, through Jesus, and by the power of the Holy Spirit, with reverent hearts. Spirit guide our choices and soften our hearts so we can do good by faith. Help us understand your justice in this unjust world and make sense of where you want us to be. We thank you Lord Jesus. Amen.

Jon Chillinsky, Middler M.Div. Student at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary

Scripture

2 Thessalonians 1:5-12

5 This is evidence of the righteous judgment of God, and is intended to make you worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are also suffering. 6 For it is indeed just of God to repay with affliction those who afflict you, 7 and to give relief to the afflicted as well as to us, when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels 8 in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. 9 These will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, separated from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might, 10 when he comes to be glorified by his saints and to be marveled at on that day among all who have believed, because our testimony to you was believed. 11 To this end we always pray for you, asking that our God will make you worthy of his call and will fulfill by his power every good resolve and work of faith, 12 so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Devotional

“God is just...” (2 Thess 1:6a), yet is often proclaimed to be unjust. How can God truly be just if he commands whole people groups to be killed or condemns people to “everlasting destruction” for simply not knowing or obeying the gospel?

Sometimes it is the starting point of our thinking that determines the outcome. Choosing to start with the fact that God is just and then trying to understand how this is so in relation to the seemingly contrary ends with Paul's conclusion, a prayer. A prayer that glorifies Jesus in believers and vice versa. And in this Advent season when we proceed in memory toward the birth of our Lord, we pray in the same way Paul did.

Prayer

Heavenly Father we come before you, through Jesus, and by the power of the Holy Spirit, with reverent hearts. Spirit guide our choices and soften our hearts so we can do good by faith. Help us understand your justice in this unjust world and make sense of where you want us to be. We thank you Lord Jesus. Amen.