What’s Obvious
This is a plain indication of God’s righteous judgment so that you may be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which indeed you are suffering. 2 Thessalonians 1:5
Plain Indication – What is the most obvious indication of your faith? That’s the question Paul answers in these few verses from his letter. But before we see his indication, we need to pause and reflect on our own lives. What is the plain evidence that you are in the service of Jesus? The Greek word (endeigma) is the actual evidence, the real, tangible demonstration obvious to anyone who looks. Notice that it is evidence for anyone who looks. That means that your unbelieving friends and neighbors, your skeptical colleagues at work, your apostate relatives, even people that you do not know, should be able to point to clear evidence of God’s hand in your life.
Have you determined what fits the criterion for you? Then, you are ready for Paul’s answer. The plain evidence of God’s righteous judgment over you is suffering! Look at verse 4. Paul exhorts the Christians at Thessalonica to see their suffering as the plain mark of God’s choice. They are counted worthy of the kingdom because they are walking in Jesus’ footprints, the same bloody footprints that lead to the cross.
What a damning critique this verse is for most contemporary, middle-class Christians today! We have been seduced into believing that the mark of a Christian is success, comfort, peace and prosperity. We run from suffering as though it is the epitome of the enemy’s frontal attack. Our perspective has been so twisted that we are on the wrong side of the fence without knowing it. Jesus said it plainly. “If you love me, the world will hate you.” But we act as if He was mistaken. We think that being a good Christian means that God will insure that the world loves us. How ridiculous! If you stand for the vision and values of the Lord of hosts, everything under the control of the prince of this world stands against you. The call to every believer is to come, suffer and die – not to come, enjoy and succeed. If the clear evidence of suffering for the kingdom is not found in your life, then how are you any different from those who don’t believe? If your goals are to achieve the American dream, or any other form of peace and prosperity, then where is the plainly obvious difference between you and the legions in league with the enemy? You can’t have it both ways. If the plain evidence is missing, then there is something wrong with your value system.
Does this mean that we should pursue suffering? Not at all! God is not interested in suffering for suffering’s sake. Paul is simply pointing out that if you are suffering because of your obvious stand for Jesus, you should not be surprised. You should be thrilled. This is the plain evidence that God has chosen you to be worthy of the kingdom.
So, take a look! What’s the obvious evidence in your life? What does it shout to others? Oh, by the way, if you happen to be suffering as a result of God’s choice, why are you complaining?
