AFFIRMING THE AFFLICTED
Stephen Whitney
2 Thessalonians 1:1-4
The world has always persecuted believers because Satan opposes the truth of the gospel. John 16:33 At the last supper Jesus clearly told his disciples, ''In the world you will have tribulation.''
He did not say, you may or might or will possibly have tribulation, but you will certainly experience trouble because Satan will do everything he can to discourage you to continue to walk with God.
In the early church the believers suffered persecution because:
1. The Jews did not believe Jesus was the promised OT Messiah.
2. The Gentiles did not like the fact that believers turned away
from the idols which the people worshipped.
Today believers in some parts of the world are killed for their faith
and in other parts are restricted because of what they believe. Here in our country believers are mocked and ridiculed for their faith.
1. In their belief in creation according to the Bible, not evolution.
2. In their belief that God created two sexes: male and female,
not gay, bisexual, transsexual or anything else.
3. In their belief that marriage is between a man and a woman,
not two people of the same sex.
4. In their belief that faith in Jesus Christ as their Savior is the
only way a person can be forgiven of their sins to go to heaven.
Background
The believers in Thessalonica were grateful for Paul's first letter
to them, but that did not clear up all their problems. In fact, the persecution had grown so bad that many thought they were now living in the day of the Lord, which was an OT expression of the
time when God would judge the world for its wickedness.
Apparently, either through a revelation someone had or a sermon someone preached word had spread that the day of the Lord had come and they were now living in it as they suffered for their faith.
To help them understand they were not living in the day of the Lord two months after Paul wrote the first let ...
Stephen Whitney
2 Thessalonians 1:1-4
The world has always persecuted believers because Satan opposes the truth of the gospel. John 16:33 At the last supper Jesus clearly told his disciples, ''In the world you will have tribulation.''
He did not say, you may or might or will possibly have tribulation, but you will certainly experience trouble because Satan will do everything he can to discourage you to continue to walk with God.
In the early church the believers suffered persecution because:
1. The Jews did not believe Jesus was the promised OT Messiah.
2. The Gentiles did not like the fact that believers turned away
from the idols which the people worshipped.
Today believers in some parts of the world are killed for their faith
and in other parts are restricted because of what they believe. Here in our country believers are mocked and ridiculed for their faith.
1. In their belief in creation according to the Bible, not evolution.
2. In their belief that God created two sexes: male and female,
not gay, bisexual, transsexual or anything else.
3. In their belief that marriage is between a man and a woman,
not two people of the same sex.
4. In their belief that faith in Jesus Christ as their Savior is the
only way a person can be forgiven of their sins to go to heaven.
Background
The believers in Thessalonica were grateful for Paul's first letter
to them, but that did not clear up all their problems. In fact, the persecution had grown so bad that many thought they were now living in the day of the Lord, which was an OT expression of the
time when God would judge the world for its wickedness.
Apparently, either through a revelation someone had or a sermon someone preached word had spread that the day of the Lord had come and they were now living in it as they suffered for their faith.
To help them understand they were not living in the day of the Lord two months after Paul wrote the first let ...
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