A Day of Judgement and Eternal Destiny

This morning besides taking some time in worship, I felt I should read from Paul's second letter to the church in Thessoloniaka.

2 Thessalonians 1:5-10 NIV:
[5] "All this is evidence that God’s judgment is right, and as a result you will be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are suffering. [6] God is just: He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you [7] and give relief to you who are troubled, and to us as well. This will happen when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven in blazing fire with his powerful angels. [8] He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. [9] They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might [10] on the day he comes to be glorified in his holy people and to be marveled at among all those who have believed. This includes you, because you believed our testimony to you."

Sometimes we forget that there is an eternal destiny waiting for each of us, for all of us. Paul is quite clear in his understanding that there will be a day of judgement, a day of reckoning, when the Lord will come and judge rightly. God is full of compassion, mercy and grace. He desires that no one should be lost (2 Peter 3:9) and no one perish, but that is not the reality. There will be those who have chosen to not know God, nor to put their faith in Jesus. They may not be the ones we expect, but judgement will be given. Jesus first spoke of this reality, (Matt 25:31-46) and Paul continues that theme here.

My friend was talking about the importance of knowing there is an eternal destiny, heaven, and that this should fill us with hope and encouragement as believers. It is one of the truths that was very present in the minds of the early church, and something that helped them to endure difficult times and struggles. Paul directs their thoughts in this direction in these verses, and we should spend some time thinking about this well. We, or I should say I, spend very little time thinking about eternal destiny, as our society is so focused on the here and now. We have difficulty thinking beyond tomorrow, or next week, let alone our eternal destiny, yet this something that Jesus came to tell us about. Jesus comforted His apostles by saying He was going to the Father to prepare a place for them (John 14:2-3). We should heed His words, considering this reality of eternal destiny, and allow our lives to be impacted, and changed. Viewing life from an eternal perspective should give us a new appreciation for that which is important and that that which will pass away.