God’s Just Justice (John Frye)

This is by our friend and pastor and author, John Frye.

A JUST GOD DOES PUNISH PEOPLE

The church of the Thessalonians “in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ” exploded into being. However long Paul was in Thessalonica, most agree it wasn’t an extensive amount of time (see Acts 17:1-9). Swept out of town because of a political uproar, Paul, Silas and Timothy left in a hurry. Paul was anxious to know how this new, mostly Gentile convert church was doing. Hearing a report from Timothy, Paul was greatly encouraged (1 Th 3:6). The “gospel” they received was full of life-transforming energy and Paul beams his excitement about their growth in the Christian faith.

Paul is astounded by and brags about the Thessalonians’ conversion to Jesus Christ. People are telling Paul how the Thessalonians “turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead–Jesus, who rescues us from coming wrath” (1 Th. 1:9-10).  Thessalonica, a privileged Roman city, a free city like Philippi, was home to rampant pagan idolatry. Any cursory study of idolatry in the first century world reveals the totalitarian nature of its control over the lives of common people. Serving idols was a crap-shoot and no one ever lived with peace of mind regarding the gods. 

The new converts turned to God from idols. Conversion. The necessary turning (repenting) was evoked by the gospel as it was permeated and spoken with power and the Holy Spirit. The new converts were now serving not lifeless idols, but the living God, the true God, the raised-his-Son-from-the-dead God. These new converts were waiting for the exalted Son’s return, the Son who rescues us from the coming  wrath. Rescues? Coming wrath (orges) ? Two strong concepts. But I thought God is love and love wins. We can’t make this text read “rescues us now from whatever wrath we make for ourselves.” It is clearly an eschatological anticipation.

These new converts to Jesus the Messiah were being persecuted either by angry citizens or by jealous Jews or both. The new converts were enduring, even florishing under the threats. Paul in his second letter continues to thank God for their stamina (2 Th. 1:3-4). Then we read (NIV) “God is just: He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you 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. He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might…” (2 Th. 1:6-9).

I read [if indeed] God is just, he will pay back trouble. This isn’t ugly, sinful, fitful vengeance. God is just and will pay back.

I read God will punish (ekdikesin), they will suffer punishment (pay the penalty), everlasting destruction (olethron aionion) away from the presence of the Lord. If behind the blazing fire of v 7 is an allusion to Isaiah 66:15 (Fee), then the fire is not a purifying fire, but a punishing fire. This is dreadful fire.

This text is not necessarily Paul’s description of hell. The horrifying consequence for Paul is to be “shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might” (v 9) for the reason of “not knowing God and obeying the gospel of our Lord Jesus” (v 8).

In our continuing conversation about the consequences of sin and conditions in the “eternal state,” I think we can conclude from these two Thessalonian texts that God is just in punishing those who do not know God and who do not obey the gospel of the Lord Jesus. God’s justice does not require that he, in the end, forgive everyone.  Forgiveness is not an attribute of God. It is an act. Therefore not forgiving is not a violation of God’s being. Yes, God is love and God can be unforgiving. Forgiveness is not part of our nature, either. It, too, is a decision, an act just like God’s forgiveness is a decision, an act. I think it is petulant to respond: if God does not forgive all the time, then I don’t have to either. In view of the cross, we live in a vast forgiveness atmosphere. We are called to forgive just as God forgives us. This is right and commanded. Yet, God is just and he will punish evil doers. Love does not require that God forgive.