The Thessalonian Christians were suffering. They were being
persecuted for their faith by the people who lived around them. Why? Because
they no longer believed like their neighbors which meant that they no longer
lived like their neighbors which meant that their neighbors felt the conviction
that comes when lost people find themselves in the presence of true believers.
You have probably experienced that before. People that you sense are uncomfortable
around you or even become hostile toward you for no apparent reason. Paul
describes this as an aroma in 2 Corinthians 2:16. To other believers, our
presence is like the aroma of life; but to lost people, we are the aroma of
death. That explains why there is such hostility towards Christians. Sometimes
lost people don’t even know why they are uncomfortable around us or sometimes
even angry at us. Our spirits and their spirits clash.
So Paul reminded these brothers and sisters of what happened
in Judea. The Jews ultimately crucified Jesus – just like they had done the
prophets. Again, this is evidence of hostility that takes place when
God-followers stand for truth. Lost people hold to their sinful beliefs and
even carry them to the extremes. But Paul hits the nail on the head. These
people do not please God, and they “fill up the measure of their sins.” That is
the picture used by multiple prophets to describe God’s judgment. It is like those
who are outside of that love relationship with God have a bowl that is
constantly being filled with our sins. Eventually, that bowl fills up, and when
it begins to overflow, God pours out His wrath. This is the reason that the
Canaanites were judged so harshly in the Old Testament. It’s why Israel was
defeated by the Assyrians and Judah by the Babylonians. And it is why people
spend an eternity in hell. The good news is that one drop of Jesus’ blood
poured into that bowl makes it all evaporate into nothingness. God’s grace
changes everything!
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