ARISE SHINE - A MANIFEST TOKEN

A MANIFEST TOKEN
(by David S. Musick)


3. “WE ARE BOUND TO THANK GOD ALWAYS FOR YOU, BRETHREN, AS IT IS MEET, BECAUSE THAT YOUR FAITH GROWETH EXCEEDINGLY, AND THE CHARITY OF EVERY ONE OF YOU ALL TOWARD EACH OTHER ABOUNDETH;
4. SO THAT WE OURSELVES GLORY IN YOU IN THE CHURCHES OF GOD, FOR YOUR PATIENCE AND FAITH IN ALL YOUR PERSECUTIONS AND TRIBULATIONS THAT YE ENDURE;
5. WHICH IS A MANIFEST TOKEN OF THE RIGHTEOUS JUDGMENT OF GOD, THAT YE MAY BE COUNTED WORTHY OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD, FOR WHICH YE ALSO SUFFER:” (II THESS 1: 3-5).


The reason for this second letter to the Thessalonians was the same as the first; indeed, most scholars believe that this second letter followed only a few months after the first. Paul is addressing the erroneous belief that the day of the lord’s coming was close at hand. The persecution this young church was enduring must have been tremendous because it seems there was an almost manic desire for Jesus to come now. So much so that people were leaving their jobs and cloistering together in anticipation of the lord’s imminent return. What gave this erroneous belief more merit, was the fact that it was reported among them that Paul himself had declared as much.


Jewel Courtney (our Pastor), once said that “there is a big difference between being in error from being in the spirit of error”. Although there was this misunderstanding and a very palpable, anxious fear within this young church; and even though they were in error regarding the second coming; never-the-less, love grew there. Faith grew there. Patience grew there. If they were in the spirit of error, none of the divine benefits would have grown because the spirit of error is enemy territory. It is the place of destruction, spiritual dismemberment and darkness. But here they were; persecuted, they were in tribulation and in real fear for their collective lives, yet patience, faith and love were there.


In the persecution and the tribulation, god was working deep and lasting spiritual attributes within the hearts of his people in the Thessalonians church. In the midst of the fear, god brought faith. In the midst of tribulation god brought patience. In the midst of persecution, god brought love. “In all your persecutions and tribulations That ye endure; which is a manifest token [evidence] of the righteous judgment of God; that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom”. God was allowing the persecution and the tribulation. God was after depth and spiritual principals to come forth in his people in order to plant his kingdom in his people. This was more important than fixing a doctrinal error regarding the second coming. When Paul was able to reassure them that Christ’s coming was an event that no man could predict; then I believe hope began to grow there and fear began to fade away.


Where are you in this story? Is God digging you out? Are you persecuted for your faith, and is tribulation driving you away from peace? are you full of fear and error? are you bewildered at times as to your status in the kingdom, or do you wonder if you have a place? And yet, and yet, in the midst of the turmoil, the questions and fear, is there, strangely enough, an in-working of Divine principals and are great strides in grace and love, faith and patience at work in your heart? Then you are where God wants you. He is in the shadows working a deep surgical procedure within your being whereby, if you wait, the very light of divine enlightenment and hope will come forth in your being and you will see the end from the beginning. And that little error will have a great light shown on it, and it will be exposed to you so that it too will be taken care of in God’s time. Only endure. Your tribulations and persecutions are a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God. Arise shine for your light is come.