God's Justice
Scott Risley
2 Thessalonians 1:1
Here, we address a topic that many Christians would rather avoid: the reality of Hell. Paul is writing his second letter to the church in Thessalonica to instruct them on a few key points. He begins the letter by encouraging them on the ways in which their church is doing well. They are growing in faith and love, and a few points of application are made about practical steps we can take to grow in our faith. The passage moves on to describe the Thessalonians' victorious suffering in the midst of intense persecution. Paul says that God will use this persecution to show His justice, in other words, their good attitudes show that they believe God is aware of suffering and evil, and intends to do something about it. However the issue of "God's justice" is often considered problematic. Does God have the right to judge anyone? If Hell does exist, what is it like? Does the punishment really fit the crime? This teaching addresses all of these questions and more. Although Hell is real, God doesn't want anyone to go there, and has offered everyone a way to escape.\r\n