[5]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 the manifest token of the righteous judgment of God, that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which ye also suffer: [6] Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you. — 2nd Thessalonians 1
Paul describes in his letter to the Thessalonian church the marks of God’s elect. He points out two signs that they are maturing in their faith: their piety abounds, and so does their persecution. Paul was not a prosperity preacher. The whole world lies in wickedness, and takes counsel against the anointed of God. That is Christ above all things, and also we who are in Christ.
I want to go back to the Old Testament to point out that the Lord changes not. I’ve already hammered the way this verse gets applied by Zionists in other posts but hear me out:
Genesis 12:3 says, “And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse them that curseth thee…”
We have a match right there in 2nd Thessalonians 1:6 where it says, “…Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you.”
He will bless them that bless you and curse them that curse you “if so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious.” Christ has made us the light of this world until his return. Men love darkness rather than light because their deeds are evil (John:3:19).
Jesus takes the persecution of his saints very personally. When the sheep and the goats are divided in the end of the age in Matthew 25 the Lord Jesus says that what you have done to the least of his sheep for better or for worse you have done to him. He will bless them that bless his sheep and curse them that curse his sheep because all of the elect are members of his own body, the body of Christ.
Selah.
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