And this actually made me think a lot about, you know, being a martyr or dying for the
cause of Christ.
You know, a lot of Christians are afraid to die for the cause of Christ.
They're afraid to die for their faith.
And I was pondering upon that thought, upon that fear that could potentially come upon
Christians that are afraid to die for their faith, right?
But then I started thinking about this, I started thinking about other portions of Scripture,
and I thought to myself, well, you know, death for a Christian is only designated for
like the really elite type of Christians, actually, if you think about it, in God's
economy.
He's not going to just let anybody die for their faith because not everyone is worthy
of that.
You see what I'm saying?
Because once you die for your faith, you get a martyr's crown.
It's not like a crown you get at like 99 cent store folks.
This is not some wish crown that you order online or something like that.
It's a martyr's crown.
It's a great honor.
So people who are afraid to die for their faith, you know, most of the time they don't
have to be afraid because God probably won't let them die for their faith because they
have to be fit to die for their faith.
You understand?
See, it's different when we think of it like that.
Because to die, to be persecuted for the sake of Christ and His namesake is actually a great
thing.
You understand?
It's not something that's just distributed to any Christian.
In fact, just read Hebrews 11.
He said, of whom the world was not worthy, referring to those who, you know, refused
deliverance, they refused to be rescued and helped, you know, they refused to be rescued
and they died for their faith and God said, of whom the world is not worthy.
I mean, can the same be said of us?
You know, I don't think the same can be said of me.
You know, obviously we would want to strive for that status, that spiritual status, but
the reality is this, folks, is that, you know, we have to be counted worthy to suffer
shame for His namesake, okay?
He says, and they departed from the presence of the council rejoicing that they were counted
worthy to suffer shame for His name, so they're just bloodied, beaten, they're just like,
this is so cool, I got beat up for the cause of Christ.
And daily in the temple at every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ.
Go to 1 Peter, if you would, 1 Peter.
So what we're looking at in 2 Thessalonians is the evident token of God's judgment.
His assessment of these Christians is that there's some pretty fortified bonafide Christians
that, you know, they can suffer for His name's sake, they can take it.
They are fortified in their faith, they are strong, they will endure, they have patience,
and God allowed them to be persecuted and afflicted in order for them to get a reward,
okay?
It's not just for anybody.
I mean, folks, if everyone was designated for this or if this was distributed to every
Christian, then we would have churches all over America preaching the Word of God unfettered,
unfiltered, just saying everything that the Bible says and not being afraid of persecution,
but that's not the case now, is it?
Now, those churches, many of those churches are still pleasing unto the Lord because they're
still winning souls to Christ, they're still teaching the Bible, they're loving people,
they're loving their brethren, I mean, they're fulfilling a lot of the commands of the Bible,
but we're not talking that base level, you understand?
Above that is where God says, the fellowship of His suffering, where Paul said that I may
know Him, and the fellowship of His suffering, the power of His resurrection, the fellowship
of His suffering, be made conformable unto His death.
That's what Paul wanted.
And it's a scary thought, because it's like, on one end you're like, I would want that,
but in our flesh it's like, I don't want that, because I don't want to die.
I know I'm going to heaven, but it's like, I don't want to die.
I kind of like living.
I like being with my wife.
I like being, you know, wives with their husbands or with their children.
I enjoy living, and so, you know, it's that constant battle, right?