When Faith Is Greatly Enlarged

The second Epistle to the Thessalonians supplements the first Epistle. It was a second prescription for the same spiritual disease. Some diseases are more stubborn to cure than others, especially those that are not treated when the first symptoms appear. The assembly in Thessalonica was going through a difficult time, because she was being severely persecuted (Acts 17). Paul wanted them to know that their tribulation was from man and not from God’s wrath. We should count this world’s goods well exchanged if by the want of them our spiritual graces are increased. Therefore, Paul was pleased to say, “…your faith is greatly enlarged, and the love of each one of you toward one another grows ever greater” (II Thess. 1:3 NASB UPDATE).

Growth in the Divine life is expected, because it is one of the characteristics of God’s work. The fruit trees of God’s planting do not attain full growth in a day. His work of growth comes by stages. Each year of growth leaves its ringed record of expansion in the trunk of the tree. In the human family, the baby becomes a boy, and the boy becomes a man. Therefore, as there is growth in nature, there is growth in grace. When faith begins, it is like a grain of mustard seed; but as it is bedewed by moisture, it germinates and becomes a plant. Thus, when faith is bedewed by the Holy Spirit, it first looks to the Son of God. In its growth, it embraces Christ’s death at Calvary, leans on His promises, and puts in a certain claim to all that Christ is for all the elect of God the Father.

Paul turned from instruction on the subject of sanctification to the subject of deceased saints (I Thess. 4:13-18). The term adelphoi (brothers) makes it plain that these matters are related only to believers who have “fallen asleep.” Sleep is appropriately used because it is expressive of both “resting” and also of “expectation of awaking.” The term refers to the body, but never to the soul.

The following quote is an erroneous statement: “To the Christian, death is a time of rest for the body, a temporary repose from which the body shall be aroused, a refreshment for a more blessed pleasure, and the hope of a resurrection out of a long sleep that it might enter the eternal happiness.” This statement originated in a mind that lacked understanding of the subject of eternity and time.

Death to the Christian may be compared to regeneration. What death is to the body, regeneration is to the soul. In regeneration, the depraved soul actually becomes a new person. In the death of the body, the corruptible body, which is the fruit of the fall, is “torn down” (kataluo) in order for the soul to occupy the eternal house (II Cor. 4:13-5:4). This eternal house will be like Christ’s (I John 3:2).

As the sinner is passive in regeneration, the believer is passive in the act of dying. Although diseases and accidents are considered to be the causes of physical death, it must be acknowledged that the act of dying is in God’s hand. God not only gives but takes life. “The LORD kills and makes alive; He brings down to Sheol and raises up” (I Sam. 2:6 (NASB UPDATE). “…and the living One; and I was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of death and of Hades” (Rev. 1:18 NASB UPDATE).

The sinner does not perceive the change that is attained in the soul during the act of regeneration. Likewise, the believer does not recognize the change that takes place in his body in the act of dying. Some may say, “So far, so good”; but can one say that “as a new heart is given in regeneration, a new body is given in death?” Does this contradict II Corinthians 5:1—“For we know that if the earthly tent which is our house is torn down, we have [present active indicative of the Greek verb echo, meaning to possess, have, or get] a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens” (II Cor. 5:1 NASB UPDATE)?

Death of the body is compared to sleep. We are not afraid of sleep, because we know its purpose. Why should any Christian be afraid of death? Ignorance of death’s purpose is the cause of fear in the Christian.

One does not know when sleep falls upon him. Great lessons may be learned about the act of dying from this analogy. As sleep does not harm the body, death does not destroy the basic ingredients of the body. Each body with its peculiar features will be maintained and perfected in the new body. Identity of each person will be maintained. On the Mount of Transfiguration, we have Peter, James, John, Moses, and Elijah talking with the Son of God. All knew one another to be the person he was when God came into the life of each individual as a trophy of God’s grace. Moses and Elijah were recognized many years after the death of Moses and the rapture of Elijah.

There is no wonder that the inspired pen of Paul was directed to say, “Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day. For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal. For we know that if the earthly tent which is our house is torn down, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For indeed in this house we groan, longing to be clothed with our dwelling from heaven, inasmuch as we, having put it on, will not be found naked” (II Cor. 4:16-5:3 NASB UPDATE).

The Christian’s death is not punishment for the penalty of his sin, but it may be paternal discipline for disobedience. He views his death as he does his sins. Both have been borne by Jesus Christ on the cross. Thus, he sees in Jesus Christ’s death, the death of his death. Paul said, “Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our LORD or of me His prisoner, but join with me in suffering for the gospel according to the power of God, who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was granted us in Christ Jesus from all eternity, but now has been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel, for which I was appointed a preacher and an apostle and a teacher” (II Tim. 1:8-11 NASB UPDATE).

Christ made three remarkable statements about death as it is related to believers: Christ said, “Truly, truly, I say to you, an hour is coming and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live” (John 5:25 NASB UPDATE). In John 8:51, John quoted the Savior, “Truly, truly, I say to you, if anyone keeps My word he will never see death” (NASB UPDATE). Finally, in John 11:25 and 26, Christ said, “I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies, and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?” (NASB UPDATE).

There are three wonderful things for the Christian to consider: (1) His death is not connected with eternal death. (2) The sting of physical death has been removed (I Cor. 15:55). The seed of immortality resides in his body (I Cor. 15:54). (3) The believer only passes through death’s shadow (Ps. 23:4). Although its actual abolition has not taken place, the child of God’s death penalty is abolished; its sting is removed; and only a shadow remains. Furthermore, after all is said and done, death is not a punishment; but it is used sometimes as paternal discipline. Examples are Moses, some Israelites, and some of the Corinthians (Deut. 34:1-7; Num. 20:1-16; I Cor. 10:1-11; 11:23-34; I John 5:16).

Writers “of” Scripture are different from those who write “about” the Scriptures. Biblical writers were candid. When they spoke of the sins of other men, they did not refuse to record their own sins. Reputation to them was sacrificed on the altar of truth. What a lesson we can learn from this concerning our own testimony! Therefore, Christians are constantly subjected to the Biblical term “eternity.” May we never forget, that which is future to man is a present fact to God. With respect to God, all things have a known existence and a real existence—both at the same time. Isaiah said, “Who has performed and accomplished it, Calling forth the generations from the beginning? I, the LORD, am the first, and with the last. I am He” (Is. 41:4 NASB UPDATE).

Duration of Divine existence is from eternity, according to our finite way of understanding eternity. The Divine duration must be considered as wholly permanent and the ever present NOW, not capable of division into parts anymore than the Divine existence itself. As the present I AM (ego eimi, literal meaning is I MYSELF AM) of the Divine existence does, at once, fill heaven and earth, so the present NOW of the Divine duration does, at once, comprehend all time and eternity.

Things future to us are present with God. All the future objects of faith and hope are present to a Christian with respect to knowledge, not in reality. The following illustration will help, next to the abiding Holy Spirit in the Christian, to understand this point. The knowledge of an eclipse to take place at a certain date and time is present to the astronomer, according to his calculation. However, in an infinitely higher sense, things future to us are a present reality to the omniscient and omnipresent God.