3. Now, assuredly this state of affairs cannot continue without end;
it cannot be God's intention to permit Christians thus to suffer
continually while they live, to die because of it and remain dead. It
would be incompatible with his eternal, divine truth and honor
manifest in his Word. For there he declares he will be the God of the
pious, of them who fear and trust him, and gives them unspeakable
promises. Necessarily, then, he has planned a future state for
Christians and for non-Christians, in either instance unlike what
they know on earth. Possibly one of the chief reasons why God permits
Christians to suffer on earth is to make plain the distinction
between their reward and that of the ungodly. In the sufferings of
believing Christians, and in the wickedness, tyranny, rage, and
persecution directed by the unrighteous against the godly, is certain
indication of a future life unlike this and a final judgment of God
in which all men, godly and wicked, shall be forever recompensed.
4. Notice, Paul means to say here when he speaks of the tribulations
and sufferings of Christians: "These afflictions are the indication
of God's righteous judgment, and a sign you are worthy of the kingdom
of God for which you suffer." In other words: "O beloved Christians,
regard your sufferings as dear and precious. Think not God is angry
with you, or has forgotten you, because he allows you to endure these
things. They are your great help and comfort, for they show God will
be a righteous judge, will richly bless you and avenge you upon your
persecutors. Yes, therein you have unfailing assurance. You may
rejoice, and console yourselves, believing without the shadow of a
doubt that you belong to the kingdom of God, and have been made
worthy of it, because you suffer for its sake."
5. Whatever the Christian suffers here on earth at the hands of the
devil and the world, befalls him simply for the sake of the name of
God and for his Word. True, as a baptized child of God the Christian
should justly enjoy unalloyed goodness, comfort and peace on earth;
but since he must still dwell in the kingdom of the devil, who
infuses sin and death into human flesh, he must endure the devil. Yet
all Satan's inflictions and the world's plagues, persecutions,
terrors, tortures, even the taking of the Christian's life, and all
its abuse, is wrought in violence and injustice. But to offset this,
the Christian has the comforting assurance of God's Word that because
he suffers for the sake of the kingdom of Christ and of God he shall
surely be eternally partaker of that kingdom. Certain it is, no one
will be worthy of it unless he suffers for it.
6. "If so be that it is a righteous thing with God to recompense
affliction to them that afflict you," continues the apostle. It is
impossible it should continue to be, as now, well with the world and
evil with you. God's righteousness will not admit of it. Just because
he is a righteous judge, things must be eventually different: the
godly must have eternal good, and the wicked, on the other hand, must
be punished forever. Otherwise God's judgment would not be righteous;
in other words, he would not be God. Now, since this is an impossible
proposition, since God's righteousness and truth are immutable, in
his capacity of judge he must perforce, in due time, come from
heaven, when he shall have assembled his Christians, and avenge them
of their enemies, recompense the latter according to their merits,
and confer eternal rest and peace upon his followers for the temporal
sufferings they have endured here.