Christian Message Boards: Obedience to the gospel

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Posted by oneinchrist (Member # 6532) on :

2 Thessalonians 1:8
In flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.

At first glance of this above verse, some could easily think that Paul is preaching a type of "works" based gospel, hah?

but I am wondering if the above verse could easily share common ground with this following verse from 2 Corinthians..............

2 Corinthians 1:7
And our hope for you is steadfast, because we know that as you are partakers of the sufferings, so also you will partake of the consolation.

"do not obey the gospel" compared with........
"do not partake of the sufferings"

So if we were to interchange the above words between the two verses it would look something like this.......

in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who "do not partake of the sufferings".

And our hope for you is steadfast, because we know that as you have obeyed the gospel, so also you will partake of the consolation.

What do you think?

With love in Christ, Daniel

Posted by Eden (Member # 5728) on :

hello, oneinchrist, you wrote

quote:
2 Thessalonians 1:8
In flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Regarding to what you wrote after quoting this verse, it may not be as complicated as all that.

The NT seems to state that if people have "not known" or "recognized Jesus of Nazareth as the Christ", then they also have "not known God", because Jesus said "if you have known Me you have known the Father":

John 8:19
Then they said to Him, Where is your Father? And Jesus answered, You have neither known me nor my Father: for if you had known me, you would have also known my Father.

quote:
2 Thessalonians 1:8
In flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.

As for the part "those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ", that can merely mean "if you don't believe all that is being said about Jesus of Nazareth being the Christ and the Son of God" (in other words, "if you do not obey this gospel or good news of Jesus Christ", then you will be one of the ones that the Lord will take vengeance on.

So the verse does quite well "all by itself" without having to "make it connect" to that other verse that you quoted, I think.

love, Eden, the merchant of Chilmad
Ezekiel 27:23
Haran, and Canneh, and Eden, the merchants of Sheba, Asshur, and Chilmad, were your merchants.

Posted by oneinchrist (Member # 6532) on :

Good Morning Eden,
I dont think that I am complicating things. After I posted this topic I just realized something else.........that the two verses that I quoted could easily have a connecion to this verse........

Mark 8:34....."Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.

To deny ourselves and take up our cross would imply "suffering" or "bearing reproach" for truths sake.

Though I do agree with you, Eden, that to "obey the gospel" would include "to believe in Jesus as savior", I would not agree that that is all that it means to obey the gospel.......there must also be a loyalty towards Jesus greater than loyalty to any other human being.

With love in Christ, Daniel