“He pulls a knife, you pull a gun. He sends one of your guys to the hospital, you send one of his guys to the morgue. That’s the Chicago way.” And that’s the way of the Taliban, and the inner-city gangs, and frankly the way of most human beings throughout history.

But that’s not what Paul counsels the Thessalonians to do. Yes, they were suffering persecutions and enduring afflictions. Acts 17 tells us that unbelieving Jews had stirred up the Gentiles of the city against the Christians, insisting that the followers of Jesus could not be loyal subjects of Caesar. Paul’s readers were thus in danger from the government, as well as from every facet of their community.

But instead of encouraging them to lash out at their oppressors, Paul applauds them for the steadfastness and faith in spite of their difficulties (v. 4). For he reminds them that God is the One Who will eventually turn the tables on their persecutors, afflicting those who had afflicted them (v. 6). For on that great day of judgment, those who have rejected the authority of King Jesus will receive exactly what they have asked for, but what will turn out to be the worst punishment of all – to be excluded forever “from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might” (v. 9).

And so Paul encourages all of us to walk not in the Chicago way, but in the way of the cross, enduring affliction while looking forward to the day when the One Whom the world considers to be nothing but a dead loser will be revealed in all His glory (v. 10). May we be found to be worthy followers of Him, worthy subjects of His kingdom (v. 5) as we demonstrate His love and grace, even in the face of our worst suffering.

II Thessalonians 1:1-12 (ESV)

Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy, To the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:
2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
3 We ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers, as is right, because your faith is growing abundantly, and the love of every one of you for one another is increasing.
4 Therefore we ourselves boast about you in the churches of God for your steadfastness and faith in all your persecutions and in the afflictions that you are enduring.
5 This is evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are also suffering–
6 since indeed God considers it just to repay with affliction those who afflict you,
7 and to grant relief to you who are afflicted as well as to us, when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels
8 in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.
9 They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might,
10 when he comes on that day to be glorified in his saints, and to be marveled at among all who have believed, because our testimony to you was believed.
11 To this end we always pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling and may fulfill every resolve for good and every work of faith by his power,
12 so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.