Payback

Most of us have no idea what it was like to be a Christian in the first-century church. Paul’s second letter to the Church at Thessalonica is an encouragement for the church to stay strong in the time of testing and persecution. These new believers were suffering for the cause of Christ, and Paul wanted to comfort them with the knowledge that God would one day bring justice and settle the accounts. God was going to pay back those who had persecuted the followers of Christ. 

 2 Thessalonians 1:6 (NLT) 

In his justice he will pay back those who persecute you. 

Payback is something that comes naturally to man, but we don’t usually associate payback with God. It’s interesting to me that Paul uses “Jesus’ return and payback” to encourage the persecuted church to hold on to their faith in the time of persecution and trouble. 

We desire justice, and it is our natural desire to seek justice on our own. Paul tells the persecuted church to resist the urge to pay back evil for evil, leaving that final justice to God. 

Paul tells the early church that Jesus will come back and settle accounts one day with his perfect justice. We won’t need to settle the accounts. We don’t need to pay back evil for evil. Jesus will take care of all that when He returns. I want you to notice how severe the payback will be for those who have persecuted the followers of Jesus. These are very heavy statements! 

2 Thessalonians 1:7-9 (NLT) 

And God will provide rest for you who are being persecuted and also for us when the Lord Jesus appears from heaven. He will come with his mighty angels, 

8 in flaming fire, bringing judgment on those who don’t know God and on those who refuse to obey the Good News of our Lord Jesus. 

9 They will be punished with eternal destruction, forever separated from the Lord and from his glorious power. 

Forever separated, eternal destruction…those are very heavy paybacks. From God’s perspective, the church is the Bride of Christ. Believers have become one with Christ, and Christ is one with the Father. Any attempt to harm or persecute a follower of Jesus is seen as an attempt to harm and persecute God’s Son because we are now one with Christ. God takes this very seriously, and the punishment will be severe. 

Paul’s first letter to that same church teaches us not to return evil for evil. Payback is coming, but not through us. Jesus also tells us to love those who persecute us…giving them a chance to see Christ in us. 

1 Thessalonians 5:15 (NLT) 

See that no one pays back evil for evil, but always try to do good to each other and to all people. 

Leave the payback to God. He will repay. He will pay back. He will administer the final justice. We are unqualified to do so. Jesus is the only one qualified to administer this final justice. And what is the end of this payback counsel from Paul to the persecuted church? 

2 Thessalonians 1:10 (NLT) 

When he comes on that day, he will receive glory from his holy people—praise from all who believe. And this includes you, for you believed what we told you about him. 

Let it go! If you are looking to pay back some evil for some evil that has been done to you. Stop! Leave it to God. He will administer justice. Find peace in knowing that today. 

Maranatha, Hosanna, Hallelujah and Amen, 

Terry Cooper