“Since it is a righteous thing with God to repay with tribulation those who trouble you, and to give you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power, when He comes, in that Day, to be glorified in His saints . . . .” 2 Thess. 1:6, ff. This is far removed from the idea that all those who claim the atonement will go with the Lord when He comes. On the contrary, He will take vengeance on those who were not obedient to the gospel. He will fetch only those on whom the atonement and all God’s grace have had such an effect that they have become obedient with all their heart. This agrees perfectly with Hebrews 5:9: “And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him.” Therefore the large religious masses have been deceived, as it is written so significantly in Revelation 18:23: “For by your [the harlot’s] sorcery all the nations were deceived.” And as Jude states in verse 4: “Ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into licentiousness.” Therefore it is not a question of ungodly (unconverted) people who are not in the least concerned about or talking about God’s grace and atonement; it is only a question of such people whose concern it is, who speak about it, preach it, and comfort themselves with it, but who pervert it, misuse it, misrepresent and misinterpret it in such a way that their only consolation is that Jesus was obedient instead of them and that they are not at all required to be obedient because they cannot manage to be obedient anyway. Yet the Scriptures teach the exact opposite throughout, with strong and plain words. Taking vengeance on those who have not been obedient is something totally different than being fetched as Jesus’ bride into the glory of heaven “on account of the blood.” On the contrary! Away with this deception! When Jesus returns soon, He will fetch only those who have been obedient to the gospel in agreement with His own command, for example, “Teaching them to observe [keep] all things that I have commanded you.” By way of example, the Sermon on the Mount. May there be many who receive grace to prepare themselves to go with Him when He comes!Elias Aslaksen

“That the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ . . . .” 1 Pet. 1:7. “My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.” Jas. 1:2-3. Temptation is a testing of our faith. Being tested is great grace from God. We learn from the account of Job that a trial has a two-fold purpose. Satan came and presented himself before the Lord after he had gone to and fro on the earth. His aim, his purpose, was to get people to turn away from God. He had succeeded in far too many instances, but God had one on whom He could rely. He asked Satan if he had considered Job. Satan had done that but did not think Job was anything special. The fact that he had not turned away from God was nothing special, because God had made a hedge about him on every side. But God trusted Job, and we can say He made a wager with Satan that he would not get Job to turn away from God. Satan tried his best; he even got Job’s wife on his side, but he could not move Job. If Job had known anything about this he would most certainly have borne his pain with joy; but he knew none of this, which was precisely why it was so hard for him to endure the trial. Nevertheless, Job had it in his heart to be faithful. Even though he understood nothing and thought it was unjust, he did not want to turn away from God. God won the wager. He convinced Satan that He had one man on earth over whom Satan had no power, even though he had been given the freedom to do with him as he pleased. We can see how little it takes before a person turns away from God in his heart. Many have forsaken God because Satan offered them a sweetheart, higher wages, or the honor of men; or he touched their possessions, they were treated unjustly, something happened to them which they could not understand, etc. Great is the number of those who have turned away from God in their hearts. They gave up faith. Satan rejoiced, but there was mourning in heaven. You, who have fallen away, think if you had understood the purpose of the battle. Then you would have rejoiced in your trial. God also has many who were faithful. Satan raged against them, but he could not do anything. He was also given permission to take their life, but they did not fail. They praised God at the time of their execution; they praised God in poverty, in sickness, in days of adversity when they understood nothing. Their tested faith will be found to have resulted in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. The trial was also meant to fulfill another purpose in Job’s life. It was meant to purify him, to cleanse him, to open his eyes to God’s omnipotence and care for him. Listen to what Job said toward the end of his trial: “I know that You can do everything, and that no purpose of Yours can be withheld from you . . . . Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I did not know . . . . I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees You. Therefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes.” Every upright soul will notice that trials open his eyes to many things that need to be cleansed from his life. But those who harden their hearts add sin to sin. The one who fears God comes out of a trial as gold out of the crucible. 1 Pet. 4:12-13. His eyes are opened to God’s care. “Now the Lord blessed the latter days of Job more than his beginning.”Sigurd Bratlie