b. Promise to the church. 1:5-10 V.5-9 Reveals the Judge, the judged and the judgement. What v.5-6 When v.7-10 V.5 c) Evidence of their Growth - The Persecuted I. The righteous judgment of God is manifested through judging the wicked and rewarding the righteous, their persecutions cried out for the intervention of the Judge. II. Through their sufferings they had been transformed and changed like gold is purified in fire. This change manifested outwardly the worthiness for the kingdom of God, they manifested what they already had inwardly. III. All believers are worthy of the kingdom of God by Christ’ s nature within, but it is not all who allows that worthiness to be manifested. Col.1:12; Eph.4:1; Phil.1:27 IV. Good works are an evidence of salvation, salvation is never an evidence of good works. V. Those that live a life worthy of the kingdom of God gets special rewards. Matt.5:11-12; 2.Tim.2:12 V.6 a) Repaid by God’ s Righteousness - The Persecutors I. Persecutors will be Punished. II. Their Trouble is repaid with Tribulation. III. That judgment day is described in Rev.20:11-15 V.7 b) Rest at His Revelation - I. Refer to the Lord’ s 2nd Coming. Matt.24:30-31; Rev.19:11-16 A. The Lord will appear visibly to all man. Rev.1:7; Matt.25:31 B. He will come with His angels. Matt.16:27; 25:31 C. He will come with the saints. Jude.13-14; 1.Thess.3:13 D. His glory will be seen when He appears. Matt.16.27; 25:31 E. He will Judge the Antichrist, the false prophet and their army. Rev.19:17-21; Joel 3:1-2, 12; Zech. 14:1-15 F. He will then judge the nations. Ezek.20:33-38; Zech. 14:16-19; Matt.25:31-46 II. Believers in heaven are already resting but the believers on earth will enter the rest at the Coming of Christ. Heb.4:1-11 Verses 1:8-9; 3:6-15 deals with the sin of man and reveals its final result. Verses 2:1-12 deals with the man of sin and reveals his final result. V.8 c) Redeemer Revenging - I. 2 categories of sinners who will experience judgment. A. Those who do not know God. Rom.1:18-20 B. Those who do not obey the Gospel. John 3:16-19 The first is because of wilful Ignorance of God, the last because of wilful Insult toward the Gospel. II. It will be by fire. Mal.4:1 V.9 d) Rebellious eternally Removed - I. 2 times the word everlasting occurs in this epistle: A. Unbelievers everlasting destruction. B. Believers everlasting consolation. 2:16 II. It is not a destruction that is everlasting in the sense of non-existence, but a destruction that goes on everlasting. III. The destruction in view is. A. From the presence, the life and Spirit of God. B. From the glory, the light, the power and the Majesty of God. C. Eternal fire. Matt.25:41; Mark 9:47-48 IV. Destruction (Gr.olethros) means ruin, V. Sinners Work must receive sins Wages. Rom.6:23 V.10 e) Redeemed Responding in Reverence - On the Day of the Lord - The 2nd Coming of Christ, He also comes to be glorified and be admired by the saints.