Therefore we also pray always for you that our God would count you worthy of this calling... (2 Thes. 1:11)
“We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is fitting, because your faith grows exceedingly, and the love of every one of you all abounds toward each other, so that we ourselves boast of you among the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that you endure, which is manifest evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you also suffer.” (2 Thes. 1:3-5)
What Paul was noting as reflecting the spiritual progress of the Thessalonian church was their advancement in faith, hope and love. While hope is not specifically mentioned, it evidenced by their patience in persecutions.[1]
Paul felt these characteristics were significant in believers as he wrote in 1 Corinthians 13:13, “And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.”
Paul labored in prayer and encouraged these characteristics in the believers in Thessalonica. In 1 Thes. 1:3 Paul writes to the church, “We continually remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.”
In 1 Thes. 3:6, Paul tells them, “But now that Timothy has come to us from you, and brought us good news of your faith and love.” And Paul went on to tell them that he prayed day and night longing that he may see them and perfect what is lacking in their faith (1 Thes. 3:10) while at the same time praying that the Lord would make them increase and abound in love to one another and all, just as they do to the church (1 Thes. 3:12) .
And in 1 Thes. 5:8, Paul tells the church that they need to put “on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet the hope of salvation.”
Faith is “the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1). The amplified bible adds about faith “(faith which is that leaning of the whole human personality on God in absolute trust and confidence in His power, wisdom, and goodness)."
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart...and He'll show you the way” sings in the background
Commentary notes, “Notice the order: first faith, then love. “Faith puts us in contact with the eternal spring of love in God Himself,” writes C. H. Mackintosh, “and the necessary consequence is that our hearts are drawn out in love to all who belong to Him.” [2]
Paul says in Galatians 5:6, “For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.”
As commentary notes, “The Thessalonians’ steadfast faith not only strengthened them to withstand difficult circumstances, it also motivated them to express genuine love for others. A Christian’s faith in Christ should always culminate in true love for others (see Christ’s command in John 13:34, 35).” [3]
Jesus says in John 13:34 and again in John 15:12 that His commandment is this, “that you love one another as I have loved you.”
“I lift my eyes to the hills, where does my help come from? My help it comes from the Lord, maker of heaven and earth” sings in the background.
Hope is defined as “confident expectancy.” One bible dictionary notes, “Genuine hope is not wishful thinking, but a firm assurance about things that are unseen and still in the future.” Hope is directed toward God and also distinguishes a believer from an unbeliever. [4]
Faith, love and hope are not something visible, but come to the surface as we live out our Christianity and as we experience difficulties. When trials come, we can look to the author and perfecter of our faith, enduring difficulty because we have a hope and responding in love.
Ps 31:24 “Be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart, all you who hope in the Lord.”
Hebrews 6:11-12 says, “And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope until the end, that you do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.”
It is because we have hope and faith in God, knowing deeply His love for us, we are able to respond to persecution and difficulties in love.
1 Peter 3:9 says, “Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.”
Faith expresses itself through love (Gal. 5:6). And absolute trust in the power, wisdom and goodness of God (faith) and confident expectancy in Christ (hope) in the middle of difficulties come from knowing we are loved. As Sue Sievers noted, it is love that heals and love that increases our faith. [5]
1 John 4:10 says, “This is love, not that we loved God, but that He first loved us, and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.”
Persecutions, trials and tribulations not only bring to the surface our hope but strengthen it. One commentary writes, “Persecution not only tests faith but reveals it and causes it to grow. Continued faith and endurance through persecutions provide a testimony for Christ, of which Paul was boasting to the other churches. [6]
Romans 5:3-5 says, “And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope. Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.
The Thessalonian church was experiencing persecutions and tribulations. And these trials were bringing to the surface and strengthening what people really believed. As commentary notes, some people were enduring suffering faithfully where others had become idle, harboring the wrong idea that they were experiencing the 'day of the Lord.' [7]
Paul admonished, encouraged and prayed for the believers to be counted worthy of the kingdom of God. Exercising patient endurance during their tribulations, standing fast in their faith, they were growing and bearing fruit. And Paul considered the evidence of their growth in faith, hope and love through their patient endurance as the manifest evidence of God working powerfully among them (2 Thes. 1:5).
Paul had been praying in 2 Thes. 1:11-12, “Therefore we also pray always for you that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfill all the good pleasure of His goodness and the work of faith with power, that the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and you in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.”
Paul was thrilled that his prayers and efforts were bearing fruit with those who were suffering faithfully. Commentary notes about 2 Thes. 1:3-5, “Their spiritual progress caused Paul and his associates to boast about them to other churches of God. They had remained steadfast and full of faith in spite of the persecutions they were enduring. Patience here means steadfastness or perseverance.
The fact that they were standing up so bravely under the persecutions and afflictions was an indication of the righteous dealings of God. He was supporting them, strengthening them, encouraging them. If they had not received His divine power, they would never have been able to demonstrate such patience and faith in suffering for Christ." [8]
Paul was not necessarily counting people 'worthy' on some scale of getting everything right in their difficulties. Rather, the Thessalonians were holding fast and not turning back. As they were saying yes in their hearts to God, not becoming bitter or offended, it was God who was doing the work of strengthening them and supporting them in the midst of their trials -causing them to bear fruit.
The sons of Korah write in Psalm 44:17, "All this has come upon us; But we have not forgotten You, nor have we dealt falsely with Your covenant. Our heart has not turned back, nor have our steps departed from Your way."
As Brad Jackson mentioned this last weekend in his sermon, rather than enduring suffering with patience and faith, our tendency is to numb it, ignore it, or escape it.[9] This is what some of the Thessalonians were doing. They told themselves that Christ was returning when things became difficult and they used it as an excuse to escape suffering by becoming idle.
Paul corrected the believers for this thinking and told them to withdraw from those who were idle(2 Thes. 3:6). He told them, "But as for you, brethren, do not grow weary in doing good. And if anyone does not obey our word in this epistle, note that person and do not keep company with him, that he may be ashamed. Yet do not count him as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother."
We grow weary because we are putting our efforts into our actions and performance and not in our relationship with Christ. Jesus says to the church of the Laodiceans, "I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of my mouth." (Rev. 3:15-16)
Being indifferent about our faith, laodiceanism, as one commentary notes, "is the most subtle form of self-centeredness or worldliness. It is so subtle that it escapes the detection of those who should be most able to see it." [10]
What Jesus told the Laodiceans they needed to do was to realize they were wretched, miserable, poor, blind and naked, repent, and buy gold refined in the fire(Rev. 3:17-18). Gold is a precious commodity and according to commentary, speaks of divine righteousness. [11] Rather than being half hearted in their faith, God wanted them to have a faith that was precious and refined through difficulties.
Paul and the other apostles considered it a privilege and honor to be counted worthy to suffer for the sake of the gospel. Acts 5:41 says So they [the apostles] went out from the presence of the council (Sanhedrin), rejoicing that they were being counted worthy [dignified by the indignity] to suffer shame and be exposed to disgrace for [the sake of] His name.
It is a blessing to suffer with Christ for the sake of His kingdom. Matthew 5:10 says, “"Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. And commentary notes, “But those who suffer on behalf of the kingdom here show that they are among those who will reign with Him in that coming day (Rom. 8:17; 2 Tim. 2:12)” [12]
Commentary notes, “E. W. Rogers, in commenting on the phrase you may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, states:
So what can I learn from this?
Some of the subtle ways we can escape suffering is to avoid difficult situations.
For example, we can quit going somewhere because we don't like the way they treat us rather than work on the relationships. Or we can avoid conflict by accommodating and going along with others. We can avoid a relationship that is difficult rather than working it out.
Other ways to escape suffering are to numb it by distractions. We may sleep more, eat for comfort, watch tv, play video games, surf the Internet, and on and on... While we all need activities we enjoy to relax, we can also use these to escape pain and difficulty.
Addictions such as drugs, alcohol, over the counter meds, pornography, gambling, etc. are all ways that people escape difficulties and numb the pain.
While I do not struggle with these addictions, some of the ways I have escaped, avoided or numbed the pain in my own life is to go along with others. Rather than do the work of entering into conflict and standing for what I believe, I too frequently have given in or avoided a difficulty all together to keep harmony in the relationship.
Being over accomidating and going along with others has surprisingly not been much of a struggle for me as it used to be. I have found that where I had previously shrunk back out of wanting to be liked or approved of, intimidation, or fear of disaster recently no longer seem to create the same problem for me. While this area is still difficult, I seem to be in the middle of gaining a great deal of freedom in this area as I work through a difficult situation.
Another way I deal with difficulties I am avoiding or trying to ignore is emotional eating. I try to fill the emptiness and frustration with sweets. I was doing better with this for awhile, but lately this has been a struggle again.
Mostly I think lately that I have struggled some with half-heartedness. To some extent, I have been going through the motions and have stopped putting my whole heart into things that God is asking from me. I sometimes pray superficially or not at all, hoping that whatever I do is good enough.
Lord, forgive me where I have been half-hearted and just gone through the motions. Also, forgive me where I have tried to escape struggles by emotional eating. More than anything, I realize that without you I am wretched, miserable, poor, blind and naked. Revive my heart and help me not to grow weary but to enter into difficulties with faith and patience.
Lord, You loved us first. May we love you back the same way You loved us – laying down our lives and dying to our flesh. Would you, just as you did with the church in Thessalonica, grow our faith exceedingly and make our love abound toward others, holding fast to the assurance of our hope until the end. Strengthen us in tribulations and persecution to freely respond in love. May we endure difficulties with patience and be among those counted worthy of your kingdom.
1. KJV Bible Commentary. Nashville : Thomas Nelson, 1997, c1994, S. 2484
2-3, 8, 11-13. MacDonald, William ; Farstad, Arthur: Believer's Bible Commentary : Old and New Testaments. Nashville : Thomas Nelson, 1997, c1995, S. 2 Th 1:3
4. Youngblood, Ronald F. ; Bruce, F. F. ; Harrison, R. K. ; Thomas Nelson Publishers: Nelson's New Illustrated Bible Dictionary. Nashville : T. Nelson, 1995
5. Seivers, Susan. “The Art of Love, The Depth of Faith.” Date Unknown.
6. Radmacher, Earl D. ; Allen, Ronald Barclay ; House, H. Wayne: The Nelson Study Bible : New King James Version. Nashville : T. Nelson Publishers, 1997, S. 2 Th 1:3
7. Wiersbe, Warren W.: With the Word Bible Commentary. Nashville : Thomas Nelson, 1997, c1991, S. 2 Th 1:1
9. Jackson, Brad, Pastor of The Table at CPC. Church of the Open Door, Maple Grove MN. 7/10/11.
10. Forerunner Commentary. Bible Tools. "Avoidance of Suffering." Taken From John W. Ritenbaugh's, "The World, the Church and Laodiceanism". Located at: http://www.bibletools.org/index.cfm/fuseaction/Topical.show/RTD/cgg/ID/233/Avoidance-of-suffering.htm#ixzz1S21FMsVc. Last Accessed 7/13/11.
What Paul was noting as reflecting the spiritual progress of the Thessalonian church was their advancement in faith, hope and love. While hope is not specifically mentioned, it evidenced by their patience in persecutions.[1]
Paul felt these characteristics were significant in believers as he wrote in 1 Corinthians 13:13, “And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.”
Paul labored in prayer and encouraged these characteristics in the believers in Thessalonica. In 1 Thes. 1:3 Paul writes to the church, “We continually remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.”
In 1 Thes. 3:6, Paul tells them, “But now that Timothy has come to us from you, and brought us good news of your faith and love.” And Paul went on to tell them that he prayed day and night longing that he may see them and perfect what is lacking in their faith (1 Thes. 3:10) while at the same time praying that the Lord would make them increase and abound in love to one another and all, just as they do to the church (1 Thes. 3:12) .
And in 1 Thes. 5:8, Paul tells the church that they need to put “on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet the hope of salvation.”
Faith is “the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1). The amplified bible adds about faith “(faith which is that leaning of the whole human personality on God in absolute trust and confidence in His power, wisdom, and goodness)."
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart...and He'll show you the way” sings in the background
Commentary notes, “Notice the order: first faith, then love. “Faith puts us in contact with the eternal spring of love in God Himself,” writes C. H. Mackintosh, “and the necessary consequence is that our hearts are drawn out in love to all who belong to Him.” [2]
Paul says in Galatians 5:6, “For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.”
As commentary notes, “The Thessalonians’ steadfast faith not only strengthened them to withstand difficult circumstances, it also motivated them to express genuine love for others. A Christian’s faith in Christ should always culminate in true love for others (see Christ’s command in John 13:34, 35).” [3]
Jesus says in John 13:34 and again in John 15:12 that His commandment is this, “that you love one another as I have loved you.”
“I lift my eyes to the hills, where does my help come from? My help it comes from the Lord, maker of heaven and earth” sings in the background.
Hope is defined as “confident expectancy.” One bible dictionary notes, “Genuine hope is not wishful thinking, but a firm assurance about things that are unseen and still in the future.” Hope is directed toward God and also distinguishes a believer from an unbeliever. [4]
Faith, love and hope are not something visible, but come to the surface as we live out our Christianity and as we experience difficulties. When trials come, we can look to the author and perfecter of our faith, enduring difficulty because we have a hope and responding in love.
Ps 31:24 “Be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart, all you who hope in the Lord.”
Hebrews 6:11-12 says, “And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope until the end, that you do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.”
It is because we have hope and faith in God, knowing deeply His love for us, we are able to respond to persecution and difficulties in love.
1 Peter 3:9 says, “Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.”
Faith expresses itself through love (Gal. 5:6). And absolute trust in the power, wisdom and goodness of God (faith) and confident expectancy in Christ (hope) in the middle of difficulties come from knowing we are loved. As Sue Sievers noted, it is love that heals and love that increases our faith. [5]
1 John 4:10 says, “This is love, not that we loved God, but that He first loved us, and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.”
Persecutions, trials and tribulations not only bring to the surface our hope but strengthen it. One commentary writes, “Persecution not only tests faith but reveals it and causes it to grow. Continued faith and endurance through persecutions provide a testimony for Christ, of which Paul was boasting to the other churches. [6]
Romans 5:3-5 says, “And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope. Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.
The Thessalonian church was experiencing persecutions and tribulations. And these trials were bringing to the surface and strengthening what people really believed. As commentary notes, some people were enduring suffering faithfully where others had become idle, harboring the wrong idea that they were experiencing the 'day of the Lord.' [7]
Paul admonished, encouraged and prayed for the believers to be counted worthy of the kingdom of God. Exercising patient endurance during their tribulations, standing fast in their faith, they were growing and bearing fruit. And Paul considered the evidence of their growth in faith, hope and love through their patient endurance as the manifest evidence of God working powerfully among them (2 Thes. 1:5).
Paul had been praying in 2 Thes. 1:11-12, “Therefore we also pray always for you that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfill all the good pleasure of His goodness and the work of faith with power, that the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and you in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.”
Paul was thrilled that his prayers and efforts were bearing fruit with those who were suffering faithfully. Commentary notes about 2 Thes. 1:3-5, “Their spiritual progress caused Paul and his associates to boast about them to other churches of God. They had remained steadfast and full of faith in spite of the persecutions they were enduring. Patience here means steadfastness or perseverance.
The fact that they were standing up so bravely under the persecutions and afflictions was an indication of the righteous dealings of God. He was supporting them, strengthening them, encouraging them. If they had not received His divine power, they would never have been able to demonstrate such patience and faith in suffering for Christ." [8]
Paul was not necessarily counting people 'worthy' on some scale of getting everything right in their difficulties. Rather, the Thessalonians were holding fast and not turning back. As they were saying yes in their hearts to God, not becoming bitter or offended, it was God who was doing the work of strengthening them and supporting them in the midst of their trials -causing them to bear fruit.
The sons of Korah write in Psalm 44:17, "All this has come upon us; But we have not forgotten You, nor have we dealt falsely with Your covenant. Our heart has not turned back, nor have our steps departed from Your way."
As Brad Jackson mentioned this last weekend in his sermon, rather than enduring suffering with patience and faith, our tendency is to numb it, ignore it, or escape it.[9] This is what some of the Thessalonians were doing. They told themselves that Christ was returning when things became difficult and they used it as an excuse to escape suffering by becoming idle.
Paul corrected the believers for this thinking and told them to withdraw from those who were idle(2 Thes. 3:6). He told them, "But as for you, brethren, do not grow weary in doing good. And if anyone does not obey our word in this epistle, note that person and do not keep company with him, that he may be ashamed. Yet do not count him as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother."
We grow weary because we are putting our efforts into our actions and performance and not in our relationship with Christ. Jesus says to the church of the Laodiceans, "I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of my mouth." (Rev. 3:15-16)
Being indifferent about our faith, laodiceanism, as one commentary notes, "is the most subtle form of self-centeredness or worldliness. It is so subtle that it escapes the detection of those who should be most able to see it." [10]
What Jesus told the Laodiceans they needed to do was to realize they were wretched, miserable, poor, blind and naked, repent, and buy gold refined in the fire(Rev. 3:17-18). Gold is a precious commodity and according to commentary, speaks of divine righteousness. [11] Rather than being half hearted in their faith, God wanted them to have a faith that was precious and refined through difficulties.
Paul and the other apostles considered it a privilege and honor to be counted worthy to suffer for the sake of the gospel. Acts 5:41 says So they [the apostles] went out from the presence of the council (Sanhedrin), rejoicing that they were being counted worthy [dignified by the indignity] to suffer shame and be exposed to disgrace for [the sake of] His name.
It is a blessing to suffer with Christ for the sake of His kingdom. Matthew 5:10 says, “"Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. And commentary notes, “But those who suffer on behalf of the kingdom here show that they are among those who will reign with Him in that coming day (Rom. 8:17; 2 Tim. 2:12)” [12]
Commentary notes, “E. W. Rogers, in commenting on the phrase you may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, states:
This has to do with human responsibility.... We are graced in the Beloved, altogether independent of anything in ourselves, either before or since we were saved. But God allows His people to go through persecutions and tribulations in order to develop in them the moral excellencies which make them “worthy citizens” of that kingdom.And as we stand firm in Christ under tribulations, we gain true life (Luke 21:19). James 1:12 says, “Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.”
Some of the apostles rejoiced that they were counted worthy to suffer for Jesus’ name. Paul’s prayer for the Thessalonians that God would count them worthy of their calling most certainly had nothing to do with adding anything to the work of Christ. The Cross makes the believer worthy of his position in the kingdom, but patience and faith in tribulation manifest such an one as morally worthy of it. Among members of any earthly society there are those who are discreditable as well as others. Paul prayed that it should not be so among these saints. " [13]
So what can I learn from this?
Some of the subtle ways we can escape suffering is to avoid difficult situations.
For example, we can quit going somewhere because we don't like the way they treat us rather than work on the relationships. Or we can avoid conflict by accommodating and going along with others. We can avoid a relationship that is difficult rather than working it out.
Other ways to escape suffering are to numb it by distractions. We may sleep more, eat for comfort, watch tv, play video games, surf the Internet, and on and on... While we all need activities we enjoy to relax, we can also use these to escape pain and difficulty.
Addictions such as drugs, alcohol, over the counter meds, pornography, gambling, etc. are all ways that people escape difficulties and numb the pain.
While I do not struggle with these addictions, some of the ways I have escaped, avoided or numbed the pain in my own life is to go along with others. Rather than do the work of entering into conflict and standing for what I believe, I too frequently have given in or avoided a difficulty all together to keep harmony in the relationship.
Being over accomidating and going along with others has surprisingly not been much of a struggle for me as it used to be. I have found that where I had previously shrunk back out of wanting to be liked or approved of, intimidation, or fear of disaster recently no longer seem to create the same problem for me. While this area is still difficult, I seem to be in the middle of gaining a great deal of freedom in this area as I work through a difficult situation.
Another way I deal with difficulties I am avoiding or trying to ignore is emotional eating. I try to fill the emptiness and frustration with sweets. I was doing better with this for awhile, but lately this has been a struggle again.
Mostly I think lately that I have struggled some with half-heartedness. To some extent, I have been going through the motions and have stopped putting my whole heart into things that God is asking from me. I sometimes pray superficially or not at all, hoping that whatever I do is good enough.
Lord, forgive me where I have been half-hearted and just gone through the motions. Also, forgive me where I have tried to escape struggles by emotional eating. More than anything, I realize that without you I am wretched, miserable, poor, blind and naked. Revive my heart and help me not to grow weary but to enter into difficulties with faith and patience.
Lord, You loved us first. May we love you back the same way You loved us – laying down our lives and dying to our flesh. Would you, just as you did with the church in Thessalonica, grow our faith exceedingly and make our love abound toward others, holding fast to the assurance of our hope until the end. Strengthen us in tribulations and persecution to freely respond in love. May we endure difficulties with patience and be among those counted worthy of your kingdom.
1. KJV Bible Commentary. Nashville : Thomas Nelson, 1997, c1994, S. 2484
2-3, 8, 11-13. MacDonald, William ; Farstad, Arthur: Believer's Bible Commentary : Old and New Testaments. Nashville : Thomas Nelson, 1997, c1995, S. 2 Th 1:3
4. Youngblood, Ronald F. ; Bruce, F. F. ; Harrison, R. K. ; Thomas Nelson Publishers: Nelson's New Illustrated Bible Dictionary. Nashville : T. Nelson, 1995
5. Seivers, Susan. “The Art of Love, The Depth of Faith.” Date Unknown.
6. Radmacher, Earl D. ; Allen, Ronald Barclay ; House, H. Wayne: The Nelson Study Bible : New King James Version. Nashville : T. Nelson Publishers, 1997, S. 2 Th 1:3
7. Wiersbe, Warren W.: With the Word Bible Commentary. Nashville : Thomas Nelson, 1997, c1991, S. 2 Th 1:1
9. Jackson, Brad, Pastor of The Table at CPC. Church of the Open Door, Maple Grove MN. 7/10/11.
10. Forerunner Commentary. Bible Tools. "Avoidance of Suffering." Taken From John W. Ritenbaugh's, "The World, the Church and Laodiceanism". Located at: http://www.bibletools.org/index.cfm/fuseaction/Topical.show/RTD/cgg/ID/233/Avoidance-of-suffering.htm#ixzz1S21FMsVc. Last Accessed 7/13/11.
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