The
American
Wisdom Series
Presents
Pamphlet #5138 KC1Thes4
So
let's read and understand the Written Word of God and thus learn from the
Living Word of God Himself.
In today's study we are going to
learn more about the bond of love that grows within the family of God even
when we are absent one from another.
Paul had suffered many hardships
in bringing the Word of God to the Thessalonians, even to the point of
being "tossed in the slammer", and he knew they would suffer afflictions
as well.
That is why the more time elapsed
after he had departed Thessalonica the more Paul could hardly contain himself
wondering how they were holding up.
We already know he was filled to
the brim with happiness and joy when he learned from Timothy how zealous
and faithful they had remained.
When Paul then learned that his
new friends longed to see him too, he was greatly comforted (vs. 6) and
his love towards them grew even stronger!
However, we are also going to learn
today that the Thessalonians "lacked" something in their faith that Paul
felt the need to "perfect", and are we ever glad that he did!
So let's read and understand the
Written Word of God and thus learn from the Living Word of God Himself.
That is how one gets to know the
Lord.
We pick up our study in chapter
three where Paul is addressing the Thessalonians in writing in his very
first epistle following his conversion.
Thes.
3:1
Wherefore when
we could no longer forbear, we thought it good to be left at Athens alone;
When the separation became
intolerable, i.e. when Paul could no longer stand the suspense of knowing
how the Thessalonians were doing, he decided (vs. 5) to send Timothy, a
mature man of God who was a brother, a minister of God, and a fellow laborer
capable of handling the Word and strengthening (establishing) them in their
faith through that Word.
So Paul denied himself of Timothy's
presence and after Silas' apparent departure on some other mission he was
left alone at Athens to stand on Mars Hill and face the caviling "philosophers
of the Epicureans, and of the Stoicks, who encountered him" (Acts 17:18).
[2]
And
sent Timotheus, our brother, and minister of God, and our fellowlabourer
in the gospel of Christ, to establish you, and to comfort you concerning
your faith:
[3]
That
no man should be moved by these afflictions: for yourselves know that we
are appointed thereunto.
There is a saying that goes,
"To be forewarned is to be forearmed" and the warning is this: If you want
to be a Christian and teach the truth of God's Word straight on then plan
on spending some time at "Trials R Us".
So do not be moved (shaken) by tribulations
and afflictions for they "come with the territory" as another saying goes.
However, Jesus Christ in Luke chapter
10 has given us Christians "power" to tread all over serpents and
scorpions so that when we use that power we become the "stompers"
and not the "stompees".
Luke
10:19
Behold, I give
unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power
of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.
1 Thes. 3:4
For verily,
when we were with you, we told you before that we should suffer tribulation;
even as it came to pass, and ye know.
We should expect tribulation
because as Paul says in verse 3 "we are appointed thereunto".
Paul knew and foretold the Thessalonians
they would suffer tribulation and because of his love for them and knowing
that he was only with them a short while, he truly yearned to know how
they were doing!
[5]
For
this cause, when I could no longer forbear, I sent to know your faith,
lest by some means the tempter have tempted you, and our labour be in vain.
Again, Paul in his burning
desire to know their well being, sent Timothy to Thessalonica to see if
the wiles of the evil tempter had prevailed.
They did not!
1 Thes.
3:6
But now when
Timotheus came from you unto us, and brought us good tidings of your faith
and charity, and that ye have good remembrance of us always, desiring greatly
to see us, as we also to see you:
What great and exciting good
news Timothy brought back to Paul who was not only thrilled to learn that
they were zealously spreading the gospel among other heathen idol worshippers
but that they were thinking of their teachers, Paul and Silas and Timothy,
and desired greatly to see them.
That would have to make one feel
warm and fuzzy and cause one to give praises to our Father, wouldn't it?
[7]
Therefore,
brethren, we were comforted over you in all our affliction and distress
by your faith:
The power of the good news
of their labor of love bearing much fruit for the Lord made all their affliction
and suffering seem ever so worthwhile.
[8]
For
now we live, if
ye stand fast in the Lord.
The key word in verse 8 is
"if" you stand fast, i.e. if you choose to stand fast, because life is
a matter of choice as it is written.
Deut.
30:19
I call heaven
and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life
and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both
thou and thy seed may live:
As you can see, God is both
pro-choice and pro-life!
Pro-choice means His children have
been given free will to choose between life and death, between following
Christ or following Satan, and pro-life is His desire that all His children
"should come to repentance" and choose LIFE in Him (2 Pet. 3:9, Jn. 14:6).
1 Thes.
3:9
For what thanks
can we render to God again for you, for all the joy wherewith we joy for
your sakes before our God;
Yes, there are those times
we just can't thank the Father enough for all the comfort (vs. 7) and joy
(vs. 9) He gives us.
[10]
Night
and day praying exceedingly that we might see your face, and might perfect
that which is lacking in your faith?
What was so "lacking" in their
faith that Paul wished to perfect?
The Greek word for "perfect" is
katartizo
meaning "to repair" or "complete thoroughly"?
Certainly it was not their zeal
or love for God that they lacked.
No, it was the SAME "lacking" that
is "lacking" in the faith of most Christians today!
Lack! Lack!
It was KNOWLEDGE!
It was a mature and proper foundation
and understanding concerning the "nearness of the return of Jesus Christ"
and who, when, and how our gathering back to Him takes place.
Thus we have the overall subject,
the return of Jesus Christ, of these two epistles to the Thessalonians
to give us Christians TODAY a "mature and proper understanding" of Christ's
return so that we are not lacking that knowledge in our faith!
Else we too might believe in Satan's
pre-trib "Rature Theory".
How can we ever thank the Father
enough for His goodness to us?
[11]
Now
God himself and our Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, direct our way unto
you.
One thing is for sure.
If it be God Himself who directs
our way to someone then there is NONE who can hinder us!
WHY NOT?
Because then it is God's WILL that
it be done!
You see, that is why we pray as
Paul does here that it be Father's will and that we follow according to
His plan, His way, because let their be no doubt, THAT is how it is going
to be!
1 Thes.
3:12
And the Lord
make you to increase and abound in love one toward another, and toward
all men, even as we do toward you:
What a beautiful prayer to
ask of the Father from this one named Paul.
What a change of heart this man
had once He was touched by the Living God.
Remember, it was not long ago he
was the Saul of Tarsus, a vicious attacker of Christians until the day
the Lord struck him down to fulfill his destiny which was predetermined
at the time he was chosen "before the foundation of this world" (Eph. 1:4).
"Times up, Saul!
Your days of "kicking against the
pricks" are over, pal!
Finis!
You are mine now!"
Again, what a beautiful prayer Paul
made to the Father, made even more beautiful by contrast in knowing his
former lifestyle.
[13]
To
the end he may stablish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God,
even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints.
Each of the first four out
of five chapters in this 1st Book of Thessalonians ends discussing the
return of Jesus Christ.
In chapter one we were told to "Wait"
for His Son from heaven.
In chapter two we were told there
will be great joy at His coming when we see those with whom we planted
seeds of truth standing there with us in the presence of the Lord.
And now we are told at the end of
chapter three not only of the stablishing of our hearts unblameable in
holiness before God, which are the requirements to be able to stand in
the presence of the Lamb of God, but we are also told that Jesus Christ
is returning with His saints.
Do you suppose those saints are
with Him now?
The Thessalonians weren't quite
sure.
We will learn the fine details of
this in the next chapter of this 1st Book of Thessalonians along with what
happens at the sound of the last Trump.
To study the Bible is the noblest of all pursuits;
to understand it, the highest of all goals.
We pray that with the guidance of the Holy
Spirit, you accomplish both.
1 Corinthians
10:11 Now all these things happened unto them {the
ancient Israelites} for
ensamples, and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends
of the world are come.
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