Simply Thessalonians
Bible Matters 560: Simply
Thessalonians
Paul was no stranger to the
preaching of Christianity. He wreaked
havoc onto the early church. He was
responsible for the stoning of the Apostle Stephen. He heard the preaching. He witnessed the will of men that were
willing to die than to deny the teachings of Jesus Christ.
Acts 8:1-3 – And Saul was
consenting unto his death. And at that time there was a great persecution
against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad
throughout the regions of Judaea and Samaria, except the apostles. And devout
men carried Stephen to his burial, and made great lamentation over him. As for
Saul, he made havoc of the church, entering into every house, and haling men
and women committed them to prison.
Following his born-again conversion on the
way to Damascus, Paul was met by Ananias.
Paul received his sight and was filled with the Holy Ghost. Paul was respected as a Pharisee. He immediately started to teach the gospel
the Jesus delivered in the synagogues.
Acts 9:15-17,20 – But the Lord said unto him,
Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the
Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel: For I will shew him how great
things he must suffer for my name’s sake. And Ananias went his way, and entered
into the house; and putting his hands on him said, Brother Saul, the Lord, even
Jesus, that appeared unto thee in the way as thou camest, hath sent me, that
thou might receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost. And straightway he preached Christ in the
synagogues, that he is the Son of God.
Paul was educated in all matters and manners
of the Jewish faith. Paul absolutely
knew that the truth in any setting is established out of the mouth of two or
three witnesses. That was the Jewish
legal standard concerning the judgement of man.
God needed Paul to witness to the Romans and Gentiles. Like the book in the ministry, “New
Beginning”, this was the new beginning point in time for the
Christian church.
Multiple chapters in “New Beginning” use the
preponderance of evidence standard for understanding God’s word. The New Testament is the compiled transcripts
of eight witnesses that either walked with Jesus, were brothers of or recruited
by him. God’s word is presented in the
contract given by God in the New Testament for the Jew and Gentile. You must
use this contract to establish the basics of your belief in Jesus Christ. It is clear that God wanted you to use his
word to gain wisdom. God wants you to
study his word to grow in grace, knowledge and righteousness of our Lord Jesus
Christ. The scripture is not open to
private interpretation. A deceiver can’t
take a single verse and impose his own interpretation of the verse for false
doctrine, to control man or introduce a religious law or belief that God
supposedly wants you to follow. The
preponderance of evidence standard should be used to study and establish your
life with God. Remember, on judgement
day, you will stand before God.
Paul was an educated teacher. There is no doubt, that as he grew in the
knowledge of the gospel that Jesus brought, his messages became clearer and
clearer. The six-point gospel of Love
contained in Galatians and Thessalonians early epistles are dwarfed by the
gospel of Love contained in Timothy and Titus.
If you want to get rooted in God’s gospel, then go read Timothy Gospel
of Love and Simply Titus.
The gospel of Love is simply presented in
Thessalonians. The preponderance of
evidence is overwhelming. Let’s review.
1.
Believe in God the Almighty
1 Thessalonians 1:4,9 – Knowing, brethren
beloved, your election of God. [9] For they themselves shew of us what manner
of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve
the living and true God;
2.
Repent of your sins and surrender to God. Your walk should be pleasing to God.
1 Thessalonians 2:10-13 – Ye are witnesses,
and God also, how holily and justly and unblameably we behaved ourselves among
you that believe: As ye know how we
exhorted and comforted and charged every one of you, as a father doth his
children, That ye would walk worthy of
God, who hath called you unto his kingdom and glory. For this cause also thank we God without
ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye
received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God,
which effectually worketh also in you that believe.
1 Thessalonians 4:1-7 – Furthermore then we
beseech you, brethren, and exhort you by the Lord Jesus, that as ye have
received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God, so ye would abound more
and more. For ye know what commandments
we gave you by the Lord Jesus. For this
is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from
fornication: That every one of you
should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour; Not in the lust of concupiscence, even as the
Gentiles which know not God: That no man
go beyond and defraud his brother in any matter: because that the Lord is the
avenger of all such, as we also have forewarned you and testified. For God hath
not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness.
2 Thessalonians 3:3,6,9 – But the Lord is
faithful, who shall stablish you, and keep you from evil. Now we command you,
brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves
from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which
he received of us. Not because we have
not power, but to make ourselves an ensample unto you to follow us.
3. Judge no one
2 Thessalonians 1:3,6-9 – We are bound to thank God always for you,
brethren, as it is meet, because that your faith groweth exceedingly, and the
charity of every one of you all toward each other aboundeth; Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to
recompense tribulation to them that trouble you; And to you who are troubled
rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty
angels, In flaming fire taking vengeance
on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus
Christ: Who shall be punished with
everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of
his power;
2 Thessalonians 3:3,6,11 – But the Lord is
faithful, who shall stablish you, and keep you from evil. Now we command you, brethren, in the name of
our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that
walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which he received of us. For we hear that there are some which walk
among you disorderly, working not at all, but are busybodies.
4. Love God
1 Thessalonians 4:4 – That every one of you
should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour;
1 Thessalonians 5:2,16-27 – For yourselves
know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks: for this is the
will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.
Quench not the Spirit. Despise
not prophesyings. Prove all things; hold
fast that which is good. Abstain from
all appearance of evil. And the very God
of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and
body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Faithful is he that calleth you, who also
will do it. Brethren, pray for us. Greet all the brethren with an holy
kiss. I charge you by the Lord that this
epistle be read unto all the holy brethren.
2 Thessalonians – 2:13,15-17 – But we
are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord,
because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through
sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth: Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the
traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle. Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God,
even our Father, which hath loved us, and hath given us everlasting consolation
and good hope through grace, Comfort your hearts, and stablish you in every
good word and work.
5. Love your neighbor
1 Thessalonians 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:
1 Thessalonians 4:6-7,9-10,12 – That no man
go beyond and defraud his brother in any matter: because that the Lord is the
avenger of all such, as we also have forewarned you and testified. For God hath not called us unto uncleanness,
but unto holiness. But as touching
brotherly love ye need not that I write unto you: for ye yourselves are taught
of God to love one another. And indeed
ye do it toward all the brethren which are in all Macedonia: but we beseech
you, brethren, that ye increase more and more;
That ye may walk honestly toward them that are without, and that ye may
have lack of nothing.
1 Thessalonians 5:2,14-15 – For yourselves
know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that
are unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all
men. See that none render evil for evil
unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to
all men.
2 Thessalonians 1:3 – We are bound to thank
God always for you, brethren, as it is meet, because that your faith grows
exceedingly, and the charity of every one of you all toward each other abounds;
6.
Endure to the end for the hope of everlasting life
1
Thessalonians 3:13 – 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.
1 Thessalonians 4:6-7,9-10,16-17 – That no
man go beyond and defraud his brother in any matter: because that the Lord is
the avenger of all such, as we also have forewarned you and testified. For God
hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness. But as touching brotherly love ye need not
that I write unto you: for ye yourselves are taught of God to love one
another. And indeed ye do it toward all
the brethren which are in all Macedonia: but we beseech you, brethren, that ye
increase more and more; For the Lord
himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the
archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise
first: Then we which are alive and
remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in
the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
1 Thessalonians 5:2,5-8 – For yourselves know
perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. Ye are all the children of light, and the
children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but
let us watch and be sober. For they that
sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the
night. But let us, who are of the day,
be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the
hope of salvation
2 Thessalonians 1:3-6 – We are bound to thank
God always for you, brethren, as it is meet, because that your faith groweth
exceedingly, and the charity of every one of you all toward each other
aboundeth; So that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God for your
patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that ye
endure: Which is a manifest token of the
righteous judgment of God, that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God,
for which ye also suffer: Seeing it is a
righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you;
2 Thessalonians 2:16 – Now our Lord Jesus
Christ himself, and God, even our Father, which hath loved us, and hath given
us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace,
Paul lays out the
gospel of Love, simply to the Thessalonians.
The conclusion is clear. God
wants you to live God’s gospel of Love.
To God be the glory in all you do, Amen.