Searchin’, Searchin’ (1 Thessalonians 2v1-6)

Downton Abbey on PBS is all the rage.  One thing I enjoy about it is the inner workings of the household staff and their various roles and responsibilities.

Lord Grantham treats the estate as if it were something entrusted to him to manage for a time.  He’s one in a long line of lords responsible for the estate.  There were lords before him; hopefully, if he manages well, there will be lords after him.

In fact, one of the subplots was that he was too old fashioned, too closed-minded, and it led to the near demise of the estate due to his poor stewardship.

Sorry; I should have said, “Spoiler Alert!”

In our text, in verse four, Paul describes the Gospel as something that had been “entrusted” to he and his companions.  From the particular word he chose, his readers would have understood that he was comparing himself to a steward – the chief servant in a great household.

Elsewhere in the New Testaments we are told that all of us, as believers in Jesus Christ, are considered stewards.  The Gospel, then, is a trust from The Lord entrusted not to one or a few but to every servant of The Lord.  Since it has been entrusted to you, to us, we want to manage it well.

As we work through verses one through six you will be given some principles for good stewardship of the Gospel.

You’re going to notice that most of these opening verses are stated negatively.  They describe what Paul and his companions did not do.  It seems that Paul was under personal attack in the Church at Thessalonica.  Timothy, who had just returned from Thessalonica, reported that the opponents of the Gospel were circulating slanderous charges against Paul and the work he established.

Attack the messenger and you can undermine the message.

One of the reasons for writing this letter was to answer these attacks, and Paul did it by pointing to his faithful handling of the Gospel.

Normally Christians advise you, if attacked, to not defend yourself; let The Lord defend you.  It always sounds like the most spiritual option; but you really need to be led by The Lord.  In this case Paul was led to defend himself for the sake of the Gospel not being disparaged.

His defense, however, was to simply remind the Thessalonians what they already knew about his time with them.  It was a soft defense. Other times, however, Paul had stronger words for enemies of the Gospel.
We can organize our thoughts around four words: Your manner, your message, your motives, and your methods.

Your manner:

1 Thessalonians 2:1 For you yourselves know, brethren, that our coming to you was not in vain.
1 Thessalonians 2:2 But even after we had suffered before and were spitefully treated at Philippi, as you know, we were bold in our God to speak to you the gospel of God in much conflict.

“Suffered” and “spitefully treated at Philippi” was an understatement.  “Suffered” refers to the physical suffering.  Paul and Silas had been publicly flogged, then thrown into prison with their feet in stocks.

“Spitefully treated” means they were shamed: Arrested on a false charge, stripped of their clothes naked and beaten publicly, all without the due process of Roman law.

Coming to Thessalonica you might think they would be a little more cautious preaching the Gospel.  Paul said they were not.  Their “coming” was “not in vain,” meaning it was not empty or watered-down from fear.  Instead they were “bold in our God to speak” the “Gospel of God.”

They were “bold” even though there was “much conflict.”  There were no less external dangers in Thessalonica; in fact they were forced out of the city after only about three weeks of ministry.

Whenever you share the Gospel you run the risk of shame and/or suffering.  How desperately, therefore, do we need the emboldening of God the Holy Spirit.
Your message:

1 Thessalonians 2:3 For our exhortation did not come from error…

“Exhortation” refers to the message of the missionaries.  They were among nonbelievers urging them to repent and receive Jesus Christ as their Savior.  They were offering them eternal life.

Their message “did not come from error.”  The Gospel is the truth.

Paul’s attackers probably tried to lump him in with other traveling religious leaders and philosophers.  His message was the truth; Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life.  No one is saved by God except through His death and resurrection.

The message is “the Gospel of God,” meaning that it originates with God.  It  is His message; you are only the messenger.

You must be faithful to the message.  The encouragement of Revelation 22:18 & 19 is appropriate: “If any man shall add [to the words of this Book], God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: and if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life…”

Your motives:

1 Thessalonians 2:3 For our exhortation did not come from error or uncleanness…

“Uncleanness” refers to Paul’s motives for bringing them the Gospel.  For example: It could refer to impure physical motives.  Most of the popular religions in the first century promoted and praised sexual immorality.  Traveling “ministers” of these false religions taught that there was spiritual maturity in premarital and extramarital sex.  Many of the temples were funded by the services of temple prostitutes.  The so-called ministers themselves often convinced their female followers to have sex with them.  It was easy to attack Paul in a similar way by saying his motives for preaching the Gospel were probably impure on some level.

He answered the attack by simply pointing out it was not true.  He could point out it was not true only because it was not true!  That sounds redundant, and it is.  But it reminds you to have right motives so that when you are attacked you can honestly say “It’s not true!”

A Christian’s character is the whole capital he has for carrying on his business.  In most other callings, a man may go on, no matter what his character is, provided his balance at the bank is on the right side; but a Christian who has lost his character has lost everything.

The missionary martyr Jim Elliot wrote in his journal:

In spiritual work, if nowhere else, the character of the worker decides the quality of his work.  Shelley and Byron may be moral free-lancers and still write good poetry.  Wagner may be lecherous and still produce fine music, but it cannot be so in any work for God.

Paul could refer to his own character and manner of living for proof of what he was saying to the Thessalonians. Nine times over in this first epistle he says, “You know,” referring to the Thessalonians’ firsthand observation of Paul’s private as well as public life.  Paul went to Thessalonica and lived a life that more than illustrated what he preached; it went beyond illustration to convincing proof.  No wonder so much work in the Kingdom is shoddy; look at the moral character of the worker.

Your methods:

1 Thessalonians 2:3 For our exhortation did not come from error or uncleanness, nor was it in deceit.
1 Thessalonians 2:4 But as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, even so we speak, not as pleasing men, but God who tests our hearts.
1 Thessalonians 2:5 For neither at any time did we use flattering words, as you know, nor a cloak for covetousness – God is witness.
1 Thessalonians 2:6 Nor did we seek glory from men, either from you or from others, when we might have made demands as apostles of Christ.

Several words in these verses describe methods of ministry Paul did not use:

He did not use “deceit.”  The word is used of trying to catch fish with a baited hook.  In other words, Paul did not try to lure anyone to Jesus under false pretenses.

2. He did not use “flattering words.”  I once read that a flatterer is someone who manipulates rather than communicates. It can also refer to a style of oratory that seeks to gain something from the hearers.  Flattery is a form of lying and has no place in the Gospel.
3. He did not use “a cloak of covetousness.”  Preaching the Gospel was not (and should never be) a means for getting rich!
4. He “did not seek glory from men.”  He had no personal ambitions.  He did not see the Gospel as a means to further his reputation or expand his influence as a minister.  Paul was not building a religious empire or franchise.

Paul was an “apostle” with incredible spiritual authority.  He “might have made demands,” but instead he conducted himself in a manner worthy of Jesus.

We read within these verses, “not as pleasing men, but God Who tests our hearts” (verse 4).  Let’s talk about self-analysis.

“God… tests our hearts” has the idea that you present your heart to God for testing.  “Tests” refers to both a constant and continuing process of testing.
There is a long tradition in the Bible of asking God to test your heart – to review your life and reveal what is there.

Psalm 139:23    Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me, and know my anxieties;
Psalm 139:24    And see if there is any wicked way in me, And lead me in the way everlasting.

Commenting on those verses, D.L. Moody said,

The great trouble is that people search themselves and do not ask God’s aid.  We want to ask God to come to us with His searching power, that our hearts may be bared.

I cannot conduct an adequate search of my own heart.  I don’t know myself as well as God knows me.  I need Him to show me things – both good and not so good.

Yes, God can show me good things.

Jeremiah 17:10    I, the LORD, search the heart, I test the mind, Even to give every man according to his ways, According to the fruit of his doings.

We sometimes default to thinking God only shows us more and more sin, but He can show us fruit, too.  Maybe that’s what you need tonight – for God to show you fruit that only He could have produced in your heart and life.  To have Him renew the joy of His salvation.

How does God search my heart?  There’s very little about the mechanics of it, unless you want to go medieval and get mystical.  All I can suggest is that you get alone with God and give Him consent to reveal things to you that He knows and sees but you don’t.  And some of those – maybe a lot of them – will be good.

Realize, too, that this is constant, meaning even when I’m not ‘alone’ with God, He can break into my reality to show me something.

Deuteronomy 8:2    And you shall remember that the LORD your God led you all the way these forty years in the wilderness, to humble you and test you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not.

This is more God testing me in the everyday – when my actions and reactions give away what is in my heart.  My circumstances are like pop quizzes in school.  That’s pretty concrete.

Then, too, you must have the awareness that you will one day stand alone before your Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.  There He will reveal and review your finished work as His steward.  He will test it once and for all by fire, burning away that which is wood, hay and stubble to reveal what is precious.

Looking ahead to that glorious encounter should keep you on task as His steward.

Our Church Is A Very, Very, Very Fine Church (1 Thess 1v5-10)

Have you ever asked someone what their church was like?  Asked them to describe their church to you?

They might talk about the music; that’s a big thing.
They might simply tell you about the size of the church, about its growth.
If the church is involved in a particular program then that might be what the person tells you about.

Someone called the other day to get info about our services.  They are a family looking for a Calvary Chapel because, as they put it, “Calvary’s teach verse-by-verse through the whole Bible.”

I like that.  Nothing wrong with that as a descriptor, but is there more that should be said?

The apostle Paul described the church of the Thessalonians in the last portion of chapter one.  He said they were an “example” to other churches.  This is how we should want to be described – so let’s dig in and listen carefully.

1Th 1:5    For our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Spirit and in much assurance, as you know what kind of men we were among you for your sake.

The word “gospel” derives from the Old English gōd-spell, meaning good news or glad tidings.  Gospel is a word-for-word translation of the Greek word euangelion (eu, “good,” angelion, “message”).  The Greek word euangelion is also the source via the Latinised evangelium of the terms “evangelist” and “evangelism” in English.

What, exactly, is the good news?  Paul outlined it like this to the church in Corinth:

1Co 15:1    Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand,
1Co 15:2    by which also you are saved…
1Co 15:3    For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures,
1Co 15:4    and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures,

The death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ are the basic outline of the good news that God has provided a way of salvation for men through the gift of His Son to the world.  He suffered as a sacrifice for sin, overcame death, and now offers salvation to all who will accept it.

Further, the gospel is good news because it is a gift of God.  Jesus is the Savior of all men, especially those who believe.  Salvation is thus available to all; it cannot be achieved, but it can be received by believing.

Paul sometimes calls the good news of salvation by grace through faith in Jesus Christ “the gospel.”  Sometimes he modifies it, calling it “our gospel” because it is the message proclaimed by he and his companions.  Sometimes he calls it “my gospel” because the truth that in Jesus Christ Jews and Gentiles are equal and are saved the same way had been entrusted to him.

He also calls it “the gospel of God” because God had revealed it; and “the gospel of Christ” because the good news focused upon Jesus.

We ought to be described as a church that emphasizes not just the need for personal salvation but the absolute priority of getting saved.  We should stress that getting saved and having your life transformed takes precedence over personal or social or political reformation.  Transform the man and you reform society as a consequence.

The gospel did not come “in word only,” but it did come preached as words they could understand.  Paul taught them from God’s Word.

Calvary Chapel’s generally excel in this descriptor.  That’s not to brag, or say that other churches do not excel in teaching God’s Word.  It’s just an accurate observation.

Having said that, we want to excel in all these descriptors – not just this one.

The gospel came “in power.”  This doesn’t mean external evidences, like miracles.  If that’s what Paul had meant he would have used the plural form, “powers.”

He is referring here to the internal working of God the Holy Spirit upon hearts as the word was shared.

As a descriptor of the church this speaks of a confidence that the gospel is the power of God unto salvation.  In practical terms it means that we stay on message, not getting sidetracked by other methods to produce results.

The gospel came to them “in much assurance.”  I’m told by the language scholars that this “assurance,” or it could be translated “conviction,” relates to the one delivering the message, not the hearers.

As a descriptor it means we must be bold in sharing the gospel.

This boldness cannot come from any effort on your part.  It isn’t a personality trait or a skill you can learn.  It is a holy boldness that is produced in you by “the Holy Spirit.”

It is precisely the reason the disciples were told to wait until the Day of Pentecost for the gift of the Holy Spirit.  They needed His empowering to come upon them in order to have this boldness.

We believe that there is such a thing as the baptism with the Holy Spirit but perhaps we don’t emphasize it enough.

How might we emphasize it more?  In the Gospel of Luke Jesus spoke of this baptism with the Holy Spirit when He encouraged us to ask, seek, and knock for the gift of the Holy Spirit.  He said, “So if you who are evil know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the Father in Heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who keep asking him!” (Luke 11:13 ISV).

“As you know what kind of men we were among you for your sake.”  One commentator summarizes this by saying, “the whole man preaches.”  The character and conduct of the messenger of the gospel should give no cause to doubt the message.

It doesn’t mean we must be perfect; only that we be thoughtful of how our character and conduct affects others – both believers and nonbelievers.

Paul even goes so far as to say,

1Th 1:6    And you became followers of us and of The Lord…

Don’t you find it odd that Paul said they followed him and The Lord rather than The Lord and him, or just The Lord?

He’s simply pointing out what we all know is true: You are the Jesus people see.  You are the living epistles.  Live accordingly.

The next important descriptor is that we would endure afflictions joyfully.

1Th 1:6  …having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Spirit,

Remember that Paul and company had, quite literally, been run out of town.  Before that he had been beaten and illegally incarcerated in Philippi.

Nevertheless these Thessalonians “received the word,” knowing similar treatment was their lot.

They didn’t simply resign themselves to suffering.  It was accompanied by an inner “joy of the Holy Spirit.”

Are we those who count it all joy when we fall into various trials?  Are we excited to share in the fellowship of His sufferings?

Then there is the whole issue of what is going on in the world – why there is so much suffering.  The problem of pain is thought to be the insurmountable issue that proves there is no God; or that God hasn’t the power to act.

While individual circumstances will remain a mystery this side of Heaven, we understand God is longsuffering, not willing that any should perish eternally.  I’m genuinely sorry for a person’s loss, but it is compounded if they are lost eternally.

We are described as being involved in a cosmic spiritual warfare.  Satan has been defeated; Jesus defeated Him at every point throughout His life, then finally and ultimately on the Cross and via His resurrection.  But the devil fights on wreaking havoc where he may.  Let’s realize we are in a war and that there will be casualties.

Next descriptor: Be examples.

1Th 1:7    so that you became examples to all in Macedonia and Achaia who believe.

It’s one thing to be a good example to nonbelievers, but here we are told they were examples to believers.  And all this within a short period of time.

I sometimes think I was a better example in things like faith and trusting God when I was first saved.

The fact they were great examples as young believers – and that many of us were, too – tells me that our example doesn’t come through effort by by empowering.  Having begun in the Spirit I will not be made perfect by the flesh.

Next descriptor: Evangelism.

1Th 1:8    For from you the word of the Lord has sounded forth, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place. Your faith toward God has gone out, so that we do not need to say anything.
1Th 1:9    For they themselves declare concerning us what manner of entry we had to you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God,

You’ve probably heard the phrase, “Preach the gospel; use words if necessary.”  Well, that’s not what Paul meant.  I’m not sure that even makes sense.  Words are necessary.

And when it’s something more than words, it’s not just being a good, moral person.  It is taking a stand for God.

In whatever walk of life you find yourself you can bet there will be a way to “turn to God from idols.”  It might come as a crisis where you are called upon to compromise your faith – sort of like Daniel’s three friends called upon to bow to the statue of King Nebuchadnezzar.

Or Daniel himself, knowing he’d be violating the decree of King Darius if he prayed publicly as was his manner.

There will come a moment, or moments, when you will choose whether or not to “turn to God from idols” and thereby give the testimony you are a servant of the living God.

The final characteristic: Expectancy.

1Th 1:10    and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, even Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come.

“Wait” is a word, and in a verb tense, that pictures a people who are eagerly and expectantly looking forward to the coming of Jesus, which is anticipated to be at any moment.

We strongly teach the Doctrine of Imminence.  Nothing needs to happen before Jesus can return to resurrect and rapture the church.

One author noted that this expectancy has been lost in modern times.  Then he says, “That attitude of expectation is the bloom, as it were, of the Christian character.  Without it there is something lacking: the Christian who does not look upward and onward [lacks] one mark of perfection.”

The “wrath to come” distinguishes it as a separate period of time from that in which we are living.  It is the future seven-year Great Tribulation.  We – the church, elect in Jesus Christ – will not be on the earth for any portion of it.  We will be delivered from it.

Again, we get high marks as a church for talking about the imminent return of Jesus.  We also need to be sure that it effects our daily decisions.

Any church, at any given time, has room for improvement in one or more of these descriptors.  Let’s just make sure that these are the areas in which we wish to be perfected by God.

Let’s let these things dictate the kind of church we are and not any worldly standards.

Election Daze (1 Thessalonians 1v4)

If you are saved, it’s because you were chosen by God before the foundations of the earth.  The sovereign God of creation foreknew you and He predestined you.

All Christians believe what I just said.  You have to believe it because it is what the Bible unequivocally teaches.

Having said that, it must be admitted that there is wide disagreement on exactly how you were chosen and what God foreknew and when you were predestined.

Welcome to the Doctrine of Election.

Over the past ten or so years these issues have been the hot button among Christians.  Even today there is a popular movement, affectionately called Young, Restless, and Reformed, that keeps this topic burning.

Let me say that I don’t anymore see arguing over election as the most valuable use of our energies as believers.

It seems to me a far more important issue, for edifying believers and evangelizing nonbelievers, to deal with the Problem of Pain in our world.

Your co-worker or neighbor or relative who just learned they or someone close to them has terminal cancer isn’t going to be ministered to by a discussion of God’s foreknowledge and predestination.  They need to understand that God can be both omnipotent and love and yet permit suffering on account of His own longsuffering with sinners, not willing that any one of them perish, but that all come to eternal life.

Nevertheless we’ve come in our reading of First Thessalonians to the Doctrine of Election and it is our blessed duty and privilege to discuss it.

1Th 1:4    knowing, beloved brethren, your election by God.

What is “election by God?”  There are at least six ways that the concept of God’s election is used in the Bible:

There’s a verse in First Timothy that refers to certain elect angels (5:21).  There the word is used to refer to the angels who did not rebel against God with Satan.  They form a group, a corporate group, that includes them but excludes all others.
Election can simply refer to God raising you up to serve Him.  When Samuel came to anoint the next king of Israel God chose – He elected – David to serve Him (First Samuel 16).
Jesus Christ is specifically referred to as God’s Elect (Isaiah 42:1).
In the Old Testament the nation of Israel, as a whole, is regarded as God’s elect nation (Isaiah 45:4).
Likewise in the New Testament the church, as a whole, is regarded as God’s elect.
The word “elect” can be synonymous with an individual being saved.

We might, therefore, give this working definition of election: Election is God’s choosing of individuals or groups to be the objects of His grace or to otherwise fulfill His purposes.  Often, but not always, God’s election is associated with his choice of individuals or groups unto salvation.

There is widespread disagreement as to exactly how a person is elected by God.  Theologian and author John Stott frankly says. “No explanation is given except God’s love.”  Nevertheless we struggle to understand certain aspects of God’s election.

If you survey the theological landscape you’ll find three prominent, recurring themes about election.  They are sometimes categorized as unconditional election, conditional election, and corporate election.  They are not necessarily mutually exclusive, but there are vast differences between them.

Unconditional election teaches that in eternity past God chose some individuals from the mass of fallen humanity to save without regard to foreseen faith in them but solely based on His sovereign discretion.

This view is associated with Reformed Theology and Calvinism.  You may not know it but here are many and varied expressions of it.  Not all Reformed groups agree.  You can, for example, be Reformed but not be a Calvinist.

Not all Calvinists believe the same thing.  It’s even become popular to say that John Calvin was not really a Calvinist.

One of the major, and I feel insurmountable, conclusions of unconditional election is that if God chose some to salvation without regard to foreseen faith, then He also chose others – perhaps the majority of the human race – to damnation.

He could have saved more, or even all, since it was solely His prerogative; but for reasons that remain mysterious He thought it would bring Him more glory to save a few while consigning the rest to suffer in Hell, having had no choice in the matter.

Baptist theologians offer this analogy.  Imagine a fireman who goes into a burning orphanage to save some young children because they are unable to escape by themselves and can be saved only if he rescues them.  Only he can save them because he has the proper equipment.  He comes back in a few minutes bringing out 3 of the 30 children, but rather than going back in to save more children, the fireman goes over to the news media and talks about how praiseworthy he is for saving the three children.  Indeed, saving the three children was a good, heroic deed.  But the pressing question on everyone’s mind is, “What about the other 27 children?” Since he has the means to rescue the children and, indeed, is the only one who can save the children since they cannot save themselves, do we view the fireman as morally praiseworthy?

We would not. In fact, probably he would be charged with depraved indifference.  He had the means to help them, but he would not.  If we do not find that praiseworthy in a human, why would we find it praiseworthy in God?

This dual choosing on God’s part is referred to as Double Predestination.  If in eternity past God predestined some to salvation then He also predestined others to damnation.

Unconditional election also teaches that regeneration precedes faith.  In other words, God saves you, He regenerates you, you are born-again, and only afterward can you exercise faith to believe in Him.  His grace is said to be irresistible to those He has elected from eternity past and regenerated.

Let’s move on.  Conditional election is so-called because it is conditioned upon God’s foreknowledge of faith in individuals which is made possible because of God’s grace.  That is, God’s grace frees man’s will to make the choice to believe, but you can resist this grace and remain lost.  Those that God foresees will believe (as enabled by His grace) are the ones whom He chooses from the beginning for salvation.

This view is identified with Arminianism.  Not Armenian, as in the people from Armenia, but Arminian after Jacob Arminius, the Dutch theologian who debated Reformed Theology in the late 1500’s.

A criticism of this view is that it makes man responsible for his own salvation; that it puts too much of the choosing on man.  “Man saves himself,” they say.

That’s not at all fair to those who hold this view.  They, too, along with Reformed and Calvinist theologians see mankind as totally depraved and hopelessly lost but instead of irresistible grace acting upon your heart to save you before you exercise faith, what they call prevenient grace frees your will to accept or reject Jesus Christ.
Another criticism is that any election other than unconditional election undermines God’s sovereignty.  If you are freed, even by grace, to choose, then God is no longer sovereign.

The answer to that is to realize that God is sovereign over His own sovereignty!  If, in fact, He has decided in His sovereignty to free your will to choose, how does that undermine anything?

We joke sometimes about a man doing something that might not be considered manly.  We say he is comfortable with his manhood.

God, if indeed He has chosen to allow prevenient grace to free the human will, is obviously comfortable with His sovereignty.

Arminian theologian Roger Olson says,

Saying we have free will to resist and even thwart the will of God does not diminish the greatness of God’s sovereignty and power because our ability to resist and thwart God’s perfect will is given us by God for the sake of having real relationships with us, not artificial ones.  Yes, of course, God could control us.  But He doesn’t.  Not because we have some power over Him but because He wants us to love Him and obey Him freely and not by compulsion.

God is love and in His love He can limit His sovereignty to allow your will to be freed by His grace so you might choose to love Him.

Love cannot be forced; it must be freely chosen or it is not love.

Perhaps we should not talk about free will but in a freed will, one which, though initially bound by sin, has been brought by the prevenient grace of the Spirit of God to a point where it can respond freely to the divine call.

I haven’t forgotten that there is a third view, called corporate election.  It accurately points out that Jesus Christ is called God’s Elect and that through Christ’s redemptive work God has purposed to form a people to be His body (who become part of Him, the Elect).  This election is freely offered to all mankind.  Anyone who believes and is identified with Jesus Christ becomes part of the elect and is assured of salvation.

Supporters argue that the New Testament language that explicitly discusses election is always corporate.  Our text here in First Thessalonians, for example, is addressing the church as a corporate group, all who are the “beloved brethren,” rather than any one individual.

Further, Paul says he knows they are elect.  Can he really know, after only three weeks of being with them, and they being just a few months old as a church, that every one of them is truly saved?  It seems more likely he was addressing them corporately.

Corporate election is sometimes illustrated by comparing the church to a ship on its way to its future and final destination.  The ship is chosen by God to be His very own vessel.  Jesus Christ is the chosen Captain and Pilot of this chosen ship.  God desires that everyone would come aboard this ship and has graciously made provisions for them to do so through its Captain.

Only those who place their trust in the Captain of the ship are welcomed to come on board.  Election is experienced only in union with the Captain and his ship.  Predestination tells us about the ship’s future direction and final destination that God has prepared for those on it.  God, out of his immense love, invites everyone to come aboard the ship through faith in the ship’s Captain, Jesus Christ.

Those in the corporate election camp also speak of prevenient grace.  It’s not a different type or kind of grace.  The word “prevenient” means that which precedes or comes before.  When used of grace it means the grace of God that precedes salvation.

Prevenient grace is simply the convicting, calling, enlightening and enabling grace of God that goes before conversion and makes repentance and faith possible.  Calvinists interpret it as irresistible and effectual; the person in whom it works must repent and believe unto salvation.  Arminians interpret it as resistible; people are always able to resist the grace of God, as Scripture warns (Acts 7:51).

Jacob Arminius stressed that “the grace of God is not a certain irresistible force… it is a Person, the Holy Spirit, and in personal relationships there cannot be the sheer overpowering of one person by another.”

One of my very favorite theologians, Henry Thiessen, described prevenient grace like this:

Because man is without any ability or desire to change, God responded by prevenient grace.  This grace restores to the sinner the ability to make a favorable response to God.  This fact is implied in God’s dealing with Adam and Eve after the fall and in the many exhortations to sinners to turn to God, to repent, and to believe.  Because of prevenient grace man is able to make an initial response to God, and God will then give to him repentance and faith.  God in His foreknowledge knows what men will do in response to his prevenient grace, whether or not they will “receive the grace of God in vain” (Second Corinthians 6:1).  Thus, foreknowledge is not itself causative… God foreknew what men would do in response to his prevenient grace, and He elected those whom He foresaw would respond positively.  In this way election follows foreknowledge.

If God, by prevenient grace, frees your will to respond, does that mean you work for salvation, or that you somehow earn it – making it not by grace through faith?

Think of this analogy.  If someone gives you a check for a hundred thousand dollars that saves you from bankruptcy, and all you have to do is endorse the check and deposit it, did you earn part of the money?  Was it any less a gift?  Absolutely not.

What if someone who received such a check that saved him or her from bankruptcy then boasted of having earned part of the gift?  People would think him mad or ungrateful or both!  A gift that must be freely received is no less a gift.

Honest pastors and theologians will say that a strong biblical case can be made for all three views of election.

John Stott insightfully wrote,
To whatever denomination or tradition we may belong, the doctrine of election causes us difficulties and questions.  To be sure, it is a truth which runs through Scripture… Moreover, the topic of election is nearly always introduced for a practical purpose, in order to foster assurance (not presumption), holiness (not moral apathy), humility (not pride), and witness (not lazy selfishness).  But still, no explanation is given except God’s love.

God is love, and since live is an essential attribute of God it prompted Dave Hunt, in examining these issues, to ask the question, “What love is this?” that could have saved billions but instead either did nothing to save them or acted to damn them to an eternity of suffering in Hell.

I guess what I’m saying is that since this debate can never be finally settled this side of Heaven, and since you can choose between viable, biblical options, why choose one that makes God a monster – especially when the average nonbeliever already thinks He is one for allowing their pain and suffering?

Making Sense Of Sight (1 Thessalonians 1v1-3)

Just about every Sunday for over 300 weeks we have presented a prophecy update that ended with the words, “Ready or not, Jesus is coming.”

Turns out I’m in good company!  Every chapter in Paul’s first letter to the Thessalonians ends with a reminder that the Lord is coming.

​1 Thessalonians 1:10 …wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, even Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come.

​1 Thessalonians 2:19  For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Is it not even you in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at His coming?

​1 Thessalonians 3:13  …establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all His saints.

​1 Thessalonians 4:17  Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.

​1 Thessalonians 5:23  Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Prophecy is practical.  In each chapter you will see how the coming of the Lord profoundly impacts your walk with the Lord:

​Chapter 1 – How the Coming of the Lord Affects Your Salvation
​Chapter 2 – How the Coming of the Lord Affects Your Service
​Chapter 3 – How the Coming of the Lord Affects Your Sanctification
​Chapter 4 – How the Coming of the Lord Affects Your Sorrow
​Chapter 5 – How the Coming of the Lord Affects Your Stability

1Th 1:1    Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy, To the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

​Paul invited Barnabas to go with him on a second missions trip to strengthen the churches they had established on their first missions trip.  Barnabas wanted to go, but he insisted they bring Jon-Mark, who had flaked-out on them the first time.  Paul refused and instead set out with Silvanus, usually called by his Roman name, Silas.

(Here’s a piece of Bible trivia – Luke always calls him Silas whereas Paul refers to him as Silvanus).

They travelled through Syria and Cilicia eventually coming to Derbe then Lystra.  In Lystra they met Timothy.  Paul wanted Timothy to join them but he needed first to be circumcised so that he, being half Jewish, would not be an offense when they preached in the local synagogues.

After going through Phrygia and Galatia the Holy Spirit began closing doors until Paul found himself in Troas.  There he received the famous vision of the man from Macedonia saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.”

Dr. Luke was on this trip, too; we’re not sure when he joined them but in Acts 16 he uses the word “we.”  At the river in Philippi Lydia and her household hear the Gospel, receive the Lord, and are baptized.

In Philippi a demon-possessed slave girl follows Paul and Silas.  After putting up with her for many days, Paul casts out the demon that gives her an ability to divine certain things.

Her owners are not happy – seeing they made a great deal of money from her divination.  They get Paul and Silas arrested, beaten, and chained in the prison.

It’s the prison where Paul and Silas are singing praises at midnight when God sends an earthquake, opening the prison doors.  Fearing the prisoners are escaping, the jailor is about to take his own life when Paul stops him.  He ends up leading the jailor and his family to the Lord.

Next day Paul and Silas are released to profuse apologies from the authorities once Paul reveals he is a Roman citizen.   After some days strengthening the believers in Philippi, Paul and Silas depart without Luke.
Passing through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they come to Thessalonica.  It was the capital of Macedonia with a population of 200,000.

Acts 17 records that Paul ministered in the synagogue there for three consecutive Sabbath’s, then he, Silas, and Timothy were forced by unbelieving Jews to leave Thessalonica for Berea.

Paul was eventually driven out of Berea by the same unbelieving Jews and he headed for Athens.  Timothy and Silas remained behind in Berea.  While in Athens, Paul sent word to Timothy to return to Thessalonica and strengthen the believers there.

Paul goes on to Corinth, where eventually he catches up with Silas and Timothy.  Timothy delivers a good report to Paul about the spiritual health of the church at Thessalonica, and Paul writes this first letter to them.

Sure, they were on a trip specifically to do Christian work.  But don’t lose sight that they were just ordinary Christians who shared their testimony as they were going through life.  The only thing extraordinary about any of them was God – the same God who saved you and can use you.

Paul addressed his readers as “the church of the Thessalonians.”  The word “church” means a called out people.  It wasn’t a Christian word; it was used of town assemblies when citizens were called together to conduct civil business.  The Jews adopted it to describe religious assemblies.  It came to mean the assembled people of God.

I don’t need to belabor the understanding that the New Testament pattern was for folks to receive The Lord then join together with other believers as His called-out people.  The New Testament knows nothing of a disconnected believer.

They may have been in Thessalonica but they were also “in God the Father and in the Lord Jesus Christ.”  They were now citizens of Heaven, looking forward to the city whose builder and maker is God.

This language also, and perhaps mostly, reminds us of the love and unity between Father and Son, and it brings us into that unity as the called out people.  We love God and also love one another.

“Grace to you and peace” is a greeting uniquely Paul’s.

“Grace” is God’s unmerited favor, by which we are saved; but it is more than that.  It is the power of God to sustain us in our walk with The Lord.
“Peace” is your inner tranquility knowing you’ve been saved.  It is a word that summarizes the reconciliation God accomplished with the human race on the Cross.

1Th 1:2    We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers,

“God” was to be thanked.  He led Paul and his companions step-by-step, sustaining them through persecution by grace, until they found themselves in Thessalonica sharing the Gospel.  Then by God’s grace human wills were freed to make decisions for Christ.  Men and women were born-again, saved from perishing, set on the path toward Heaven.
Think of the miracle of saved, changed lives.  You can’t help but give thanks to God for His plan of salvation.

“Always” is a big word, considering it encompasses all the believers and believers are all over the map in their maturity.  The Thessalonians themselves weren’t all worthy of thanks.  As we will see, some of them opposed Paul; some of them were living immoral lives; some were involved in false teaching.

No matter how many knuckleheads there were in Thessalonica, Paul and his companions could thank God for His saving work in all of them, knowing it was just the beginning of conforming each person into the image of Jesus.

The missionaries prayed together.  They evidently thought that their prayers could make a difference.  They weren’t praying just to get themselves to accept the inevitable.  They were praying to influence the work of God, believing that the effectual fervent prayer of the righteous can accomplish something.

1Th 1:3    remembering without ceasing your work of faith, labor of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the sight of our God and Father,

When Paul thought about the Thessalonians, which was often, he remembered three things about them as a congregation:

Their “work of faith” means the spiritual deeds they did inspired by their faith in Jesus Christ.  This isn’t random good deeds or acts of kindness; it is the specific work that God guides you into and fulfills in the power of His Holy Spirit.
Their “labor of love” means toilsome, laborious effort to go on loving with the love of God when things aren’t going too smoothly.  “Labor” is a particularly strenuous word.  The thought here is that apart from the presence of God’s unconditional love in their lives they would have given up by now.

“Patience of hope” is steadfast endurance inspired by true hope.  The word for “patience” doesn’t mean resignation.  It, too, is a strong word that indicates an almost heroic endurance that faces trials with courage.  Biblical “hope” is the certain knowledge that what God promised He will perform.

One author wrote, “faith rests on the past, love works in the present, and hope looks to the future.”

Another said, “faith comes first as the source of all Christian virtues; love is the sustaining power which enables the believer to persevere in the face of opposition and suffering for the faith; and hope looks to the future, serving as the beacon star which guides the saint to his heavenly haven.”

Here is another: “Faith looks back to a crucified Savior.  Love looks up to a crowned Savior.  Hope looks on to the coming Savior.”

I like that one because it focuses our hearts squarely on “our Lord Jesus Christ.”

“In the sight of our God and Father” is maybe the most precious phrase in this salutation.  Faith, love, and hope are all energized by the understanding that God is a Father Who is constantly aware of the church corporately and of each member of the church individually.

My life is being played out before Him.  In His sovereignty He guides, directs, limits, permits, allows.

I can’t always get a handle on exactly why things happen as they do, but I can trust they are in His “sight” and that He loves me as a Father does His son.

There are certain moments in the Bible stories that bring out this point.  Early in the story of the Jerusalem church, James is arrested and beheaded.  A little later, Peter is arrested and is scheduled to be beheaded.

Instead an angel breaks him out of jail.

Why?  Why permit James to be beheaded, then limit the power of the authorities by miraculously freeing Peter?

Some would suggest that there was more fervent prayer for Peter.  There was a prayer meeting going on; but the text doesn’t say that was the reason.  It only establishes that the believers thought prayer could, in fact, influence the situation; and it did – even though when Peter showed up at the meeting they didn’t at first believe he had been set free.

The truth is we cannot answer these questions of “Why?”  Not this side of eternity.

But we need not despair if we know that all that we do is “in the sight of our God and Father.”

Indeed, the Bible lets us know that “precious in the sight of The Lord is the death of His saints.”

To live is Christ, but to die is gain.  Live with that as your philosophy and you will flourish in the sight of The Lord.