Three Tests Of True Trusters In Christ
1 Thess. 1:4-8
Intro: Somebody had misunderstood Paul during the three weeks he had preached and taught in Thessolonica.
ILL. In one week of revival, two services each day over one million words are spoken - great margin for misunderstanding!
ILL. of kid's game of gossip, Story in German class 7 in one blow - flys! But someone heard giants!
So Thess. is in one way Paul's attempt to restate truth and clear up and correct misunderstanding and hence misrepresentation.
Paul could not come in person to Thessolonica (he had wanted to twice, but was hindered), couldn't send Timothy or Silas for they were needed so badly in the work. He would writer to them to fill the void.
Jerome said of Paul's letter, ''His words were like thunder And Luther commented. ''Paul's words and expressions are like living creatures with hands and feet!
Paul begins with thanksgiving for what salvation and Faith in Christ has done for those people. Verse 9, You turned to God from idols to serve the true and Living God. You have been converted! Turned i.e. epis Tropho - word used for conversion throughout the N.T.
Paul gives us a conprehensive compilation of the meaning or evidence of conversion. There are nine of them that divide themselves into triplets - they both comfort us and challenge us!
The context of this first triplet in Verse 4, 5 is Communicated by a very special name by which Paul calls the Thessalonians: beloved brethren. Previously this sacred designation had been used only for the great men of Israel's history or for the nation of Israel herself. It means beloved by God. Now it is extended to the heterogeneous fellowship of Jews, Greeks, and Romans, men - and women of the church of Thessalonica! The grace of God had broken the religious, social, cultural, economic and sexist barriers. The searching, yearning, pursuing heart of God is where conversion begins. And that heart of unlimited love is Christ. Emm ...
1 Thess. 1:4-8
Intro: Somebody had misunderstood Paul during the three weeks he had preached and taught in Thessolonica.
ILL. In one week of revival, two services each day over one million words are spoken - great margin for misunderstanding!
ILL. of kid's game of gossip, Story in German class 7 in one blow - flys! But someone heard giants!
So Thess. is in one way Paul's attempt to restate truth and clear up and correct misunderstanding and hence misrepresentation.
Paul could not come in person to Thessolonica (he had wanted to twice, but was hindered), couldn't send Timothy or Silas for they were needed so badly in the work. He would writer to them to fill the void.
Jerome said of Paul's letter, ''His words were like thunder And Luther commented. ''Paul's words and expressions are like living creatures with hands and feet!
Paul begins with thanksgiving for what salvation and Faith in Christ has done for those people. Verse 9, You turned to God from idols to serve the true and Living God. You have been converted! Turned i.e. epis Tropho - word used for conversion throughout the N.T.
Paul gives us a conprehensive compilation of the meaning or evidence of conversion. There are nine of them that divide themselves into triplets - they both comfort us and challenge us!
The context of this first triplet in Verse 4, 5 is Communicated by a very special name by which Paul calls the Thessalonians: beloved brethren. Previously this sacred designation had been used only for the great men of Israel's history or for the nation of Israel herself. It means beloved by God. Now it is extended to the heterogeneous fellowship of Jews, Greeks, and Romans, men - and women of the church of Thessalonica! The grace of God had broken the religious, social, cultural, economic and sexist barriers. The searching, yearning, pursuing heart of God is where conversion begins. And that heart of unlimited love is Christ. Emm ...
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