1 Thessalonians 2:11-15

 

1 Th 2:11 (KJB)
As ye know how we exhorted and comforted and charged every one of you, as a father doth his children,
 
Exhorted - Encourage
Comforted - To cheer up or comfort
Charged - Bear witness or be a witness
 
In verse 7 we read how Paul had cherished these Thessalonians as a nurse and here he adds the watchful eye of the father. It is not out of the question that new Christians could fall back into a sin so Paul states that he has encouraged them in the faith, and in the case where maybe some have suffered loss, he has comforted them. Then he charged them, not only in private but also when they have gathered together. A father may be more stern than a mother and that is why he wanted them to be witnesses, not only to the Gospel but also to the loving care which Paul had given them.
 
1 Th 2:12 (KJB)
That ye would walk worthy of God, who hath called you unto his kingdom and glory.
 
Walk - Conduct oneself or live
Worthy - Worthily or suitable
 
Here is the focus of Paul’s love and exhortation to the Thessalonians. He wants them to walk worthy of the name of God. For a Christian to engage in sin is not in keeping with the character of God which He imparts to us when we become saved. There must be a noticeable difference in our lifestyle after we have become saved. If we say we are saved and then continue in our old lifestyle, then that is glaring proof that we were never saved. If we take upon us the name of God, we better walk worthy of that name or else His holy name will be blasphemed by the unbelievers saying that Christianity is false. God calls us unto His kingdom, we don’t walk in by saying a prayer. God has to qualify us to come into the Kingdom of God. Here Paul states that we even share the glory of God and part of that glory, which we do not see now, is eternal life even though we have it at the moment of salvation, total separation from sin, we will have a glorified spiritual body and many other things we do not know about. Right now we share in the glory of God’s salvation plan by witnessing to others and if God opens their spiritual eyes, then that is one more in the kingdom of God. We also share in the glory of God’s creation which in every aspect shows great spiritual principles such as the sun which lights the day and if we are saved, we are called light. (Mat 5:14 KJV) Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. God is the one who brings a person out of darkness and into the light of salvation, yet He bestows on us the title of being lights to a dark world.
 
1 Th 2:13 (KJB)
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.
 
Effectually worketh - Operate, accomplish, to be effective, or active
Ye received - Accepted or approved
 
Not only does Paul thank God for the actions which the Thessalonians have taken in furthering the Gospel, he thanks God that when they heard the word of God, they immediately accepted it as being the true word of God. They were able to tell the difference between the humanistic Greek philosophy and also the Judaizers who preached their gospel. The only one who preached the Gospel of salvation was the Apostle Paul. The distinction is that both Judaism and Greek philosophy are man-centered. The true Gospel is God and Christ centered and speaks of eternal life through Christ. When these Thessalonians received the word and became saved, they could not contain themselves and had to start spreading the word. There is no motivation in Judaism nor Greek philosophy which can even come near the motivation which the true Gospel brings into a person’s life. That is why Paul speaks of the Gospel as working effectually in the believer. Those who become saved are definitely affected by the Gospel for the rest of their lives and into eternity after their home going. There is much being passed off today as God’s word which is really man’s word. What we must be careful of is believing what someone says the Bible says, rather than what it does say. True Bible interpretation is done objectively and not subjected to a person’s bias.
 
1 Th 2:14 (KJB)
For ye, brethren, became followers of the churches of God which in Judaea are in Christ Jesus: for ye also have suffered like things of your own countrymen, even as they have of the Jews:
 
Here Paul is acknowledging the fact that those who were in charge of the Synagogues in Thessalonica were bringing trumped up charges against the new Christians. They were jealous that the true Gospel was having such an impact and compared to their dead religion, people were coming alive in the Lord. Judaism is a dead religion because they reject Christ and the Bible states plainly, that if you do not have the Son, you do not have the Father. (1 John 2:23 KJV) Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: (but) he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also. The Christian not only has the Son and Father, but the Holy Spirit dwells in us making us alive from the spiritually dead. Just as in Judaea, these Christians also suffered at the hands of the unsaved Jews. It was out of jealousy that these Jews had attacked these new Christians. A similar situation also exists in false churches. If one attends a false church and they become saved, whenever they bring the gospel to others in that church, they are immediately ostracized and eventually are escorted out the door. In other words, don’t disturb our casket religion with talk about resurrection.
 
1 Th 2:15 (KJB)
Who both killed the Lord Jesus, and their own prophets, and have persecuted us; and they please not God, and are contrary to all men:
 
Persecuted - Expel by persecution, drive out, or persecute severely
Contrary - Hostile toward or over against
 
Here the Apostle Paul speaks candidly about the Jews. He states that they both killed the Lord Jesus and the prophets whom God sent to them. This is not only speaking about the leaders but is speaking about those who are unsaved and followed the unsaved leaders. All one has to do is read the Old Testament and you will see how they killed their own prophets. Their rejection of the word of God brought by these prophets resulted in them going into captivity. The Northern Kingdom went into captivity with Assyria and never heard from again. Judah, the Southern Kingdom, went into Babylon for 70 years and then some came back to the land but after the Lord Jesus went back to Heaven, Judah was dispersed when General Titus razed Jerusalem in 70 A.D. That judgment was yet to happen when 1 Thessalonians was written. They continued to persecute the Apostle Paul and all the Apostles. The unsaved Jews showed tremendous hostility toward the true word of God and they still do to this day. Their main religious book is the Babylonian Talmud. They are not God’s chosen people. God had a special relationship with them for a limited time because the Lord Jesus Christ came from their lineage through the tribe of Judah. Once Jesus died and rose, and went back to Heaven, that spelled the end of the Mosaic system and now God was not dealing with only one nation anymore, He is now dealing with the entire world. The Jews are as much of a mission field as any other people group.

Back