Devotional on 1 Thessalonians 1:1-10
Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy, To the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace.
We give thanks to God always for all of you, constantly mentioning you in our prayers, remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. For we know, brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you, because our gospel came to you not only in word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction. You know what kind of men we proved to be among you for your sake. And you became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you received the word in much affliction, with the joy of the Holy Spirit, so that you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia. For not only has the word of the Lord sounded forth from you in Macedonia and Achaia, but your faith in God has gone forth everywhere, so that we need not say anything. For they themselves report concerning us the kind of reception we had among you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come. (1 Thess. 1:1-10, ESV)
My family and I have recently started reading through 1 Thessalonians as part of our regular devotions. This is a wonderful letter that Paul sent to the church in Thessalonica to commend them and to encourage them to continue in faith, hope, and love. Unlike other churches where he was able to spend an extended amount of time planting and teaching (e. g., Ephesus), Paul was only able to spend a few weeks with the Thessalonian believers before he was forced to flee due to the outrage of the Jewish religious leaders in the local synagogue (Acts 17:1-8). His letters to this church reflect a desire to affirm them both in their doctrine and in their practice.
The Spiritual fruits of faith, hope, and love appear together in this text as they do in other places throughout the New Testament. In fact, outside of 1 Corinthians 13, these virtues appear together as closely in the text only two other times – both in 1 Thessalonians (1:3, 5:8)! Given that Paul finds it important to tell the church that he continually thanks God for the manifestations of these virtues in their lives, it is worth us giving some consideration to them and how they apply to us.
First, Paul writes of their, “work of faith.” By this does Paul mean that faith itself is a human work? May it never be! As we read in v. 4, “For we know brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you.” The Thessalonians were the recipients grace by faith that had been given to them based on the free choice of God. Instead, he is referring to the works that have been produced by the faith that the Thessalonians have received. What works? We read that the Thessalonians, “became imitators of [Paul, Silas, Timothy] and of the Lord,” by receiving the word of God even in the face of persecution and by turning, “to God from idols,” (v. 9). These works were evidence that the Thessalonians had truly believed in Christ and was evidence of salvific faith.
Next, Paul commends the Thessalonians for their “labor of love”. Compare this with Paul’s declaration in the next verse that the they were, “loved by God”. How are we to understand this kind of love? I believe we are meant to see two things. First, love is a sacrificial act that requires effort on the part of the one who is “loving”. Second, that the love that Christians are to have for one another flows from the love that God has shown us in Christ. This kind love goes beyond the example that Christ gives us in his ministry (although we should imitate the Lord as Paul has already said!). The love of God makes us right with him by taking away our sin, and giving us Christ’s righteousness. Our hearts of stone are replaced with hearts of flesh that can sincerely (though not yet perfectly) love both God and neighbor in a way that pleases him.
We love because he first loved us. (1 John 4:19, ESV)
In chapter 4, as Paul is providing additional instruction on Godly living, he tells the Thessalonians, “Now concerning brotherly love you have no need for anyone to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love one another,” (v. 9). May we be so taught by the Spirit that brotherly love would mark our congregation in this same way!
Finally, Paul thanks God for the Thessalonian church’s, “steadfastness of hope.” It is their hope in Christ’s promises that causes them, “to wait for [God’s] Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come.” (v. 10). Their hoping and their waiting are closely connected. While waiting for the return of Christ, it is easy for us to become discouraged. A look at our present circumstances could certainly cause us to begin to doubt the power and goodness of God. But unlike human hope, we have a Spirit-given hope that produces steadfastness even as our faith is tested.
…for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. (James 1:3-4, ESV)
The biblical idea of steadfastness is one of unwavering perseverance in obedience and trust in the Lord. Since our first parents fell, we are prone to unbelief. Regardless of what God tells us in his word, or how he demonstrates his faithfulness in his providence, or in his special saving love for his people - we are doubters! But the hope we have in Christ fights sinful doubt and replaces it with confidence. Once again, this is not wishful thinking, but is a blessing we obtain as we receive the Holy Spirit by faith. We have the future certainty of the return of Christ to anchor our hope.
In the Christian life faith, hope, and love are first and foremost gifts from our kind Father. May we receive them with thankfulness, and then put them to use in building one another up as we wait for the return of Christ and the resurrection to new life!
Hymn: Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing