In this passage we find the author through the Holy Spirit, calling, reminding us of three things we as the church, we as believers, need to do.
The first one deals with worship and having a heart of faith when we approach God, the second with gripping firmly the hope of our confession and the third with promoting or inciting each other to love and good works in community.
“For now we live, if you are standing fast in the Lord.” 1 Thessalonians 3:8
In a previous post I wrote about how Paul is encouraged to hear that the Thessalonian church was following the Lord faithfully as he had taught them. He cared and loved them and longed to see them but he hadn’t been able to because of obstacles Satan put on his way. The Thessalonians reciprocated that love to Paul and his team. This encouraged Paul.
Pastors need encouragement. Of course, the best way is when “his” sheep are walking steadfast in the Lord and are bearing fruit (lives show growth). But they often don’t hear back how they are being helped spiritually from those they shepherd. It is helpful when they receive encouraging words from their parishioners.
I was reminded of this today when I read several comments that my parishioners made when they nominated me in a radio station for a pastor’s lunch. I was encouraged by their comments. I offer a translation below with the Spanish original.
Take some time to encourage your pastor by writing him a short note telling how you have been helped spiritually by his life and how much this means to you. If you are a pastor, be encouraged by the growth you see in your members. They may not say it, but they are grateful for you.
“He is a pastor dedicated to God and his congregation, concerned with making disciples for the lord. A lover of reading and studying the word of God to teach it to his congregation with dedication.”
“Es un pastor entregado a Dios y a su congregación, preocupado por hacer discípulos para el señor. Amante de la lectura y de estudiar la palabra de Dios para enseñársela a su congregación con dedicación.”“He is very good and gives a very good preaching.”
“Es muy bueno y da unas prédica muy bien.”“He gives us encouragement to follow in the footsteps of Jesus Christ.”
“Nos da ánimos para seguir en los pasos de Jesús Cristo.”“The Pastor is always aware of our needs and very involved with our families.”
“El Pastor siempre está pendiente a nuestras necesidades y muy involucrado con nuestras familias.”“¡Edgar da de sí mismo a la comunidad!”
“Edgar gives himself to the community!”“Excellent leader in our Church, his teachings are truly clear to enrich the life of the congregation. He is a good disciple. I love that not only that he is but focuses on being him and making disciples for Christ. Excellent human being theologically enriched to be able to carry his flock on God’s ways.”
“Excelente líder en nuestra Iglesia, sus enseñanzas son realmente claras para enriquecer la vida de la congregación. Es un buen discípulo me encanta que no solo lo es sino que se enfoca en serlo y hacer discípulos para Cristo. Excelente ser humano enriquecido teológicamente para poder llevar su rebaño por los caminos de Dios.”
“I nominate my pastor Edgar Galdámez because he has helped me to be a person who has lead me to live a Christ-centered life. He pushes me not to stay in my comfort zone. He is a leader who is passionate about everything he cares for the kingdom of God. You can tell because I know it bothers you when we don’t take things seriously. I know you care about my spiritual life and my family’s. He’s a good shepherd.”
“Yo nomino a mi pastor Edgar Galdámez porque él me a ayudado a ser una persona que lleve una vida Cristo céntrica. Él me empuja a no mantenerme en mi zona de comfort. Él es un líder que es apasionado en todo lo que hace para el reino de Dios. Se nota porque sé que le molesta cuando no tomamos las cosas en serio. Sé que se preocupe por mi vida espiritual y por la de mi familia. Él es un buen pastor.”
“He cares about his flock, he feeds us very well with the word of God. He is very focused on the Great Commission. He seeks that we receive the word in our hearts. He is an excellent Shepherd and a great human being.”
“Se preocupa por su rebaño, nos alimenta muy bien con la palabra de Dios, está muy enfocado en la Gran Comisión, procura que recibamos la palabra en nuestros corazones, es un excelente Pastor y un gran ser humano.”
“My pastor deserves to be nominated for many reasons: he is a man to which the Lord uses to convey his word, a man who prepares and knows the word God. He preaches the gospel, pure gospel and not adulterated! because he is real, transparent and the Lord uses it to confront my life and that of many.”
“Mi pastor merece se nominado por muchas razones: el es un hombre al que el señor usa para transmitir su palabra, un hombre que se prepara y conoce la palabra Dios. Él predica el evangelio, evangelio puro y no adulterado! porque el es real, transparente y el señor lo usa para confrontar mi vida y la de muchos.”
Encouraged by the Faith of others
In 1 Thessalonians 2:7 we find that Paul is encouraged by this good news of the Thessalonians faith.
“For this reason, brothers, in all our distress and affliction we have been comforted about you through your faith.” (ESV)
Paul was encouraged, by the faith of his brothers and sisters in Christ. The fact that they remained faithful to the Lord was of encouragement to him. Their faith was an encouragement to him in the midst of the “distress and affliction” they experienced. The word “distress” means “affliction” which is a reference to difficulties that came to them for sharing the gospel. In addition to this, tribulations (“afflictions”) came to oppress them. Both words refer to the tribulations Paul and his team went through in the different places where they shared the gospel.
For Paul, the fact that the “brothers” whom he and his team had led Christ remained faithful to the Lord was of encouragement. This was not only because he loved them, but because their desire was for them to stand firm in the Lord. Their work in their midst was not in vain.
People who work with their hands know that when they complete something there is some joy and satisfaction after it. It’s something that makes us feel good. It helps us see that our work is worth it. Much more is the spiritual area. Investing in people spiritually is invaluable. When believers grow in faith, it gives us encouragement. It makes us feel good. It motivates us to continue faithful and keeps us doing the work God has commanded us to do.
“For now we live, if you are standing fast in the Lord.” 1 Thessalonians 3:8
Paul and his team were not only encouraged by the faith of the Thessalonians but were also revived because they remained “firm in the Lord.” The Thessalonians firmness in the Lord motivated Paul and made him feel revitalized or revived. Let us remember that Paul was worried and even perhaps in low spirits for them as he knew nothing of how they were doing spiritually. But the good news of their steadfastness in the Lord he received from Timothy, rekindled him.
This must be the case for all of us. Does it encourage us that other believers are steadfast in the Lord? And does it affect us that other believers are not steadfast in the Lord? It should.
“If you” should be translated “as you are” “standing fast in Lord”. Paul is not questioning but affirming that they were steadfast in the Lord and should remain steadfast in the Lord.
The word “firmness” means “constant or stable”. Consistency or stability in the Lord is necessary to grow spiritually. We cannot move forward without this constancy and stability in Him. This firmness is in “the Lord” not in another person, nor in human efforts. The Bible is clear that an inconsistent person is unstable in all his ways.
The Thessalonians, despite the trials and tribulations they were experiencing, remained steadfast in the Lord. Even after this letter, the Thessalonians continued to experience tribulations but remained steadfast. Paul writes them a second letter praising their faith:
“Therefore we ourselves boast about you in the churches of God for your steadfastness and faith in all your persecutions and in the afflictions that you are enduring.” 2 Thess. 1:4
Our firmness in the Lord encourages others. We should not think that our faith exists only for personal benefit. Our firmness in the Lord helps others, especially at times when not everything is going well in our lives but we remain steadfast. If you are married, your firmness or lack of firmness affects your family. A husband who is not firm in the Lord will not help or encourage his family to follow the Lord. The same goes if the wife isn’t firm in the Lord.
How can we stand firm, constant, stable in the Lord? Seeking Him and knowing Him more. The more we know Him, the closer we are to Him, the more dependent on Him we’ll be. We also need to create spiritual habits to seek the Lord daily through prayer and personal study of Scripture, and we need others to help us. This is what we call discipleship. This is our mission as the church.
How are you staying constant and firm in the Lord? Is your life in Christ firm and steadfast and worthy to be imitated by others?
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“Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.” John 6:35 NIV
Lord, you are the bread of life. You are the bread that satisfies my hunger. Nothing in this world can fully satisfy me like you. Everything is temporary. You are the bread that was sent by God to give me life. You did not only give me biological life but you also are the one who by faith in you has given me eternal life. All my subsistence depends on you and without you nothing can fully satisfy me. Help me not to complain about what I don’t have or what I want when I know that my whole life depends on you. I thank you for offering your life (body) given as a sacrifice for me on the cross so that I can live forever. Now I live in you and I will die in you. I have an inseparable union with you. You are my complete subsistence. All my life is yours, it belongs to you. I want to continue being sustained by you Lord every moment of my life. Help me to draw near you every day and get to know you more and more. Amen.
Señor, tú eres el pan de vida. El pan sacia mi hambre. Nada en este mundo puede satisfacerme completamente como tú. Todo es temporal. Tú eres el pan que fue enviado por Dios para darme vida. Tü no solo eres el que me dio vida biológica sino también el que por fe en ti me ha dado vida eterna. Toda mi subsistencia depende de ti y sin ti nada puede satisfacerme completamente. Ayúdame a no murmurar por lo que no tengo o por lo que quiero cuando sé que toda mi vida depende de ti. Te agradezco por ofrecer tu vida como sacrificio por mi en la cruz para que yo pueda vivir para siempre. Ahora vivo en ti y moriré en ti. Tengo una unión inseparable contigo. Eres mi completa subsistencia. Toda mi vida es tuya, te pertenece toda a ti. Quiero seguir siendo sustentado por ti Señor cada momento de mi vida. Ayúdame ha acercarme cada día para buscarte y conocerte más y más. Amén.
Pablo en este pasaje que estudiaremos hoy es motivado por la fe de los Tesalonicenses. Pablo mandó a Timoteo a Tesalónica para ver como estaba la iglesia en su fe. Tenía tanto de deseo de verlos y mirar como andaban espiritualmente pero no había sido posible debido a los obstáculos que Satanás. Sin embargo, al no poder esperar más, Timoteo fue enviado para verlos. Timoteo vuelve con buenas noticias acerca de la fe de ellos. Esto reaviva y motiva a Pablo tanto que les a escribe esta carta. En esta sección miramos que Pablo es reavivado al escuchar que siguen fieles, eleva agradecimiento a Dios por sus vidas y ora pidiendo que Él les ayude a crecer en amor unos con otros y a seguir afirmados en la fe hasta la venida de Cristo.
“We sent Timothy, who is our brother and co-worker in God’s service in spreading the gospel of Christ, to strengthen and encourage you in your faith, so that no one would be unsettled by these trials. For you know quite well that we are destined for them. In fact, when we were with you, we kept telling you that we would be persecuted. And it turned out that way, as you well know.” 1 Thessalonians 2:2-4 (NIV)
When Paul sent Timothy to Thessalonica, part of the purpose was to remind them the purpose of affliction or tribulations. The word “tribulation” means, “tight, or narrow.” The idea is something that oppresses or squeezes or afflicts you. Afflictions, suffering and persecution are from the same family. We were destined for this. This is weird for us who have never experienced it!
It’s something we don’t often teach. Paul had taught them about the nature of tribulations, and Timothy as he went reminded them again.
What did he remind them? He reminded them not to be “unsettled” by them.
The word “unsettled” means in this verse, “shake, shudder”. Timothy reminded them not to let tribulations, trials, or afflictions lead them to shake their faith. This word is rooted in one that means cheating. It is possible that those chasing the Thessalonians were telling them that they had not been deceived by Paul and that these tribulations confirmed that what they had believed was not true. This was a hoax.
Today too many have been deceived when they are taught that by believing in Christ there will be no difficulties or trials. They are told that they will have a “good” life, happy, and that God will bless them in every way, especially materially. This isn’t true.
The truth about tribulations is that we were destined to go through them. This is what Paul told them they were going to experience and it happened. This seems like a strange teaching, but it’s not. In Acts 14:22 Paul told them he affirmed to believers in several cities:
“confirming the spirits of the disciples, exhorting them to remain in the faith, and saying unto them, It is necessary that through many tribulations we enter into the kingdom of God.”
This is what the Lord Jesus Christ also taught (see John 16:1-3, 33; Matthew 5:10-12)
Believers as followers of Christ follow in his footsteps, and his footsteps involve suffering, persecution, and tribulations. It’s part of being a believer. The church in other parts of the world experiences this daily.
Are you experiencing difficulties, affliction, trials or tribulations that are shaking up your faith? Be assured that this is a sign that you are a child of God. You were meant for this. He will give you the strength you need to go through them. May the words of our Lord bring you comfort:
““I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”” – John 16:33 (NIV)
In 1 Thessalonnians 2:7-12 Paul shares the behavior “according to the gospel” that they demonstrated to them. This is a very pertinent topic because each of us who know Christ are to be servants of God. We may not have a formal position, but before God, we are still his servants. These qualities should be true in us as we live our lives before others. Paul offers an example worthy to be emulated.
1. They showed a mother’s tenderness v. 7
Paul and his team were not people who imposed their authority on the Thesalonnians (1 Peter 5:3) but were tender as a mother “who cares tenderly for her own children.”
2. They showed sacrificial love v. 8
“So great is our affection for you that we would have wanted to give you not only the gospel of God, but also our own lives; because you have become very dear to us”
Not only were they tender as a mother, but they also had a sacrificial love for them. So much was the affection for them that they would have wanted not only to share them or give them the gospel but their own lives because they had become much loved to them.
What a great example of Paul and his team!
Not only did they have this gospel-worthy behavior, but they also showed care.
3. They avoided being a financial burden to the Thessalonians v. 9
“For ye remember, brethren, of our labor and fatigue; how by working night and day, so as not to be burdened to any of you, we preach to you the gospel of God.”
Paul calls to their remembrance their hard work and fatigue he experienced when they arrived to shared the gospel to them. The Apostle and his collaborators had to work night and day in order to sustain themselves so as not to be a burdened to any of them. Paul’s job was tentmaker. Paul was a bi-vocational missionary according to our definition. He did so voluntarily, although on some occasions he received help from churches, including the Thessalonnians when he was in Corinth.
My first official job as a pastor was when I was a student at Bible College in Arizona. A small Baptist church gave us $300 a month. It was a difficult time being a student, working in ministry and my wife worked. Also, in my first 6 of ministry I was mostly bi-vocational and my wife worked full-time to support our family. It was difficult because my interests were divided. There are many pastors who are bi-vocational and this is very difficult.
4. They demonstrated godly character before the church v. 10
“You are witnesses, and God too, of how holy, justly and irreprehensibly we behave with you believers”
Paul and his team also showed godly character before the church. They were witnesses, they had seen that they behaved in a holy way. That is, they lived completely dedicated to the Lord. They were saints, separated to serve God. Even in a world that lived in sin, they were not contaminated. They were also righteous in their way they treated others. They didn’t do things to others that were contrary to God’s truth. They were above reproach in their behavior with believers and non-believers. There was nothing they could be accused of doing that was contrary to God’s truth.
The impact of this was certainly great on the life of the Thessalonians. They not only believed but followed Paul’s example.
We too must show godly character whether we are servants of God with an “official” title or not. These characteristics are found in the Bible as mandates for all believers.
5. They showed fatherly care for the church v. 11
“Just as ye also know how, like the father to his children, we exhorted and comforted each of you”
The father has to teach and exercise discipline. They did this individually with each one of the church in Thessalonaica. They exhorted everyone in the Lord. This implies correction.
They comforted everyone. This involves encouraging, strengthening the discouraged and weak.
That’s pastoral work. Each person is different, and the pastor should guide them as a father. He needs to care for his children by exhorting them by the truth of God, encouraging and comforting them.
6. They insisted that they live worthy of God v. 12
“And we commanded you to walk as is worthy of God, who called you to his kingdom and glory.”
They also warned or insisted that they live daily “worthy of God”. “Worthy of God” means that their lives are consistent between what they have believed and what they lived. In other words, their daily lives in all respects should show that they have converted to Christ. There is no discrepancy in what they claim to be and how they live their lives. There must be no doubt.
This is what Paul and his collaborators did with the believers of Thessalonaica. This is why they were an exemplary church.
This kind of coherence is hard to see in the church today. Today there is the idea of the Christian who “attends” church, listens to a “sermon” and then leaves. This will not help you learn how to live in the world without being of the world.
A lot of this is the lack of discipleship. This requires people to be discipled. This requires more than “going to church” on Sundays. It requires us to learn from each other and this is only possible at other times other than Sunday.
Walking as it is worthy of God is necessary because he “called us to his kingdom and glory” and we must reflect it with our way of living. Interestingly, the term “call” is in the present. This means that God continues to call us to his kingdom and glory, that is, although we are part of the kingdom of God and his glory, we must live according to His kingdom and that He gives glory (splendor or honor) to Him. It is a privilege to be part of the kingdom of God and share of its glory. If he called us and keeps calling us, it means he helps us carry it out.
This is why living contrary to what reflects his kingdom is denying him and it is an insult to God.
I want to warn you that there is no perfection and that we are all growing and learning. I have been a follower of Christ for almost 40 years and I am still learning to live more and more as It is worthy of God.
As a church we exist for this, to encourage ourselves, to comfort ourselves, and to urge one another to continue living as is worthy of God. This is the biblical way. The habit of gossiping, speaking ill of others, going behind people’s back is wrong is unbiblical and destructive. If you’re doing it, stop doing it. You will account to God for the damage you do.
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