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James 1:5

God is Ready to Help

Filed Under: Devotions by Chuck
August 2, 2023

James tells us that suffering can be a cause for joy rather than misery. Persevering through hardships can bring real maturity in our lives. If we see our trials as God’s personal work in our lives, we can surely become better people through them. Otherwise, trials and suffering in our lives will make us bitter. He wants us to realize that in life, we will all face hardships, but we don’t have to turn bitter on account of them. If we persevere in our faith that God loves us, even amidst our trials, and do not give in to bitterness, cynicism, and resentment, we’ll become much better people. But he also knows that this is not easy. It takes a trained mind to manage that. So, James tells us how to gain the right perspective in all of our trials. In James 1:5, he tells us, “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.”

 One of the most well-known quotes from the Bible is, “the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom.” I don’t think that quote involves a “shaking in our boots” kind of fear. It’s more the reverence required when we take God seriously. Taking God seriously involves a deep sense of faith and trust in his administering the affairs of my life. I’ve often said that faith does not just believe that God exists. James will tell us later in this epistle that even Satan believes that. It’s more like trust. It believes that God has my best interest foremost in mind regardless of the circumstances He has allowed to invade my life. This is holding onto my conviction of a good God who loves me and has my best interest foremost in mind, even when it hurts. This is not an easy task. Job is well aware of this struggle and wrestles profoundly with all the pains and hardships that he experiences. He lost all his loved ones and his own health but persevered, saying, “though He (God) sleys me, yet will I trust in him.” He also said, “the Lord gives, and the Lord takes away. Blessed be the name of the Lord.” He said, “naked I came into the world, and naked from it I will go.” But there are also 40 chapters of Job wrestling with the concept that God is good even though he suffers profoundly. I read a recent headline that said, “Highly religious people struggle the most with faith when they experience suffering, study finds.”[1]

It’s difficult, and we often need help! This verse lets us know that God is always ready and willing to help us with the “wisdom” necessary to accept His will for our lives with faith. Charles Stanley introduces his sermon on this passage in the book of James by saying, “One of the most common questions people ask is, “If God is a loving Father, why does He allow His children to go through painful and difficult trials?” God doesn’t promise to explain everything to us. However, if we keep a godly attitude and ask for wisdom in our circumstances, we can prevail over our difficulties, gain a sense of peace, and arrive on the other side with greater faith and stronger relationship with our Heavenly Father.”[2]

[1] MSN Edge News headline for March 23, 2023

[2] Wisdom For Life’s Trials (intouch.org)

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Hebrews 1:5, Various

The Message is in the Music

Filed Under: Devotions by Chuck
August 1, 2023

The writer of Hebrews knows his Old Testament well and uses passages from it to prove the superiority of Christ and His message to us and the world. In verse 5, he begins a commentary on Psalm 2:7 (ideas repeated by the way in 2 Samuel 7:14). He chooses verses that deal with Jesus’ superiority to angels. In verse 5, he writes, “For to which of the angels did God ever say, ‘You are my Son, today I have begotten you?’ Or again, ‘I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son?’” It is not surprising to me that the quotes the writer uses in the first chapter of Hebrews are all from their songs. Kistemaker acknowledges this in his commentary; He gives the source of every quote: “indeed in his first chapter he avails himself of five passages from the Psalms and one from the Hymn of Moses (Deut. 32). The quotations are from Psalm 2:7 and 2 Samuel 7:14 in verse 5; Deuteronomy 32:43 (according to the readings in the Dead Sea Scrolls and the Septuagint) in verse 6; Psalm 104:4 in verse 7; Psalm 45:6–7 in verses 8–9; Psalm 102:25–27 in verses 10–12; and Psalm 110:1 in verse 13.[1]

The writer of Hebrews wants us to grasp the reality of how the Old Testament is truly about Jesus! Everyone recognizes Psalm 2 as a song about Jesus or, in the case of the Jews, about the Messiah. Again, let me lean on a much better scholar than I to explain this truth. Kistemaker says, “The Jewish people understood Psalm 2 to be messianic, and their use of the psalm in the synagogue reflected that understanding. The individual writers of the New Testament also interpreted all the quotations and references from the second psalm messianically. For example, when Paul preached in Pisidian Antioch, he said, ‘What God promised our fathers he has fulfilled for us, their children, by raising up Jesus. As it is written in the second Psalm: You are my Son; today I have become your Father’ (Acts 13:32–33). Quotations from Psalm 2 are given in Acts 4:25–26; 13:33; Hebrews 1:5; 5:5; Revelation 2:26–27; 19:15. Allusions to verses 2, 7, 8, and 9 can be discerned in Matthew, Mark, Luke, Acts, Hebrews, II Peter, and Revelation.

Visiting many churches over the years and having attended hundreds of chapel services as well, I’m often moved by how the music contains better theology than the messages. Whereas the messages, however, seem to stray from the person and work of Jesus into the need for submission, obedience, and commitment on the part of the listeners. We’re frequently exhorted to try harder, give more, serve more, study more, read more, do more, etc., etc., etc. But the music nearly always remains faithful to the message contained in the person and the work of Jesus. Pay attention to that yourself sometimes. The messages sound much more like that which the Pharisees and religious leaders of Jesus’ day might preach and not what the writer of Hebrews is preaching about. But I must admit, much of the modern worship music is all about me and not about Jesus and his work on our behalf. Be careful of this kind of music. It detracts from worship and elevates the worshiper. There is some good modern Christian music, but I like the old hymns of the faith that have stood for decades. Some of them have lasted for over a century or two.  I agree with the blogger who writes, “Hymns, due to their length, often explore God’s character and our relationship with Him in great depth. Contemporary songs, on the other hand, often lack theological depth. This is not necessarily because they are inaccurate, but because they contain few words.”[2]

[1] Simon J. Kistemaker and William Hendriksen, Exposition of Hebrews, vol. 15, New Testament Commentary (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1953–2001), 35–36.

[2] https://www.google.com/search?q=traditional+hymns+and+contemporary+worship

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Philemon 1:6

Runaway Slaves

Filed Under: Devotions by Chuck
July 31, 2023

Paul began his greeting to Philemon by thanking God for him and his faith in Christ as well as his love for his fellow believers. Then in Philemon 1:6, Paul adds a petition to his prayer of thanksgiving. He says, “And I pray that the sharing of your faith may become effective for the full knowledge of every good thing that is in us for the sake of Christ.” Paul wants Philemon’s testimony to be fruitful. He wants those who have contact with Philemon to recognize his love for God and fellow believers to be obvious by the things that Philemon does in the general course of his daily life. He prays that when others look at Philemon, they see all the goodness that comes with faith in Jesus Christ.  Moule explains Paul’s prayer, “Yes, this is my dearest wish, my most earnest prayer; that your life of unselfish helpfulness may so tell around you that the observing world shall recognize, in your instance, all the beauty of the gifts Christ Jesus gives His people so that praise shall come ‘unto Christ Jesus,’ aye, and new disciples too.”[1] Christ sends His spirit into our lives, which brings all good things. The fruits that sprout in a believer’s life are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

The fruits of the Spirit show themselves to others in good deeds. Good deeds are motivated by a convert’s appreciation for the great gifts that God has bestowed upon him through his faith in Jesus. The fruits of the Spirit cannot be earned or deserved but follow naturally in the course of one’s growth in the knowledge of the grace one receives. Good works in and of themselves do not bring the fruits of the Spirit. The Spirit brings good works into the lives of believers. As Beet said 120 years ago, “Paul desires that the spirit of brotherhood which belongs to Philemon’s faithfulness may produce results, and these so abundant and various as to evoke, as their surrounding element, a recognition by others of every excellence which dwells in Christians, and thus tend to the glory of Christ; or, in other words, that Philemon’s loyalty to Christ may assume form in a manifestation of Christian brotherhood, and thus secure recognition of all the excellences with which Christ has enriched His people.”[2]

But Paul had something very specific in mind, as we’ll see in the course of this short letter. He prayed that Philemon’s growth in the grace of Christ would have an impact on how he treated his former slave, Onesimus. Homer Kent makes this simple, “As Philemon increasingly recognized all the spiritual realities that Christ had provided in salvation, he would be stimulated to display a similar sort of grace to the undeserving Onesimus.”[3] Philemon’s personal faith found its source in his personal understanding that he could not save himself. There was nothing in his good works, moral character, or religious behavior such that he could earn or deserve anything from God. It would be all of grace. God saved Philemon even though he didn’t deserve it. Only this changes the workings of individuals to extend such grace to others who don’t deserve it. Onesimus, who apparently robbed Philemon and ran away to Rome, certainly did not deserve forgiveness. That’s the nature of Grace. It can only be given to those who don’t deserve it. After serving out his debt to society for his crime, Paul sends Onesimus back to his owner. Praying that his former owner, Philemon, would now see Onesimus as a fellow believer and receive him with open arms as a brother, not as a runaway slave. Like the prodigal son who comes home to the father to a warm reception, Paul wanted Philemon to receive Onesimus the same way. All believers, Philemon included, were once runaway slaves.

 [1] Moule, Handley C. G. n.d. Colossian and Philemon Studies: Lessons in Faith and Holiness. Westwood, NJ: Fleming H. Revell.

[2] Beet, Joseph Agar. 1902. A Commentary on St. Paul’s Epistles to the Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and to Philemon. London: Hodder and Stoughton.

[3] Kent, Homer A., Jr. 2006. Treasures of Wisdom: Studies in Colossians & Philemon. Revised Edition. The Kent Collection. Winona Lake, IN: BMH Books.

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Titus 1:4

Jesus Makes Us Whole

Filed Under: Devotions by Chuck
July 30, 2023

When Paul addressed his disciple, Timothy, he reminded him of the strong heritage he had in his Christian mother and grandmother. When he speaks to Titus, he is addressing a first-generation believer. He came from a purely pagan family and had to face the alienation that this would most likely have caused him. Paul, on the other hand, the formal Jew, the Pharisee, looked past the ancient hatred Jews had for Gentiles and Gentiles had for Jews. That’s why he addresses Titus as a “true” child of the faith. In Titus 1:4, Paul addressed his letter, and we read, “To Titus, my true son in our common faith: Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior.”

 Calling Titus a true son is Paul’s way of saying that the barrier between Jew and Gentile has been broken down. It has been broken down by the faith they have in common. This faith includes a clear recognition that their standing before God has nothing to do with their own merit or worth. In God’s eyes, there is no difference between Jew and Gentile. There is no difference between male and female. There is no difference between the rich and the poor. Therefore, Paul and his Gentile convert both stand on equal footing with the God that made them. One commentary explains this well. “Our ‘common faith’—the recognition that all are in need of a Savior—removes any rationale for judgmentalism and any basis for pride. The need for comparison and competition dies in the recognition that Christ provides our only measure of glory before God. The necessity of Christ’s pardon of us all prompts forgiveness, understanding, and love in the Christian community. Among conscientious Christians, even the barriers of racial prejudice, national hatred, and ancient antipathies wither when the realities of grace blossom. This is evident when the former Pharisee named Paul calls a Gentile named Titus ‘my true son.’”[1]

The Grace that Paul and the rest of the Apostles received from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ is the grace that results in peace. The writers of the epistles of the New Testament are very fond of commending grace and peace to the recipients of their letters that it’s impossible to overstate the importance of this. The commentary I quoted above added, “When persons become absolutely convinced that their standing before God is based entirely on his grace and not on any goodness in themselves, peace comes. This peace that Christ’s reconciliation provides is not only the end of antipathy between a rebellious heart and its Creator. Full understanding of grace also provides relief from the constant striving for status and affection that characterizes the natural human state. Assessments of who is more deserving of God’s affection or acclaim go away in the recognition that ‘all … fall short of the glory of God’ (Romans 3:23). Competition for recognition and regard fades in the realization that all the rewards of grace are unearned. We become equal members of the fellowship of those whose condition is desperate apart from Christ, and this humbling realization is the foundation of Christian harmony.” Just to conclude on the “grace and peace” commendation, notice that they both are attributed from both God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus is then described by one word: Savior. Lea says, “The title Savior, used in this letter six times, is applied to God three times and to Jesus three times. Each occurrence of Savior applied to God is closely followed by Savior applied to Jesus. This interchange of such an important New Testament title suggests the mutual role of God and Jesus Christ in redemption, as well as the high Christology found in this letter. The use of the possessive pronoun ‘our’ with ‘Savior’ further demonstrates the ‘common faith’ of Paul and Titus. The cultural and religious barriers between Jew and Greek are dissolved in a common faith characterized by a personal relationship with God as Father that is based upon the redeeming work of the Savior, Jesus Christ.”[2]

[1] Hughes, R. Kent, and Bryan Chapell. 2000. 1 & 2 Timothy and Titus: To Guard the Deposit. Preaching the Word. Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books.

[2] Lea, Thomas D., and Hayne P. Griffin. 1992. 1, 2 Timothy, Titus. Vol. 34. The New American Commentary. Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.

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2 Timothy 1:4, 2 Corinthians 1:4-5

Comforting the Afflicted

Filed Under: Devotions by Chuck
July 29, 2023

Paul expresses his deep concern for his son in the faith, Timothy, in his letters to him. His greeting includes the fact that Paul, probably in prison, is spending much of his time both day and night in prayer for his young disciple. He is aware of the battle raging in Ephesus. The pagans are calling the Christians atheists because they won’t offer incense to the gods or to Caesar. The Jews are calling the Christians idolaters because they are claiming that Jesus is God. Paul tells Timothy about his clear conscience in the face of his being in prison at the hands of both the pagans and the Jews. His faith is real, and he is bold in the face of such opposition. He wishes Timothy to be strengthened in his faith as well and to remain faithful during his serious times of persecution by both sides. Paul knows how hard it is for Timothy. On his father’s side, there are pagans. On his mother’s side, there are Jews. He’s under attack from his whole family. Paul knows how Timothy is struggling, and in 2 Timothy 1:4, he tells him, “As I remember your tears, I long to see you, that I may be filled with joy.”

Paul speaks about his deep times of prayer often in his letters. We might normally think of them as times on his knees next to his bed, pleading with God on behalf of his disciples. I have a hard time seeing such a man of action doing that. I know this will sound heretical, but it seems more human for Paul to simply be filled with concern and worry about his young disciples. Since Paul even exhorts us to “pray always.” I think that it has more to do with our thought life and concern than it does with formal words and postures that we might advance to God. As Paul tells Timothy that he “remembers your tears,” it sounds more like concern and empathy than official or formal prayer time. Whatever the memory is here, I don’t see it as a way to motivate Timothy to action. Proctor makes it sound like Paul is exhorting Timothy by pointing to all the people that have expectations of him.  He observes, “Three times in 1:3–5, he speaks of remembering. Specifically, he stirs in Timothy the remembrance of his heritage. Paul begins by mentioning his own heritage: ‘I serve as my forefathers did’ (1:3). He then goes on to mention Timothy’s heritage: ‘I have been reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also.’ I heard of a little girl who hesitantly approached her mother, ‘Mommy, do you remember the blue vase in the living room?’ The mother asked, ‘Do you mean the one that’s been passed down in my family from generation to generation?’ The little girl sheepishly answered, ‘Yes, and this generation just dropped it.’”[1] Proctor goes on and says, “Paul’s message here is, “Timothy, don’t be the generation that drops the faith. I am following in the footsteps of faith left by those who’ve gone before me. Now you follow in the footsteps left by those who’ve gone before you.”

The nuns at Blessed Sacrament Grade School and Holy Name High school occasionally asked me why I wasn’t more like my older sister. She was a good student. She was obedient. She never got in trouble. I was just the opposite. Many commentators see Paul telling Timothy something similar. I just don’t see Paul doing that! I just don’t see Paul telling Timothy not to be the one that drops the ball. It’s more like an expression of deep concern for Timothy and understanding of what he was going through. Paul tells Timothy that he knows about the suffering he’s undergoing, and he is concerned for him and wishes that he could be with him to both comfort him and be comforted by him as well. Paul says that it would “fill him with joy.” Paul was not afraid that Timothy would fall away from the faith because of the trials and persecution. Paul just wanted to comfort Timothy through them. He wanted to share with Timothy the comfort he received from God during his trials. After all, isn’t that what he says to the Corinthians in his second letter to them, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God” (2 Corinthians 1:3-4)

[1] Proctor, Matt. 2009. 2 Timothy: Finish-Line Faith. 3:16 Bible Commentary Series. Joplin, MO: CP Publishing.

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1 Timothy 1:5-7, Various

Stick to the Message (Part 2)

Filed Under: Devotions by Chuck
July 28, 2023

Paul instructed Timothy to rebuke those who taught the law and accounts of the Old Testament as being commands and illustrations that teach us how we can earn God’s favor. This was the key teaching of the religious leaders in Christ’s day as well as the leaders of the Synagogues in Paul’s day. I think it’s the key teaching as well today from the pulpits of our religious leaders.  But Paul insisted that Timothy focus on the Gospel and insisted that it remain the key message to the people in Ephesus. Focusing on the law, the prophets, and the writings of the Old Testament with no mention of their fulfillment by the savior of the world, the Messiah, was to open the door to speculation rather than accepting the overall message of God’s revelation of His love for us all and the demonstration of that love in Christ. Paul gives Timothy some insights into the ministry in 1 Timothy 1:5-7. He tells him, “The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. Certain persons, by swerving from these, have wandered away into vain discussion, desiring to be teachers of the law, without understanding either what they are saying or the things about which they make confident assertions.”

This passage begins with an interesting triad. It talks about a love that proceeds from a “pure heart, a good conscience, and a sincere faith.” Collins says, “This triad is unique in the New Testament. It consists of an element of Semitic anthropology, an element of moral philosophy, and an element of Christian faith. The interpretive phrases come from the religious environment in which the document is to be situated, the first from traditional Judaism, and the latter from the author’s Christian heritage.”[1] Paul is most likely describing the kind of love he wants Timothy to hold for his parishioners. Paul charged his disciples to “preach the word.” Most people interpret that as meaning to teach the whole Bible. I’m not sure that’s what is meant. The “word” as we know is Jesus himself. The clearest and dearest expression of God’s love for the world. Paul’s charge is to preach the gospel, not the law. How do you preach the gospel with a “pure” heart? I would argue that it means from the position of having received God’s forgiveness through faith in Jesus. Even the Old Testament teaches us that our unredeemed hearts are wicked. When one preaches the gospel of God’s love as seen in Jesus from the point of having received it, one can do so with a clear conscience. It’s not being proclaimed for profit or to manipulate but to communicate the message of God’s love freely to everyone. Paul often explains that the sincerity of his missionary efforts can be seen in the fact that he’s not asking anyone for anything. He proclaims the message with a pure heart and a clear conscience that comes from sincere faith.

There are still those who want people to focus their attention on the law because that’s what they know, and that’s what they want others to value because it puts them in the “seat of Moses” in the gatherings of the people. Those who teach salvation by works have wandered away from the basic truth of the Gospel. Paul told the Romans, “No one can be saved by the works of the law.” This is the same message he wanted Timothy to preach. The law can save no one, but Jesus can save everyone who will turn from vain discussions of the law and trust Him for their eternal life. One web blogger concludes, “We can only be declared righteous “by faith apart from works of the law” (Romans 8:28), and that faith must rest in the only Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ: ‘Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved’ (Acts 4:12). To continue to attempt to earn a place in heaven through the works of the law is to ignore the sacrifice of Christ: ‘If righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!’ (Galatians 2:21).”[2]

[1] Collins, Raymond F. 2012. 1 & 2 Timothy and Titus: A Commentary. Edited by C. Clifton Black, M. Eugene Boring, and John T. Carroll. The New Testament Library. Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press.

[2] What are the works of the law (Romans 3:20; Galatians 2:16)? | GotQuestions.org

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2 Thessalonians 1:5

Worthy of the Kingdom

Filed Under: Devotions by Chuck
July 27, 2023

The persecution of the new Christians by both Jews and Gentiles was severely felt by the Thessalonians. The persecutors were determined to wipe out the new religion. The Thessalonian Jews had chased Paul out of town because of his preaching and even pursued him to the city of Berea to silence him. Many times, Paul had to resort to some radical methods to escape with his life. Paul explained in 2 Corinthians 11:32-33 that The Jews of Damascus had the local governor and his garrison on their side: “In Damascus the governor, under Aretas the king, was guarding the city of the Damascenes with a garrison, desiring to arrest me; but I was let down in a basket through a window in the wall, and escaped from his hands.” When Paul escaped Thessalonica, it was like his escape from Damascus. They had to sneak him out of the city. The believers that Paul left behind had to face the persecution on their own, and they fared honorably. Paul commended them for their steadfast faith in the face of persecution. He told them how they were an inspiration to those in all the churches. Then he reminded them of the kingdom that awaited them because of the resurrection of the dead. The persecution that they were undergoing just firmly established their place in God’s kingdom. In 2 Thessalonians 1:5, Paul tells them, “This is evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are also suffering.”

We often pray “Thy Kingdom Come” in our regular prayers. When God’s will is done on earth as it is in heaven, we’ll see all the trials, sufferings, and hardships of this life fade into the distant past. Those who do the persecuting will face justice, and those persecuted for their faith will receive commendations. It’s not that the believers make themselves “worthy.” It’s that they will be “considered” worthy.  Anyone who studies early church history knows of the depth of persecution that took place against Christians.  Persecution wasn’t something that “some” of them experienced. It was part & parcel of the new life. All 12 of the Apostles were martyred for their faith – some unspeakably. Foxe’s book of martyrs makes excellent but gruesome reading for those interested in learning more about persecution in the early church. The Thessalonians were introduced to persecution very early in their Christian lives. Most born-again Christians know something about it.

Bob Wilkins says, “If you’re like me, your first inclination is to think you rarely ever suffer for the kingdom. No one is throwing us in jail and beating us for our faith. Compared to the apostles and the early Christians, or people in other countries around the world today, we may feel we don’t suffer at all. Yet that isn’t true if we are spiritually minded believers. Have you ever received odd looks from people when you tell them that you are a born-again Christian? Maybe you’ve even received verbal jabs like, ‘Not another holy roller,’ or, ‘Oh, you’re a Jesus freak, huh?’ You may shrug off the looks or the remarks, but they do indeed hurt, and they are persecution.”[1] I once offered the opening prayer at the Nebraska Senate. Earnie Chambers spent the next hour ridiculing it and belittling my faith. I truly felt persecuted at that moment. The hardest part for me was that none of the other senators in the room defended me or my prayer. I truly felt alone in that room of legislators. There were no lacerations from the whip. There were no bruises from stones. There were no abrasions from the club. Yet, I felt whipped, beaten, and clubbed emotionally and spiritually.

[1] https://faithalone.org/grace-in-focus-articles/will-you-be-counted-worthy-of-the-kingdom/

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1 Thessalonians 1:5-7, Various

The Joy of the Holy Spirit

Filed Under: Devotions by Chuck
July 26, 2023

After pointing out that the Thessalonians were chosen by God because of His love for them rather than any great characteristic of their own, Paul points out how this truth brings security and assurance in their position with God and works itself out in godly living. Godly living does not work out in salvation, but salvation works out in godly living. 1 Thessalonian 1:5b-7 says, “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.” Paul had mentioned that they had delivered the Gospel of salvation by grace through faith alone to the Thessalonians with “full conviction” (verse 4). In other words, their certainty of God’s love for them and their confidence in their eternal destiny had changed them from the inside. This conviction affected the way they lived and related to other people. The Holy Spirits’ job is to open the minds and hearts of people to God’s love expressed in Jesus Christ. Could this be why Paul refers to the “joy” of the Holy Spirit?

Paul suggested that they became the men that they are because of the Gospel of God’s love for them. It wasn’t the law that changed them and made such an impression on those in Thessalonica. It was God’s love. The law might change one’s behavior on the outside, but it doesn’t do anything to change one’s character. Love changes one’s character from the inside. The law works in our lives to inspire strictness with ourselves and with others. Everyone knew that the Pharisees did their best to keep all the laws of the Old Testament, and they were merciless in their judgment of others who may fail in any way to keep the law. Even today, a Pharisee, according to the Oxford English Dictionary, is “distinguished by strict observance of the traditional and written law, and commonly held to have pretensions to superior sanctity.” It goes on to say that when used today, it refers to “a self-righteous hypocrite.” So, when Paul, a former well-known Pharisee, arrived in Thessalonica, he stunned the congregation by bringing a new message of God’s love for sinners.

It was the radical change in Paul that made such an impression on others. They knew what kind of person he was before receiving God’s love through Christ, and they now know what kind of person he and his partners have become after receiving God’s love. This is the “kind of men they proved to be.” The Thessalonians were so moved by their example and testimony that they, too, believed in Jesus. Thus, they followed Paul’s example. Legalists don’t face persecution. They are the persecutors. That’s the way it is by the very nature of the beast. But Jesus, Paul, and now the Thessalonians were all experiencing persecution from the religious elite of the day as well as the pagan rulers. There are different kinds of suffering in our world today, but there are only two kinds of responses to it. First, we can get angry and bitter and blame God for the pain in our lives. I have had many, many conversations with non-believers who argue that they could never believe in a God that would allow so much suffering. The other way is Job’s way. He said, “though he slays me, yet will I trust Him.  Naked, I came into the world, and naked from it, I shall go. The Lord gives, and the Lord takes away. Blessed be the name of the Lord.” I would argue that love is the thing that makes the difference between the first way and Job’s way. God demonstrated His love for us in this, “while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Jesus demonstrated His love in that He gave His life without complaining. We can accept pain and suffering when we know that God loves us, and we can trust Him to make it all right in the end, just as He did with Job. When the Bible speaks of God’s love, it uses the Greek word “Agape.” That’s unconditional love. It isn’t dependent on any quality or character of the object of love. It’s just freely offered. This is the way God loves us. When we receive God’s love, we can return it. And only then. Without it, God will always be a brute who allows pain and hardship in our lives.

 

 

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