The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1934-11-29
|. PauPs GREETING ". u.


with himself Silas and Timothy. Silas
was with him at the founding of the
church, and Timothy was the special
messenger sent unto them, upon whose
report this letter Is based (3:1, p.
In this epistle he sets forth the pc
culiar position Of the safety of the
church. 1t is "in God the Father and in
the Lord Jesus Christ" knowledge Of
the absolute security of the believer
in Christ makes him courageous to
meet trials and opposition. Two fea-
lures characterize this greeting, "Grace
be unto you and peace" Grace" ex-
presses Gods attitude toward them !;
"peace," the resultant experience in
their lives.
II. PauI's Thanksgiving wv. 2, 81.
This thanksgiving issues from the
remembrance of three outstanding
facts concerning the Thessalonians,
which constitute the foundation facts
of normal Christian experience.
l. Work of Faith" This relates to
their belief of the gospel which brought
them into living relationship with the
Lord Jesus Christ, and also to their
Christian activity growing out of their
faith. Jesus Christ said In answer to
the question what must we do that
we may work the works of God?'
This is the work Of God that We be-
lieve on him whom he hath sent' John
6;2S, 29).
q Labor of Love-" This means the
spirit by which they performed their
Christian duties. 1t was the express
sion of the new law of life issuing from
the enforcement of Jesus Christ in
their hearts.
3. Patience of Hope" This refers
to the strength of their endurance
growing out of their expectation of
the speedy return of the Lord. The
transcendent theme of Paul's preach
ing at Thessalonica was the second
coming of Christ tActs 17:O.
III. The Reasons for PauI's Thanks
giving wv. 40.
l. Their election of God wv. 4, 81.
Their reception of the gospel was the
unmistakable evidence of their divine
selection. The gospel came in power
and in the Holy Spirit. They did not
receive the gospel in mere theory, but
in the power of the Holy Ghost. Where
it is received, the consequent life will
manifest itself.
.. They received Paul as a messen-
ger of God ". g.. The reception of
the gospel is largely determined by the
kind of preacher. Its reality will be
detected in the life of the messenger.
3. The changed life of the Thessa-
ionians ". y. They became follow
ers"-that Is, their lives were changed
by the power of the gospel. The order
in Christian eXpedience is the recep-
ton of the gospel. the changed life,
and then the example. The Thessa-
ionians became examples to all in
Macedonia.
~. The Missionary Activity of the
Thessalonians ". 81.
Their experience of the life of Jesus
Christ was so real to them that they
at once became missionaries. The word
of the Lord was so widely and effec-
lively sounded forth that when the
apostles returned they needed mot to
speak anything" This is as it should
be when the gospel is received in the
power of the Holy Ghost. The gospel
is good news. Good news cannot be
kept to oneself; it must be given out.
v. The Results of Paups Preaching
wv. 9, 10Y.
1. They turned from idols ". 81.
Thessalonica was a city largely given
up to idolatry. Statues were to be
seen almost everywhere. The fruits of
Paul's preaching were the changed
lives of the people. They turned away
from idols and gathered together
around Jesus Christ in the church.
The idol temples were deserted and
the churches filled.
2. Awaiting the coming of Jesus
Christ ". 10). Their faith was so real
that they looked for the personal re-
turn of the Lord Jesus Christ to the
earth. The second coming of Christ
was real tenet of faith Of the early
church. 1t is so now wherever the Cos
pei is really preached. "And every
man that hath this hope in him puri-
fieth himself, even as he Is pure" Il
John 3:3).