BULLSEYE!
ACCURATE BIBLE KNOWLEDGE!

(Part 1 of 2)

 QUESTION: “WHAT DOES PAUL WRITE TO THE CHURCH AT THESSALONICA?”

ANSWER: “IN 1^st THESSALONIANS HE WRITES ABOUT THEIR PERSECUTION, HIS ENCOURAGEMENT AND THE RAPTURE”

 BACKGROUND

Paul arrives at Thessalonica (Acts 17:1-14), starts preaching for a few weeks (Acts 17:2) and a lot of Greeks get saved.

But the Jews get all envious, grab Jason and bash him up (Acts 17:7-9).

So Paul then clears off to Berea for safety (Acts 17:10) and then to Corinth. But Timothy stays at Berea (Acts 17:14).

Timothy then joins him at Corinth and tells him “Paul, that new church at Thessalonica is suffering persecution.”

This causes Paul a lot of concern as he wasn’t able to spend much time with them, and teach them about being Christians with proper doctrine.

So Paul out of great tenderness, lays his heart bare, as if writing to little children – which of course, they were in the faith.

As he says But we were gentle among you, even as a nurse cherisheth her children: 1 Thessalonians 2:7. They just loved Paul and he writes to them with his full affection, and not just as one with the authority of their spiritual leader.

He talks to them with the love and tenderness that a father would have for his own children.

 
FOUR MAJOR THEMES

 1. THEY WERE STANDING FAST IN THE FAITH

Timothy also told Paul that in spite of the persecution they were suffering, they were standing fast in the faith. Not only that, but they were good examples to others.

So that ye were ensamples to all that believe in Macedonia and Achaia. 1 Thessalonians 1:7

But now when Timotheus came from you unto us, and brought us good tidings of your faith and charity, and that ye have good remembrance of us always, desiring greatly to see us, as we also to see you: Therefore, brethren, we were comforted over you in all our affliction and distress by your faith: 1 Thessalonians 3:6-7

 
2. BUT THEY WERE NEGLECTING THEIR EVERYDAY WORK AND BECOMING LAZY.

But all was not rosy. There were defects, errors and evil practices among them that had to be corrected. Their religious knowledge had become too narrow and too fixed on the rapture. Many of them were neglecting their everyday work and becoming lazy.

And that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you; That ye may walk honestly toward them that are without, and that ye may have lack of nothing. 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12

3. THEY WERE DISTRESSED THAT THE DEAD WOULD MISS THE RAPTURE

Furthermore, some of them had died (or been killed), and those remaining were very distressed that these departed friends would miss the blessing of being taken to heaven in the rapture.

But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. 1 Thessalonians 4:13

4. THEY WERE TO SEPARATE THEMSELVES FROM THEIR FORMER UNSAVED LIVES OF FORNICATION AND COVETOUSNESS.

In addition, Paul urges them to separate themselves from their former unsaved lives of fornication and covetousness.

¹ Furthermore then we beseech you, brethren, and exhort you by the Lord Jesus, that as ye have received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God, so ye would abound more and more. ² For ye know what commandments we gave you by the Lord Jesus. ³ For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication: ⁴ That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour; ⁵ Not in the lust of concupiscence, even as the Gentiles which know not God: ⁶ That no man go beyond and defraud his brother in any matter: because that the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also have forewarned you and testified. ⁷ For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness. ⁸ He therefore that despiseth, despiseth not man, but God, who hath also given unto us his holy Spirit. 1 Thess 4:1

1 THESSALONIANS

Paul’s greetings to the church (v1)

Paul gives thanks to God for how the gospel came to them (v2-5)

How they became followers of Paul and good examples to others (v6-10)

 PAUL GREETS TO THE CHURCH

1:1  Paul, and Silvanus, and Timotheus, unto the church of the Thessalonians which is in God the Father and in the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Paul includes the other two men to show the persecuted church in Thessalonica that there are other Christian brothers who are concerned for them as well. “We’re all in this together”.

ARE THERE TWO GODS?
God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ (1Thess 1:1)
in the sight of God and our Father (verse 3)
God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ (Col 1:2-3)
the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; (Titus 2:13)
God our Saviour (Titus 3:4)
the Godhead (Rom 1:20; Col 2:9)

No.

People get confused especially those in the ‘christian’ cults of SDA’s, Mormons and so on.

Who is God? What is the Godhead?
Are there two Gods?
Is Jesus Christ God?
Is Jesus Christ the Father?
Is God our Saviour?
Is Jesus Christ our Saviour?

DO THE ABOVE SCRIPTURES INDICATE TWO GODS?

No.

However, in order to prop up their own beliefs, they select only the ones they want, to prove that Jesus Christ is not God. Easily done.

HOW CAN THE SON OF GOD BE GOD?

Simply put we have the following three scriptures which prove that Christ is God.

For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:6

But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever … Hebrews 1:8
For the Lord himself (Jesus Christ) shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: … 1 Thessalonians 4:16

Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: Phil 2:6-7

This greeting is similar to Paul’s greetings to the other churches with the words of ‘grace’ and ‘peace’. He wants them to have God’s grace and God’s peace. How do we get that? Through Jesus Christ.

WHAT IS THE GRACE WE NEED?

For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. Ephesians 2:8-9

Grace is a gift.
God’s grace is found in Jesus Christ
It is accessed through faith
You don’t work for it, earn it or buy it

We have the familiar definition of G.R.A.C.E. being God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense.

WHAT IS THE PEACE WE NEED?

Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men. Luke 2:14

From the moment that God sent Jesus to be found in a manger (Luke 2:12) mankind could now have peace with God.

You see, those without Christ will have God’s wrath. Those who are saved are in Jesus Christ (1Corinthians 12:13).

God does not put his wrath on Jesus Christ or those in Jesus (1Thess 5:9).

THIS IS WHAT WE CALL ‘VERTICAL PEACE’

This is the only peace to have.

It’s peace with God.

The world’s idea of peace is simply ‘horizontal peace’ which is everyone getting along down here. It’s peace between the nations and no wars on earth … which has never happened, it is not happening now and will never happen.

So we have God’s grace and peace by Jesus Christ, through Jesus Christ and only with Jesus Christ.

GOD’S GRACE AND PEACE IS JESUS CHRIST HIMSELF

To have this, you must be become a Christian.

  See (Part 2 of 2)

**** ****

Harley Hitchcock

www.
AustralianBibleMinistries
.com

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