Biblical Theology for Transformation - 21st Posting

"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."

1 Thessalonians 1:3-5a


The church in Thessolonica was, at the time Paul wrote this letter, the kind of church we all hope to be. They were living their faith with passion for Christ. They were a young church so they had not yet been infiltrated with the work of Satan, or at least they had resisted him. Paul's love for the Thessalonians is laced all throughout this letter. He has a close attachment to them as is seen in 2:7-12, and also in many other places. After Paul had established this church, he left for Athens. Not because he wanted to leave, but because he knew there was persecution coming his way and for the sake of the Thessalonians, he left. You can read all through this letter that Paul attempts and desires to visit them because he has great love for them and he is greatly encouraged by their faith and walk.

This is why Paul says, "your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope." The Thessalonians were doing their thing, and doing it well! Their faith was being displayed in their work. Their love was obvious because they actually labored to make their Christian love seen and known. This was not because of duty, but because of their love for the Lord. And their hope was steadfast. We see the steadfastness of their hope in 4:13-18, where it is clear that they eagerly awaited the return of Jesus. But Paul goes on from there to make an even stronger proclamation.

He says, "in our Lord Jesus Christ." Though Paul was encouraged by their faith, love and hope, he did not want to see them become arrogant in their works. So, Paul begins a God-centered, Christ-centered explanation of their work and salvation. He does this to keep things in perspective for this young and strong church that he loves so deeply. Paul's reminder to them is that their faith, love and hope was ALL IN CHRIST! They had no rights to claim them as their own work and it seems that they didn't. Paul was just emphasizing this truth to keep them on a Christ-centered track.

Paul continues his God-centered theology to the Thessalonians when he says, "For we know, brothers loved by God, that He has chosen you." Paul's theology is right on! And he wants the Thessalonians to be right on also. So, he reminds them that their salvation is not of themselves, but of God, who loved them and chose them. This is Paul's way of continuing to imbed in their minds that, though they are living their faith out well, they are not saved by these works, but they are chosen by God, who loved them. Notice how Paul uses the past tense verb of "loved." The idea here is that, though God STILL loves them, His electing love was at work in them prior to their existence. Therefore, they were chosen. Now that Paul has established the beginning of their salvation in God's election of them, he moves into the manifestation of their salvation played out in their lives.

He says, "because our gospel came to you not only in word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction." When Paul came to Thessalonica to preach the gospel, some got saved and and Paul led those new converts in the process of beginning a church. Here, Paul explains how their salvation happened. Again, Paul gives no credit to the people of Thessalonica, but to the Holy Spirit. This is Paul's reminder to them that their salvation happened only by the Holy Spirit's conviction in their hearts. With the power of the Holy Spirit convicting them of their sin and bringing them to conversion, they have no claim to salvation in themselves.

Paul lays out a clear picture of God's great saving and sanctifying work in the believer. Granted, the order that Paul describes here is not the actual order of events in salvation for the Christian, but it is not Paul's intent to give them these events in order, but only to encourage them to remain God-centered, Christ-centered and Holy Spirit-centered.

This is Paul's Soteriology(Doctrine of Salvation) in 1 Thessalonians: First, you are loved by God and therefore chosen by God's electing grace. At this point, you are set for heaven. The only thing is that it has not yet been played out in your life. That is where the Holy Spirit comes in. He convicts your heart of sin and a need for salvation from sin in Jesus Christ. This is the actual playing out of your salvation or the manifestation of God's electing grace in choosing you for salvation and heirship with His Son. Once that has happened, all is well, and heaven becomes your home and Jesus, your Lord. However, it doesn't stop there. Paul continues His theology by explaining that God continues to work on us. Our faith, love and hope is necessary and vital to our growth, but it is done, as Paul says, "In our Lord Jesus Christ." Paul's theology is right on. The Father chose us, Jesus died for us and the Holy Spirit convicts and seals our salvation. Notice that Paul's Soteriology involves the entire Trinity, Father, Son and Spirit. Once conversion happens, all three Persons are involved in our sanctification.

So what does this all mean for you? Just as Paul was encouraging the Thessalonians, you too should be encouraged. Our faith in Jesus was not our own work, it was His. Our works after salvation are done only in His power. Paul was reminding the Thessalonians to keep Christ at the center of all that they do. And this is his reminder to us...IT IS ALL ABOUT CHRIST!!! We can not become to elated in ourselves and become arrogant of our Christianity because all that we do is credited to Christ's righteousness on us, not our own. Therefore, be encouraged, God has chosen you, Christ has saved you and the Holy Spirit is at work in you...all for the sake of His name and HIS glory!