Category: 1 Thessalonians

While we long for, and pray for, God to grow our churches and make new converts and disciples, the truth is that biblical faithfulness was the sign of a prospering church that Paul sought for those he planted and cared after. The Corinthians ran after personality gimmicks and spectacle like their surrounding culture, but the…

Paul’s ministry did not preach a Christianity where trusting in Jesus solves all your problems, but where trusting in Jesus solves your biggest problem – your sin and rebellion against God. Since that puts you at odds with the world, he warned them that afflictions would come as well.

The word of God was proclaimed by men. It was written by men too, inspired by the Holy Spirit (2 Timothy 3:15-16). It did not fall down from the sky, or dug up from the ground on golden tablets. God moved ordinary, sinful men to write God-inspired words down over the course of 1500 years,…

In verses seven and eight, Paul described himself as being like a spiritual mother to the Thessalonian church, taking care of them, and showing them gentleness, love, and care. Paul had not taken advantage of the Thessalonian church as some wandering religious gurus did, but persisted in his message even though it came at a…

Previously in this letter to the church at Thessalonica, Paul had emphasised how word of their imitation of him had reached his ears and the ears of many other churches in the region. The Thessalonians were an example to these churches, and to us today, of how to live for Christ in the midst of…

What was important about that affliction was not so much the presence of it, but how they reacted. They did not grumble and complain but experienced it “with the joy of the Holy Spirit” (v.6). Their difficult circumstances were met with Spirit empowered joy instead of grumbling, unlike say the Israelites wandering in the desert…

Paul’s life certainly had its ups and downs, but Paul also recognised the need to give thanks for the good things God gave. One of those good things was the blessing of the church in Thessalonica, whom Paul’s letter addresses. Paul gives thanks for the evidence of salvation working in their lives, because God chose…

The letter to Thessalonica was a letter that was primarily from Paul, but also written on behalf of his fellow labourers in the Gospel, Silas and Timothy (v.1). Paul was an apostle, specially commissioned by Jesus himself on the Road to Damascus to bring the Gospel news to non-Jews. But Paul did not work alone.…