1 Thessalonians 2:17 – 3:5 Bible Teaching

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So, we left off reading and covering 1st Thessalonians 2:13 and Paul now goes on and says some rather cumbersome verses beginning at verse 14 – 16 and saying:

14 For ye, brethren, became followers of the churches of God which in Judaea are in Christ Jesus: for ye also have suffered like things of your own countrymen, even as they have of the Jews:
15 Who both killed the Lord Jesus, and their own prophets, and have persecuted us; and they please not God, and are contrary to all men:
16 Forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they might be saved, to fill up their sins alway: for the wrath is come upon them to the uttermost.

Let’s cover these verses before going on – and again they are sort of clumsy.

14 For ye, brethren, became followers of the churches of God which in Judaea are in Christ Jesus: for ye also have suffered like things of your own countrymen, even as they have of the Jews:

That first line, “For ye, brethren, became followers of the churches of God which in Judea are in Christ Jesus,” is odd to me because it sounds like there might be other churches of God in Judea which are NOT “in Christ Jesus,” otherwise why make the distinction?

And that could mean (I emphasize could mean) that there were gatherings or assemblies of people who were following other false messiahs.

Whatever the case, they “were united to the Lord Jesus” and Paul adds that in this capacity they too

“also have suffered like things of your own countrymen” meaning they literally suffered abuses from their own “fellows, tribe, or clansmen.”

The Greek word means “one of the same tribe,” and it is not used anywhere else in the entire New Testament.

The interpretation gets dicey but in summary it is believed that what Paul was saying is that the Jews in Palestine took it upon themselves to torment followers of Christ but in Asia Minor the Jews got others (meaning their own fellow countrymen) to persecute believers or followers of Christ on their behalf.

Then speaking of these Jews Paul adds at verse 15

15 Who both killed the Lord Jesus, and their own prophets, and have persecuted us; and they please not God, and are contrary to all men:

In all of this Paul is suggesting that the Jews of that day were known to be persecutors, and that this should not come as any surprise as they
KILLED their own Messiah, and they KILLED their own prophets, and they tried to KILL the Apostles (and often succeeded) and that they are therefore not pleasing to God in their attitudes that are contrary toward all men.”

These are pretty hairy descriptions of the Jews in that day and from them I think we can’t learn how not to be!

Let me put it this way:

Paul tells us that the Jews put their own prophets to death. For what reason? It was all about their religious power and control over the Nation.

In their soft robes they rejected the last of the Prophets (John the Baptist) and then for envy and on the basis of doctrinal differences they put Jesus to death too.

And then in the name of Doctrinal purity these same Jews tried to and succeeded at putting the Apostles to death as well.

Of all the people Jesus had problems with we know it was with the religionists – this is certain. And it’s important because when it comes to the faith, and religion, and doctrine and dogmatists – the world is full of them.

And in some cases they are not one bit different from the murderous Jews of Jesus and Paul’s day.

If I can impart ANYTHING to you today, as a fellow-believer and fulltime student of the Word of God, hopefully by the Spirit, it would be this:

Do NOT ever let anything religious, any doctrine, any position cause you to reach out in hate, anger, animus, or fleshly argumentation with another human being, but especially another believer who loves the Lord Jesus Christ.

That is the game of religious dogmatists who think they are in God’s graces when they embrace a position that allows them to be removed from Agape love.

There is a growing, almost pharisaical attitude among some segments of the faith who have a no-hold barred approach to others of the faith.

We see it online unfortunately and in these so-called debates.

The command on our lives is to love them with agape love – but in God’s name do not become like them!

The approach and attitude that they possess is no different from the attitudes of the zealous Jews in Jesus day who, in the end, were murderous in their hearts toward all who differed with them or who, as Paul puts it, were “contrary to all men.”

And he concludes by adding to the description of them:

16 Forbidding us (the Apostles) to speak to the Gentiles that they might be saved, to fill up their sins always, for the wrath is come upon them to the uttermost.

This was a time when the Jews forbade Paul and his associates to speak to the Gentiles as a means to have them receive the Good News and be saved but the exact time is not specified in scripture.

In doing this, and in their murderous hearts and ways, Paul says that by and through these actions, they “fill up their sins always” meaning in every generation they have done this to the max, and then he says:

“for the wrath is come upon them,” which could not mean that God’s wrath had fallen on them yet or then but must refer to the coming destruction of their City in 70 AD when it would.

Paul adds, “to the uttermost,” which means, “to the complete degree or till the end of it all, until everything is exhausted,” which I interpret to me that God’s wrath for their ways would pour out until everything about that culture would be destroyed.

Okay . . .
1st Thessalonians 2.14-3.end
July 19th 2020

Let’s read on at verse 17 to the end of the chapter, as Paul now adds:

17 But we, brethren, being taken from you for a short time in presence, not in heart, endeavored the more abundantly to see your face with great desire.
18 Wherefore we would have come unto you, even I Paul, once and again; but Satan hindered us.
19 For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming?
20 For ye are our glory and joy.

Alright back to 1st Thessalonians 2:17 where Paul says

“But we, brethren, being taken from you for a short time in presence, not in heart, endeavored the more abundantly to see your face with great desire.

“But we, brethren, being taken from you,” says more from the Greek word translated, “being taken from you” than appears from our translation.

It more properly has relation to the condition of an orphan who had been removed from them physically “but not in heart.”

And as a result of this distance between them they sought more “abundantly to see their face.” (Verse 18)

18 Wherefore we would have come unto you, even I Paul, once and again; but Satan hindered us.

“Wherefore we would have come unto you, even I Paul” which appears to be a way of emphasizing that he was also personally included in trying to get back to see them.

We will read in chapter three that Paul had sent Timothy to them and because of this perhaps some thought Paul was afraid to go himself (or that he was not interested enough in them to go himself) and so here Paul goes to great lengths to assure them this was not the case. And then he explains the reason for his absence, adding:

“But Satan hindered us.”

In what way this was accomplished by Ha Satan is unknown, but Paul does admit that Satan was involved in frustrating his attempt to do good and did prevent the accomplishment of his strong desire to see his Christian friends.

You all know I am convinced that Satan’s powers have been stopped at the cross, then he was released for a period of time to make war with the saints like a roaring lion, knowing that his time was short, and so this accounts for his running interference with the church in that day.

No problem.
(verse 19)

19 For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming?

I like how the RSV puts this verse, saying:

1Th 2:19 (RSV) For what is our hope or joy or crown of boasting before our Lord Jesus at his coming? Is it not you?

In other words, our total joy when Jesus comes to take his Bride is YOU – the believers in the land who have chosen to receive and believe in Christ even amidst some really horrible conflict.

So, Paul says, again and in other words,

“When the Lord Jesus appears at the end of the world, then our highest source of happiness and honor will be you having converted and become his.”

And he adds:

20 For ye are our glory and joy.

Meaning relative to this world and the work that we have been called to do in it, you – your walk, your faith, your receiving the Lord Jesus Christ – is our ultimate glory and joy.

And this brings us to chapter 3!
So let’s read beginning at verse 1:

1st Thessalonians 3:1 Wherefore when we could no longer forbear, we thought it good to be left at Athens alone;
2 And sent Timotheus, our brother, and minister of God, and our fellow-laborer in the gospel of Christ, to establish you, and to comfort you concerning your faith:
3 That no man should be moved by these afflictions: for yourselves know that we are appointed thereunto.
4 For verily, when we were with you, we told you before that we should suffer tribulation; even as it came to pass, and ye know.
5 For this cause, when I could no longer forbear, I sent to know your faith, lest by some means the tempter have tempted you, and our labor be in vain.

Alright, let’s go back to verse 1

1st Thessalonians 3:1 Wherefore when we could no longer forbear, we thought it good to be left at Athens alone;

“Wherefore” (the particle dio) is designed here to refer to another proof of his affection for them.

One evidence had been referred to in his “strong desire to visit them,” (which he had been unable to accomplish – 1st Thessalonians 2:18 – due to Satan;) and here he refers to another evidence the fact that he had sent Timothy to them.

This stuff is really not very important to us readers today – and I have a hard time pretending it is. In fact it’s sort of boring and I am finding a great deal of some of Paul’s epistles are about him trying to reassure the believers that he loved and cared for them. In any case, he goes on and says:

2 And sent Timotheus, our brother, and minister of God, and our fellow laborer in the gospel of Christ, to establish you, and to comfort you concerning your faith:

The best meaning of this verse is Paul sent Timothy to them from Athen’s but we have zero biblical proof that this was the case – no mention of it in Acts.

So, we might wonder how this statement is reconcilable with the record in the Acts?

It is mentioned in Acts 17:14-15 that “the brethren sent away Paul [from Berea] to go as it were to the sea: but Silas and Timotheus abode there still. And they that conducted Paul brought him to Athens,”

The history further states, that after Paul had remained some time at Athens, he went to Corinth, where he was joined by Timothy and Silas, who came to him “from Macedonia,” (Acts 18:5).

But, in order to reconcile the account in the Acts with the statement before us in this epistle, it is necessary to suppose that Timothy had come to Athens.

In reconciling these accounts, we may observe, that though the history does not expressly mention the arrival of Timothy at Athens, but there are circumstances mentioned which render this extremely probable. And so there we have it.

And, Paul, according to his words here, sent Timothy to them from Athens in ORDER that (verse 3)

3 That no man should be moved by these afflictions: for yourselves know that we are appointed thereunto.

In verse one Paul mentions forbearing (meaning suffering) and in verse two he speaks of sending Timothy to them. Here in verse three he says why:

That no mand should be moved by these afflictions (that they, Paul and his companions) had suffered, and then he adds, speaking of his sufferings, “for yourselves know that we were appointed thereunto,” meaning we were appointed by God to suffer these things.

The “we” there, however is called into question because it looks like Paul is talking about himself as an apostle but it could have referred to his companions and or all believers (as scripture makes it clear that suffering is part of the appointment).

Of course, in Paul’s day the physical suffering and the alienation was legit, and continued to be in the life of Christians for centuries thereafter.

Today I believe that the suffering is far more inward and self-imposed on the flesh than outward and physical – of course there are exceptions depending on where a person lives.

I am always humbled by people in this world who appear to have been appointed “unto any kind of suffering.”

And the reality is some people appear to have “suffering appointed to them” and their lives – I don’t see any other way to explain their plights – and I hear the stories all the time.

People born into physical and emotional abuse. People tortured by others assigned to care for them. People born with severe disabilities, people involved in accidents that maim them for life, people with dreaded degenerative diseases, people who have difficulties learning or reading or computing. People who starve to death.

The list of ways to suffer are endless in this mortal world – and many people appear to have the state of suffering just appointed to them, meaning the suffering comes without ANY action on their part.

At the same time, there are many people who seem to be appointed to lives of relative ease, comfort, health, abilities, parents who care for them, intelligence, wealth and on and on and on – and that list has spans out over to some real extremes – from the general middle classes to the uber rich privileged.

I have wondered long and hard about these disparities – for decades – and still do, as these are realities in the human experience.

One response says that God has nothing to do with them but that they are merely the results of conception, DNA and freewill environments he established on this earth.

That works unless we look to passages like this one where we read from Paul that he was appointed to such things.

Since the Bible is clear that God does appoint some people to certain things we have to ask is it all things, some things or a few things?

If it is all things everywhere all the time, then we arrive at the place of Calvinist determinism, where everyone and everything has been determined by God and there is no changing them – they will be and happen as he desires.

Ironically, this is the very same belief of atheists – but without God, of course. That there is no freewill or choice and all things are determined.

At the other extreme is the idea that God appoints nothing ever at all and the world operates independent of his intrusions and is merely there to help, calm, reassure and save those who seek him.

I find myself in the middle of these two extremes and suggest that God created the world and freedom of human choice keeps it going (for the good and the bad).

That he is not a respecter of persons even in the creating of persons but is a creator and imbues and limits the balance of all things in the evolutions and events of this world.

Along the way he has set in motion earth, and the people on it, and in this realm will step in and appoint certain people to do, experience and be certain things.

He does all of this within the purview of His goodness and will – including when people exit this world through death.

So in the same way that I see salvation and Christian living as a two way street, I see a two way street existing when it comes to individual existence – there is the natural genetic contributors, there are circumstantial events, there is God and there is our reaction to it all.

And I see no wisdom at all in standing on one extreme view or the other when it comes to the disparities of suffering and comforts we find in this world.

I therefore affirm a working relationship between what has been, what is (Genetics), God, and our freewill response to it all.

So Paul says that sent Timothy so that no man would be “moved” (again, word that is not found anywhere else in the New Testament) which means to move back and forth like the wagging of a dogs tail.

In other words, he sent Timothy to settle them down in the face of the suffering that was going on around them (including Paul’s sufferings) which he adds they knew,

“that we,” Paul says, “are appointed thereunto.”

Verse 4
4 For verily, when we were with you, we told you before that we should suffer tribulation; even as it came to pass, and ye know.

In Acts 17:1-34 Paul had predicted that some trials were going to come upon them but it seems that Paul is referring to conversations that he had with them in Thessalonica where he must have alluded to more of the same sufferings in the future.

Having been driven away by these sufferings he appears to have wondered if the trial they faced affected the believers at Thessalonica and so he adds at verse 5

5 For this cause, when I could no longer forbear, I sent to know your faith, lest by some means the tempter have tempted you, and our labor be in vain.

Since I knew that you were also liable to persecution, I sent to know your faith.

Now ask yourselves a question. Why? Why would Paul send to know of their faith?

If God appoints some to believe, and once he does they will always believe, why would Paul send to “know of their faith?”

In fact listen to what he adds to this – I’ll read it again:

5 For this cause, when I could no longer forbear, I sent to know your faith, lest by some means the tempter have tempted you, and our labor be in vain.

And we come to another important factor in the life of human beings and the faith – the fact that FAITH can be lessened, weakened, lost and abandoned on the two-lane highway of salvation.

Remember, we are saved by grace through FAITH.

The information of Jesus Christ and the Good News is offered to hear, seen or read. The Spirit invites us to believe, it knocks on the door of our heart and mind, and we choose to receive the message by faith – or not.

We do not do works to obtain the good news. We do not earn the information like getting on position on a sports team – we believe and place our faith on Him and the facts associated with the Good News.

We did nothing to earn the salvation, we can do nothing that will strip it from us (meaning in our flesh).

That being said, we can choose to undermine, erode, and attack the faith we have or to weaken it to the point that it – “FAITH” – by which we are saved, cannot or will not survive.

No faith? No salvation – plain as day. And when I say salvation, I am saying no life with God and Christ after this life here, for it IS by faith that we are saved from our sin AND, AND, AND to His kingdom and glory.

Listen – for this reason there is a super abundance of dark ammunition aimed at faith, and non-belief, with the aim of getting people to abandon faith, and to demolishing the very thing God loves – which is a human beings faith in Him and His promises and ways.

It seems at times that this whole carnal world is aimed at ridiculing or re-defining faith because where there is unbelief, there is no God or life with God – plain as that.

In Romans 4:20 Paul writes of Abraham saying that: “He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God.”

In Romans 11:20 and speaking of the Jews and the Gentiles he wrote

“because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear.”

Why this advice to Gentiles? Why does Paul tell them to fear. Because unbelief – faithlessness – is the factor by which people are broken off in their relationship with God.

Therefore fear this – because there is always something pushing against the existence of faith.

The writer of Hebrews says in 3:12:
“Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.”

The word, “brethren,” proves that the writer was speaking to BELIEVERS – and Paul reminds them to “take heed,” as believers, lest there be in any of them WHAT?

“an evil heart of UNBELIEF!” which he says amounts to what? “DEPARTING from the living God!”

Hebrew 3:19, speaking of the COI and the Promised land presents a picture for all of us, saying

“So, we see that they could not enter in because of . . . unbelief.”

And later the writer adds in Hebrews 4:11 “Let us labor therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.”

What does the writer of Herbrews mean when he says, “Let us labor therefore to enter into that rest?” In order to answer what type of labor believers engage in to enter the rest waiting, we have to examine the biggest enemies of faith and belief.

There are a few of them but initially they can all be initially simmered down to the flesh verses the Spirit.

Here in 1st Thessalonians Paul wrote to them that he feared and wondered if some of the believers there were turned from the truth.

The way he put it was 5 “For this cause, when I could no longer forbear, I sent to know your faith, lest by some means the tempter have tempted you, and our labor (of preaching to you the Gospel of Grace) be in vain.”

Lest by some means . . .
Lest by SOME M E A N S . . .

. . . the tempter has tempted you (resulting in) “our labor being in vain.”

What labor did Paul do among them? He shared Jesus with them. What would make that labor in vain? If the people did NOT believe in Jesus or the teachings anymore.

Had they walked from belief and faith they ONCE had.

So to the means – to the “some means by which their faith (and ours) could be undermined.”

To me the major factors in my years of ministry and in the lives of actual believers who abandoned the faith, MIGHT include:

“Higher criticism of the Word” and what we might call Intellectualism

See it all the time. Easy to embrace and follow.

Personal Anger, Loss, depression, mental illness and other sufferings

Errant expectations of God in life (he has let me down, he never shows up when I need him)

Money and luxury – the world and all it offers.

Science

Sin

Politics and Religion

Insulted by the Word/other believers

False teachers and doctrines

All of these have the potential to lead to an abandoning of the faith.

But when we simmer it all down, what leads away from faith can likely be defined as sin.

See “Sin” (which is at war against faith and comes in MANY colors and shades) leads to

Death of faith or belief in some way, through some means (or another)

Because it regales the Flesh, which is manifested in attitudes of . . .

Self (over God or others)
Human mind, will and emotion (over God’s mind will and emotion)
The words of Man (over the words of God)
Loving the Spirit of this world and the here and now (over the Spirit of God drawing to a future destination)
Pride (over humility and contrition)
War (over inner peace and love for others)

And these lead to actions of sin (which may serve to harden the heart of the believer and include)

Sins of the flesh (there are many)
Sins of the heart (like unrighteous anger, envy, mean-spiritedness) pride, mercilessness,
Sins of the mind including arrogance, hyper-academia, mockery, endless argumentations, and disbelief

Which all can lead to the ultimate sin and the only sin from which there is no return once it has been embraced, nurtured and grounded – faithlessness.

The writer of Hebrews puts it this way:

Hebrew 6:4 For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost,
5 And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come,
6 If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.

And

2nd Peter 2:20 For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.
21 For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them.
22 But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.

In the end, and I tell you from my heart of hearts, in the end, the antidote which grants all who are his the protection from walking or abandoning their faith is . . .

Humility, Contrition and an abundance of the Word by the Spirit

Letting go of things that we think are majors . . . letting God reign by His Spirit and the fruits thereof, trusting in the finished work of His Son, choosing faith and love OVER everything else that comes your way.

Do this, and the MEANS by which many depart will escape you.

We will stop here.
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