I Thessalonians 1:1-10, Characteristics of a Biblically-Based Church

I Thessalonians 1: Characteristics of a Biblically-Based Church.

Acts 1:17-20.

Characteristics of the church:

1) Laboring for Christ as a Result of Grace and Peace, vv. 1-3. The church is called out from this world. Paul prayed and thanks God for their work of faith and labour of love and patience of hope in Jesus Christ. [1 Thessalonians 1:1-3: 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. We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers; Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father].

James 2:18: Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works. 1 John 4:19: We love him, because he first loved us.

We are commanded to love the Lord with all our heart, soul, and mind and love thy neighbor as thyself. [Matthew 22:37-39: Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself].

John 15:1-5: I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.

The Lord of Christ compels us. [Second Corinthians 5:14-15: For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead: And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again].

2) We see a living example, Elect of God, vv. 4-5. Human responsibility means free will choice. Election means: You enter the door of salvation. Looking back and over the door is the word “elect.” [1 Thessalonians 1:4-5: Knowing, brethren beloved, your election of God. For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance; as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake]. Romans 1:16: For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.

Followers means imitators. [I Thessalonians 1:6: And ye became followers of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost].

We see a living example. God chose us to be His children. We are to share the Gospel message and be living epistles. Christians are to imitate Christ. We need to suffer for Christ. Ensamples means examples of Christ. They left their mark throughout the land. A converted person becomes an example. [I Thessalonians 1:7: So that ye were ensamples to all that believe in Macedonia and Achaia].

3) Bringing Others to Christ, vv. 8-9. [I Thessalonians 1:8-9: For from you sounded out the word of the Lord not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith to God-ward is spread abroad; so that we need not to speak any thing. For they themselves shew of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God].

They walked the walk and talked the talk. When you come to Christ, you cannot stay the same.

They were looking for Jesus to come. [I Thessalonians 1:10: And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come].

I Thessalonians 4:17-18: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.