True Salvation

Persecution is not something we think about too often here in the States. We generally get to live in peace and get to enjoy the liberties of our free society. We may not always like the direction of our nation, but our existence is not threatened and our lives are not at stake.

But that has not always been the case in the church throughout history.

Recently, the Voice of the Martyrs noted that in one country there are hundreds of Christians who have been imprisoned without knowing the charges against them. In another country, a mob of over 5000 destroyed 25 church buildings and the home of a city official who is a Christian.

For mature believers, any persecution and suffering can be challenging to endure - but there is a sense in which we can sort of expect it.

But what about for new Christians? How can they face faith-shaking persecution?

As we continue our series in the letters to the Thessalonians, that’s exactly where we find this young church.

Last week, we discussed how Paul, Silas, and Timothy went to the city and taught in the synagogue for a few weeks. Several people responded to the message of salvation through Jesus Christ with acceptance. Others, became so infuriated that they stirred up a mob - resulting in some imprisonments. Paul, Silas, and Timothy eventually respected the requests of their new brothers and sisters in Christ to leave.

It seems that over the course of the next several months, the persecution did not let up - and yet this young church continued to flourish and thrive. So Paul and his companions wrote these letters as an encouragement to these young believers and as a means of furthering their education.

I can imagine that someone coming to faith and then immediately facing severe persecution could easily begin to question what happened - why they became a Christian at all. This is something that many of our brothers and sisters in Christ experience in honor-shame cultures - places where there is a lot of cultural influence to maintain a certain set of beliefs or actions - many eastern, middle eastern, and tribal cultures.

It also appears that Paul had just received word from Timothy regarding the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of the Thessalonian church. So he opens his letter with Thanksgiving - as he often does, affirming the true salvation of these believers - the source and the signs of that true salvation.

Let’s begin by considering...

Source of true salvation (4-5)

Last week we saw in Acts 17 that several Jews, God-fearing Greeks, and leading women came to faith.

In pagan Thessalonian culture, a lot of their worship would have revolved around practicing various rituals in the temples in order to appease or entreat these deities. Some of these ritualistic activities would have been enjoyable and pleasurable - some would have been tedious. Worshiping Dionysus might entail drinking wine and strong drinks to excess. Worshiping Aphrodite might have involved sexual activities with temple prostitutes. All of their activities would have been upward in hopes of garnering favor. I do wonder if the mythologies arose as a means of justifying some of the sensuality and debauchery of their culture.

But Paul notes that in our salvation - it’s completely different. Paul communicates that our salvation is not based on our activity or service or religiosity. Our salvation originates with God. What’s more - our salvation is realized because we are...

Loved by God

Imagine how different that would be to that culture. The Greek deities wouldn’t interact with humans out of love - but rather in a sort of master-servant relationship. Even in the OT, there are times when God is misunderstood as being a vengeful and angry God - yes he does get angry and does dole out justice - but that’s because he is a holy God, not because he is angry all the time. But scripture also reveals to us that at His core - God is love (1 John. 4:8). Even in the OT it is God’s hesed or steadfast love that marks His relationship with Israel. The Psalmists frequently revel in the steadfast love of God (I.e. Psalm 136). This Psalm alone notes that all of these wonderful things that God does are because of his love.

In His very nature, God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit have existed in a triune relationship marked by love.

God the Father is seen as the loving one who gives - which is why He creates - why he interacts with his creation.

He gives His Son most significantly as the propitiation or exchange for our sin.

1 John 4:9–10 ESV

In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

It’s easy to quote things like John 3:16 and reflect a bit on God’s act of love in giving His son, but the implications of God’s love are so much more than an act of benevolence. His love is intimate. His love is familial. His love is near.

1 John 3:1 (NLT)

See how very much our Father loves us, for he calls us his children, and that is what we are!

I recently read a book entitled Delighting in the Trinity by Michael Reeves. I wish we had some copies in the Book Nook. This short book was so beautiful and enlightening about the nature of the Triune God. But one of the things that was so convicting to me is that so often my relationship with God is more like that of a religious activity - subject to King - and not that of a child’s relationship with a loving father.

(possible Hymn references:)

Here is love

The Love of God

Have you followed Christ as an escape from Judgment or in response to his love?

Do you and I rest/delight/dwell in his love?

Paul not only tells them that they are loved by God, but he reiterates to them that they are...

Chosen by God

Do you remember playing games on the playground at school or in the park? Picking teams?

Those picked early were often the best athletes.

Those picked last were sometimes seen as the least desired.

One of the beautiful things about our relationship with God is that he chose us, not just randomly - but out of compassion in his love.

Ephesians 1:4 (ESV)

even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him.

If you’ve responded to God’s call for salvation, then know that you have been chosen since before the world began. You and I were essentially picked first.

You might be thinking that it’s not fair that not everyone was chosen. Yet scripture tells us that 2 Peter 3:9 “The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.”

So as Christians we get the joy of conveying the love and call of God to everyone.

if you’re not yet a follower of Christ, maybe you’re wondering how you might know if you’ve been picked. Ultimately, God through his spirit will reveal that to you, but I would guess that your desire to learn, to worship him indicates that you are being called to him. You simply need to respond.

story of Isobel Warren - chosen from before the foundation of the world, but did not respond until she was in her mid 80s.

So, as Paul encourages the Thessalonians with the true source of their salvation, he also encourages them by noting...

Signs of true salvation (2-3)

…that he sees in them.

1 Thessalonians 1:2–3 ESV

We give thanks to God always for all of you, constantly mentioning you in our prayers, remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.

In spite of the persecution that they are facing, Paul clearly sees evidence that their lives have been changed and he thanks God for that!

He begins by noting a...

Faith that works

This is not simply lip service or mental ascent, not blind belief, but it’s backed up with action. It’s a belief system that lives out what we say we believe.

Each of these affirmations or observations that Paul makes seem to have a direction to them. This working faith seems to point in an upward direction - toward God - confident in his character and activity. And yet there is also a backward/historical direction that expresses confidence based on what God has done.

It’s an ability in the present to recognize that what is happening to me should not cause my faith in God and my living out that faith to waiver.

This week, Carolyn Ringling shared with me a prayer that seems to express this working faith. In 1938, the Nazi’s started the Ravensbruck Concentration camp for women. It’s believed that around 132,000 women were imprisoned there during WWII - including Corrie Ten Boom - the author of Hiding Place. Somewhere between 30,000 and 90,000 were killed. When the Russian army liberated the camp in 1945, this prayer was found near one of the bodies.

The New Encyclopedia of Christian Martyrs (B. Prayers and a Poem)

O Lord, remember not only the men and women of good will, but also those of ill will. But do not remember all the suffering they have inflicted on us;

remember the fruits we have brought, thanks to this suffering—

our comradeship,

our loyalty,

our courage,

our generosity,

the greatness of heart which has grown out of all this, and when they come to judgment let all the fruits which we have borne be their forgiveness.

Imagine having the faith to pray a prayer like this. A prayer that recognizes the good in the midst of the adversity. A prayer that prays grace and forgiveness for those who have inflicted this pain.

We may not have to face atrocities like they did. We may never have to experience the persecution that pressed on the Thessalonians. Nonetheless, our faith should be a faith that works - in times of peace and problems.

Paul not only thanked God for their working faith, but for their...

Love that labors

So often, when we think about love it’s easy to limit it to a sort of Hallmark card sentimentality. But this biblical love, the love we receive from God, the love that we express toward others is a selfless love. A love that works for someone else’s benefit - even when there may not be any return. The labor of this love refers to a strength reducing work - pain, weariness. Love like this can be exhausting.

Just as the faith had multiple direction - so too this laborious love is something, as John Stott notes, that is “outward toward others (both within the Christian fellowship and beyond it)” and yet it also works in the present.

This is a love that we see from guys like Brian and Sang, Pete and Nathan as they sacrifice time, energy and gas to pick up food in order to bless those in need.

This is a love that we see in people like Dan, Ned, Steve L., Dan H., and others as they lend their skills and expertise to help families in need with housing projects.

This is a love that we see in people like Misty, Michelle, Michele, Mark, Sam, Joyce, Danielle, Jennifer, and others who volunteer time to prepare and then pour out their lives for the children.

This is a love that is experienced when we open our homes and our lives to each other.

We like to reference 1 Cor. 13 in weddings and anniversaries - but hear this encouragement from Paul as it relates to our labor of love toward each other and toward those who are outside of the community of faith. Hear this as a description of God’s love toward us as well.

(linger a bit on some of these)

1 Corinthians 13:4–8 (ESV)

Love is patient and kind; - my time is not what’s most important

love does not envy or boast; - I can be happy for you when things are going well, and humble to discuss my blessings or successes

it is not arrogant or rude. -

It does not insist on its own way;

it is not irritable or resentful;

it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth.

Love bears all things,

believes all things,

hopes all things,

endures all things.

Love never ends....

Finally, Paul expresses gratitude that he sees in these new believers for a...

Hope that endures

Of these three signs - faith, love, hope - this is the only one that, according to Stott, seems to have a future orientation pointing to the coming of Jesus. This is that forward-looking confident expectation that Christ will return. That God’s kingdom will reign on earth. That the promises of Scripture that are yet to be fulfilled will be accomplished.

It’s not a waning desire or wishful thinking.

is he worthy song:

Does the Father truly love us? (He does) Does the Spirit move among us? (He does) And does Jesus, our Messiah hold forever those He loves? (He does) Does our God intend to dwell again with us? (He does)

John Piper, in thinking through this enduring hope urged that we should long and pray for Jesus’ coming. Continually look forward with great expectation - and yet still live and love in the present with a faith that is firmly established in the past.

Concluding Thoughts

As you think about your relationship with God - are you basing in on your religious activity or on God’s decisive love? Have you responded?

Last night our community group a few folks shared how they came to faith. One was spurred by the charge that you can’t sit on the fence with him - dabbling a little here or there with Jesus. Jump in, receive his free gift.

another pointed out that God doesn’t have any grand-children - only children. Which means that you can’t be resting your faith on your parents. You can certainly learn from them but ultimately you must respond.

If you have responded, are the signs of faith, love and hope evident in your live? Just as Paul could give thanks for the evidence of faith, love and hope in the Thessalonians, may we give thanks to God for the faith love and hope that we see in each other.

Let’s pray.

Benediction

(to be read together as a congregation)

Mark 16:15–16 ESV

And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.

Discussion Questions:

Other scriptures to consider: Romans 9, Ephesians 1, Hebrews 12:1-2, 1 Cor. 13.

Have you followed Christ as an escape from judgment or in response to his love?

Do you rest/delight/dwell in his love? How?

Share some examples of a working faith?

How does the idea of a “labor of love” impact how you show love to others? What are some things that we can do to show love at school, work, in our families, with the church, among our neighbors?

What have you hoped for? Why is steadfast hope so important for a Christian? What/who is the object of our hope?

Sources:

Constable, Thomas L. “1 Thessalonians.” In The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, edited by J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck. Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985.

Green, Gene L. The Letters to the Thessalonians. The Pillar New Testament Commentary. Grand Rapids, MI; Leicester, England: W.B. Eerdmans Pub.; Apollos, 2002.

Holmes, Michael. 1 and 2 Thessalonians. The NIV Application Commentary. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1998.

Stott, John R.W. The Message of 1 & 2 Thessalonians. The Bible Speaks Today. Downers Grove, IL; Intervarsity Press, 1991.

Water, Mark. The New Encyclopedia of Christian Martyrs. Alresford, Hampshire: John Hunt Publishers Ltd, 2001.