Pastor Buddy Peake (Doctrinal Bible Church in Huntsville, Alabama)

Doctrinal Bible Church

Pastor-Teacher Bill Wenstrom

Sunday August 4, 2024

First Thessalonians Series: 1 Thessalonians 3:5-Paul Sent Timothy to Check on the Thessalonians’ Post-Justification Faith

Lesson # 41

1 Thessalonians 3:1 So when we could stand it no longer, we thought it best to be left by ourselves in Athens. 2 We sent Timothy, who is our brother and God’s fellow worker in spreading the gospel of Christ, to strengthen and encourage you in your faith, 3 so that no one would be unsettled by these trials. You know quite well that we were destined for them. 4 In fact, when we were with you, we kept telling you that we would be persecuted. And it turned out that way, as you well know. 5 For this reason, when I could stand it no longer, I sent to find out about your faith. I was afraid that in some way the tempter might have tempted you and our efforts might have been useless. (NIV84)

1 Thessalonians 3:5 resumes the thought from 1 Thessalonians 3:1-3a, which is indicated by the prepositional phrase dia touto (διὰ τοῦτο), “for this reason” and is pointing backward to the statements in 1 Thessalonians 3:1-3a.

On the other hand, the prepositional phrase dia touto (διὰ τοῦτο), “for this reason” indicates that 1 Thessalonians 3:1-3a is the reason or the basis for the statement in 1 Thessalonians 3:5.

Therefore, this indicates that 1 Thessalonians 3:3b-4 are a digression.

The language of 1 Thessalonians 3:5 virtually echoes 1 Thessalonians 3:1-3a.

Now, here in 1 Thessalonians 3:5, the demonstrative pronoun houtos, “this” is pointing back to the assertions in 1 Thessalonians 3:1-3a while the preposition dia, “for…reason” indicates that the assertions in 1 Thessalonians 3:1-3a are the reason for the statement in 1 Thessalonians 3:5.

The latter asserts that he sent Timothy to ascertain the status of the Thessalonians’ post-justification faith when he could endure it no longer and this assertion echoes the one in 1 Thessalonians 3:1-2.

Therefore, the prepositional phrase dia touto in verse 5 is indicating that Paul sent Timothy to ascertain the status of the Thessalonians’ post-justification faith because he was concerned that this faith would be unsettled because of the persecutions they were experiencing.

Consequently, 1 Thessalonians 3:3b-4 are a digression from 1 Thessalonians 3:1-3a and thus, 1 Thessalonians 3:5 resumes the thought from 1 Thessalonians 3:1-3a.

Now, here in 1 Thessalonians 3:5, the participle form of the verb stegō (στέγω), is translated by the NIV84 as a temporal participle as indicated by the translation “when…could stand it no longer.”

Now, to be labeled a temporal participle, the interpreter must determine that the primary element of the author is temporal and that it does not have a more specific semantic value and I believe it is functioning as a causal participle which means that it indicates the cause or reason or ground of the action of the finite verb.

Therefore, this participle is an addition to the prepositional phrase dia touto, “for this reason,” which we noted is indicating that Paul sent Timothy to ascertain the status of the Thessalonians’ post-justification faith because he was concerned that this faith would be unsettled because of the persecutions they were experiencing.

Therefore, this participle would be expressing the cause or the reason why Paul sent Timothy, namely he did so in order to ascertain the status of the Thessalonians’ post-justification faith in the gospel.

Now, when Paul in 1 Thessalonians 3:5 speaks of the Thessalonians possibly giving into Satan’s temptation, he is referring to them no longer exercising faith in the gospel so as to obey the gospel.

So therefore, when the apostle Paul speaks of the Thessalonians’ faith in 1 Thessalonians 3:2 and now here in 1 Thessalonians 3:5, he is not referring to justifying-faith since they were already declared justified by the Father through faith in His Son Jesus Christ.

Rather, this faith speaks of their post-justification faith or in other words, their faith they need to exercise in the Word of God after their justification which would enable them to experience their sanctification and salvation and practice the love of God in their lives.

This is indicated by the fact that in 1 Thessalonians 1:3 Paul associates their faith with work, which refers to their Christian service.

A comparison of 1 Thessalonians 3:2-3a with 1 Thessalonians 3:5 reveals that Paul’s purpose for sending Timothy to the Thessalonians was two-fold.

The former asserts that he sent Timothy to strengthen them by exhorting and encouraging them for the benefit of their post-justification in the gospel and specifically he did not want their faith to be unsettled by the persecution they were experiencing.

The latter asserts that he sent Timothy to ascertain the status of this faith in the face of persecution from their own countrymen or in other words, he wanted to know if they were still obeying the gospel despite the adversity of being persecuted for their faith in the gospel.

Another important interpretative issue that needs to be discussed in 1 Thessalonians 3:5 is Paul’s use of the adjective kenos (κενός), “useless,” which means “without result” since it pertains to being lacking in results and it is the object of the preposition eis (εἰς), which is a marker of a change of state.

This word can have the meaning of something being “in vain,” however, the work of Paul and Silas was not in vain from their perspective since they would be rewarded by the Lord Jesus Christ at the Bema Seat Evaluation of the church for their faithfulness in communicating the gospel to the Thessalonians.

The word “vain” has the connotation of being marked by futility or having no real value, thus, this is not the correct translation of kenos (κενός) in 1 Thessalonians 3:5 since Paul and Silas’ work among the Thessalonians was not futile or having no real value since they would be rewarded for their faithfulness.

Now, Paul’s concern about the Thessalonians no longer exercising faith in the gospel and as a result obedience to the gospel, would constitute being in a state of apostasy.

The term “apostasy” is used to describe the state of those Christians who were once exercising faith and obeying the teaching of the Word of God but are now in the state of unbelief and thus rejecting the teaching of the Word of God.

So therefore, 1 Thessalonians 3:1-5, Paul is concerned that the Thessalonian Christian community or some might not have been persevering in the face of persecution.

Perseverance is being steadfast and faithful in applying the Word of God despite the many obstacles and cares of life in the cosmic system of Satan and is being steadfast in picking up one’s cross daily and being willing to experience identification with Christ in His death and resurrection.

The believer must have this characteristic in his life, which is produced by God the Holy Spirit when the believer obeys the Spirit inspired teaching of the Bible in order to overcome the various difficulties and obstacles in life (cf. Rom. 5:3, 15:4; Col .1:11; 1 Tim. 6:11; 2 Tim. 3:10; James 1:12).