The Word vs. the World

Introduction

In our previous study of 1 Thessalonians, we talked about the marks of a genuine faith and what constitutes a genuine ministry. And we see that Paul had given evidence that the Thessalonians had a genuine faith and proved that his own ministry to them was genuine. If both their faith and his ministry amongst them were genuine, why then is the Thessalonian church facing so much opposition? Why are the Christians there experiencing suffering? Could it be that the suffering is a sign of God’s displeasure? What should the normal Christian life look like? Having spent some time reflecting on his own ministry, Paul once again returns to the Thessalonians via Timothy. At the beginning in 1:2-10, he spoke about how they had started in their faith. Now (2:13-16), he reflects on how they were continuing in their faith.

Having just reflected on his initial ministry amongst them, Paul returns to the theme of thanksgiving (2:13) corresponding to how he has started his letter to them (1:2,3). Paul now wants to move on from their initial reception of God’s Word while he was with them to their ongoing and current experience, which included a fair degree of suffering and persecution. Perhaps this is why he had needed to underline his ministry of encouraging and urging them forward in their faith (2:11-12) because as these new believers had moved forward, they had experienced even more suffering and persecution (2:14). Is this normal or has something gone wrong with God’s plan? This is the issue that he now needs to address.

Very noticeable in this short paragraph is the way it repeats some of the main elements that were found in chapter 1.

· We thank God continually… (1:2,3; 2:13)

· Brothers… (1:4; 2:14)

· You became imitators (1:6; 2:14)

· Suffering (1:6; 2:14)

· The wrath of God (1:10; 2:16)

Although the content is very different, there is an interesting parallel between 1:2-10 and 2:13-16; in terms of the basic shape, the 2 sections are the same. If we were to look closer, today’s short passage can be subdivided into two parts.

First, there is the thanksgiving offered by Paul. This is then connected with what follows by “for” (2:14) which introduces the theme of suffering, just like the churches in Judea. In v. 13, we see the Word of God at work in them. In 2:14-16, we see the world at work against them.

It is worth observing the links between 2:4-6a and 2:13 and the contrast between God and men. Paul preached the Word of God in such a way as to please God and not men. As a result, the Thessalonians received it from Paul as the Word of God not as the word of men. If Paul had tried to preach and advance the Gospel through pleasing men, the Thessalonians would simply have received it as the word of men and given it no greater significance!

The theme of imitation from chapter 1 continues into this passage in chapter 2. The Thessalonians imitated Christ (1:6), the Apostle Paul (1:6) and God’s churches in Judea (2:14). It all amounted to the same thing. They had not simply taken on a new set of beliefs but had changed their lifestyle and behaviour. They were being shaped by what they saw in Christ’s obedience, suffering and joy – which were evident in Paul’s ministry as he shared his own life with them (1:5,6 & 2:8) and in the testimony of the churches in Judea.

Let’s now work through the text where I will draw our attention to the 2 main themes identified in the structure of this short passage.

The Word at work within you (2:13)

Paul gave thanks that when the Thessalonians heard him preach and teach during his brief visit sometime back, they received his message not as the word of a gifted speaker but as the Word of God. In the act of preaching, the words faithfully entrusted to him by God (2:4), the words used by Paul, became the Word of God. As the 2nd Helvetic Confession of the Swiss Reformed Church memorably states: ‘the preaching of the Word of God is the Word of God.’ To illustrate this, for example, if you forward an email or a WhatsApp message to someone, you are the one who is doing the communicating. Yet, as you forward the message, you are enabling someone to receive first-hand the words of the original sender. It shows us how important is it for the one who preaches or teaches to be faithful to the Gospel with which they have been entrusted. It also highlights that the ultimate recipient of the Gospel is actually hearing a message from God Himself. Don’t you agree with me that it is truly an awesome experience that through the faithful preaching of the Gospel, people are able to hear directly from God, the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ through the working of the Holy Spirit?

The Word of God had clearly done its work as the Thessalonians welcomed it with joy (1:6) and the effect was a turning from idols to serve the living and true God (1:9). However, now Paul reminds them that God’s Word is still doing its work, since it is at work within them. God’s Word is an active agent continually reshaping and rebuilding their lives. It is what Jesus Himself described about the Kingdom in Mark 4 that God’s Word is like a seed growing and producing a harvest. Though it would have been perfectly acceptable for Paul to speak of the Spirit being at work within them, he can speak of exactly the same experience as the Word of God being at work where the work of the Spirit and the Word are referred to in identical contexts (Eph. 5:18-20; Col. 3:16,17). Imagine someone ill being prescribed medicine. They take the medicine, receiving it into their body and there may well be immediate beneficial results. However, the medicine may continue to do its work many hours after it had been received as it fights infection and restores health. So, it is with the Word of God which actively works within the life of the believer to resist sin and bring spiritual health.

Such is the normal Christian experience according to Paul. Believers are those who initially hear God’s voice as God’s Word is preached and having received that Word, find that it is actively working away within them fulfilling God’s intended purposes.

The world at work against you (2:14-16)

Given that God’s Word is at work in the lives of all believers, it is not surprising that it produces a family likeness. God’s Word within is doing the same sort of work and forming people into the same basic patterns – to enable believers to imitate the Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, if God’s Word is at work within, making you more like Christ, then it will not be surprising if we experience what happened to Him. Paul therefore moves naturally from the Word at work within the Christian to the world at work against believers.

Opposition from the world (2:14, 15a)

The sign that God’s Word is at work within them is the fact that their current experience is identical to many other believers, including those in Judea, where the church had first been established following the death and resurrection of Christ. The fact that they are suffering like other Christians is therefore not a surprise at all as it is part of the normal Christian experience. Jesus Himself suffered at the hands of the Jews, as did prophets in the Old Testament, apostles like Paul in the New Testament and the churches of God in Judea. Given that pattern, Paul is not surprised that the Thessalonians have suffered from their fellow countrymen. The experience of the Word at work within will often go alongside the experience of the world at work against us. The two usually go together.

The Rejection of God’s Word (2;15b, 16)

Why is such hostility a normal experience for Christians both then and now? The simple answer is that when the Word of God is preached, it must either be received or rejected. If it is received, it does its work within the believer. If it is rejected, it will lead to people rejecting both the message and those who have brought the message. We know that there are inevitable consequences for rejecting God who has spoken through His Word and for rejecting His servants who have faithfully conveyed it.

What are the results of rejecting God’s Word and persecuting Christians who preach or teach it? first, it displeases God since it is a personal rejection. If you refuse to listen to someone when they are talking to you, it is a clear sign of personal antagonism. Second, such opposition is to be interpreted as a hostile act not just against God but all mankind, since it is calculated to prevent others hearing the lifesaving Gospel of the Jesus. Ultimately, all those whom God chooses (1:4) will be gathered into His Kingdom but nevertheless that does not excuse the calculated attempt to prevent people from entering. Our sinfulness is serious enough but opposing the preaching of God’s Word by God’s servants has the effect of heaping it up even further so that it can be even more clearly seen. It is like building a stockpile of illegal weapons and then finding the store room over flowing so that the illegal activity becomes completely obvious to the police with the evidence of what you have obtained illegally.

Yet, the Thessalonian Christians need not be anxious or worried despite facing such opposition or persecution. Though it might appear that their own future as persecuted followers of Jesus seemed bleak and uncertain, Paul again wants them to take the long view and remind them that, one day, Jesus, though rejected by men, will return. At His return, He will rescue believers from God’s wrath (1:10). Therefore, though it might appear that those who persecute Christians are holding the reins of power and are living in luxury and ease, we can be confident that one day, they will face the full weight of God’s wrath for their rejection of His Word and His servants. What is really striking is that Paul is able to speak of this eventuality in the past tense! (2:16). It is possible that this could be a prophetic announcement of something that was certain to happen to the Jews in Judea in the near future, such as the fall of Jerusalem twenty years later in AD 70, or it could simply refer to the fact that God’s wrath is absolutely certain! This is a difficult verse but whatever is the precise interpretation, it highlights for us the danger of rejecting God’s Word and opposing His people.

In summary, this brief interlude, before Paul resumes speaking about his ongoing relationship with the Thessalonians, highlights what is involved in normal Christian experience. God’s Word will be at work but so will the world, bringing suffering. Satan and the forces of darkness remains active and are bent on disrupting the work of the Gospel until that final day when Jesus shall return and put an end to them. We also know from the Book of Acts and from church history that despite opposition and persecution, more and more people are turning to God. Therefore, we can all be assured that suffering and persecution by the world will not be the last word.

Conclusion

In conclusion, we can see that in the normal Christian life, the world will constantly be against us, creating opposition and difficulties for God’s people. This will be so because the ways of the world are often in opposition to God’s ways. It will definitely be hard to live right-side up in an upside-down world. As we strive to be faithful to God’s ways, we will stand out like sore thumbs amongst other people. The people of the world will find us weird if not irritating. We will be the spoil sport or prude that stand in their way to what they deem to be ultimate freedom. We can just look in the Bible to see that all the faithful men and women of God face persecution and suffering as they strove to do God’s work. Throughout the history of Christianity, this pattern remains consistent. No one who is living faithfully as a follower of Jesus will have it easy-going. Pain, suffering, persecution will be the lot of all who want to be a faithful disciple of Christ. Therefore, as we are being conformed to the pattern of Christ, it can be expected that at some point, each Christian will have to face a certain degree of opposition. Imitating Christ is not about adopting some calm meditative or trendy techniques but is forged in the heat of difficulties and opposition.

We should not be surprised by the hatred of the world, especially at those directed to people who preach or teach God’s Word. The world does not us to hear God’s message and will therefore do all that they can to hinder or distract us from the opportunities to hear it. we should not get discouraged as the Lord has many ways to enable His Word to be heard. Even if those words were sown many years ago and have been dormant for all that period, they can still re-germinate and bring about a harvest. Just look at a modern-day example of China which in the last 70 years through communism has sought to exterminate and silence God’s Word. Yet, we all know that God’s Word and the expansion of His Kingdom cannot be contained at all despite the hostility and persecution. Notwithstanding, God’s Word has continued to spread rapidly and is honoured in China.

Even amidst times of great suffering and persecution, we who follow Jesus need not despair. Though it may be tempting to think that God is not in control, Paul affirmed for us in this letter that everyone, including those who persecute Christians will face certain judgement. Everyone will be held accountable for their actions and treated accordingly with justice. The teaching about God’s wrath is therefore a doctrine which should bring us great encouragement and especially to those who are in the midst of persecution. They need to know that God will always have the last word. The psalmist reminds us that the Lord laughs at the wicked for he sees his day of judgement is coming and will perish and be put to shame (Ps. 37). Though they remain deluded for a season, their doom is sure to come upon them and there is nothing they can do to avoid it.

On the other hand, if we, as God’s people, faithfully continue to teach and preach God’s Word (by not adding to or taking away parts of it) such that God’s people can hear the genuine Gospel – the whole counsel of God as it were, this would allow God’s voice to be heard and for it to do its work in us to build a strong and healthy Body of Christ that will be able to withstand itself against opposition from the world and wiles of the devil. This underlies the awesome responsibility for those of us who preach and teach God’s Word – that we need to take great care and attention in our preparation and the delivery of our talks, sermons, Bible studies so that the original meaning is properly understood before conveying and applying it to a particular situation. From the other angle, in those who hear the Bible taught, there needs to be a sense of awe that as God’s Word is being carefully unpacked, we will hear it as if God were speaking to us directly. It is far too easy for many of us to take things too lightly especially of we have been Christians for a long time. We hear the familiar passage be read or taught and we assume we know it so well that our attention and focus is directed to something else, perhaps reading messages off our mobile phones or scrolling through social media. It is about time we remind ourselves that if God’s Word is handled faithfully, it means we are hearing God’s voice. It is about time we remind ourselves that our spiritual growth which never ceases is primarily dependent on God’s Word working in us as it continues to teach, rebuke, correct and train us in righteousness (2 Tim. 3:16) long after it has been preached as the Holy Spirit applies it to our lives. It dwells in us and actively does the job of rebuilding the pattern of Christ from within. It is therefore important for all of us to make the most of the available opportunities to hear God’s Word so that it is planted into our lives. Without God’s Word, our Christian life will soon drift and we will start listening to many other alternative and unedifying voices! If we don’t constantly soak ourselves deeply in God’s Word, the world and its deceptive philosophies will creep up on us and dominate our minds and thinking subconsciously. Did not the apostle Paul remind us in Romans 12 not to be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewal of our minds that by testing we may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect?

Those were the words of advice to a young church at Thessalonica almost 2,000 years ago. But they could not be more relevant to us today in 21st century Singapore! While admittedly the suffering we face is relatively muted compared with many other places in the world, the opposition and persecution we receive from the world remains real although it is subtle and indirect. In fact, such opposition is even more dangerous as we can be easily lulled into thinking everything is alright and we tend to let our guards down.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, as God’s people, we need to be faithfully teaching and receiving God’s Word because by doing so, we recognise and affirm the power of the Word in transforming our lives and shaping us into Christ-likeness day by day and in giving us the ability to handle opposition, suffering and persecution in the way God intended His people to do so without falling away.

God has in His wisdom prepared His people from long ago what to expect as we follow Him faithfully and how we ought to regard hearing and receiving His Word in our lives. May we be wise to heed these words carefully documented by the apostle Paul so that we will finish well as God’s people and be commended well done by the Lord on that day. May God’s church also shine brightly even in the midst of suffering and persecution such that the glory goes back to honour our king, Saviour and Lord!