Paul's Exhortations to the Thessalonian Church Volume 1

Paul Greets the Thessalonian Believers and tells them of his Constant Prayers for them

1 Thessalonians 1:1-4 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; Knowing, brethren beloved, your election of God. KJV

Unlike some of Paul's other letters to the Churches, Paul does not have any scathing or coarse rebuke for these brothers and sisters of our Lord, Master, and Savior Jesus Christ, but instead we will find a continuous stream of encouragement, excitement, and exhortations for this Church that Paul founded (Acts 17:1-4). Paul includes here in his opening greeting to them the names of Timotheus or Timothy and Silvanus or Silas who were with him on this missionary journey and so he says, "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." (1 Thessalonians 1:1) (KJV). This place in Asia Minor at the time of Paul's arrival was well known for the Gentiles worshipping many idol gods, even though there were Jews who lived there and worshipped YAHWEH in their Synagogue. Paul immediately acknowledges that they are worshipping aright and the One True God (1 John 5:20), unlike his opening to the Church in Galatia (Galatians 1:6) where he questioned their worship and their object of worship. Paul also does not add to himself the title 'an Apostle' as he did in his opening greeting to the Galatian Church (Galatians 1:1) because Paul was assured that his authority as an Apostle was recognized among them, therefore, he greets them as one would greet an old familiar friend. Silas was a leading man among the brethren and a prophet as well (Acts 15:32). Although Timothy was much younger than Silas, Paul trusted the young man immensely and would later write two letters directly to him detailing to him his responsibilities as a Pastor and Teacher of the Word of God. Paul speaks the favor and peace of God over their Church Body that comes only from the Grace of God.

Paul now declares to them how much they are on his mind by saying, "We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers;" (1 Thessalonians 1:2) (KJV). The English phrase 'we give thanks' Paul begins with here is translated by one Greek word eucharisteo meaning to be grateful, that is, (actually) to express gratitude (towards). In other words, Paul (despite being in bonds, brutalized, and battered physically by the Jews and Romans and swamped with many concerns) he consciously made it his priority to thank God the Father for the Church @ Thessalonica remembering them and calling them out to our Heavenly Father at all times in every one of his prayers to Him, such steadfastness and staunchness could only be activated and kept alive by a burning passionate love for the brothers and sisters in Thessalonica that made Paul want God the Father's loving protection to be over them and with them always just as he likewise prayed for the believers in Rome with these words, "First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because [the report of] your faith is made known to all the world {and} is commended everywhere. For God is my witness, Whom I serve with my [whole] spirit [rendering priestly and spiritual service] in [preaching] the Gospel {and} [telling] the good news of His Son, how incessantly I always mention you when at my prayers." (Romans 1:8-9) (Amplified Bible).

Paul's uninterrupted prayers for them were so that God the Father would continue to supply them with the grace they needed to continue exhibiting these fruits of the grace of God in their individual lives and in their Church congregation and that is, "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;" (1 Thessalonians 1:3) (KJV). First their 'work of faith' and by this phrase the Apostle means the working reality of their faith in our Lord Jesus Christ produced by the working of God the Holy Spirit in their inner man and inner woman, just as Abraham's faith was proven by what he did being obedient to God as the Apostle James puts it with these words, "Was not our forefather Abraham [shown to be] justified (made acceptable to God) by [his] works when he brought to the altar as an offering his [own] son Isaac? You see that [his] faith was cooperating with his works, and [his] faith was completed {and} reached its supreme expression [when he implemented it] by [good] works. And [so] the Scripture was fulfilled that says, Abraham believed in (adhered to, trusted in, and relied on) God, and this was accounted to him as righteousness (as conformity to God's will in thought and deed), and he was called God's friend. You see that a man is justified (pronounced righteous before God) through what he does and not alone through faith [through works of obedience as well as by what he believes]." (James 2:21-24) (Amplified Bible).

Second their 'labor of love' was manifested by how they welcomed the Word of God into their hearts after their conversion to Christ and sought to teach and spread Christ' Word throughout Asia Minor and beyond, also how tenderly, caringly, and affectionately they treated Paul, Silas, and Timothy during their stay with them in Thessalonica, for love shows itself by one's actions as Paul declared with these words written to the believers in Rome, "Love does no wrong to one's neighbor [it never hurts anybody]. Therefore, love meets all the requirements {and} is the fulfilling of the Law." (Romans 13:10) (Amplified Bible). Thirdly, their 'patience of hope' meaning that they upon receiving Christ Jesus our Lord placed all their eternal hope in His Redemptive work for them and exemplified patience during many trials. The English word 'patience' is translated by the Greek word hupomone from the Greek word hupomeno meaning to stay under (behind), that is, remain; figuratively to undergo, that is, bear (trials), have fortitude, persevere: - abide, endure; cheerful (or hopeful) endurance, constancy: - enduring, patience, patient continuance (waiting). The English phrase 'of hope' is translated by the Greek word elpis meaning (to anticipate, usually with pleasure); expectation (abstract or concrete) or confidence. Therefore, we find that these Thessalonian believers had an enduring, abiding, persevering, confident expectation in the work of God in their souls to take them to completion and perfection as Paul declared to the Philippian believers with these words, "And I am convinced {and} sure of this very thing, that He Who began a good work in you will continue until the day of Jesus Christ [right up to the time of His return], developing [that good work] {and} perfecting {and} bringing it to full completion in you." (Philippians 1:6) (Amplified Bible).

These virtues stemmed from them knowing who they were 'in Christ' as Paul declares it in this way to them, "Knowing, brethren beloved, your election of God." (1 Thessalonians 1:4) (KJV). The English word 'knowing' is translated by the Greek word eido which is a primary verb used only in certain past tenses meaning here to be aware, to be sure, or to understand. The English word 'election' is translated by the Greek word ekloge meaning (Divine) selection (abstractly or concretely): - chosen, election. Therefore, we see then that these Thessalonian believers had a sure hope and eternal heavenly expectation because they understood what the Apostle Paul had taught them concerning Divine election or the fact that they and we true believers today are chosen (Matthew 22:14; 2 Thessalonians 2:13) for salvation (before the foundation of the world was formed Ephesians 1:4). To understand this truth and be confident of it applying to you individually will remove all fear of anything the enemy tries to do to you in this pilgrimage and sojourn we as believers encounter here in our temporary home of the earth.

"Wherever there is a true faith, it will work: it will have an influence upon heart and life; it will put us upon working for God and for our own salvation. We have comfort in our own faith and the faith of others when we perceive the work of faith." Matthew Henry

"The meaning is, that they had so strong confidence that they had been chosen of God as a Church unto salvation, that they might say they knew it. The way in which they knew it seems not to have been by direct revelation or by inspiration, but by the evidence which they had furnished, and which constituted such a proof of piety as to leave no doubt of the fact." John Calvin

"It is easy for anyone to say I believe in God, because the term God can mean anything or anyone, but for someone to say they believe in the One True God (who has made Himself visible through Jesus Christ) they must believe His Word and desire to obey what is revealed therein; no one can believe in the One True God and deny Jesus Christ is the One True God or that He was born of a virgin or that He physically, visibly, and bodily rose from or resurrected from the dead, true faith believes God's Word and acts upon it, this is what Abraham did when the Word of God came to him to take his only son Isaac and offer him as a sacrifice to God (Genesis 22:1-19)." Clifford D. Tate, Sr.

If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...


Sincerely in Christ,


Clifford D. Tate, Sr.

Author of “Silent Assassins of the Soul - Are you Broken by Pornography and Masturbation? You can be Restored by the Lord Jesus Christ and brought into Deliverance, Freedom, and Victory! A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs” e-book available now @ Amazon Kindle, @ Apple I Bookstore for IPod, Barnes and Noble for Nook, Reader Store for Sony Reade, Kobo, Copia, Gardners, Baker and Taylor, and eBookPie…