Paul's Exhortations to the Thessalonian Church Volume 9

Paul Praises the Thessalonian Believers Stand/Suffering for the Word of God

1 Thessalonians 2:13-14 For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe. For ye, brethren, became followers of the Churches of God which in Judaea are in Christ Jesus: for ye also have suffered like things of your own countrymen, even as they have of the Jews: KJV

Paul thanks God the Father for the working of the Gospel in the hearts and lives of these former idol worshippers who worshipped the images of statues made by the hands of men which were nothing and useless time spent that could not bring them close to the True God at all, but only pushed them farther away from Him, and this was exactly the idea Paul conveyed to the believers in Corinth concerning the eating of food that was offered to these nothing idols when he said, "In this matter, then, of eating food offered to idols, we know that an idol is nothing (has no real existence) and that there is no God but one. For although there may be so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth, as indeed there are many of them, both of gods and of lords {and} masters, Yet for us there is [only] one God, the Father, Who is the Source of all things and for Whom we [have life], and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through {and} by Whom are all things and through {and} by Whom we [ourselves exist]." (1 Corinthians 8:4-6) (Amplified Bible). Paul is excited, enthusiastic, and enthralled (that is, filled with wonder and delight) over how these new believers in the city of Thessalonica (that now make up the new Church of our Lord Jesus Christ in said city) have fully excepted the Word of God that Paul has brought to them as he says with these words, "For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe." (1 Thessalonians 2:13) (KJV). Note: "Many unbelievers shut out or mute the message of the Gospel of Grace because it is promoted, proclaimed, and preached to them by men & women, so they assume that the words are those opinions of the human instrument being used by God to deliver His message. When you say to many people 'the Bible says', often times you will get a response such as this, 'well the Bible was written by men', and this is an indication of their rejection of the Gospel because they think it to not be from God, but from the delusional, disturbed, or deceived minds of men and women." (Clifford D. Tate, Sr.) Note: "The Greek for the first 'received,' implies simply the hearing of it; the Greek of the second is 'accepted,' or 'welcomed' it. The proper object of faith, it hence appears, is the Word of God, at first oral, then for security against error." (JFB Commentary).

This was very true in this city of Thessalonica when Paul, Silas, and Timothy came their preaching the Gospel message as we again recall and remind everyone reading these words what was documented for us by Dr. Luke upon their arrival into the city; first the Gospel takes up root & residence in the hearts and souls of some, "Now after [Paul and Silas] had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews. And Paul entered, as he usually did, and for three Sabbaths he reasoned {and} argued with them from the Scriptures, Explaining [them] {and} [quoting passages] setting forth {and} proving that it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead, and saying, This Jesus, Whom I proclaim to you, is the Christ (the Messiah). And some of them [accordingly] were induced to believe and associated themselves with Paul and Silas, as did a great number of the devout Greeks and not a few of the leading women." (Acts 17:1-4) (Amplified Bible), but immediately we see the flip side or the reaction of those who rejected the Gospel message declared by Paul and Silas, "But the unbelieving Jews were aroused to jealousy, and, getting hold of some wicked men (ruffians and rascals) and loungers in the marketplace, they gathered together a mob, set the town in an uproar, and attacked the house of Jason, seeking to bring [Paul and Silas] out to the people. But when they failed to find them, they dragged Jason and some of the brethren before the city authorities, crying, These men who have turned the world upside down have come here also, And Jason has received them to his house {and} privately protected them! And they are all ignoring {and} acting contrary to the decrees of Caesar, [actually] asserting that there is another king, one Jesus! And both the crowd and the city authorities, on hearing this, were irritated (stirred up and troubled). And when they had taken security [bail] from Jason and the others, they let them go." (Acts 17:5-9) (Amplified Bible).

The little English phrase Paul uses in this verse 'effectually worketh' referring to the Word of God is translated by one Greek word energeo which is where we derived or developed our English word energy from meaning to be active, efficient: - effectual (fervent), be mighty in, operative, powerful. In other words, it was the striking work of the Word of God (Romans 10:17) that had produced their turn from worshipping the useless man made images that was so long of a time deep seated and deep rooted in their lives, even with many from a very young age. It also was this same effectual working of the Word of God in these new Thessalonian believers that enabled, empowered, and energized them to endure the immediate persecution that came from the Jews in that city who stirred up other Jews and Gentiles to come against these new Christians as we documented above from Acts 17 and as Paul reminds them here in his letter to them with these words, "For ye, brethren, became followers of the Churches of God which in Judaea are in Christ Jesus: for ye also have suffered like things of your own countrymen, even as they have of the Jews:" (1 Thessalonians 2:14) (KJV). These new believers in Thessalonica wanted to understand all that was required of them from our Lord, Master, and Savior Jesus Christ and so patterned their Church after the first Church that was founded and established on the Day of Pentecost when God the Holy Spirit birthed the first Christian Church after the Apostle Peter preached the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ and 3,000 souls were added to the Church (Acts 2:41).

Just like the early Church founded, formed, and framed in Jerusalem suffered harsh persecution from unbelieving Jews, so much so that many of them could not even earn enough money to feed their families and needed help financially from other Churches (2 Corinthians 8:16-24), so did this new Church in Thessalonica suffer in like manner again as we documented above and as Paul wrote to the Hebrew believers in his letter to them with these words, "But be ever mindful of the days gone by in which, after you were first spiritually enlightened, you endured a great {and} painful struggle, Sometimes being yourselves a gazingstock, publicly exposed to insults {and} abuse and distress, and sometimes claiming fellowship {and} making common cause with others who were so treated. For you did sympathize {and} suffer along with those who were imprisoned, and you bore cheerfully the plundering of your belongings {and} the confiscation of your property, in the knowledge {and} consciousness that you yourselves had a better and lasting possession. Do not, therefore, fling away your fearless confidence, for it carries a great {and} glorious compensation of reward. For you have need of steadfast patience {and} endurance, so that you may perform {and} fully accomplish the will of God, and thus receive {and} carry away [and enjoy to the full] what is promised. For still a little while (a very little while), and the Coming One will come and He will not delay." (Hebrews 10:32-37) (Amplified Bible).

"Those who by faith receive the word find it profitable. It does good to those that walk uprightly, and by its wonderful effects evidences itself to be the Word of God. This converts their souls, and enlightens their minds, and rejoices their hearts (Psalm 19:1-14); and such as have this inward testimony of the truth of the scriptures, the Word of God, by the effectual operations thereof on their hearts, have the best evidence of their divine origin to themselves, though this is not sufficient to convince others who are strangers thereto. He mentions the good effects which his successful preaching had, 1. Upon himself and fellow-labourers. It was a constant cause of thankfulness: For this cause thank we God without ceasing, 1Thessalonians 2:13. The Apostle expressed his thankfulness to God so often upon this account that he seemed to think he never could be sufficiently thankful that God had counted him faithful, and put him into the ministry, and made his ministrations successful." Matthew Henry

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…