1Th 1:4 | KingComments | STEP | . When Paul gives thanks and prays for the Thessalonians, he is constantly reminded of the way in which they work out their lives as Christians. Their conduct shows that they are no opportunists, but Christians in the true sense of the word: those who belong to Christ. The three major principles that give Christendom its true content are to be seen at full strength among the Thessalonians. It is the results of a true conversion. Not counterfeited, not pretended, but pure. Hence you notice so much freshness in their spiritual condition. It really is something to be jealous of. And that's not a wrong jealousy. Let’s have a closer look at the three things that are typical for Christendom, and consequently also for you and me. You find them in . They are “faith”, “love” and “hope”. These are the sources, the motives of Christendom in the world. They are not to be found in any other religion. These three things form our character as Christians. Only, you cannot see faith, love and hope. However, they can be made visible. And that is what the Thessalonians do. Therefore you read here about “your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness [or: perseverance] of hope”. Faith is shown by works, love is shown by efforts made and hope is shown by perseverance. “Work” and “labor” and “perseverance” have to do with the outside, with what is visible; faith, love and hope have to do with the inside, which is not visible. Work and labor look similar, but each of these words really has a different meaning. Work is related to ‘faith’. Faith focuses on what is not seen. A work of faith is a work that comes from what is not seen. Faith characterizes the spiritual condition that leads to that work. This work you see for instance in all the examples presented in Hebrews 11 and in the two examples in James 2 ( ; ). ‘Labor’ is work, but with the characteristic that it is intensive work. There is great effort attached to it, even to the edge of exhaustion. For labor ‘love’ is needed, because only love is willing to make great effort and great sacrifices. ‘Labor of love’ is not a matter of feeling. It is a strain, an effort and care for others. Love gives itself. The Thessalonians showed that they possessed Divine love, which is a giving love. ‘To persevere’ is to carry on even under the greatest trials and sufferings. An unbeliever can persevere by giving himself a pep talk or by seeing the necessity of something. That has nothing to do with biblical hope. Biblical hope is also not to be found in stoically saying: ‘You can only hope for the best.’ Biblical hope is always a well-founded hope, a certainty because it is based on God’s Word and focused on a Divine Person. For the Thessalonians, the motive of the perseverance lay in the hope that the Lord Jesus will return. That may also be the case for you and me. Just to be clear: hope is called hope because it has not yet been fulfilled, not because it is not certain. Therefore ‘hope’ brings forth ‘perseverance’ as its fruit. What is inward brings forth fruit. In that way faith produces work and love produces labor. The one cannot exist without the other. Without the inner motives there will be no fruit. But the other way around is possible. Then there is activity, but it does not come from what God has worked. But then it is not good. You see that in Revelation 2 ( ). The Lord Jesus in His judgment of the church in Ephesus speaks to them only of “your deeds” (or: works), “and your toil” (or: labor), “and perseverance”. Concerning ‘faith, love and hope’ He says nothing. He Who knows the deepest motives of every man, notes that the Ephesians only cared about the appearance, the observable activities. The Christian motivation was lacking. They had left their first love. Therefore it had no value to the Lord and He appeals to them to repent and to do their first works ( ). The three sources that form our character as Christians are not isolated. They need an object on which they focus. Therefore immediately the Son and the Father are mentioned again after that. Perseverance in hope only makes sense if the Lord Jesus is the object of that hope. Your heart rests in Him and expects Him. In Him is the source of all blessing for your soul. From Him you receive strength and in Him you will find what nourishes the spiritual life. It says also “in the presence of our God and Father”. That places your work, your labor and your perseverance in the presence of God. Why is that important? Because then the exercise of your conscience takes place. If you live consciously in the presence of God, you think about what you want to do or say. You wonder whether in your plans the three different characteristics of your life as a Christian may become visible. If you get anxious of the thought that God sees you always and everywhere, you may ask yourself why that happens. Do you still want to do something of which you know that it would grieve Him? And if you sincerely do not want to grieve Him, but you are still afraid of him, remember that God is your Father. That Paul is referring here to these two Persons of the Godhead, is meant as a support for arranging your life as a Christian. He does point to the Lord Jesus to give you confidence that He is coming soon so that you can be calm in the circumstances. He does point to God our Father in order that you are preserved with a good conscience in the light. Both are of great importance for lasting peace in your heart and the growth of your faith life. You could say that the two blessings are representing the two sides of the Christian life: living by faith in the Lord Jesus and being able to give account to God for everything you do. . Paul can list all those wonderful things of the Thessalonians in his giving thanks to God and in his prayers ( ) because he knows they have been “chosen”. Should he have had insight into the records of God and seen their names listed there? No, of course not. Nevertheless he knows that they have been chosen. How is that possible? Because he sees their way of life. The word “knowing” indicates that this knowledge is not the result of revelation or intuition, but of observation, of seeing and hearing. Even of your having been chosen there is no other evidence than your life as a Christian. Whoever has been chosen, is showing in his life the life of Christ, and will strive for having a blameless conscience both before God and before men ( ). The three major principles of Christendom, faith, hope and love, that are active among the Thessalonians, give proof of their having been chosen. Faith, love and hope are the result of God’s choice of them. Having been chosen itself can be called a ‘family secret’. It has been God’s purpose to adopt certain people, chosen by Him, to make them to become His children and to include them in His family circle. That you and I may belong there is pure grace. Only if you belong to the family, you can see that. Therefore the sinner has nothing to do with this family secret. To him the call is to repent. It is important not to mix these two – the grace of God and the responsibility of the sinner– to let the distinction exist. The lives of the Thessalonians are overflowing with what they have found in Christ. It is therefore no wonder that Paul could say that they were “brethren beloved by God”. God must have looked with special feelings of love at them, because in their lives so much was visible of His Son. Don’t you also long for Him to look at you like that with such feelings? Now read 1 Thessalonians1:3-4 again. Reflection: What did Paul and his companions see with the Thessalonians for which they could give thanks and pray?

‏ 1 Thessalonians 1:4

Faith, Love, Hope and Chosen

1Thes 1:3. When Paul gives thanks and prays for the Thessalonians, he is constantly reminded of the way in which they work out their lives as Christians. Their conduct shows that they are no opportunists, but Christians in the true sense of the word: those who belong to Christ.

The three major principles that give Christendom its true content are to be seen at full strength among the Thessalonians. It is the results of a true conversion. Not counterfeited, not pretended, but pure. Hence you notice so much freshness in their spiritual condition. It really is something to be jealous of. And that's not a wrong jealousy.

Let’s have a closer look at the three things that are typical for Christendom, and consequently also for you and me. You find them in 1Thes 1:3. They are “faith”, “love” and “hope”. These are the sources, the motives of Christendom in the world. They are not to be found in any other religion. These three things form our character as Christians.

Only, you cannot see faith, love and hope. However, they can be made visible. And that is what the Thessalonians do. Therefore you read here about “your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness [or: perseverance] of hope”. Faith is shown by works, love is shown by efforts made and hope is shown by perseverance. “Work” and “labor” and “perseverance” have to do with the outside, with what is visible; faith, love and hope have to do with the inside, which is not visible.

Work and labor look similar, but each of these words really has a different meaning. Work is related to ‘faith’. Faith focuses on what is not seen. A work of faith is a work that comes from what is not seen. Faith characterizes the spiritual condition that leads to that work. This work you see for instance in all the examples presented in Hebrews 11 and in the two examples in James 2 (Heb 11:1-40; Jam 2:21-25).

‘Labor’ is work, but with the characteristic that it is intensive work. There is great effort attached to it, even to the edge of exhaustion. For labor ‘love’ is needed, because only love is willing to make great effort and great sacrifices. ‘Labor of love’ is not a matter of feeling. It is a strain, an effort and care for others. Love gives itself. The Thessalonians showed that they possessed Divine love, which is a giving love.

‘To persevere’ is to carry on even under the greatest trials and sufferings. An unbeliever can persevere by giving himself a pep talk or by seeing the necessity of something. That has nothing to do with biblical hope. Biblical hope is also not to be found in stoically saying: ‘You can only hope for the best.’ Biblical hope is always a well-founded hope, a certainty because it is based on God’s Word and focused on a Divine Person.

For the Thessalonians, the motive of the perseverance lay in the hope that the Lord Jesus will return. That may also be the case for you and me. Just to be clear: hope is called hope because it has not yet been fulfilled, not because it is not certain.

Therefore ‘hope’ brings forth ‘perseverance’ as its fruit. What is inward brings forth fruit. In that way faith produces work and love produces labor. The one cannot exist without the other. Without the inner motives there will be no fruit. But the other way around is possible. Then there is activity, but it does not come from what God has worked. But then it is not good.

You see that in Revelation 2 (Rev 2:2). The Lord Jesus in His judgment of the church in Ephesus speaks to them only of “your deeds” (or: works), “and your toil” (or: labor), “and perseverance”. Concerning ‘faith, love and hope’ He says nothing. He Who knows the deepest motives of every man, notes that the Ephesians only cared about the appearance, the observable activities. The Christian motivation was lacking. They had left their first love. Therefore it had no value to the Lord and He appeals to them to repent and to do their first works (Rev 2:5).

The three sources that form our character as Christians are not isolated. They need an object on which they focus. Therefore immediately the Son and the Father are mentioned again after that. Perseverance in hope only makes sense if the Lord Jesus is the object of that hope. Your heart rests in Him and expects Him. In Him is the source of all blessing for your soul. From Him you receive strength and in Him you will find what nourishes the spiritual life.

It says also “in the presence of our God and Father”. That places your work, your labor and your perseverance in the presence of God. Why is that important? Because then the exercise of your conscience takes place. If you live consciously in the presence of God, you think about what you want to do or say. You wonder whether in your plans the three different characteristics of your life as a Christian may become visible.

If you get anxious of the thought that God sees you always and everywhere, you may ask yourself why that happens. Do you still want to do something of which you know that it would grieve Him? And if you sincerely do not want to grieve Him, but you are still afraid of him, remember that God is your Father.

That Paul is referring here to these two Persons of the Godhead, is meant as a support for arranging your life as a Christian. He does point to the Lord Jesus to give you confidence that He is coming soon so that you can be calm in the circumstances. He does point to God our Father in order that you are preserved with a good conscience in the light.

Both are of great importance for lasting peace in your heart and the growth of your faith life. You could say that the two blessings are representing the two sides of the Christian life: living by faith in the Lord Jesus and being able to give account to God for everything you do.

1Thes 1:4. Paul can list all those wonderful things of the Thessalonians in his giving thanks to God and in his prayers (1Thes 1:2) because he knows they have been “chosen”. Should he have had insight into the records of God and seen their names listed there? No, of course not. Nevertheless he knows that they have been chosen. How is that possible? Because he sees their way of life.

The word “knowing” indicates that this knowledge is not the result of revelation or intuition, but of observation, of seeing and hearing. Even of your having been chosen there is no other evidence than your life as a Christian. Whoever has been chosen, is showing in his life the life of Christ, and will strive for having a blameless conscience both before God and before men (Acts 24:16).

The three major principles of Christendom, faith, hope and love, that are active among the Thessalonians, give proof of their having been chosen. Faith, love and hope are the result of God’s choice of them. Having been chosen itself can be called a ‘family secret’. It has been God’s purpose to adopt certain people, chosen by Him, to make them to become His children and to include them in His family circle. That you and I may belong there is pure grace. Only if you belong to the family, you can see that.

Therefore the sinner has nothing to do with this family secret. To him the call is to repent. It is important not to mix these two – the grace of God and the responsibility of the sinner– to let the distinction exist.

The lives of the Thessalonians are overflowing with what they have found in Christ. It is therefore no wonder that Paul could say that they were “brethren beloved by God”. God must have looked with special feelings of love at them, because in their lives so much was visible of His Son. Don’t you also long for Him to look at you like that with such feelings?

Now read 1 Thessalonians1:3-4 again.

Reflection: What did Paul and his companions see with the Thessalonians for which they could give thanks and pray?