For
we know, brethren beloved by God, that he has chosen you; for our gospel came
to you not only in word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full
conviction. You know what kind of men we proved to be among you for your sake. (RSV)
Bible Versions
When I sit down to comment on verses like these, the first
thing I do is check out different version. This gives me the opportunity to see
the differences or commonality between the versions. When I write, I usually
rotate between quoting different versions to make sure the publishers don’t
come back and demand a royalty because I’ve quoted a whole chapter or too many
verses. Sometimes I skip using a version in the rotation because it is not
clear or even has a different meaning than other versions. 1 Thessalonians
1:4-5 is no exception. My usual versions (ESV, NIV®, NASU, NKJV, NLT, RSV, KJV,
and NASB) had two versions with significant difference in only one phrase and
that is regarding who loves the brethren.
Brethren Beloved by
God
When I read the NKJV “knowing, beloved brethren, your
election by God” (vs. 4) (the KJV is similar), the clear indication is that
Paul says he has a deep love for the people in Thessalonica. All the other
versions are very specific that it is God who has this deep love for the
people. The difference cannot be attributed to using a different compilation of
the Greek text. Both the Textus Receptus
and the Nestle are identical in this
verse.
At this point, you may wonder what the big deal is. It is
big because the whole concept of how the Gospel came to the Thessalonians is at
stake. If this is only Paul’s love for them, they are missing a huge reason why
they were chosen, the Word came to them, the power of the Holy Spirit came,
they were convicted, and the God sent good men to them. This all came because
God loves them.
I
will plant her for myself in the land; I will show my love to the one I called
“Not my loved one.” I will say to those called “Not my people,” “You are my
people”; and they will say, “You are my God.” (Hos 2:23 NIV®)
There is no consistency between Bible translations for this
verse in Hosea. Some say God will show his mercy, compassion, or pity rather
than love. However, Paul quoted it in Romans 9:25 as beloved so I chose the
version that says God shows his love; the principle carries forward in 1
Thessalonians 13. The Thessalonians were Gentiles and before Jesus came, they
were considered to be forsaken by God. They were not loved, not God’s people,
not belonging to God. But when Paul and his companions came to Thessalonica,
they discovered that God loved them and they had the opportunity to join in
God’s family. When they received the Gospel, they became part of “a chosen
race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession” (1
Peter 2:9 ESV). Think about that for a while. Before our salvation, we were
dead (Eph 2:1), we were enemies of God (Rom 5:10), without hope (Eph 2:12), and
the worst part was we didn’t even know it. But God loved us and brought the right
person, sermon, verses, book, tract, circumstances into our lives so that we
were regenerated by the Holy Spirit (Titus 3:5) so that we believed and
confessed Jesus as our Lord (Rom 10:9). That’s what it means to be beloved by
God.
Chosen
For
though the twins were not yet born and had not done anything good or bad, so
that God's purpose according to His choice would stand, not because of works
but because of Him who calls. (Rom 9:11 NASU)
What
then? What Israel is seeking, it has not obtained, but those who were chosen
obtained it, and the rest were hardened. (Rom 11:7 NASU)
I’ve written on God choosing us several times, as it has
come up in almost every book of the Bible I’ve discussed on this blog. It is
amazing how many times the subject appears in Scripture. Most often, it is
simply sated as Paul did in 1 Thessalonians 1:4, as if it were common knowledge
or assumed. Other times, he makes it the subject of his discourse. Such is the
case in Romans 9 and 11.
However, when looking up how often this Greek word is used
in the New Testament, I found that Peter warned us to make sure we were called
and chosen by God (2 Peter 1:10) by our works. This is a bit puzzling. How
could someone be called and chosen but not have it certain?
But
when the king came in to see the guests, he saw a man there who did not have on
a wedding garment. (Matt 22:11 NKJV)
In Jesus’ parable, this man was called to the wedding for
the king’s son. He wasn’t one of the initial invitees but was a second choice.
If the first guests who did not respond represent Israel, then this man would
represent Gentiles. He got into the banquet but later, he was tossed out
because he wasn’t dressed properly. What is the message for us? Is it possible
to be called, accept the invitation but still not chosen? Other verses in the
Bible reveal God chooses and He also keeps those He has chosen (John 10:27-30, Eph
1:4, 13-14). Perhaps what Jesus was teaching in this parable is that the
invitation is universal (John 3:16), and some who decide they want a free meal
show up without any desire to be obedient to the Lord. It would be those who
say they are “spiritual” or want to honor God, but they don’t want to have
anything to do with Jesus (John 5:23). They join a church and enjoy the
blessings of the community tasting the good things that the Holy Spirit does
through His people (Heb 6:4-5). Some may even accomplish wonderful things in
the name of Jesus but never get to know Jesus. Some organizations that call
themselves churches are filled with these people. Unfortunately, they will hear
Jesus say, “I never knew you. Get away from me, you who break God's laws” (Matt
7:23 NLT).
This still leaves the question whether people will accept
the invitation if they are not chosen. I would have to say that based on the
rest of Scripture, they will not accept the invitation. They heard the message
of life, the Gospel, but never responded with sorrow for their sins and true
repentance. They believed but did not trust Jesus for their salvation (James
2:19). How could that be unless they were not chosen? “What shall we say then?
Is there injustice on God's part? By no means! For he says to Moses, ‘I will
have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have
compassion.’ So it depends not upon man's will or exertion, but upon God's
mercy” (Rom 9:14-16 RSV).
Why did Peter warn us to make our election certain? If we
are chosen, should it be automatic that we will be in the banquet properly
dressed? No, we may be just like the man who was not properly dressed or people
in churches thinking they are Christians when they have made no profession of
Jesus’ lordship over them. They have not really accepted the invitation. We may
have a lot of knowledge about Jesus but demonstrate that we don’t know Him by
our actions. We all need to stop and assess our calling and election lest we
discover we haven’t really accepted the invitation.
Gospel in Word and
Power
So
shall My word be which goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me
empty, Without accomplishing what I desire, And without succeeding in the
matter for which I sent it. (Isa 55:11 NASB)
We need to look at the Gospel when we think about
invitations and election. God clearly states the power of His Word. What God
decrees to happen will happen. There can be no doubt about this. If we are
obedient to tell others about Jesus’ death for our sins and His burial and His
resurrection on the third day (all according to His Word), and that He appeared
to the Apostles and 500 other people (1 Cor 15:3-6), then we can be assured
that this message will not be in vain. We will proclaim it to everyone because
we don’t know whom God has chosen. When those He has chosen hear it, they will
believe and respond appropriately so that they will be saved. We don’t know if
they will respond immediately or if they must hear it several times – maybe
even hundreds of times. God’s promise is that His Word will not be thwarted.
The people in Thessalonica who were chosen, accepted the Gospel and were saved.
Those who were not chosen formed a mob and set the city in an uproar (Acts
17:1-5). The same Gospel with the same power was heard by many in the city but
only a few responded positively. Their positive response only results when
God’s choice is accomplished, otherwise everyone would respond negatively.
Do
not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to
bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to set a man against his father, and
a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.
(Matt 10:34-35 ESV)
Some preach a gospel of peace between all people. This is
not the Gospel that Jesus brought. He brought a Gospel of peace with God. For
those who are called, we have Christ’s peace ruling in our hearts when His Word
dwells in us (Col 3:15-16). Unfortunately, those who oppose the Gospel often do
it violently or expel those who accept it. This does not negate the power of
the Gospel because the power is for those who are chosen.
Conviction and the
Holy Spirit
When
he [Holy Spirit] comes, he will
convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment.
(John 16:8 NIV)
What happens when people of the world, non-Christians, are
convicted of sin by the Holy Spirit? In my experience, one of two things
happens. The best response is that they become sorry for sin, not for being
caught. It is because the Holy Spirit has revealed that sin is an offence to
God no matter how heinous or slight. That sorrow is demonstrated in repentance.
Salvation has come to that person. The Holy Spirit does this in a number of
different ways. One person may experience guilt and recognize his need for
salvation because he has not believed in Jesus, the worst sin. Another one may
look at her life and realize that it isn’t righteous compared to God’s
righteousness instead of comparing to others around her. Then there is the one
who suddenly understands that he will be judged for his sins and go to hell.
God meets each person where he or she is and the Holy Spirit convicts and saves
(Titus 3:5).
You
will be hated by all because of My name, but it is the one who has endured to
the end who will be saved. (Matt 10:22 NASU)
Then there are those who feel the conviction and turn on the
ones God has sent with the message through His Word. The sad part of this is
that these people are often the ones that are closest to us, our family
members. These are the ones that we want to be saved more than any others, yet
they often reject or scorn us along with Jesus. This isn’t a new problem for it
has existed since Cain killed Able (Gen 4:3-8).
The Lord warned people in the time of Isaiah that those who
respected and honored the Word of God would be hated by their brothers (Isa
66:5). The brothers most likely refers to the nation of Israel, not just a
person’s relatives. We can see that the hatred that comes with conviction
extends well beyond family lines.
I
have given them Your word; and the world has hated them because they are not of
the world, just as I am not of the world. (John 17:14 NKJV)
Jesus gave us the Word from the Father and this brings about
hatred from the whole world. When we accept the Word and we are saved, we are
no longer part of the world system. We have become citizens of the heavenly
realm (Eph 2:19). Conviction by the Holy Spirit causes those who have rejected
His Word to hate those who are different from them. Just as we see hatred
between races and nations, people who are different, so the world has a natural
(sinful) hatred of Christians because we are different. If we are not
different, then there is no conviction and we have lost our saltiness, our
witness is gone because there is no distinction between the way the world acts
and the way we act.
What Kind of Men Are
We?
You
know that from the day I set foot in the province of Asia until now I have done
the Lord's work humbly and with many tears. (Acts 20:18-19 NLT)
Paul was always able to point to his own life while
spreading the Gospel as an example to other. He wasn’t perfect (Acts 15:39) but
the point being that he didn’t give people reason to ignore the Gospel because
of his personality, greed, or sinful lifestyle. When they rebelled against the
Gospel, it was for the reasons mentioned above not because of his lack of
integrity. This ability to be humble and work with people, even to the point of
crying over their sinful condition or lack of growth in Christ is not easy. It
is based on a desire to be a servant. Paul said, “For what we preach is not
ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus'
sake” (2 Cor 4:5 RSV). He said he didn’t preach himself, but his life as a
servant of Jesus spoke just as loud as his testimony about Jesus. If they
didn’t match up, then there would be no witness for Jesus but reason for the
world to ignore the message.
We need to look closely at the way we conduct our lives
around those we are trying to influence for the Gospel. It starts in our
families. Are we being the godly spouse that the Word says we need to be? How
about being a parent that doesn’t “exasperate” (Eph 6:4 NIV®) his or her
children? What about work or neighbors, does even the way we keep up our yard
demonstrate our care for others? As our circle of influence expands to those in
other countries, how we behave has a significant impact on whether or not a
person will be open to the Gospel.
Our poor behavior does not negate the power of the Gospel or
the conviction of the Holy Spirit. Our good behavior does not overrule God’s
election either. But we are part of the equation and the ones that spread the
Gospel. So lets do it the way we should.
Practical
I don’t normally do this in my blog, but I did ask how we
treat those in other countries. Those who have so much less than we have. I
have started a fundraiser to get schoolbooks for poor kids in a Christian
School in Pakistan. If you want to help demonstrated God’s love to these kids,
please donate. I’ve been to the school; the story is on the fundraiser page (https://www.youcaring.com/proverbs-three-nine-foundation-557847)
and on Proverbs Three Nine Foundation’s blog (http://proverbsthreenine.org/blog/urgent-need-schoolbooks-for-poor-kids-in-pakistan).
Donations can be sent through the fundraiser or at Proverbs Three Nine
Foundation’s contact page (http://proverbsthreenine.org/contact.html).
Please help and show God’s love to these kids.
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