1ST THESSALONIANS 2:13 - PART 2

FRIDAY 17 FEBRUARY 2023

By the inner working of the Spirit, it is my duty as a minister of the gospel to use a clarity of speech, to make known or unveil to your understanding, the mystery of 1ST THESSALONIANS 2:13 communication, as plain as any human language can make it.

Reference: 1 Thessalonians 2:13 New King James Version (NKJV) "For this reason we also thank God without ceasing, because when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you welcomed it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which also effectively works in you who believe."

Personally, I conditioned my heart for hours to ascertain and understand the mystery behind Pauline impact through his preaching that led to the election of the Thessalonian saints by God, thereby going through this circle of epistolary knowledge to search, and to seek out such wisdom throughout the whole compass of Pauline epistle known as Pros Thessalonikeis. Having examined or looked into the two canonical letters he wrote to this very church at Thessalonica, I decoded that the splendour of Paul's wisdom that influenced their salvation was no other than Christ, and a thorough spiritual knowledge of Him.

Paul did not use variety of persuasive words to win them to Christ, but rather he ministered the gospel to them in power, and in the Holy Spirit, which denotes the vastness of complete wisdom, namely Christ. To instantiate this, Paul, Silvanus and Timothy noted, "For we know, brothers and sisters loved by God, that he has chosen you, because our gospel came to you not simply with words but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and deep conviction. You know how we lived among you for your sake. You became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you welcomed the message in the midst of severe suffering with the joy given by the Holy Spirit. And so you became a model to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia. The Lord's message rang out from you not only in Macedonia and Achaia—your faith in God has become known everywhere. Therefore we do not need to say anything about it..." (1 Thessalonians 1:4-8 NIV).

Indeed, as a result of divine wisdom and power demonstrated by Paul's preaching, the saints in Thessalonica didn't just receive the Word with meekness, they also became an example to all the believers in Greece—throughout both Macedonia and Achaia, to the point where the Word of God rang out from them to people everywhere, even beyond Macedonia and Achaia. Imagine that Paul and his fellow workers testified that wherever they went, they found other people telling them about the faith of the Thessalonians in the Lord. Beloved, the gospel prevailed in their midst, such that the influence was massive and extensive. After gaining their newfound faith, the saints themselves didn't wait for encouragement to begin to express the good works of the grace they received, including their labour of love, and demonstration of faith in the Lord.

I'm hugely inspired by the Spirit to understand that they expressed their eager desire to walk with God, because of the encounters they had with God through the gospel of Christ and by the diligent search they made about the Word with deep conviction (see 1 Thessalonians 1:8 NKJV). Otherwise, they wouldn't have spread the Word of God in Macedonia and Achaia, and more so, in every place. For this reason, their faith was known everywhere, and by being on fire for the Lord, with great zeal for evangelism, they were not discouraged for once, by the difficulties and challenges they faced. Got it?

Beloved, this is just the beginning of my in-depth exposition in regard to 1ST THESSALONIANS 2:13. In part 3, I'm going to help you gain and develop a high quality perception of Pauline notion and his underlying understanding when he acknowledged that the saints in Thessalonica received the Word of God, which they heard from him and his missionary fellows or coequals. Therefore stay tuned for what is to come, which actually means to hear and receive the glorious gospel as the very Word of God (Hearing and reception). Shalom!

Scripture Reading - Acts 6:7; Acts 9:31; Ephesians 2:10; Acts 12:24; Acts 19:20.

Guided Prayer: Thank you, my Father in heaven, because there is an enormous strength in me to always hear, receive and demonstrate faith in your Word, under the governing influence of the Holy Spirit. My eyes of understanding is continually flooded with light, as I keep beholding, viewing attentively, and meditating on the Word. Praise God!