1ST THESSALONIANS 2:13 - PART 3
SATURDAY 18 FEBRUARY 2023
Paul, the apostle, allowed the Gospel he preached to take place under the influence of the Spirit of God, and by the demonstrated power of God.
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."
In the above Scripture, Paul and his fellow servants of God, thanked God on behalf of the saints, firstly, because they heard the truth from them and received it as the Word of God (Hearing and reception). To hear is the Greek Grammar, (akouó), which is to be endowed with a listening ability or faculty of hearing. Hearing something or anything is normally connected with sense of hearing. To receive what is heard, in this particular context, is the Greek word, (epakouó), which implies to listen to or to hearken to the sound favourably and admittedly. It suggests a recognition that something is the case, thus, you've come to agree with what you heard. In fact, you have the receipt, which signifies a sort of an acknowledgment. Remember that this sort of reception is peculiar. It suggests hearing something and believing it by concluding that what you heard is the truth, thereby admitting it as an important significance (in this case - as the Word of God, not a mere human idea).
Hearing the Word of God is instrumental in conveying the sounds of heavenly realities into our ears and making them louder in our spirit because it has the ability to wirelessly interface with our inward being. But the hearing must be both spiritual and physical, because by both means, every other noise is reduced to nothing, thereby keeping your spiritual and physical ear canal wide open for the high-frequency sound of the glorious gospel to be amplified in your heart and spirit. That way, the Word gains ascendancy over your spirit, allowing the Spirit of God to take full control. Therefore a willingness to pay apt attention to God's Word will inspire faith in any man.
Zero wonder, Paul the apostle wrote, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!" But not all the Israelites accepted the good news. For Isaiah says, "Lord, who has believed our message? Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ" (Romans 10:13-17 NIV).
Therefore if a lost soul would pay attention to the message of Christ by hearing and receiving it and then, call upon the name of the Lord, they will be saved. But the main issue is about the hearing and believing, let alone receiving. This is why Isaiah asked, "Lord, who has believed our message? Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ." Under the influence of the Holy Spirit, Paul was able to speak with openness and boldness, because he had a clear view of the gospel truth, which was backed up by power and the Holy Spirit. Hence, the good news of God's grace wrought in their souls and their liberty from the bondage of sin, darkness, curse and condemnation, and from the veil of blinded minds and ignorance was established. For this reason, the Thessalonian saints believed and received what he shared.
Paul, knowing and comprehending the secret once said, "For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile" (Romans 1:16 NIV). Stay tuned for Part 4, in which I will shed more light on receiving the Word, which is another level of reception known as acceptance. Shalom!
Scripture Reading - 2 Kings 20:16; John 8:31; Acts 20:32; 1 Peter 1:23; James 1:18.
Guided Prayer: Thank you Lord for the ability to hear, believe, receive and profess your Word, as the sacred writings of eternal life. The Word in me is a living and active principle in my heart; it works tremendously in my life, producing the right results as a life-giving force, with abundance of evidence. Therefore, I'm forever grateful for teaching and showing me the way of life, as I continually delight myself in studying and meditating on the Word, in Jesus' Name, Amen!
