The
Thessalonian Epistles
A
Christian’s Life
Lesson
IV
1
Thessalonians 1:9, 10
Written:
1
Thessalonians 1:9-10
(9)
For they themselves shew of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and
how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God;
(10)
And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, [even]
Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.
We
believe that in these verses in 1 Thessalonians 1:9, 10, we have the simple and
yet sublime description of what it means to be a Christian. The verses state that “they had turned to God
from idols; they served the living and true God, and they were waiting for
God’s Son from heaven.”
We
suggest that all of the Christian life is covered in those three words,
‘turning’, ‘serving’ and ‘waiting.’
For
the Thessalonians to turn to God meant they had to turn from their idols. When anyone turns to the true God, of
necessity it will mean a turning from something. If there has not been a turning from anything
we have real reasons to question if there has been a genuine turning to God at
all. Turning to God was an act of
repentance for the word simply means to “turn-around”, “about face”.
W.R.
Newell reminds us that they did not turn from idols to God but rather, the
turning was to God from idols. They
did not leave their idols in search for something better, but having found God they
had no difficulty in leaving their idols.
It was the conviction of the reality of God that turned them
around. Their experience was akin to
that of Saul’s experience on the road to
Isaiah 45:22
(22) Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the
earth: for I [am] God, and [there is] none else.
We
do not feel that it is Scriptural to ask a sinner “to give his dirty heart to
Jesus.” Unbelievers need to be told to
turn to God. “Look unto me, and be ye
saved…” says Isaiah 45:22. “There is
life for a look at the Crucified One.
There is life at this moment for thee.”
The
observation of one’s life in a community or Church will soon reveal if there
has been a genuine turning to God or not.
One wonders how many professing Christians stand the test of observable
evidence. Donald Grey Barnhouse
wrote: “For many years a close friend of
mine in England has exchanged letters with me concerning Britishers who wanted
to minister in America and Americans who wished to minister in Britain. Curiously, about half have been frauds and
the other half well-worthy of commendation.” Such a report being true of
Leaders, what would the report be of the people in the pews?
Isaiah 40:19-20
(19) The workman melteth a graven image, and the
goldsmith spreadeth it over with gold, and casteth silver chains.
(20) He that [is] so impoverished that he hath no
oblation chooseth a tree [that] will not rot; he seeketh unto him a cunning
workman to prepare a graven image, [that] shall not be moved.
Isaiah 44:10
(10) Who hath formed a god, or molten a graven image
[that] is profitable for nothing?
Isaiah 44:16-17
(16) He burneth part thereof in the fire; with part thereof
he eateth flesh; he roasteth roast, and is satisfied: yea, he warmeth
[himself], and saith, Aha, I am warm, I have seen the fire:
(17) And the residue thereof he maketh a god, [even] his
graven image: he falleth down unto it, and worshippeth [it], and prayeth unto
it, and saith, Deliver me; for thou [art] my god.
Isaiah 46:7
(7) They bear him upon the shoulder, they carry him, and
set him in his place, and he standeth; from his place shall he not remove: yea,
[one] shall cry unto him, yet can he not answer, nor save him out of his
trouble.
The
first result of turning to God was that the Thessalonians were “serving the
living and true God.” They had turned to
a living God from their dead idols.
Idols are described in Isaiah 40:19-20.
“The workman melteth a graven image.
And the goldsmith spreadeth it over with gold, and casteth silver
chains. He that is so impoverished that
he hath no oblation chooseth a tree that will not rot; he seeketh unto him a
cunning workman to prepare a graven image, that shall not move.” Isaiah also says, “…he forms a molten image
that is profitable for nothing” (Isaiah 44:10).
Then he takes a tree. With part
he makes a fire to warm himself, with part roasts meat to eat, and with the
rest makes a god. He worships it, prays
to it, and asks it to deliver him (Isaiah 44:16-17). Of idols the prophet writes, “They are
vanity, they are profitable for nothing, a god that cannot save, they carry
their god on their shoulder, none can answer.”
Just
reading these words from Isaiah reveals how foolish idolatry really is. Even the tree from which they make their idol
could not live or grow without the rain from heaven. Surely idolaters have minds that have been
blinded by the god of this world (2 Corinthians 4:4).
2 Corinthians 4:4
(4) In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds
of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who
is the image of God, should shine unto them.
Reading
the words of the Prophet reminded me of a story told to me by a
missionary. Out in the bush in what was
then
We
can imagine the joy that came to the Thessalonians when they found the source
of real life in the Living Christ after having sought life from their dead
idols. So now they lived to serve the
living and true God. This is the normal
result of turning to God. We live to
serve Him.
Colossians 3:23-25
(23) And whatsoever ye do, do [it] heartily, as to the
Lord, and not unto men;
(24) Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward
of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.
(25) But he that doeth wrong shall receive for the wrong
which he hath done: and there is no respect of persons.
Paul
would have taught the Thessalonians what he had taught the Colossians. “And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as
unto the Lord, and not unto men: Knowing
that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve
the Lord Christ. But he that doeth wrong
shall receive for the wrong which he hath done: and there is no respect of
persons.” (Colossians 3:23-25). To do
right is to do everything as unto the Lord, to do wrong is to do what we do
unto men.
Finally
the Thessalonians were waiting for God’s Son from heaven.
C.H.MacIntosh
wrote: “The Thessalonians were converted to the hope of the Lord’s return. It was as much a part of their Christianity
to believe that he would come, as to believe that he had come and gone.”
To
live looking for the blessed hope of the Lord’s return was as much a part of
the early Church as any other doctrine.
We
appeal to all preachers who may read these lines.
How many sermons have you preached
on Bible prophecy in the last twelve months?
How many sermons on the rapture or
removal of the Church?
How many on the bodily return of
the Saviour?
For those who believe in a coming
millennium, how many sermons have you preached on that subject?
The
answers may be very revealing.
We
ask them because constantly we are being told by sincere people, “We never hear
sermons on the return of Christ in our Church.”
Because
some have abused these subjects, for that reason, should we neglect them?
This
being the case, few Christians are waiting for God’s Son from heaven. It explains at least in part, the low
Christian standards in so many Churches.
This blessed hope is declared to be a purifying hope (1 John 3:3), and
when it is not proclaimed, people can only become more conformed to this
world. Many times we have quoted a
Brother named Allan Gillett who said, “Grace people need the blessed hope.”
Titus 2:11-13
(11) For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath
appeared to all men,
(12) Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly
lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;
(13) Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious
appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;
If
we are Christians and we are not looking for the blessed hope, we are not
attending the school of grace. For grace
teaches us to live looking for that blessed hope.
Romans 14:23
(23) And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because [he
eateth] not of faith: for whatsoever [is] not of faith is sin.
One
who has not turned to God can never serve God.
“For whatsoever is not of faith is sin” (Romans 14:23). Only those who have faith have really turned
to God. If one has turned to God and is
serving the true and living God that one will be waiting for God’s Son from
heaven. One who is not waiting for God’s
Son from heaven will be surprised to find that all his service was not really for God at all. Much will be but wood, hay and stubble.
We
repeat: Doing right is doing all as unto the Lord, doing wrong is doing as unto
men. May the lord impress the lesson on
our hearts.