0417. Paul's Message at Thessalonica

Paul’s Message at Thessalonica

You will note that the lesson is based upon two distinct passages, one passage being found in Acts 17 and the other in I Thessalonians, chapter 1. The first passage tells the actual visit of Paul to Thessalonica and of his preaching there. The second passage records a review of how he entered and how he acted among them, and the results of his ministry, as seen in their faith and service.

Paul always preached the Gospel, the full Gospel, and not any one phase of the Gospel. Every true minister of the Word will give a well-balanced testimony concerning Christ. He will give due Scriptural weight to Christ and Calvary, because the Cross is the place where faith must first see Christ. He will also give a Scriptural testimony to Christ and His resurrection, because Christ risen is the chief note of the victorious Christian life. He will give a Scriptural weight to his testimony on Christ coming again, because the Lord’s return is the hope of the Church.

The results at Thessalonica present what always follows the preaching of the Gospel. The Thessalonians turned from their idols, at the Cross; they learned at the empty tomb, to serve a True and a Living Lord; and, they began with Paul’s message on Christ’s Kingship, to wait for God’s Son from Heaven.

Thessalonica was a model New Testament Church, just as Paul was a model New Testament preacher. Every church, whatever its name, falls short of being full-fledged in orthodoxy unless it is clearly established upon this threefold testimony of the faith.

Pre-millennialists, who ardently look for the Lord’s return, often say something like this: "I can fellowship with any brother who is orthodox on the great fundamentals, even though he does not agree with me on the Second Coming of Christ." But, Scripturally, the Second Coming of Christ is one of the great fundamentals. We must not, we dare not class it as a minor truth. It must hold its place with the Cross and the resurrection as fundamentals of the faith.

It is all right to fellowship men who hold the Scriptural position on the atonement and resurrection, in the Truth that they hold; but we must not let them think for a moment that they are at all justified in denying one of the three great foundation truths of our Lord’s full redemptive work.

Autor: R.E. NEIGHBOUR