1437. How the Gospel Was Received

How the Gospel Was Received

"When ye received the Word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word, of men, but as it is in troth, the Word of God" (1Th_2:13).

We have found how Paul "entered in," now we discover how the Word was "received."

1. It was received not as the Word of men. Some one might have told Paul that he would, by his tender love and compassion to the people, draw them unto himself.

Some one might have told Paul that, because of his earnestness and the fire of his testimony, the people would put their faith in him.

This was not the case. The messages, as Paul gave them, were not received as his messages.

There is altogether too much talk these days about men. The Word of God says, "Cease ye from man." Again it says, "Let no man glory in men."

Paul never preached himself; he never even preached so that the people would put their faith in the wisdom of men. His messages unfolded the Word of God, and were proclaimed in the Spirit of God.

He wrote to the Church at Corinth, "My speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: that your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God" (1Co_2:4-5).

2. It was received as the Word of God. Paul went into Thessalonica and opened up unto them the Scriptures. They accepted what he spoke as it was in truth, the very Word of God.

(1) We have before us a tremendous and emphatic claim for the inspiration of the Old Testament Scriptures. It was from these Scriptures that Paul preached; and it was these Scriptures which were acclaimed, "Not the word of men, but as it is in truth, the Word of God."

(2) We have before us the great foundation faith of the church in Thessalonica. They believed in the Bible, as the Word of God.

Today hordes of rationalistic teachers are marching through the land. They are dropping their Bible-denying, God-dishonoring, Spirit-defying bombs of rationalism into the camps of the saints.

Let us observe some of those who, like the Thessalonians received the Word, as the Word of God.

"The word of God increased" in Jerusalem (see Act_6:7).

"Samaria * * received the word of God" (Act_8:14).

"The Gentiles * * received the word of God" (Act_11:1).

"Sergius Paulus * * desired to hear the word of God" (Act_13:7)

"Almost the whole city came to hear the word of God? (Act_13:44).

We wonder if such statements could be spoken of many individuals, cities, or nations to-day?

When the Apostles preached, the result was: "Mightily grew the Word of God and prevailed" (Act_19:20).

"The Word of God was the Sword of the Spirit in the hand of the saints."

"The Word of God was quick, and powerful, and a critic of the hearts" (see Heb_4:12).

God pity the men who corrupt the Word of God; who handle the Word of God deceitfully; who refuse to obey the Word of God.

God bless the men who are ready to die for the Word of God.

Autor: R.E. NEIGHBOUR