1438. How They Turned to God Prom Idols
How They Turned to God Prom Idols
"How ye turned to God from idols" (1Th_1:9).
We are now coming to the practical results of Paul's work in Thessalonica; results that caused the Holy Spirit to speak of the Church at Thessalonica as a model Church.
1. They turned to God. They had never known God before. Among them were many who had worshiped false gods. If they had known anything of the True God, it was falsely conceived. They never knew God as a God of grace, of love and of mercy, Who had given His Son to die upon the Cross, in their behalf. They never knew God as the One Who had opened the door for their entrance into glory.
When they heard the Apostle Paul preaching Christ crucified, Christ raised from the dead, and Christ coming again, they turned to God.
They had found the way of access to the Father, and they had come to Him with contrite and believing hearts.
They had learned that the God Whom they had always feared, and sought to placate by various rites and ceremonies, was, indeed, a God Who commended His love unto them.
With their new found faith, they came to God; they looked up into His face and they cried, "Abba, Father."
2. They turned from their idols. How could they do anything else? They could not turn to God with their idols. They knew that their idols separated between them and God. As they came to God, they left their idols, and left them gladly.
"Thou shalt call His name JESUS: for He shall save His people from their sins" (Mat_1:21).
The action of the Thessalonians in turning from their idols, was a work of faith.
Faith in Jesus Christ is never a dead thing. When a man has faith, the Cross becomes a separating Cross. It was at the Cross that these Thessalonians turned from their idols to serve the Living God.
Some one has suggested that since Paul preached three Sabbath Days in Thessalonica, that, the first Sabbath he preached on "Christ must needs have died." As a result of that message his hearers turned to God, from their idols.
Autor: R.E. NEIGHBOUR