"Stand Firm"
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The church in Thessalonica was not only experiencing persecution but also was dealing with some false teachings. Fortunately, it appears that they were not being influenced by them. Paul gives thanks for this and encourages them to continue standing firm.
But we ought always to thank God for you, brothers loved by the Lord, because from the beginning God chose you to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth. He called you to this through our gospel, that you might share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the teachings we passed on to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter.
Prayer was a very important part of Paul’s life, and we have seen that he frequently mentions praying for the churches. Last week we saw that he prayed for them to walk worthy of their calling. In today’s passage he prays that they would stand firm.
Stand firm - remain true to one’s convictions
Hold on to the teachings passed on
Why should we stand firm?
Why should we stand firm?
What God has done
God loves you – this is where it all begins. God loved us, not because there was anything worth loving in us but because of His great mercy.
God chose you
From the beginning - firstfruits—first and perhaps also choice fruit at the great eschatological harvest. The choice was made before even the world was created, and will be made clear at the end of the age when the angels go forth to separate the wheat from the chaff and gather God’s people home to be with Him for eternity where we will share in his glory.
For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love
God called you – At some point in our lives we experienced God’s call, drawing us to Him. For me this was as a senior in high school.
How God did it
Sanctifying work of the Spirit – the Spirit sets us apart, draws us to God, transforms us to become more like Christ. The Holy Spirit is the one who leads us into all truth.
Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.
Belief in the truth – our response is to believe, to put our trust in Jesus. Truth is important, but just as in Paul’s day the truth is under attack today. many even question the possibility of knowing truth.
Through the gospel – this faith comes to us through hearing the gospel.
Why God did it
To be saved
Share in the glory of Jesus – participate in
How can we stand firm
How can we stand firm
Know the teachings – Paul and the other apostles passed on the teachings of Jesus to those who came after them, such as Timothy, Priscilla and Aquilla, Apollos, Titus, Lydia, and many others. They in turn taught others, until at last those same teachings have come down to us. Rather than relying on word of mouth and memory those teachings were also written down, by Paul and others and we have those writings in our Bible. This is the word which provides a firm foundation for our faith, the rock on which we build our lives.
For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,
There are many false teachings today as there were in Paul’s day, and knowing the truth is just as important now as it was then. There are those who deny that Jesus died so our sins can be forgive and those who deny His physical resurrection. We have Mormons and Jehovah Witnesses, New Age movements, and all sorts of self-actualization gurus. We need to remember that faith is only as good as what it is based on, and for Christians that is the death and resurrection of Jesus.
Follow the teachings – holding on to the teachings involves more than simply knowing what they say. As James says, we must be doers of the word and not hearers only.
Would Paul be able to give thanks for us?