Letters
Gospel In
Romans
Gospel in Romans It has been said that Romans, in the New Testament, is similar to Isaiah in the Old. Both are loaded with doctrine and are theologically rich. Martin Luther said, in the preface to his commentary on Romans, that this letter characterizes, “…rightly the chief part of the New Testament and the clearest gospel of allâ€.[1] Certainly Romans is a comprehensive gospel. Paul unfolds more of its related themes and intricacies than elsewhere in his writing. What Paul’s central theme actually is does not find as much unanimity as it once did among scholars, yet hardly any notable scholar would deny the premium Paul places on the gospel as the revelation of God’s righteousness, as 1:17 states, “For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, ‘BUT THE RIGHTEOUS man SHALL LIVE BY FAITH.’". The gospel, which Paul says God promised through His prophets (1:2), has its roots in the Old Testament. It concerns God’s Son who was declared Son of God with power by the resurrection from the dead, according to the Spirit of holiness (1:4). Paul also says that the gospel is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek (1:16). In verse 17 the word ‘for’ connects verses 16 and 17, and also explains verse 16; “For in it [the gospel] the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, ‘But the Righteous man shall live by faith’†Paul is quoting from the Old Testament prophet Habakkuk (Hab. 2:4). This is a familiar reference in the New Testament; it is used in Galatians, Hebrews, as well as here in Romans. Its usage confirms what Paul has already said in 1:2 about the gospel being spoken beforehand. Crucial to Paul’s gospel and this Old Testament text are the two words, righteousness and faith. God’s saving righteousness is revealed through the message of the gospel, the content of which is centered on His Son (1:4). Faith in Christ and the truth that pertains to Him as the fulfillment of God’s promise is what Paul is discussing in the opening chapter of Romans. He is specifically referring to the fact that Jesus is a descendant of David and that He has been declared the Son of God with power by the resurrection from the dead (1:4). Why does that matter? As Thomas Schreiner says, “In the Old Testament Israel, as God’s son, was called to be a light for the nations, and the promises for Israel would be fulfilled through a Davidic king…Paul maintains…that the true Israel and the genuine Davidic king is Jesus the Messiah.â€[2] God’s saving promises are realized in Jesus’ coming and, more specifically, in His being raised from the dead. It is His being resurrected and thus installed as the reigning Messianic King which ensures that God’s saving promises have been realized and implemented.This is the universalizing of God’s saving plan. It is for both Jew and Gentile, for all who will call upon the Name of the Lord. This was the scope of the promise given to Abraham; that all nations would be blessed through his seed. Galatians 3:16 says, “…He does not say, ‘And to seeds’ as referring to many, but rather to one, ‘And to your seed,’ that is, Christ.†The gospel call is repent; turn from sin and towards Christ, and believe on Jesus Christ for the only righteousness that God accepts – His own! In repentance and faith one can be confident that God has and will declare them righteous.[1] Anders Nygren, Commentary on Romans. pg. 1[2] Thomas Schreiner, Romans. pg. 28
1 Corinthians
Gospel in 1 Corinthians One thing that is helpful in studying the Corinthian letters is to know that what is called ‘1 Corinthians’ in the Bible is really the second letter to the Corinthians. Following this letter Paul wrote a third letter, which we do not have, and 2 Corinthians is actually the fourth letter. So simply double the number when you read the letters to know that 1 Corinthians is actually the second letter and 2 Corinthians is really the fourth letter. Paul initially planted the Church of Corinth on his second missionary endeavor. This was a Church where the sinful city had more influence on them than they as a Church had on the city. Paul had written about this and after hearing back, wrote what we have as 1 Corinthians to address the various issues. To begin with Paul wrote about the Gospel, to ground the instruction that would follow regarding the behavior of those professing Christians in Corinth. Here we see that the Gospel is not just a message about salvation for sinners, it is also the ground for saints becoming what they are in Christ, namely holy! Paul says that his Gospel is rooted in God’s grace that was given in Christ Jesus (1 Cor. 1:4) and this results in fellowship with Him (1:9). This message is summed up in the phrase ‘the word of the cross’ and it is ‘this’ that is the power of God for those who are being saved (1:18). What is of interest is the tense of the verbal action. This Gospel message is God’s power that is actively ‘saving’ people; it is not spoken of as a one time act in the past tense – saved. Coupled with the above statement that the Gospel is not only the message that when believed justifies sinners and introduces them to faith (Rom. 5:2), is that it is also the power of God that sanctifies or makes holy those who are ‘being saved’. In other words, the New Testament speaks of salvation as a complex that has a past, a present, and a future. That is, the act of salvation by faith in Christ as having ‘been saved’ (Rom. 8:24) is also true in the sense of one who is ‘being saved’ (1 Cor. 1:18), and that one ‘will be saved’ (Mat. 10:22). This does not take away from assurance of salvation as something having already been secured and accomplished, but it does add the dimension of ‘continuing to work it out with fear and trembling (Phil. 2:12). This motivates the professing Christian to ‘be diligent to make certain His calling and choosing you’ (2 Pet. 1:10). The content of Paul’s Gospel is “Christ crucified†(1:23) which explains why his message is centered on the cross. Jesus died on the cross for sinners (1 Cor. 15:3) who believe the message and come to Christ. These are ‘the called’ (1:25) and they are those whom God ‘has chosen’ (1:27) tonot only come to Christ, but are said to be ‘in Christ’ byGod’s doing (1:30). This should lead all Christians to realize it is not of their doing but of God’s, and therefore no one can boast before Him (1:29). The message of the cross is about the death of Christ for those whom God calls, which not only saves sinners by their believing it, but also makes them what God intends of His people, that they be sanctified or holy like Him. This Gospel is the good news that all sinners can be saved and sanctified and enabled to walk wisely in this world by being ‘in Christ’, the very heart of the Gospel (1:30), which leads them to boast only in the Lord (1:31). This Gospel saves and sanctifies and it is the means that ‘has saved’ sinners, and is presently ‘saving’ the sinner, and ultimately ‘will save’ them as they repent and believe. It is as we take up our cross and follow this Christ, who died for us that we would live for Him, that we show that we do ‘believe’ this Gospel that saves to the uttermost.
2 Corinthians
Gospel in 2 CorinthiansWe addressed the Gospel in 1 Corinthians last month and began by pointing out that it is helpful to know that 1 Corinthians is the second letter Paul sent followed by a third letter which existed prior to what we know as 2 Corinthians, which is really the fourth letter. The major difference in 2 Corinthians, from the previous l Corinthians, is that this personal letter of Paul is something of his apostolic defense. That is, Paul was dealing with some 'false' apostles who had managed to turn much of the Corinthian congregation against himself, who had founded the Church. He wrote with three audiences in mind and sought to effectively support those standing with him. Secondly, he wrote to motivate those who were swayed away to come back to him and his gospel, and thirdly he wrote with the 'false apostles' in mind, knowing they lurked in the backdrop.[1] Paul dealt with his opponents’ accusations and endeavored to win back those unduly influenced, and shored up his supporters in a masterful display of the Gospel. In fact, Paul's presentation of the Gospel vindicated him from the slanderous claims of the dissidents. In other words, Paul's difficulties were precisely because he was a 'true apostle' of Christ. He writes, “For just as the sufferings of Christ are ours in abundance, so also our comfort is abundant through Christ†(2 Cor. 1:5). Paul centered his experience of ministry, as well as his identification with suffering, on account of the Gospel. That is, Paul understood that God has ordained trials for His people as necessary for ongoing ‘reliance’ or ‘faith’ as well as a demonstration of the Spirit or resurrection power to be displayed. “Indeed, we had the sentence of death within ourselves so that we would not trust in ourselves, but in God who raises the dead†(1:9). “For we who live are constantly being delivered over to death for Jesus' sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh†(4:11). Paul was confident that God had given him the Holy Spirit and established him with the Corinthians (1:21-22). This meant that Paul's purpose and life was to exhibit trust in God “for we walk by faith, not by sight†(5:7), which looked like a life with the ambition to live ... “pleasing to Him†(5:9). All of this comes about when one believes Paul's Gospel and is joined to Christ and enters the new creation in Him (5:17). This results in reconciliation with God, which He Himself has accomplished (1:21; 5:18,21). Paul explains further that because Jesus is 'sinless'[2] and we are in need of God's righteousness in Christ that, “... God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them…†(5:19). So in fact we havewhat is called the great transaction, “He made Him [Jesus] who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him†(5:21). Herein is the crux of Paul's Gospel in terms of the what the cross ofChrist accomplished. So, knowing what God has done through Christ, and upon repenting and receiving this Christ, one enters into the 'new creation', the old has passed away and the new has come. The cruciform lifestyle of Jesus and Paul means essentially suffering to glory. Death to self and life for those who benefit as a result (1 Cor. 15:32; 2 Cor. 4:12). This is what Paul meant when he said that, “always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body†(5:10). It is this witness that Paul learned to live out and thus reveal the Gospel of Jesus death and resurrection by continually dying to self and living out and persevering in the Spirit'spower. Paul thus learned to boast in his weakness that the power of God would be on display (11:30; 12:9-10; 13:4). This display of the Gospel was also the foundation for the collection Paul sought to take up for the benefit of the saints in Jerusalem. Jesus, humbling Himself by leaving the glory of heaven to become a man made in the likeness of sinful flesh, lived a life of suffering that climaxed on the cross of Calvary for the benefit of those who come to recognize their sin, and come to the Savior for forgiveness. Paul captured this picture to present the reason for the advancement of the collection. “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich†(8:9). This truth believed and acted upon brings about the same effect as that of the Gospel being believed and embraced. “For the ministry of this service is not only fully supplying the needs of the saints, but is also overflowing through many thanksgivings to God. Because of the proof given by this ministry, they will glorify God for your obedience to your confession of the gospel of Christ and for the liberality of your contribution to them and to all†(9:12-13). In conclusion, Paul's Gospel was all about God's reconciling work through His Son Jesus Christ. It is His life of humility and suffering, resulting in His death and resurrection that moves and motivates His followers to a similar life of denial of self for the benefit of others. The very practicality of this was seen in the collection taken for the benefit of those in Jerusalem. The key for Paul was to realize that in our weakness His power is manifested, which is precisely the intended revelation that God will use to save others: a further display of God's power that He would continually receive the glory due His Name.[1] Scott J. Hafemann, The N.I.V. Application Commentary. pg. 28-30, 33[2] Gordon Fee, Pauline Christology: An Exegetical - Theological Study pg. 16
Galatians
Gospel in Galatians Paul not only reveals the content of the Christian gospel in this letter to the Galatian churches, but he also manifests the importance of remaining within the parameters of the apostolic gospel he preached and taught. (Gal. 1:6-9) In countering those who were influencing the Galatians away from his gospel, Paul asserts that Divine revelation converted and commissioned him. (Gal. 1:11-12) This is an important and often overlooked aspect of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Not only is it a message but Jesus and the Holy Spirit are the means by which one comes to know and understand and receive this divine revelation.(Jn. 6:33) The gospel is a proclamation about Jesus’ saving sacrifice offered on behalf of His people’s sins (Matt. 1:21), of giving Himself for the church (Eph. 5:25) or as the apostle John says of Jesus, “I Am the good Shepherd; the good Shepherd lays down His life for the sheep.†(Jn.10:11) These sheep, for whom He died, hear His voice and they know Him and follow Him. He says that He gives them eternal life and they will never perish. No one will snatch them out of His hand. (Jn. 10:27-28) Of these who believe and receive, Jesus says, “For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son also gives life to whom He wishes.†(Jn. 5:21) The point is that, like Paul, John affirms that this gospel (good news) of Jesus Christ’s saving sacrifice is not only a message about the Son of God but it is revealed and given by the Son! Man is dead in sin as the wages of sin are death. Humans are spiritually dead and being raised from the dead, spiritually, is what Jesus meant by life. He says later that no man can (is able to) come unless the Father grants it. (Jn. 6:65) To use the language of theologians, man needs ‘special’ or ‘supernatural’ revelation in order to receive the gospel unto salvation. By nature man, in his spiritually dead state, is unable to see and know the reality of the spiritual realm and needs God’s grace to enable him to see and know! Paul speaks of this elsewhere in the letter to the Romans where he says that by ‘natural’ revelation, or by mere observation man can tell that there is a Creator, through what has been made. He says, regarding the characteristics of God, “His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made…†(Rom. 1:20) Yet, since man is sinful, he suppresses the truth about God. There is enough ‘natural’ revelation to know of God as Creator, but there is not the ability to know Him as Savior, hence the need for special revelation. This really points more to man’s sin problem; that he is doomed apart from God’s saving activity but in the letter to Corinth Paul makes a more clear and succinct statement of what I’m asserting; namely the necessity for Jesus and the Holy Spirit to give spiritual understanding, “But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised,†[or need to be spiritually discerned.] (1 Cor. 2:14) Paul said that only the Spirit of God knows the thoughts of God. (1 Cor. 1:11) Those who have received the Spirit of God now know the things freely given to them by God; things taught by the Spirit. This is tantamount to knowing or having the mind of Christ. (1 Cor. 1:12, 13, 16) Luke tells of two disciples of Jesus on the road to Emmaus who were lacking in understanding of what the Bible said about Jesus’ death and resurrection (the crux of the gospel) and that “Jesus opened their minds to understand the Scriptures.†(Luke 24:45) Paul said that his gospel was given not by man but through a revelation of Jesus Christ. (Gal. 1:12) In short, his gospel was a message of the cross of Calvary. “Jesus…gave Himself for our sins so that He might rescue us from this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father.†(Gal. 1:4) So, for Paul, he lived his life for God in Christ, thankful for God’s grace of a life-giving message and life-changing revelation that causes one to see the truth that Jesus died for them. Hence, for Paul, he boasts in that truth and the cross that brought it to pass. “But may it never be that I would boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me and I to the world.†(Gal. 6:14) Look to the Lord to do for you what man cannot do for himself
Philippians
Gospel in PhilippiansThe Gospel is a message about Jesus Christ that is good news for sinners and saints alike. For the former it is truth that when received and believed means salvation or the forgiveness of their sins. The content of the Gospel is about a Savior who died for sinners who are called to repent or turn from their sinful ways to the Savior’s ways and believe on Him and His Word. The latter, as God’s people are called saints or holy ones that need to hear and heed the Gospel or good news again and again as this too is the message they are called to proclaim with their lives and not just their words. The letter to the Church in Philippi is a wonderful expression of the above summary. Though it has more to do with addressing why God’s people need to hear and heed the Gospel than for sinners to hear and be saved, it focuses on the Gospel and Jesus. It unfolds the way in which He showed Himself to be the Savior of sinners and thus how the saints follow His example to help others come to know Him. The apostle Paul is in prison when he writes this letter to the believers in Philippi with its emphasis on the Gospel of Jesus Christ (1:27a). In fact he mentions the Gospel throughout the letter (1:5, 7, 12, 16, 27; 2:22; 4:3, 15) and at the heart of the writing addresses the Gospel in summary:Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore also God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the Name which is above every name, that at the Name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those who are in heaven, and on earth, and under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father (Phil.. 2:5-11). The Gospel essentially incorporates the above and is understood in its parts to do with Jesus’ Person and work. That is, Who He is and what He has done are both necessary to understanding this message of ‘good news’ as well as what God has done through Him. The first thing to note from the above is the seemingly ambiguous language the apostle Paul uses about Jesus: ‘form of God’, ‘equality with God’, ‘made in the likeness of men’, ‘found in appearance as a man’. Once one understands the precarious difficulty of trying to explain Jesus as both God and a Man the language used is actually not ambiguous at all but rather very specific to avoid various pitfalls of such descriptions. To begin with, the Deity of Jesus is clearly seen in both this writing to the Philippians and the rest of the New Testament. The form of God needs to be understood with the rest of the sentence and thought in that Jesus did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped. That is, in His Incarnation, whereby God took on the body of flesh, born of a virgin and conceived by the Holy Spirit (Mat. 1:18-20) He is clearly said to be God, not a god as the Jehovah’s Witnesses wrongly translate John 1:1 in their New World Translation. This is clear not only with respect to what is inferred with Jesus not regarding equality with God something to be grasped, in that He wanted to ‘take hold’ of what is true of Himself. For as the following sentence explains He ‘emptied Himself’ and took the form of a slave and via the Incarnation took on humanity in the likeness of men. Thus He did not remain as God in the Spirit ruling from heaven but became like one of us only to serve, and not be served, and give His life a ransom for many (Mk. 10:45). But it is also true with respect to 2:10 which quotes from Isaiah 45:23 where the original Hebrew text makes plain that ‘every knee shall bow to Yahweh’ who is Israel’s Savior and is declared to be the only God. Yet Paul has inserted that at ‘the Name of Jesus’ this shall be so. Hence, for the apostle Paul he understands what Isaiah prophesied about God is true of the Lord Jesus. Furthermore, the Isaiah text in context is that the whole creation shall offer Him homage and worship. Gordon Fee, a renowned Pauline scholar states that this passage we have summarized for the Gospel covers the whole gamut in that it, “… begins in eternity past with Christ’s ‘being in the “form†of God,’ then focuses on His incarnation, and finally expresses His exaltation as something already achieved (v. 9), this presupposing resurrection and ascension; now it concludes by pointing to the final future event when all created beings shall own His lordshipâ€.[1] The bowing of the knee was a common idiom for paying homage and while sometimes it could be for prayer it always is in recognition of the authority of the one before whom they bow. Jesus said after His death and resurrection before He ascended back to heaven that “all authority has been given Me in heaven and on earth†(Mat. 28:18). One day all will bow before Him and all will even confess that He is Lord when He returns. But not all will be saved as for some it will be the first time they have bowed their hearts and lives to the One who is worthy and confessed that indeed He is Lord and as such is worthy of their service and worship. Sadly, far too many will only serve themselves and worship what they deem worthy: money, power, sex, drugs and alcohol, fame; all things destined to perish as they are but temporal, but He abides forever! The references to men and man are also tricky but also carefully stated as ‘man’ in the generic sense is wicked, fallen and tainted with sin and thus Paul must make careful reference to Jesus’ humanity. He was in the ‘likeness of men’ and found ‘in appearance as a man’ in that He looked like any other human being, while He was not like any other man; He was the God/Man. Paul makes this distinction clearer elsewhere when he writes, “For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh†(Rom. 8:3).Again the word ‘likeness’ is used because He looked like one of us who as fallen, sinful human beings are people whose flesh is sinful. But we know from other places in the New Testament that Jesus was pure and not sinful (1 Pet. 1:19) as He was born of a virgin and conceived by the Holy Spirit. He was the sinless Lamb of God. The Lamb of God metaphor means the perfect sacrifice God would provide to deal with man’s sin The sinful nature of man is carried on through pro-creation, as the biblical precept is ‘like begets like’ and that which is flesh is flesh and that which is Spirit is Spirit (Jn. 3:6). Mankind is separated from God on account of sin and the wages of sin is death (Rom. 6:23) and so as man is said to be ‘dead in his trespasses and sin’ (Eph. 2:1). Mankind is born into the world devoid of the Holy Spirit and the life of God and thus eternal life as God is eternal (Gen. 21:33; Deut. 33:27; 1 Chron. 16:36; Ps. 41:13). Man must be born again or born from above, meaning he must receive God’s Holy Spirit to become spiritually alive and awake to the things of God (Jn. 3:7-8) and only then can he see and enter the Kingdom of God (Jn. 3:3, 5). Having seen the Person of Jesus as both God and perfect Man we also note that the work of Jesus was to die on a cross where in our passage Paul writes, “… He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross†(Phil. 2:8). The cross was where Jesus’ sacrifice of Himself for the sinners He came to save was offered to God. It was a substitutionary sacrifice in that He died in the place of another. Again the prophet Isaiah spoke of this in the mission of the Servant. He is called a Man of sorrows and One acquainted with grief who bore our grief and carried our sorrow. For ‘He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the chastening for our well-being fell upon Him, and by His scourging we are healed’. ‘For none considered that He was cut off out of the land of the living, for the transgression of My people to whom the stroke was due’. Yes, because of the work of this righteous Servant He is said to justify the many as He bore their iniquities and by being poured out to death He bore the sin of the many whom He will justify (Isa. 53:3-12). In short, it is believing what God has done through Jesus Christ that is the message of the Gospel. It is by trusting and relying on the Lord Jesus as the divinely appointed substitute for sinners; the perfect sacrifice to reconcile sinful man to holy God. It is by turning from sin and selfishness to commit your life to Him and His service and worship through commitment and selflessness through one becoming born again or born from above by the Holy Spirit who makes us alive spiritually unto God. Paul says that God was in Christ reconciling the world unto Himself (2 Cor. 5:19). When one comes to Jesus for salvation in this way they become a ‘new creation in Him’ and thus enter the Kingdom of God. That is, they operate under the ‘rule and reign’ of the Lord Jesus Christ. That is to say, they declare with their words and confess with lives that Jesus is Lord and particularly their Lord and thus they no longer live for themselves but for Him who died and rose for them. The Old Testament taught that the life was in the blood and atonement or payment for sin could only happen in this way. Since life was precious so too the blood as the life was in the blood (Lev. 17:11). This is why Jesus’ blood had to be shed and His life given to atone for our sin. And Jesus, like Adam, was a representative of humanity and as in Adam all die (because of Adam and Eve’s sin), so too in Christ (because of His obedience, even unto death on a cross!) all will be made alive (1 Cor. 15:22). He not only dealt with our sin and death but gave us life and liberty in the Spirit to live in a manner pleasing before Him – the life of faith (Heb. 11:6), and more particularly the life of the ‘obedience of faith’ (Rom. 1:5; 16:26). If this is not true of you we urge you to pray and commit your life to the Lord Jesus Christ and ask Him to be your Savior that you would exalt Him as Lord in this life and not at the end of the world with those who will bow and confess when it is too late to be saved. Knowing God in Jesus Christ means new life, and the power of love to be transformed into newness of life that means peace and pardon for your soul. Our prayer is you would turn your life over to the only One who can pardon your sin and grant you a new lease on life. If you do pray this then find a Holy Bible and pray and read and ask God to speak to you through His Word. Find a Bible-believing, Christ-exalting Church and seek the grace of God that comes through the Church of Jesus Christ.[1] Gordon D. Fee, The IVP New Testament Commentary Series – Philippians. pg. 100
Thessalonians
Gospel in Thessalonians Paul’s writing to the believers in the district of Thessalonica was primarily a means to correct and exhort. Some false teaching had come into the Church after Paul’s departure. The encouragement and exhortation were because of persecution – the very reason Paul had to leave. Yet in both letters, Paul’s Gospel still permeates these important writings, though more by means of application than explanation. In his first letter he writes, “Knowing brethren, beloved of God, His choice of you; for our Gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction…†(1 Thes. 1:4-5). In this first reference of Paul’s gospel, we see some typical aspects of the ‘good news’ = Gospel. First, that the ‘beloved of God’ are God’s chosen ones. That is, His choice of them. Jesus said, “…you did not choose Me but I chose you†(Jn. 15:16). It is a wonder of wonders that God would set His love upon wretched sinners and would drawn them to Himself (Jn. 6:44). But note also that the Gospel came in power. Paul says in Romans that the Gospel “…is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes…†(Rom. 1:16). The message of God’s saving His people, which is further defined as His righteousness revealed (1:17), is power and powerful. For as Paul says elsewhere, “God was well-pleased through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe†(1 Cor. 1:21). So it is God’s power, through His Word, by His Spirit that saves, and this is a revelation of His righteousness! Or, as he says to those who believed in Thessalonica, “…the Word of God, which also performs its work…†(1 Thes. 2:13). Paul further explains that ‘in power’ and ‘in the Holy Spirit’ were with full conviction. As much as God saves us, we have a part in this salvation and ‘humanly speaking’ it is with conviction that man turns to the living and true God from idols (1 Thes. 1:9). This conviction is from believing – faith, which God also grants (Eph. 2:8), leading one to not only serve God but to ‘wait for His Son from heaven whom He [God the Father] raised from the dead, that is – Jesus, who delivers us from the wrath to come’ (1 Thes. 1:10). This is the saving message of the Gospel. This world stands condemned and God’s wrath is ‘being poured out against all ungodliness and all unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth [of God] in unrighteousness’ (Rom. 1:18). God’s wrath ‘remains on those who do not obey the Lord Jesus Christ’ (Jn. 3:36), and His wrath is yet to come in all its fullness (Rev. 16:1). But the good news of the Gospel is that Jesus’ death on the cross saves from God’s wrath, as God’s wrath was poured out on His Son rather than for the sinners He came to save. Jesus took their place, has He taken yours? The application side of the Gospel is that those who believe have turned from sin and selfish motives to serve God (1 Thes. 1:9) and thus live a life ‘worthy of the God who calls them into His own Kingdom and glory’ (2:12). But just as Jesus suffered and was killed, as were the prophets of God before Him (2:14-15), so too the believers in Thessalonica were told this would be their lot – and it was (3:3-4)! Yet, Paul encourages them and us that we ‘really live if we stand firm in the Lord’ (3:8). God uses these trials and persecutions as a means to sanctify us and make us more holy like Him, as this is His will for us in Christ Jesus (1 Thes. 3:13, 4:3, 7; 5:23; 2 Thes. 1:4-5). In other words, the assurance of the Gospel having been believed manifests itself in the endurance of believers through tribulation, even as it was for Jesus (Acts 14:22; Rev. 5:5)! Paul exhorts the Thessalonians as to their perseverance through persecution, and reminds them that God will vindicate His people’s sufferings by judging their oppressors and also in revealing that they are His by the very case of being persecuted (2 Thes. 1:4-9)! The apostle Peter indicates the same by stating that ‘various trials that have distressed’ are in essence for the very proof of their faith (1 Pet. 1:6-7)! And just as Peter shores up those by reminding them that they are ‘protected by the power of God’, so too Paul seeks to secure his readers that ‘God is faithful and He will strengthen and protect them from the evil one’ (1 Pet. 1:5; 2 Thes. 3:3). The judgment and salvation that is so reminiscent of the Gospel is fleshed out in Thessalonians as God’s just judgment coming upon all who reject His Son and the salvation offered in His Name, either by way of not knowing Him or by disobeying Him (2 Thes. 1:8). The ‘fruit’ of believing the Gospel is to persevere in all goodness and the work of faith so we would be counted worthy of our calling (2 Thes. 1:11). This is for the express purpose of glorifying the Name of our Lord Jesus, according to the grace of God (2Thes. 1:12)
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