WHAT PAUL CONSIDERED IMPORTANT
1 Thessalonians 3:6-8 NKJV
6 But now that Timothy has come to us from you, and brought us good news of your faith and love, and that you always have good remembrance of us, greatly desiring to see us, as we also to see you— 7 therefore, brethren, in all our affliction and distress we were comforted concerning you by your faith. 8 For now we live, if you stand fast in the Lord.
Paul had founded the church in Thessalonica. Many of the people he reached had come out of pagan idol worshipping backgrounds. And Paul had a parental love and concern for these new converts. So he sent Timothy to see how they were doing and particularly to check up on two areas: their faith and their love.
When Timothy came back, he brought good news. The good news was that these believers were still standing in their faith in Christ, and they were still walking in love toward one another and the people of their city. Someone's faith and love are not the typical areas we consider good news when we are checking up on friends and loved ones. How often do we come back from visiting with the people we care about the most and talk about the condition of their faith and love? I will make one exception. When I hear of parents concerned that the faith of their children has waned or is in doubt. But for the most part, we discuss how they are doing in their careers, how they are doing in their marriages, how life is treating them. But that was not what concerned Paul the most.
Paul wanted to know about their faith and love. Oh, sure, he cared about their families and marriages and how they were getting along in navigating a pagan culture. But Paul believed that if their faith was strong and they were walking in love, then those two areas were what mattered most. Keep in mind that these believers were dealing with persecution from their culture. Undoubtedly, there was pressure on their jobs and families. But Paul knew this: if their faith in God was strong, they would not be shaken by the troubles they faced. If their love for others was strong, they would create an environment of support that would be stronger than the opposition. Paul knew that if these two areas, their faith and love, were in good shape, then they would turn out just fine. Paul let all the churches he founded know that there would be opposition to their faith. He never painted the gospel in such a way that people would believe in order to have an easier life. Paul was clear: if you are a believer, there will be trouble. But Paul was also clear that if your faith was strong, you would overcome.
Paul made interesting statements in verses seven and eight. He said that in all the problems that he, Paul, and his team were facing, they were comforted when they heard about the faith of the Thessalonian church. What was most important to Paul was knowing that these believers were standing fast in their faith in the Lord. "For now we live, if you stand fast in the Lord."
APPLICATION
A great question we should ask ourselves is how is our faith and love doing. The ebbs and flows of life are constant, but if our faith is growing and if our love walk is strong, we'll ride right over the top of what life sends our way. I am in no way suggesting that if our faith and love are strong, we'll never have problems. What I am saying is that when our faith and love are strong, the problems are not as daunting. We are not as wrapped up in ourselves as a result of walking in love, so many little things don't affect us as much. And we believe that if God is for us and helping us, we will overcome the negatives that Satan and the world send our way.
Keep feeding your faith with God's Word. Keep walking in love, despite what people do. Standing strong will make a difference and comfort those around you.
PRAYER
Thank you, Lord Jesus, that I have the ability to stand strong in faith and walk in love as You directed. Thank you that those two spiritual forces are stronger and better than anything that comes my way.