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4000 E.
Collins Rd. “Preaching
the Living Word through the Written Word (2Tim 4:2)” |
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EVIDENCE OF ELECTION AND SALVATION 1Th 1:5-9 (3/6/11) Grace Bible
Church, Gillette, Wyoming Pastor Daryl
Hilbert I.
THE GOSPEL WAS EFFECTIVE IN THE THESSALONIANS (5) A. Verse 5
answers how Paul knew that these believers in Thessalonica were “chosen” (eklogế, cp. Rom 9:11; Rom 11:5; 2Pe
1:10; same root as eklektos (Eng. “elect”) - Mat 22:14; 24:22, 24, 31; Rom
8:33; Col 3:12; 2Ti 2:10; Tit 1:1; 1Pe 1:1; 2:9; 2Jo 1:1) by God (1Th
1:4). Paul knew that they were chosen “because” (hóti) the gospel was effective in their lives. This is why
Paul was so thankful for the Thessalonians (1Th 1:2). B. When Paul preached
at Thessalonica, his preaching was not in mere human words, but by the power
of the Holy Spirit. As a result, the Thessalonians were converted, proving
they were part of the elect. 1. “Power” comes
from the Greek word dúnamis which
means dynamic power (Eng. “dynamite”). It is God who possesses the dynamic
power to awaken a spiritually dead soul, regenerate that soul, and save that
soul (Rom 1:16). 2. This dynamic
ministry is from God the “Holy Spirit” who is not only God (cp. Act 5:3), but
one whose ministry is directly related to bringing sinners to Christ (Joh
16:7-11). 3. There was
“full conviction” (plêrophoria - to
bring or give fullness, as in certainty, confidence, or assurance) from
the Holy Spirit to Paul and his listeners. It means that there was deep conviction
and full assurance that the gospel was from God and therefore true (cp. 1Th
2:13). 4. In addition,
the Thessalonians had full assurance concerning Paul, Silas, and Timothy,
that they were true servants of God and their message was from God. II. THE THESSALONIANS
BECAME EXAMPLES (6-7) A. Because the
gospel was effective through the Holy Spirit, the Thessalonian believers’
lives and behavior changed. They sought to be Christlike in spite of
opposition (6). 1. “Imitate” (mimêtếs is from mimos meaning to “mimic”,
Eng. “mime”) here would mean to follow another’s example. Though it may
seem strange that they became imitators of Paul, it is not so strange when we
consider that they were new believers without much knowledge at the time.
They tried to live their Christian lives after Paul and those with him.
Notice that they were also imitators of the Lord. Ultimately, it is the Lord
that we are to imitate. Paul imitated the Lord and therefore those who
imitated Paul were in essence following Christ’s example (1Co 11:1). 2. One of the
ways that they followed Paul’s example was that they received the word in
much tribulation. When they received the gospel and came to Christ, they did
so in the midst of much tribulation (thlipsis
- to press or afflict) and persecution for Christ. However, as another
evidence of the efficacious work of the Holy Spirit in salvation they had the
Spirit’s fruit of joy in the midst of tribulation (Gal 5:22-23). B. The
Thessalonian believers’ lives changed so much that they themselves became examples
to believers in the whole area (7). 1. The
Thessalonians imitated the Lord so well that they became model believers. The
Greek word is tupon and means an
impression made by the force of a hammer, chisel, or stamp. The impression or
mark would exemplify a pattern or image. 2. The
progression is complete, the Thessalonians first imitated believers, then the
Lord, and finally, other believers in the whole area began to imitate them. 3. Ultimately,
it is the image of Christ that God is working to stamp upon the believer (Rom
8:28-29; Col 3:10). III. THE
THESSALONIANS BECAME PROCLAIMERS OF THE GOSPEL (8) A. What other
evidence was there of God’s calling and choice of the Thessalonians? They
exhibited the evidence that they proclaimed the gospel to the lost. 1. The “word of
the Lord,” in other words the gospel message, was “sounded forth” by the
Thessalonians. “Sounded forth” (exêcheō)
comes from two Greek words, ek -
out of, and êcheō - to make a loud noise, Eng. “echo.” It
means that they were bold to share the gospel and that the people they came
in contact with heard the gospel. As a result, it had far reaching effects. 2. Their witness
and gospel message reached not only Macedonia and Achaia but wherever they
went. Whoever was in contact with these Thessalonian believers knew that they
had a “faith toward God.” Thessalonica was an international city that drew
people from all over the world. Many of those people came in contact with the
gospel through these believers. B. The
Thessalonian’s evangelism was so effective that the apostle Paul did not even
need to encourage them to evangelism more. IV. THE
THESSALONIANS BECAME SERVANTS OF GOD (9) A. This group of
believers, after hearing the gospel showed fruits of repentance. They turned
away from idolatry, after first turning to God. 1. It appears
that the efficacious work of the Holy Spirit through Paul in the
Thessalonians was being reported not only by Timothy and Silas, but by
reports from many others around the region. Paul did not have to ask because
“they themselves” (emphatic use of autoi)
were freely reporting it. 2. “Turned” is
the Greek word epistréphō and
literally means to turn again or turn around (Joh 21:20). Figuratively, it refers to a change in
one’s moral and religious life (Mar 4:12; Jam 5:19-20). It explains the term
repentance which means a change of mind leading to a change of behavior. 3. The steps of
salvation and repentance are clear. The Thessalonians first turned to God
meaning they accepted Christ as Savior and the only way for salvation. Having
come to the truth they turned away from idols. There are no steps of personal
reform before personal faith in salvation. Faith in Christ comes first, after
that the Spirit reforms the believer. a) It can be
assumed that the idolatry in Thessalonica was similar to that of Athens (Act
17:16-34). b) There were so
many idols (“full of idols” - kateidōlos,
i.e polytheistic) in Athens that Paul was provoked in his spirit. c) They had so
many idols and objects of worship erected to idols that they even had one for
the “Unknown God” (Act 17:23). Paul took opportunity from this to explain the
God that was unknown to them, namely, the One true God. B. After turning
to God, the Thessalonian believers obeyed the working of the Spirit in their
lives and began to serve the Lord. 1. They not only
served the Lord, but served Him continually (douloulein - “to serve” -
present active infinitive of douleuō). 2. They were
serving, not dead false gods, but the One (monotheism) “living” (zōnti
- present active participle - zaō) and “true” (alêthinós) God. V. OBSERVATIONS
AND APPLICATIONS A. Believers are
to make their election sure (2Pe 1:10; Col 1:23; Heb 3:6, 14; Heb 10:39; 1Jo
2:19; Rev 2:10) 1. This does not
mean a person works for salvation. 2. This does not
mean believers can lose their salvation. 3. This does
mean that believers must and will persevere in faith. 4. This does
mean that believers will continue to bear fruit. 5. This does
mean that fruit is an evidence of salvation. 6. This does
mean that a believer can also be encouraged to bear fruit and make his
election sure. B. Believers
make their election sure by following the example of the believers at
Thessalonica. 1. We must
exhibit the evidence of salvation. 2. We must live
as examples to other believers. 3. We must
become proclaimers of the gospel. 4. We must are
actively living for and serving the Lord. |
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