Philippine Missionary Baptist Seminary

Asia Institute of Theology

 

 

 

We need to remember that the occasion for this chapter was the slander Paul had received from the religious Judaizers who claimed he was only doing the work for personal gain. So Paul reviewed their ministry to silence these false accusations. Notice that Paul tried to stop these attacks not because he was concerned about the Thessalonians’ approval, but to protect the work of the Lord that had been accomplished through him and his partners. What an example! I believe both the ministers and the churches should learn that valuable lesson here. Like Paul, we should be concerned first and more of the work of the Lord than anything else.

Verse 1 was a clear declaration of the nature of their coming, but notice how he did this through a strong appeal to the Thessalonians’ personal knowledge of the life and ministry of Paul and his company. A vital principle here is that we must not ignore the fact that our personal lives speak powerfully to the nature of our ministry in the motives, methods, and the means we use to accomplish the work of God. Our behavior demonstrates not only our sincerity but also the validity and of what we are doing. And the fact that you and I may be involved in a lot of religious activity does not in itself prove the quality of our service and its value to the Lord.

 

What a contrast to some of the so-called preachers and to the many things that we see going on in the religious groups these days. But you know, before we go casting stones, we each need to evaluate our own motives, methods, and the means we use as we seek to live our lives before others. We may not be guilty of the gross fraud of some of those whose names and stories have made the news, but we can be guilty of some of the same type of self-seeking or “being in it for what we can get out of it” scheme.  Let us continue to serve the Lord Jesus in His church well. At the same time, we have to make sure that our personal testimony supports the motives and methods that we employ in God’s ministry.