Reflections on I Thessalonians : Faith, love and hope
Reflection on I Thessalonians 1:3
What is the Church to be? In the Epistle today we hear what the Apostle calls the Christians there to continue in. We too need to hear what he is saying for our encouragement and growth in the body of Christ. Divisions over doctrine can be important of course, as well as the fine points of theology but here Paul tells us what is good and right about the Church in Thessalonica in their believing lives of love.
They were commended for their " unceasing work of faith, the labor of love, and the endurance of hope " 1:3 Let us look at these individually through the use of the words in the original language.
"Grace be to you, and peace, from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.2We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers;Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labor of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father; Knowing, brothers beloved, your election of God."
1. " Unceasing work of faith" I was confused as I first heard this. Are we justified by faith or works? The orig language helps us here: " work" here means the deeds . The word is ergon in greek: " érgon (from ergō, "to work, accomplish") – a work or worker who accomplishes something. /érgon ("work") is a deed (action) that carries out (completes) an inner desire (intension, purpose)."
The deeds of faith----in other words good deeds that are accepted by God come from true faith. This was the subject of last WED Scripture and 39 article discussion. Faith in Christ alone brings us eternal life and that faith in us is a true faith that produces good deeds.
Of course reversing this saying works save , good deeds save, is a complete turnabout of the meaning of the good news of the gospel. Gospel is good news and grace to undeserving people. We are justified by grace , not works. But if we have faith, our faith will be seen in our works.
The heart must be changed before there is good deeds of love. Without that we are self-serving people in the employment of our ends and not God's.
2. " the labor of love" labor here is not the deeds word from point 1, but it means toilsome labor which involves weariness and fatigue. Love is the greek word agape , well known to us. This is not fleshly love , eros or friendship phileo but agape. The love of Christ is sacrificial.
Our love for God and each other is to be first. It is to be sacrificial in other words. We are to love our enemies. It is a word of action, not just feeling .
Church as the body of Christ is a labor of love in this sense. Do we feel fatigued at times and wearied? Any labor done with intention, purpose and love will do this . We must find ways to rest in the middle of it so to speak.
The old pressure cooker is an illustration of this. The steam had to be released as I recall at various points or it would blow! How do you release stem in your life when the pressure builds?
Say a prayer? The Serenity Prayer? " the things I cannot change...the wisdom to know the difference" Do we need to set an away e mail for vacation response?
Before we left Maine for a possible return visit in the years to come, maybe never, we drove over the ocean near my daughter's house, and parked there , took some pictures, listened to the waves, watched the people who brought their dogs there to see them run in the sand and the waves.....You get the picture. We all need such a place of rest and tranquility in our own hearts and minds. " In my Father's House there are many mansions ( resting-places)
A labor of love involves taking care of ourselves too.'
3. This last one gives me great hope. " Patience of hope" From word studies we learn the word patience is endurance and is lit. " hypomonḗ (from /hypó, "under" and /ménō, "remain, endure") – properly, remaining under, endurance; steadfastness, especially as God enables the believer to "remain (endure) under" the challenges He allots in life."
Abiding or remaining under the challenges of life patiently. Patience is not the absence of action but as we see is action enduring. This is not sitting in the chair in the sun, although I like to do that now and then.
What are we waiting for? It has already come in the grace and knowledge and love of Christ. The pasture is green on the other side? I saw the other day someone shared what life is like. One side said " Same stuff every day " The other side said, " Same stuff every day here." Wherever we are is the same stuff every day. But how we feel and act as a result because of God's grace in our hearts is the difference.
Be patient. God is not finished with me yet. The old bumper sticker says something like that.
Today let us close with a prayer for patience, love and faith as we hope for the coming of Christ.
" Good and gracious Lord, we are so busy we forget to breathe and take time to listen to You and others. Help us in the middle of our moments to pause, pray and ask You what we should be and do. May Your Spirit lead us to the quiet place of contemplation and love for You and all who need Your direction and guiding light and laws.
As a cup of hot tea on a cold day may Your presence fill us even when we are angry, frustrated and loveless. May our faith in Your Divine Son Jesus be our inspiration, our work and our joy and may His love direct us into the hope we need to go on to service here and in the life to come where we will always enjoy Your presence forever."
Amen.
What is the Church to be? In the Epistle today we hear what the Apostle calls the Christians there to continue in. We too need to hear what he is saying for our encouragement and growth in the body of Christ. Divisions over doctrine can be important of course, as well as the fine points of theology but here Paul tells us what is good and right about the Church in Thessalonica in their believing lives of love.
They were commended for their " unceasing work of faith, the labor of love, and the endurance of hope " 1:3 Let us look at these individually through the use of the words in the original language.
"Grace be to you, and peace, from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.2We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers;Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labor of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father; Knowing, brothers beloved, your election of God."
1. " Unceasing work of faith" I was confused as I first heard this. Are we justified by faith or works? The orig language helps us here: " work" here means the deeds . The word is ergon in greek: " érgon (from ergō, "to work, accomplish") – a work or worker who accomplishes something. /érgon ("work") is a deed (action) that carries out (completes) an inner desire (intension, purpose)."
The deeds of faith----in other words good deeds that are accepted by God come from true faith. This was the subject of last WED Scripture and 39 article discussion. Faith in Christ alone brings us eternal life and that faith in us is a true faith that produces good deeds.
Of course reversing this saying works save , good deeds save, is a complete turnabout of the meaning of the good news of the gospel. Gospel is good news and grace to undeserving people. We are justified by grace , not works. But if we have faith, our faith will be seen in our works.
The heart must be changed before there is good deeds of love. Without that we are self-serving people in the employment of our ends and not God's.
2. " the labor of love" labor here is not the deeds word from point 1, but it means toilsome labor which involves weariness and fatigue. Love is the greek word agape , well known to us. This is not fleshly love , eros or friendship phileo but agape. The love of Christ is sacrificial.
Our love for God and each other is to be first. It is to be sacrificial in other words. We are to love our enemies. It is a word of action, not just feeling .
Church as the body of Christ is a labor of love in this sense. Do we feel fatigued at times and wearied? Any labor done with intention, purpose and love will do this . We must find ways to rest in the middle of it so to speak.
The old pressure cooker is an illustration of this. The steam had to be released as I recall at various points or it would blow! How do you release stem in your life when the pressure builds?
Say a prayer? The Serenity Prayer? " the things I cannot change...the wisdom to know the difference" Do we need to set an away e mail for vacation response?
Before we left Maine for a possible return visit in the years to come, maybe never, we drove over the ocean near my daughter's house, and parked there , took some pictures, listened to the waves, watched the people who brought their dogs there to see them run in the sand and the waves.....You get the picture. We all need such a place of rest and tranquility in our own hearts and minds. " In my Father's House there are many mansions ( resting-places)
A labor of love involves taking care of ourselves too.'
3. This last one gives me great hope. " Patience of hope" From word studies we learn the word patience is endurance and is lit. " hypomonḗ (from /hypó, "under" and /ménō, "remain, endure") – properly, remaining under, endurance; steadfastness, especially as God enables the believer to "remain (endure) under" the challenges He allots in life."
Abiding or remaining under the challenges of life patiently. Patience is not the absence of action but as we see is action enduring. This is not sitting in the chair in the sun, although I like to do that now and then.
What are we waiting for? It has already come in the grace and knowledge and love of Christ. The pasture is green on the other side? I saw the other day someone shared what life is like. One side said " Same stuff every day " The other side said, " Same stuff every day here." Wherever we are is the same stuff every day. But how we feel and act as a result because of God's grace in our hearts is the difference.
Be patient. God is not finished with me yet. The old bumper sticker says something like that.
Today let us close with a prayer for patience, love and faith as we hope for the coming of Christ.
" Good and gracious Lord, we are so busy we forget to breathe and take time to listen to You and others. Help us in the middle of our moments to pause, pray and ask You what we should be and do. May Your Spirit lead us to the quiet place of contemplation and love for You and all who need Your direction and guiding light and laws.
As a cup of hot tea on a cold day may Your presence fill us even when we are angry, frustrated and loveless. May our faith in Your Divine Son Jesus be our inspiration, our work and our joy and may His love direct us into the hope we need to go on to service here and in the life to come where we will always enjoy Your presence forever."
Amen.
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