Turning the world the right way up
Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the sight of our God and Father (1 Thessalonians 1:3).
After God’s remarkable work in Philippi (Acts 16), Paul and Silas travelled to Thessalonica. In the synagogue, over three Sabbaths, they explained and proved from the word of God the necessity of Christ’s suffering and death, and declared His resurrection. As a result, a work of God began in the hearts of the godly Jews and devout Greeks, including some eminent women. Persecution followed, and Paul and Silas were accused of “turning the world upside down”. The brethren took the apostles to safety in Berea. There they found noble Jews who received the word of God eagerly and searched the Scriptures daily to discover the truth of what Paul and Silas were teaching. Again, there was blessing, before troublemakers arrived from Thessalonica, and the brethren once more protected Paul by taking him to Athens.
Afterwards, Paul writes to the young church in Thessalonica to encourage them, knowing they would be under attack from those who opposed the Gospel. It is remarkable the way God blessed these early churches. The apostles were often only with these new believers for a short time. But the speed of the spiritual growth of these early Christians was astonishing. Sometimes we can forget the way that God protects, builds and blesses His people. God saves, establishes and keeps those He loves, despite opposition. Paul and Silas were accused of “turning the world upside down”. They didn’t. They turned it “the right way up”! And the characteristics of this right-way-up living were manifested by the faith, love and hope of the young Thessalonian Christians.
Their faith was immediately demonstrated by their works. We see this clearly in the way they care for Paul and Silas, ensuring they are protected by standing in love between them and those who would do them harm. Faith in the Saviour leads to faith expressed in our lives by good works. Faith in Christ is linked to the love of Christ. Paul writes of their labour of love. “Labour” describes the exercise of spiritual energy and the ceaseless effort that holds nothing back. Their faith and love were also underpinned by a living hope in the Lord Jesus Christ. It was a patient hope that was not undermined by difficult circumstances but which sustained them victoriously in such difficulties. These young Thessalonian Christians had life in Christ and expressed it fully because, in the words of Paul, they were “loved by God” (v. 4, ESV).
Paul describes, in what is widely agreed to be his first letter to a church, the three attributes: faith, love and hope. In doing so he used the example of the young Thessalonian church to encourage generations of Christians. The length of time we have been Christians should never diminish our faith, love and hope. Instead, it should increase these central features of Christianity in our lives. We are loved by God, and He has given all that we need to work in faith as people who are zealous of good works. God’s love has been poured into our hearts, enabling us to pour out the same love in service to Him. And our living hope in Christ can carry us through every challenge we face, knowing that “all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28).
