Reminders from Paul - Bellator Christi

By: Michelle Johnson | January 10, 2022

1 Thessalonians 1:9b-10 “They tell how you turned to God and from idols to serve the living and true God, and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead – Jesus, who rescues us from the coming wrath.”

First Thessalonians is a letter written from the Apostle Paul to the believers in Thessalonica. It is widely held that this letter was written around AD 50 and therefore is important because its closeness in time to the events of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection. Paul had spent time and shared the Gospel of Jesus with this community. There are several interesting items to note about this relatively short passage. First, Paul was hearing from others there were changes that were observable in the lives of the believers in Thessalonica. Also here, Paul reminds them of the core essentials of their Christian faith – the deity, death and resurrection of Jesus and His promise to return again. These essentials are what some refer to as creed or credal material. Paul’s letter, written within a generation of the events (Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection), provides evidence of what the early Christian’s believed.

First Thessalonians was a letter, written by an actual person (Paul) to a real audience (the believers in Thessalonica) and therefore has real application to the time in which it was written. As is true with all Scripture – this passage also has application for today. What follows are some thoughts related to both the original audience and how this speaks to believers today.

The Christians in Thessalonica had chosen to believe what they had been told regarding the Gospel of Jesus. Why would Paul, after leaving their town, pause to write a letter that reminds them again of what he had already taught them? One thought that comes to mind is encouragement. Very quickly, Paul tells them he had heard about them. There has been word about what has happened in Thessalonica. Word has spread that something significant had occurred – lives were different. I can imagine Paul saying something like this:

“I was hanging out in Corinth yesterday and I happened to overhear a conversation in the market. There were two men talking about a group of people who no longer prayed and sacrificed to the gods. They claimed there was one true God who was living and had sent His Son to Earth…one of them said they were from Thessalonica, so I knew they were talking about you.”

Paul was encouraged that their faith had outlived his stay there, at least long enough to be observable to those around them. People had noticed a real change in the lives of these new Christians. Be encouraged, believers, your lives are proof of your belief that Jesus is the Son of God who was resurrected and will come again.

Paul also felt it was necessary to remind them of these basics that they believed. As any good teacher would do, Paul reiterated the essentials they were now professing to believe. He started with the truth they had previously worshipped idols but now had turned to the one true and living God.

They had abandoned their old ways and now believed the Gospel message and were now waiting. It is safe to assume there was great excitement and enthusiasm when they first became Christians. Jesus, God’s Son had come, He had died, He had been raised from the dead, was now in heaven, and was going to come back and rescue them from upcoming wrath. This was the truth they believed. But time was passing – as days, weeks, months, and then years began to go by. Would any of those believers begin to wonder what was keeping Jesus? Had Jesus forgotten? No, Paul says, He has not forgotten you – you are to be waiting. It is true, Jesus will return – this is one of the essentials Paul reminds them. Endurance is what Paul was now encouraging. Stay the course, believers. These are the things that are true. Do not loose heart or become weak and abandon your faith, these words are true.

Because the words of Paul reflect the basic truths of Christianity, these same words are applicable to believers today. Paul’s words here in 1 Thessalonians could be translated into any number of ministry settings today – a few examples are pastors, mentors, and missionaries.

The pastor and congregation setting would come closest to replicating Paul’s situation. In this case, the pastor would be the shepherd/teacher. To combat distracting messages of the world and false teachers it would be wise for a pastor to remind his congregation of these core truths of their faith. It is to the living and true God that they have decided to turn. This commitment to Him involves turning completely from any other false gods or idols in their life and serving Him alone. The truth about who Jesus is – God’s son – would serve as a polemic to the false teaching that acknowledges Jesus, but only as a good teacher. The words Paul delivered to the believers back in Thessalonica are unequivocal: Jesus is God’s Son, He died, He was raised from the dead and is currently in heaven. This is the same truth for believers today. Jesus is not simply a good teacher. In a culture that bristles against the word sin this verse also serves to refocus the contemporary church body. There is a coming wrath. Sadly, the message in churches today often goes soft on sin. As unpopular as the Old Testament prophets were, walking the streets announcing the impending wrath if there was no repentance, so goes the pastor who speaks the same truth a few millennia later. There is a wrath coming, God will judge sin and the only hope for rescue is Jesus, this is the final piece of truth in Paul’s sentence.

The core truths of the Christian faith written by Paul are also a resource for the mentor helping to disciple or teach the new believer. Like those in Thessalonica, the initial excitement and euphoria following one’s conversion, often fades. Doubt creeps in either through the pull of their life before Jesus or continued influences that are not Christian. Like Paul’s audience, being reminded of the essentials provide the plumb line on which to focus. What is ultimately important? What is true? These are the things of creeds. A new Christian becomes a believer when the Holy Spirit works within them to convince them of the truth of the Gospel message. Satan often works by sowing seeds of doubt. “Did God really mean this?” or “Is Jesus really who He claims to be?” or “Maybe you didn’t quite remember that right…” (A tactic he has employed since the very beginning – see Genesis 3) These are the things that will discourage a believer. While discipling another, taking the time to enumerate the essentials from Paul’s letter will once again focus one’s faith.

How would Paul’s recitation of the core components of the faith apply to the missionary working in the field? In the New Testament, Paul is the missionary and those he writes to are the recipients of the messages he brings. As one considers the content of these verses from 1 Thessalonians, there is application to the modern-day missionary too. The missionary here is the one who leaves home and goes to a people group who have not heard the Gospel message. Certainly, one called to be a missionary would be a mature believer. How would this person benefit from being reminded of the essentials of the faith? The culture of the unreached people group will often leave the missionary feeling like an island regarding their beliefs. They will be either the only one or one of just a few who believe as they do. The missionary is there to bring the Gospel message but without reminding themselves of the truths of it the risk exists to be discouraged or influenced by the beliefs around them. Do the rituals, beliefs and traditions of the unreached people group really matter? According to 1 Thessalonians 1:9b they do. Paul had reminded his audience they had turned from their idols to the one true God. There can be no compromise, there can be no syncretism (a blending of beliefs). The missionary needs to remain clear about this. Jesus is not added to the list of gods and spirits the locals’ worship. Despite the thousands of years that divide today’s missionary and Paul, the situations are very similar. Paul’s words encourage the missionary of what is essential to teach.

The experience of leaving one’s home and traveling to a faraway place to proclaim the good news of Jesus is exciting and can be scary. Modern day travel has certainly improved the relocation process from days past. However, once the daily grind of simply living in a foreign place and the exhausting efforts of learning language and culture takes hold, discouragement is often not far behind. Why again am I here, God? – the missionary might ask. Because of the living and true God, His Son Jesus who was raised from the dead and is now in heaven, who is coming back as our rescuer from the coming wrath (paraphrase mine). That is why. The credal material found in 1 Thessalonians will serve as both content of the missionary’s material and the source of the missionary’s focus. The truths of the gospel are the message delivered to the unreached people group. The truths of the gospel should also be the encouragement to the missionary. Remember what Paul said, remember the truths of who Jesus is and His life, death, and resurrection. It is true, remember it and live and work accordingly.

Paul’s letter had a real audience of believers who needed to be encouraged and reminded of the basic truths of their Christian faith. They lived in a time and place that would seek to challenge or confuse those core beliefs. Paul had taught them what he himself had been taught. He was passing on the essentials upon which to focus their faith. Today, 2000+ years later, believers of all kinds need to be encouraged and reminded of the basics. There are idols to turn from, one true and living God to serve. Jesus is God’s Son, raised from the dead and in heaven. We are waiting His return confidently and are filled with hope because He is our rescue from the wrath that is coming. May all be encouraged and reminded of these essential truths.

About the Author

Michelle Johnson is a Ph.D. student in the Theology and Apologetics program at Liberty University. She also earned her M.A. in Theological Studies and her M.Div. in Professional Ministries at Liberty University. Michelle graduated from the University of Minnesota with her undergraduate degrees. She and her husband Steve live in Mankato, Minnesota, where she also serves in women’s ministries. In addition to her love of theology and apologetics, Michelle also has a passion for historical studies, particularly the theology of the Patristics. When she is not spending time reading or writing, Michelle can often be found dreaming of her next travel adventure or enjoying a great cup of coffee.