The Apostle Paul's life, his whole conduct, confirmed the testimony which he bore; it formed a part of it. Accordingly (it is always the case) the fruit of his labors answered in character to him who labored; the Christianity of the Thessalonians resembled that of Paul. It was like the walk of the Lord Himself whom Paul followed so closely. It was "in much affliction," for the enemy could not bear so plain a testimony, and God granted this grace to such a testimony, and "with joy of the Holy Ghost."
Happy testimony to the power of the Spirit working in the heart! When this is so, everything becomes testimony to others. They see that there is, in Christians, a power of which they are ignorant, motives which they have not experienced, a joy which they may scoff at but which they do not possess. There is a conduct 'which strikes them, and which they admire, although they do not follow it, and a patience which shows the impotence of the enemy in striving against a power that endures everything, and that rejoices in spite of all his efforts. The world may have said, What can we do with those who allow themselves to be persecuted without becoming less joyful, nay, whom it makes more so, who rise above all our motives when left to themselves, and who, if oppressed, possess their souls in perfect joy in spite of all our opposition? What can we do with those who are unconquered by torments, finding in these only an occasion for bearing a stronger testimony for Christ that is beyond our power? At peace, all of life is a testimony; in death, even in torture, it is still more so. Such is the Christian where Christianity exists in its true power, in its normal condition according to God—the Word (of the gospel) and the presence of the Spirit reproduced in the life, in a world estranged from God.
Thus it was with the Thessalonians, and the world, in spite of itself, became an additional witness to the power of the gospel. An ensample to believers in other places, they were the subject of report and conversation to the world, which was never weary of discussing this phenomenon, so new and so strange, of people who had given up all that governed the human heart, all to which it was subject, and worshiped one only living and true God, to whom even the natural conscience bore testimony. The gods of the heathen were the gods of the passions, not of the conscience. And this gave a living reality, and actuality, to the position of Christians and to their religion. They waited for His Son from heaven.
Happy indeed are those Christians whose walk and whole existence made of the world itself a witness for the truth, who were so distinct in their confession, so consistent in their life, that an apostle did not need to speak of that which he had preached, of that which he had been among them. The world spoke of it for him and for them.