In our last we saw the certainty of sins forgiven, being justified from all things, and having peace with God, which the gospel gives; and which the apostle preached in the beginning of the work of God in Europe.
We will now look at the effects produced by this certainty. This we shall learn from the epistles sent to the assemblies first gathered in Europe. The assembly of God. The first Epistle sent to the church in Europe, was to the second assembly formed or gathered, that is, to the "assembly of the Thessalonians which is in God the Father and in the Lord Jesus Christ." These are the very saints who were converted by the preaching of Paul during three weeks, as we saw in our last paper. Not only, then, is this the first Epistle to the assembly of God in Europe, but if we compare the gospel tour of the apostle in Acts 17; 18 with 1 Thess. 3:1, 21Wherefore when we could no longer forbear, we thought it good to be left at Athens alone; 2And sent Timotheus, our brother, and minister of God, and our fellowlaborer in the gospel of Christ, to establish you, and to comfort you concerning your faith: (1 Thessalonians 3:1‑2), it will be further evident that this Epistle was sent to them very shortly after their conversion; so that in this, letter we see the immediate effects of the gospel as first preached in Europe. And it will be interesting to observe, that after so long a period, when another which is not another gospel, has been preached; God has been pleased in these very last days to restore the same gospel, and we trust in some little measure, the same effects have followed. May the Lord use this little paper to put the cry in our hearts, that those effects may abound yet more and more!
Such indeed were the effects, as stated in one verse, that we are not aware that the like is found ever after in scripture. " We 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." And this divine freshness characterized the whole assembly. The apostle could say, "We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers." There was no uncertainty as to their relationship. "Knowing, brethren beloved, your election of God."
What a wondrous effect then the true gospel of God had on these poor heathens! There was no labor for salvation; but the work of faith. They believed that Jesus must needs suffer, and rise again, and that Jesus is the Christ; that the atoning work had been done by the now ascended Man in the glory. Yes, He who had borne their sins, they knew by faith in the glory: and thus the activities, the labor of love, flowed from faith in the risen Christ. Just the opposite of modern effort, the endeavor by labor, and works to attain to Christ risen. By faith they saw Him who had accomplished redemption as their Substitute, now in glory; and all works flowed from this starting-point. Labor was thus enjoyed in the freshness of love: the full enjoyed love of Christ. This, no doubt, as it ever will, brought upon them great suffering and persecution: but it only produced further proof of true christian character -"patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the sight of God and our Father." We will notice shortly that this hope is the chief theme of the first Epistle to the assembly in Europe.
We would, however, first call attention to the sad mistake made by many, that we cannot know with certainty that our sins are forgiven, and that we are the children of God.
Had the apostle any such uncertainty about all the believers in Thessalonica? If he had, how could he have said "knowing, brethren beloved, your election of God"? And did he not write this sentence by inspiration of God, as all else he wrote, as infallible truth? Nay, the gospel had come to them "not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance/' Can there be uncertainty when the Holy Ghost gives much assurance? For one of these first Christians in Europe to have said, as many do now, "I hope I am saved," would have been to say, I hope the Holy Ghost speaks truth.
And further, was there not the clearest certainty in the declaration of the Holy Ghost in the preaching of the gospel? "Be it known unto you.... that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: and by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses." We say could anything be clearer or more certain to the believer, than this declaration of the Holy Ghost? Is the free pardon of Her Majesty the Queen to a poor prisoner more certain, than the free pardon of God to the sinner that believes Him? But more than this: the Holy Ghost had given, had inwardly wrought in their hearts, this much assurance. Has the same Holy Ghost given you this "blessed rest of heart in God our Father, this much assurance? Thus to say a man cannot be sure he is saved now, shows entire ignorance of the glad tidings of God, and the work of the Holy Ghost in the heart.
Also, observe that the work of faith, and the activities of enjoyed love, made itself heard. "For from you sounded out the word of the Lord, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith to God-ward is spread abroad."
Here was a fact then that could not be denied. The preaching of the gospel of Christ for three weeks had given the certainty of salvation to these poor, dark heathens. They had become a bright witness of the one true God in the midst of heathen darkness. This was known to many at the very time this letter was written. The blessed story of the cross had turned them " to God from idols, to serve the living and true God, and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come." Has the gospel had this effect on our readers? Has it turned you to God from idols? Does your heart rest in Abba Father? Is it your delight to serve Him? If still unconverted, you have an idol; your life is spent on some earthly object. Of course no one could know your election of God. Neither do you know it yourself.
What then was that "patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the sight of God and our Father"? Is it not thus expressed, "And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead"? Now if we look carefully through these two Epistles, the first, probably written by Paul, we find no other hope but this, "to wait for his Son from heaven." Indeed the apostle shows that he himself had no other hope, as he says, "For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ, at his coming?" Here then is another undeniable fact: the gospel as first preached in Europe by the inspired apostle produced this patience of hope: this waiting for His Son from heaven. Look at those dear young converts, the first converts in Europe; they are persecuted: they know they are in the sight of God their Father. What gives them such patience of hope? What sustains them in such sore trial? What are they looking for? For what do they wait? For whom do they look? The Lord Jesus from heaven. The very Jesus who must needs have suffered on the cross; the very Jesus whom God has raised from the dead for their justification, "even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come." How very different all this was from looking for a day of wrath, and vainly praying—"In the day of judgment, good Lord, deliver us." He had delivered them from the wrath to come. Come it will, and there will be no deliverer then to those who have rejected Him now. All believers can say now, " Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: in whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins." (Col. 1:1313Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: (Colossians 1:13).) Is it not terrible unbelief to pray to be delivered from wrath then? It is like a condemned man saying, I will not receive pardon now: but I will pray that I may be pardoned when I stand on the scaffold. Not so with the assembly at Thessalonica. They waited for the very One who had delivered them from wrath: the very Jesus who had washed them from their sins in His own blood.
This hope gave patience in every trial: joy in every sorrow. It affected every motive of their hearts. It was the spring of love one to another. "To the end he may stablish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints." (Chap. iii. 13.) What a motive for holiness now; waiting to see the Lord Jesus: unblameable in holiness, before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Is this your hope, your patience of hope?
Mark they did not hope to die, and go to heaven: no, death in many respects is a very sorrowful thing; though, for the one departing, it is better to depart, and be with Christ. But oh, what pangs of sorrow, often, for those left behind. Now did not the apostle put the coming of the Lord before them to comfort them in this very sorrow? "But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope." And what is this hope he puts before them, but the coming of the Lord? and that hope as sure as the fact that God hath raised Jesus from the dead. How gracious of the Lord to couple these two things together! "For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him." Yes, the coming of Jesus is the one theme of hope, both as to those who are asleep and for those who are alive. "For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord;" can anything be more certain than the word of the Lord? "that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord, shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first." Oh, what a hope, what an event! Think of that moment for which the word of the Lord teaches us to wait in patience. What a putting forth of divine power and love, all that sleep in Jesus shall rise first. Elsewhere we are taught, that as they have borne the image of the earthy, they will now bear the image of the heavenly. (1 Cor. 15:4949And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly. (1 Corinthians 15:49).) " Then we which are alive and remain, shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air; and so shall we ever be with the Lord." Thus these first Christians in Europe were comforted, in the midst of the sorrows of death, by the coming of the Lord for whom they waited in patience.
Is it not remarkable that this true, primitive Christianity should have been almost lost for centuries, until within about these last fifty years? Instead of the blessed hope of seeing the Son from heaven, whom God raised from among the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come: have not Christians rather spoken of death itself as the coming of the Lord? And then the terrible thought of rising to judgment; instead of the joyful anticipation of awaking in the likeness and glory of Christ! What a strange departure from the true gospel, the glad tidings of God. Is it not clear from this epistle that the coming of the Lord formed a most essential part of the gospel as first preached? To take it away, or lose it, is to lose the very brightness and joy of the gospel: and by putting a general judgment in its place, is to substitute gloom and uncertainty for the joyful hope.
The first Christians then in Europe believed God, that they were delivered from the wrath to come; that they were justified from all things; that the blessed Jesus who had delivered them was coming again to receive them to Himself. It is thus plain they could, believing God, comfort one another, even in the midst of the sorrows of death's partings, with this joyful hope. They also knew perfectly well, that judgment would unexpectedly come on a rejecting world. "For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape." And how much more on these subjects the apostle taught them during his short stay, may be seen by reading the second Epistle to the Thessalonians. This, however, was clearly understood by the first Christians—perfect deliverance from coming wrath by the finished work of Christ; and waiting in patient hope for His coming to receive them to Himself. Then, after that, the terrible day of the Lord, as foretold in scripture. Where this distinction is not understood, or, through ignorance denied, it is evident there has been serious departure from the truth, as first made known by the Holy Ghost. May " the very God of peace sanctify you wholly: and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." And "the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God, and into the patient waiting for Christ."