Paul wrote two letters (that we know of) to the church at Thessalonica. The church was an amazing church. We know of his mission to Thessalonica from the book of Acts (Acts 17:1-10). He left Philippi and went there and ministered to the Jews first for three Sabbaths. Persecution was immediate, and when the Jews dragged a fellow believer, Jason, before the court, the other believers made Paul and Silas leave for their own safety. So Paul may have been there a month, maybe more, but not long. Yet, hearing of their faith and love (1 Thess 3:6), he wrote to them to encourage them as "the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ" (1 Thess 1:1). Paul knew this was a genuine church, a genuine bunch of Christians.
Paul thanked God for their "work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ" (1 Thess 1:2-3). Because of these, Paul could claim that he knew that they were loved by God and chosen by God. Isn't that amazing? Maybe even surprising? Sometimes we aren't sure ourselves. Are the people we care about saved? Am I saved? We're not always certain. But Paul was certain of the believers in Thessalonica. How? Their faith was producing work. Their love was producing labor. Their hope was providing steadfastness. These were changed people. He saw that they had become imitators of good leaders and of the Lord Jesus (1 Thess 1:6). He saw that they received the gospel with joy in the midst of tribulation and even became examples to others (1 Thess 1:6-7). He saw that they turned from the gods of their world to serve the living and true God (1 Thess 1:9). He saw that they eagerly waited for the Son to return (1 Thess 1:10). These were really changed people.
The Roman Catholic church says it's wrong to be certain of salvation. Scripture disagrees (e.g., 1 John 5:13). We are not saved by works, but there are things in the lives of genuine believers that demonstrate saving faith. James said faith without works was dead (James 2:17) He said his faith was demonstrated by his works (James 2:18). He said that faith without works was useless (James 2:20). Genuine, saving faith is a gift from God that changes people, producing works of love and hope in hardships. Many tell us today that all you have to do is profess faith and you're saved -- no change required -- but Scripture indicates that faith changes you, that those who are truly saved are altered from within by the Holy Spirit and it can be seen in actions and attitudes. We can know. Do you?
2 comments:
I'm in this odd place where I'm confident I'm saved because I didn't do anything to earn it and there's nothing I can do to lose it, but I'm also worried because there's nothing I did to earn it and nothing I can do to gain it.
This was a good follow-up to yesterday’s post, where you reminded us that there are counterfeit “believers” among the saints. There will indeed be outward manifestations of the inward change that the Holy Spirit has made in the true believer, as you pointed out, and the New Testament is full of those depictions. In addition to observable fruit, it must be true that one’s doctrine is also critical, since we can acknowledge that even members of non-Christian religions and unbiblical “Christian” cults and sects--as well as avowed atheists--can, say, found hospitals, orphanages, etc., and perform charitable and philanthropic services, etc., yet are not bound for Heaven. I too am leery of a mere confession masquerading as true saving faith. In fact, it is possible that the RCC’s teaching that you can’t know for sure if one is saved is based partially on the reality that the “tares” will walk and talk like true believers (although I believe it is also based on the unbiblical concept that God will judge whether one’s good works have outweighed his/her bad ones). Ultimately, God will sort it all out perfectly (Matt. 13:30, 25:33), so I will concentrate on my own “actions and attitudes,” since those are things I can examine and amend as needed.
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