Scripture Reading: 1 Thes. 3:1-13
In chapter one of 1 Thessalonians we have the structure and origin of a holy life for the church life, and in chapter two we have the fostering of this life. Now in chapter three we have the establishing of a holy life for the church life. We have seen that this holy life is constructed of faith, love, and hope. Along with fostering, this life needs to be established. Its establishment involves the three main aspects of its structure; that is, it involves faith, love, and hope. In chapter three Paul is establishing the believers’ faith, love, and hope.
We should keep in mind that 1 Thessalonians is a book written to new believers. Therefore, everything in this Epistle is presented in a brief way, not in a profound way. This principle applies in particular to chapter three. In writing this chapter, Paul sought to avoid profound terms. His word here can be compared to that of a father given to young children. But although Paul speaks in a brief way, he covers a number of crucial points.
In 3:1 Paul says, “Wherefore, when we could bear it no longer, it seemed good for us to be left in Athens alone.” Athens was the chief city of the province of Achaia of the Roman Empire. In this city the Apostle Paul preached the gospel to philosophical Greeks (Acts 17:15-34).
The word “wherefore” at the beginning of this verse refers us to the previous chapter, especially to verses 17 and 18. These verses say, “But we, brothers, being bereaved of you for a little while in presence, not in heart, were more abundantly eager with much desire to see your face. Wherefore we wanted to come to you, indeed, I Paul, both once and again, and Satan hindered us.” The apostles had been bereaved of the Thessalonian believers in presence and were intensely eager to see them again. This was the reason Paul says in 3:1 that he could bear the situation no longer. The word “wherefore” in verse 1 indicates that chapter three is a continuation of 2:17 and 18. Paul was willing to remain in Athens alone and, as he says in verse 2, to send Timothy to Thessalonica.
Verse 2 continues, “And we sent Timothy, our brother and God’s fellow-worker in the gospel of Christ, to establish and encourage you for the sake of your faith.” Instead of fellow-worker, some manuscripts read “minister of God.” The minister of God is God’s fellow-worker (1 Cor. 3:9; 2 Cor. 6:1). What a privilege! What a blessing!
Timothy was sent to the Thessalonians to encourage them for the sake of their faith. This indicates that what is covered in chapter three is related to establishing and encouraging. In speaking of the Thessalonians’ faith, Paul returns to the matter of the structure of a holy life for the church life covered in chapter one. His concern in chapter three is with the establishing of such a life.
If we are established in our faith, we shall not be shaken by affliction. Concerning this, Paul says in verse 3, “That no one be shaken by these afflictions; for you yourselves know that we are appointed for this.” If we are established in the faith, afflictions will do good to us (Rom. 8:28) according to God’s purpose in His appointment. Otherwise, we may be shaken by the tempter (1 Thes. 3:5) through the afflictions. The Greek word rendered “appointed” also means destined, set, located. God has destined, appointed, us to pass through afflictions. Hence, afflictions are God’s allotted portion to us, and He has set us, located us, in the situation of afflictions.
We need to consider carefully the meaning of faith in 1 Thessalonians 3. In verse 2 faith is not only subjective, referring to the saints’ believing, as in verses 5, 6, and 10, but also objective, referring to what they believe in, as in 1 Timothy 3:9; 4:1; and 2 Timothy 4:7. These two aspects of faith involve each other. Our believing (subjective faith) is out of the things we believe and in the things we believe (objective faith).
The word faith in 1 Thessalonians is somewhat difficult to understand. The reason for this difficulty is that in the New Testament there are two aspects of faith, the objective aspect and the subjective aspect. Doctrinally speaking, the objective aspect comes first and produces the subjective aspect. The objective faith denotes those things in which we believe for our salvation. It includes the content of the new covenant. Thus, the content of the new covenant is equal to the objective faith. This aspect of faith is emphasized strongly in a book like 1 Timothy. For example, 1 Timothy 1:19 speaks of the faith. The faith in that verse is objective and refers to the things we believe in. However, the same verse also mentions subjective faith when it speaks of “holding faith and a good conscience.” This subjective faith refers to our act of believing.
Christians often speak of the faith in an objective sense. Someone may ask what your faith is, meaning what you believe. This aspect of faith, the objective aspect, is not a matter of our action of believing, but a matter of what we believe. This objective faith includes the contents of God’s New Testament economy.
When we receive a word concerning the objective faith, the contents of God’s New Testament economy, spontaneously subjective faith is produced in us. We respond to the objective faith by believing. This means that we hear of the objective faith, and then subjective faith rises up in us. This subjective faith is our act of believing.
Subjective faith does not happen once for all. On the contrary, from the time we began to believe, the action of believing has been going within us, for the Christian life is a life of faith, a life of believing. Day by day we are living a believing life. We do not live according to what we see; we live according to what we believe. As Paul says, “We walk by faith, not by appearance” (2 Cor. 5:7). Our walk is by faith, not by sight.
All the matters we are talking about in these messages are matters of faith. For example, Colossians 1:27 says that Christ is in us to be our hope of glory. We receive this word in faith. By faith we believe in His coming back, and by faith we await a crown. Our speaking concerning these things is altogether by faith. Therefore, those who do not have faith do not have any idea of what we are saying. To them, our word is either superstitious or nonsensical. They can neither believe it nor accept it. Worldly people, unbelievers, do not have faith. As a result, they cannot understand what we are saying or the way we are living. Our living is absolutely a life of believing.
The objective aspect of faith is profound. We cannot say that we are perfect or altogether complete with respect to the objective faith. God’s economy is profound. The content of His economy is Christ as the all-inclusive and all-extensive One. It is because God’s economy is so profound and rich in its content that we dare not say that the objective faith has been perfected among us. We need to see that our objective faith includes the all-inclusive and all-extensive Christ as the content of God’s economy. We do not yet know this content adequately or realize it fully. Thus, we still need to lay hold of more of the all-inclusive Christ, more of Christ as the content of our objective faith.
Praise the Lord that this objective faith produces subjective believing! When we receive a revelation concerning Christ, we cannot keep ourselves from believing in Him. Faith is spontaneously infused into our being, and we automatically believe in Christ. Unbelievers find it impossible to believe that Christ is in us. We, however, cannot help but believe that Christ lives in us. He is in us to be our life, our life supply, and our everything. We have seen a vision of the indwelling Christ, and we have no choice except to believe that He is actually in us. Because we have seen a revelation regarding the content of God’s economy, we cannot help believing in what we have seen. We have been infused with the ability to believe, and now we have subjective faith, the inward action of believing.
When Paul says that Timothy was sent to establish and encourage the believers for the sake of their faith, did he mean objective faith or subjective faith? It is not easy to determine whether the faith in verse 2 is objective or subjective. Actually, faith in this verse denotes both the objective and subjective aspects of faith. It includes both what we believe and our action of believing. The brothers sent Timothy to see how the believers in Thessalonica were doing in these two aspects of faith. Were they still holding the objective faith, and how strongly did they believe in it? How well were they keeping the objective faith, and to what extent were they believing in it? Paul’s concern was to know this. In verses 2 and 3 he seems to be saying, “Brothers, I am concerned that you may have been shaken through the afflictions. To be shaken is to lose faith. It is to lose the view of the objective faith and also to lose the subjective ability to believe! I am concerned about both aspects of your faith.”
Those who are burdened to work with new believers must learn to watch over their faith and to care for how they are doing in both the subjective and objective aspects of faith. Is their faith increasing or decreasing? Are they growing in their ability to believe? We must ask questions such as these in caring for young believers. This is to have the concern Paul had for the faith of the Thessalonians in sending Timothy to establish and encourage them.
In verse 4 Paul says, “For even when we were with you, we told you beforehand that we are about to be afflicted, even as it also came to pass, and you know.” The Greek word rendered “told” is in the imperfect tense, a tense indicating repeated action. Paul was continually telling the believers beforehand that the apostles would be afflicted. This affliction came according to Paul’s prediction.
In verse 5 Paul goes on to say, “Because of this, when I also could bear it no longer, I sent to know your faith, lest somehow the tempter had tempted you, and our labor would be in vain.” The tempter here is the subtle Devil, the old serpent, who tempted Eve (Gen. 3:1-6; 1 Tim. 2:14). The aim of this subtle tempter is to destroy the gospel work accomplished through God’s fellow-workers. Paul was concerned that the afflictions, sufferings, and persecutions would be used by the tempter to shake the Thessalonians from their faith and to cause a loss of faith among them. Because he could no longer bear not knowing about their faith, Paul sent Timothy to them to know what was the situation with them regarding their faith.
Once again, the faith in verse 5 includes both objective faith and the subjective faith. Paul was eager to know both aspects of the Thessalonians’ faith.
Faith is the first item in the basic structure of the Christian life, a holy life for the church life. Those who backslide, including many who leave the church life, experience some loss of faith. They may not lose their faith absolutely, but they may lose it at least in part. They may no longer have a view of the objective faith, of the contents of God’s New Testament economy. While such ones were in the church life, they did have a view. They saw Christ, they saw the church, and they saw God’s economy. They saw God’s recovery and how the Triune God is dispensing Himself into us. However, they have gradually come to lose sight of these matters. Whenever someone loses sight of the contents of God’s economy, the subjective faith, the believing action within him, also diminishes. The ability within us to believe is always a product, a result, an issue, of having a proper view of God’s economy. Therefore, it is a dreadful matter to lose sight of God’s economy.
In the meetings of the church and of the ministry, it is as if we are all watching a heavenly television to see more of God’s economy. The more we see this heavenly television, the more we believe. We spontaneously believe in what we see. Therefore, we come away from meetings full of the ability to believe. The meetings of the church and the ministry enlarge our capacity to believe.
A good Christian worker is a person who continually infuses others with the divine view, helping them to see the marvelous scenes on the heavenly television and to be impressed by them. When the heavenly view is conveyed into us, transmitted into us, we have the ability to believe. By believing we are connected to a divine transmission. This transmission is the flowing of heavenly electricity. By believing we “switch on” to this flow.
We know from verse 5 that Paul was concerned that the tempter had tempted the Thessalonians and that the apostles’ labor among them had been in vain. Paul knew that once we lose sight of the contents of God’s economy, we shall be shaken and removed from the line of faith. Then whatever we have heard concerning God’s economy will be in vain. This fact is illustrated in the lives of many who have left the church life. Their situation confirms that when we lose sight of God’s economy, all that we heard becomes vain.
Timothy returned to Paul with good news, telling him that their labor among the Thessalonians was not in vain. Paul refers to this report in verse 6: “But Timothy, having just come to us from you, and bringing good news to us of your faith and love, and that you have good remembrance of us always, longing to see us, even as we also you.” This good news concerning the Thessalonians’ faith assured Paul that their labor among them had not been in vain.
The apostle was in Corinth after leaving Athens (Acts 17:15-16; 18:1, 5). It was here that he wrote this loving letter to the dear saints in Thessalonica for their encouragement.
In verse 6 Paul speaks of both faith and love. Love is the outflow, the issue, of faith. We have seen that faith is the foundation, love is the building, and hope is the topstone. In writing an establishing word to the Thessalonians, Paul first covers faith and gradually brings in love. Therefore, in verse 6 he speaks of the believers’ faith and love.
Verse 7 says, “Because of this we were encouraged over you, brothers, in all our necessity and affliction, through your faith.” The sound condition of the believers is always an encouragement to God’s fellow-workers, who work with them and bear them as a burden. The Greek word rendered “necessity” can also be translated distress. It denotes an urgent need resulting from calamity. A calamity puts people into a position of having an urgent need for necessary supplies such as food, water, clothing, and housing. Even though the apostles were in necessity, in distress, they were encouraged over the Thessalonians through their faith. Once again Paul speaks concerning faith.
In verse 8 Paul goes on to say, “Because now we live if you stand firm in the Lord.” The believers’ firm standing in the Lord ministers life to the apostles. To stand firm in the Lord is in contrast to being shaken from the faith (v. 3). If the young believers you are working with stand firm in the Lord, that standing will certainly minister the life supply to you.
Verses 9 and 10 say, “For what thanks can we return to God concerning you, for all the joy with which we rejoice because of you before our God, night and day beseeching exceedingly that we may see your face and perfect what is lacking in your faith?” The Greek word translated “perfect” in verse 10 also means complete. The same Greek word is used in 2 Corinthians 13:9. The believers at Thessalonica, being young in the Lord, were still lacking in their new faith. The apostle realized this with much loving concern for them. This is the reason he wrote this Epistle.
When Paul wrote the book of 1 Thessalonians, the believers at Thessalonica probably had been Christians for less than a year. To be sure, they needed to see much more concerning the contents of God’s economy. Likewise, even many of us who have been in the recovery for years may still be lacking in our view of the all-inclusive and all-extensive Christ as the content of God’s economy. This means that we still have a lack in the objective faith. Having such a lack in the objective faith, we also have a shortage in subjective faith. Because our seeing is limited, our believing ability is also limited. Our ability to believe depends on our seeing, on our view. During the time we have been in the recovery, our view concerning Christ and God’s economy has been broadened. Since our view has been broadened, our objective faith has increased. This results in an increased ability to believe.
Night and day, exceedingly, Paul prayed that the apostles might see the Thessalonians face to face in order to perfect what was lacking in their faith. In these verses Paul seems to be saying, “You Thessalonians have been in the Lord only a short time. Surely there is a lack both in your objective faith and subjective believing. Many things have not yet been opened to you or shown to you. We would like to visit you again in order to show you more of Christ. Then, having a greater view of Christ, your objective faith will be broadened and, spontaneously, your subjective faith will be increased. This is your need, and this is our burden in praying to see you again.”
In 3:1-10 Paul has mainly dealt with faith as the first item of the structure of a holy life for the church life. Beginning in verse 11 he emphasizes love: “Now our God and Father Himself, and our Lord Jesus, direct our way to you; and the Lord cause you to increase and abound in love to one another and to all, even as we also to you.” Verses 11 and 12 are mainly on love. The apostle’s concern for the young believers is first their faith. Following faith is love, which issues from faith and works together with faith (Gal. 5:6; 1 Tim. 1:14) as an indication of growth in life (1 Thes. 1:3). It was necessary for the Thessalonians’ love to increase, to grow. Therefore, Paul first wanted to perfect their faith and then encourage them to increase and abound in love. He knew that love would flow out of their faith. Then they would have a living in love, a love to the saints in their locality and to all believers everywhere.
In verse 11 the word “direct” in Greek is in the singular. This indicates that the apostle considers God the Father and the Lord Jesus as one. How good it is to have our way in the ministry directed by such a One! And how beautiful are the footsteps of the apostles in their carrying out of this One’s ministry for the fulfilling of His purpose!
In verse 13 Paul concludes, “That He may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all His saints.” The establishing of the believers’ hearts blameless issues from faith and love, as mentioned in the preceding verses. This spontaneously produces the hope of the coming back of our dear Lord, in whom we believe and whom we love. Hence, faith, love, and hope are again the implied factors in the construction of this Epistle.
If our faith is perfected and our love grows, increases, and abounds, the result will be a hope of having our hearts established blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of the Lord Jesus with all His saints. These saints are the believers in Christ, including the Old Testament saints (Dan. 7:18, 21-22, 25, 27; Zech. 14:5). Although verse 13 does not use the word hope, hope is nonetheless implied or indicated. The establishing of a holy life for the church life is thus related to its structure composed of faith, love, and hope.
Paul’s way to take care of new believers is very different from that followed by many Christians today. His way is to show the new believers that they have been regenerated of God the Father and brought into an organic union with the Lord Jesus Christ and thereby have the structure of a holy life. All genuine Christians, whether old or young, have such a structure of a holy life for the church life. This life is the proper Christian life.
Many Christians do not have a proper Christian life. Furthermore, they do not have any idea concerning the church life. Many do not even know what it means to live a holy life. A holy life is a life entirely separated unto God, sanctified. To live a holy life is to have a life absolutely for God, by God, with God, and in God. This holy life is for the church life. The holy life for the church life is what Paul is covering in this Epistle addressed to new believers.
As real Christians, we all have this kind of life within us. Now we need to live it. This life has a structure composed of faith, love, and hope. Our work with new believers should foster this life; it should nourish and cherish it so that it may grow. Moreover, we must learn how to establish, strengthen, and encourage this life in its structure of faith, love, and hope.
Faith is a matter of seeing a view of the contents of God’s New Testament economy. Once we have the view, we shall believe in what we see. This faith is the foundation of our Christian life. Out of our faith love will flow forth. In the church life we are living a life of love. We should love everyone: those believers who meet with us and those who do not and also the unbelievers. This love is the issue of our faith. Furthermore, we shall then have a life that is full of hope. We are living for Christ, we are expressing Him, and we are even His Body. As we wait for His coming back, we are filled with hope. Our hope, destiny, and destination are not on this earth. They are altogether focused on the coming back of the Lord Jesus.
If we see the structure, origin, fostering, and establishment of a holy life for the church life, we shall have a direction in our work with new believers. We shall help them to realize that, as genuine Christians, they already have the structure of a holy life for the church life. Then we shall foster this life and establish its faith, love, and hope.
