1 Thessalonians 1:1-5
1 Paul and Silvanus and Timothy,
To the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace.
2 We give thanks to God always for all of you, making mention of you in our prayers; 3 constantly bearing in mind your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the presence of our God and Father, 4 knowing, brethren beloved by God, His choice of you; 5 for our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction; just as you know what kind of men we proved to be among you for your sake.
This text, then, answers three simple questions:
1. How do I become a Christian? (reception of grace)
2. Why did I become a Christian? (prior working of grace)
3. What is the evidence anyone becomes a Christian? (evidence of grace)
1. How do I become a Christian? (reception of grace)
v.5 Our gospel came to you not only in word, but in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction.
Acts 17:2-3 gives a tidy summary:
(Paul) reasoned with them from the Scriptures, 3 explaining and giving evidence that the Christ had to suffer and rise again from the dead, and saying, “This Jesus whom I am proclaiming to you is the Christ.”
The promise of Jesus’ salvation
The necessity of Jesus’ salvation
The sufficiency of Jesus’ salvation
2. Why did I become a Christian? (prior working of grace)
v.4 we know, brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you.
Not: HOW do I become a Christian?
But: WHY did I ever believe this stuff in the first place?
a. the issue is election
Does the desire to belong to Christ naturally reside on our hearts?
John 1:12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.
1 Peter 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead
James 1:18 In the exercise of His will He brought us forth by the word of truth, so that we would be a kind of first fruits among His creatures.
1 Corinthians 1:30 … by his doing you are in Christ Jesus
b. the necessity of election
Eph.2:1 And you were dead in your trespasses sins…were by nature children of wrath
Col.2:13 And when you were dead in your sins…He made you alive together with Christ
Yet to this day God has not given you a heart to know, eyes to see, or ears to hear… Deut. 29:4
there is none righteous, not even one; there is none who understands, there is none who seeks for God; all have turned aside…there is none who does good.. Romans 3:10-18
For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son gives life to whom He wishes…he who hears my word and believes has passed out of death into life.. John 5:21,24
For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly…while yet sinners…if while we were enemies Rom.5:5-8
The mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so, and those in the flesh cannot please God. Rom.8:7-8
the light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the light; John 3:19
…in the futility of their mind, being darkened in their understanding, excluded from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardness of their heart; and they, having become callous, have given themselves over to sensuality, for practice of every kind of impurity, with a continual lust for more. Eph. 4:17
But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot (not may not) understand them, because they are spiritually appraised. 1 Cor.2:14
I shall put a new spirit within them, and I shall take the heart of stone out of their flesh and given them a heart of flesh. Ezekiel 11:19
the wicked are estranged from the womb; Ps.58:3
in sin my mother conceived me; Ps.51:5
you have been called a rebel from birth Is.48:8
No one knows the Son, except the Father; nor does anyone know the Father, except the Son, and anyone to whom the Son wills to reveal Him.Matt.11:27
So then it does not depend on the man who wills or runs, but on God who has mercy. Rom.9:13
You did not choose me, but I chose you… John 15:16
As many as were appointed to eternal life believed Acts 13:48
The Lord opened Lydia’s heart to respond to the things spoken by Paul Acts 16:14
Whoever calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. Rom.10:9
c. Effects of election
Heb.12:3 Jesus is the author and finisher of our faith.
John 10:27 My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; 28 and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand.
3. What is the evidence anyone becomes a Christian? (tangible visibility of grace)
So you have three tests to see if grace is truly advancing in you:
1) Is your faith working?
2) Is your love laboring?
3) Is your hope steadfast?
