the acts of the apostles-第44节

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their　minds　were　striving　to　grasp　doctrines　that　seemed　new　and　strange；
and　it　is　not　surprising　that　the　force　of　some　points　had　not　been　vividly
impressed　on　their　minds。　But　they　were　hungering　for　truth；　and　Paul's
epistle　gave　them　new　hope　and　strength；　and　a　firmer　faith　in；　and　a　deeper
affection　for；　the　One　who　through　His　death　had　brought　life　and
immortality　to　light。

Now　they　rejoiced　in　the　knowledge　that　their　believing　friends　would　be
raised　from　the　grave　to　live　forever　in　the　kingdom　of　God。　The　darkness
that　had　enshrouded　the　resting　place　of　the　dead　was　dispelled。　A　new
splendor　crowned　the　Christian　faith；　and　they　saw　a　new　glory　in　the　life；
death；　and　resurrection　of　Christ。

〃Even　so　them　also　which　sleep　in　Jesus　will　God　bring　with　Him；〃　Paul
wrote。　Many　interpret　this　passage　to　mean　that　the　sleeping　ones　will　be
brought　with　Christ　from　heaven；　but　Paul　meant　that　as　Christ　was　raised
from　the　dead；　so　God　will　call　the　sleeping　saints　from　their　graves　and
take　them　with　Him　to　heaven。　Precious　consolation！　glorious　hope！　not　only
to　the　church　of　Thessalonica；　but　to　all　Christians　wherever　they　may　be。

While　laboring　at　Thessalonica；　Paul　had　so　fully　covered　the　subject　of　the
signs　of　the　times；　showing　what　events　would　occur　prior　to　the　revelation
of　the　Son　of　man　in

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the　clouds　of　heaven；　that　he　did　not　think　it　necessary　to　write　at　length
regarding　this　subject。　He；　however；　pointedly　referred　to　his　former
teachings。　〃Of　the　times　and　the　seasons；〃　he　said；　〃ye　have　no　need　that　I
write　unto　you。　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。〃

There　are　in　the　world　today　many　who　close　their　eyes　to　the　evidences　that
Christ　has　given　to　warn　men　of　His　coming。　They　seek　to　quiet　all
apprehension；　while　at　the　same　time　the　signs　of　the　end　are　rapidly
fulfilling；　and　the　world　is　hastening　to　the　time　when　the　Son　of　man　shall
be　revealed　in　the　clouds　of　heaven。　Paul　teaches　that　it　is　sinful　to　be
indifferent　to　the　signs　which　are　to　precede　the　second　coming　of　Christ。
Those　guilty　of　this　neglect　he　calls　children　of　the　night　and　of　darkness。
He　encourages　the　vigilant　and　watchful　with　these　words：　〃But　ye；　brethren；
are　not　in　darkness；　that　that　day　should　overtake　you　as　a　thief。　Ye　are
all　the　children　of　light；　and　the　children　of　the　day：　we　are　not　of　the
night；　nor　of　darkness。　Therefore　let　us　not　sleep；　as　do　others；　but　let　us
watch　and　be　sober。〃

Especially　important　to　the　church　in　our　time　are　the　teachings　of　the
apostle　upon　this　point。　To　those　living　so　near　the　great　consummation；　the
words　of　Paul　should　come　with　telling　force：　〃Let　us；　who　are　of　the　day；
be　sober；　putting　on　the　breastplate　of　faith　and　love；　and　for　a　helmet；
the　hope　of　salvation。　For　God　hath　not　appointed

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us　to　wrath；　but　to　obtain　salvation　by　our　Lord　Jesus　Christ；　who　died　for
us；　that；　whether　we　wake　or　sleep；　we　should　live　together　with　Him。〃

The　watchful　Christian　is　a　working　Christian；　seeking　zealously　to　do　all
in　his　power　for　the　advancement　of　the　gospel。　As　love　for　his　Redeemer
increases；　so　also　does　love　for　his　fellow　men。　He　has　severe　trials；　as
had　his　Master；　but　he　does　not　allow　affliction　to　sour　his　temper　or
destroy　his　peace　of　mind。　He　knows　that　trial；　if　well　borne；　will　refine
and　purify　him；　and　bring　him　into　closer　fellowship　with　Christ。　Those　who
are　partakers　of　Christ's　sufferings　will　also　be　partakers　of　His
consolation　and　at　last　sharers　of　His　glory。

〃We　beseech　you；　brethren；〃　Paul　continued　in　his　letter　to　the
Thessalonians；　〃to　know　them　which　labor　among　you；　and　are　over　you　in　the
Lord；　and　admonish　you；　and　to　esteem　them　very　highly　in　love　for　their
work's　sake。　And　be　at　peace　among　yourselves。〃

The　Thessalonian　believers　were　greatly　annoyed　by　men　coming　among　them
with　fanatical　ideas　and　doctrines。　Some　were　〃disorderly；　working　not　at
all；　but　。　。　。　busy…bodies。〃　The　church　had　been　properly　organized；　and
officers　had　been　appointed　to　act　as　ministers　and　deacons。　But　there　were
some；　self…willed　and　impetuous；　who　refused　to　be　subordinate　to　those　who
held　positions　of　authority　in　the　church。　They　claimed　not　only　the　right
of　private　judgment；　but　that　of　publicly　urging　their　views　upon　the
church。　In　view　of　this；　Paul　called　the　attention　of　the　Thessalonians　to
the　respect　and　deference　due　to　those　who

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had　been　chosen　to　occupy　positions　of　authority　in　the　church。

In　his　anxiety　that　the　believers　at　Thessalonica　should　walk　in　the　fear　of
God；　the　apostle　pleaded　with　them　to　reveal　practical　godliness　in　the
daily　life。　〃We　beseech　you；　brethren；〃　he　wrote；　〃and　exhort　you　by　the
Lord　Jesus；　that　as　ye　have　received　of　us　how　ye　ought　to　walk　and　to
please　God；　so　ye　would　abound　more　and　more。　For　ye　know　what　commandments
we　gave　you　by　the　Lord　Jesus。　For　this　is　the　will　of　God；　even　your
sanctification；　that　ye　should　abstain　from　fornication。〃　〃For　God　hath　not
called　us　unto　uncleanness；　but　unto　holiness。〃

The　apostle　felt　that　he　was　to　a　large　extent　responsible　for　the　spiritual
welfare　of　those　converted　under　his　labors。　His　desire　for　them　was　that
they　might　increase　in　a　knowledge　of　the　only　true　God；　and　Jesus　Christ；
whom　He　had　sent。　Often　in　his　ministry　he　would　meet　with　little　companies
of　men　and　women　who　loved　Jesus；　and　bow　with　them　in　prayer；　asking　God　to
teach　them　how　to　maintain　a　living　connection　with　Him。　Often　he　took
counsel　with　them　as　to　the　best　methods　of　giving　to　others　the　light　of
gospel　truth。　And　often；　when　separated　from　those　for　whom　he　had　thus
labored；　he　pleaded　with　God　to　keep　them　from　evil　and　help　them　to　be
earnest；　active　missionaries。

One　of　the　strongest　evidences　of　true　conversion　is　love　to　God　and　man。
Those　who　accept　Jesus　as　their　Redeemer　have　a　deep；　sincere　love　for
others　of　like　precious　faith。　Thus　it　was　with　the　believers　at
Thessalonica。　〃As　touching

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brotherly　love；〃　the　apostle　wrote；　〃ye　need　not　that　I　write　unto　you：　for
ye　yourselves　are　taught　of　God　to　love　one　another。　And　indeed　ye　do　it
toward　all　the　brethren　which　are　in　all　Macedonia：　but　we　beseech　you；
brethren；　that　ye　increase　more　and　more；　and　that　ye　study　to　be　quiet；　and
to　do　your　own　business；　and　to　work　with　your　own　hands；　as　we　commanded
you；　that　ye　may　walk　honestly　toward　them　that　are　without；　and　that　ye　may
have　lack　of　nothing。〃

〃The　Lord　make　you　to　increase　and　abound　in　love　one　toward　another；　and
toward　all　men；　even　as　we　do　toward　you：　to　the　end　He　may　stablish　your
hearts　unblamable　in　holiness　before　God；　even　our　Father；　at　the　coming　of
our　Lord　Jesus　Christ　with　all　His　saints。〃

〃Now　we　exhort　you；　brethren；　warn　them　that　are　unruly；　comfort　the
feeble…minded；　support　the　weak；　be　patient　toward　all　men。　See　that　none
render　evil　for　evil　unto　any　man；　but　ever　follow　that　which　is　good；　both
among　yourselves；　and　to　all　men。　Rejoice　evermore。　Pray　without　ceasing。　In
everything　give　thanks：　for　this　is　the　will　of　God　in　Christ　Jesus
concerning　you。〃
　　　　The　apostle　cautioned　the　Thessalonians　not　to　despise
the　gift　of　prophecy；　and　in　the　words；　〃Quench　not　the　Spirit；　despise　not
prophesyings；　prove　all　things；　hold　fast　that　which　is　good；〃　he　enjoined　a
careful　discrimination　in　distinguishing　the　false　from　the　true。　He
besought　them　to　〃abstain　from　all　appearance　of　evil；〃　and　closed　his
letter　with　the　prayer　that　God　would　sanctify　them　wholly；

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that　in　〃Spirit　and　soul　and　body〃　they　might　〃be　preserved　blameless　unto
the　coming　of　our　Lord　Jesus　Christ。　Faithful　is　He　that　calleth　you；〃　he
added；　〃who　also　will　do　it。〃

The　instruction　that　Paul　sent　the　Thessalonians　in　his　first　epistle
regarding　the　second　coming　of　Christ；　was　in　perfect　harmony　with　his
former　teaching。　Yet　his　words　were　misapprehended　by　some　of　the
Thessalonian　brethren。　They　understood　him　to　express　the　hope　that　he
himself　would　live　to　witness　the　Saviour's　advent。　This　belief　served　to
increase　their　enthusiasm　and　excitement。　Those　who　had　previously　neglected
their　responsibilities　and　duties；　now　became　more　persistent　in　urging
their　erroneous　views。

In　his　second　letter　Paul　sought　to　correct　their　misunderstanding　of　his
teaching　and　to　set　before　them　his　true　position。　He　again　expressed　his
confidence　in　their　integrity；　and　his　gratitude　that　their　faith　was
strong；　and　that　their　love　abounded　for　one　another　and　for　the　cause　of
their　Master。　He　told　them　that　he　presented　them　to　other　churches　as　an
example　of　the　patient；　persevering　faith　that　bravely　withstands
persecution　and　tribulation；　and　he　carried　their　minds　forward　to　the　time
of　the　second　coming　of　Christ；　when　the　people　of　God　shall　rest　from　all
their　cares　and　perplexities。

〃We　ourselves；〃　he　w