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The Spirit of Prophecy Volume 3
Thus Paul preached to the Thessalonians three successive Sabbaths,
reasoning with them from the Scriptures, upon the life, death, and
resurrection of Christ. He showed them that the expectation of the
Jews with regard to the Messiah was not according to prophecy, which
had foretold a Saviour to come in humility and poverty, to be rejected,
despised, and slain.
He declared that Christ would come a second time in power and
great glory, and establish his kingdom upon the earth, subduing all
authority, and ruling over all nations. Paul was an Adventist; he
presented the important event of the second coming of Christ with
such power and reasoning that a deep impression, which never wore
away, was made upon the minds of the Thessalonians.
They had strong faith in the second coming of Christ, and greatly
feared that they might not live to witness the event. Paul, however, did
not leave them with the impression that Christ would come in their day.
He referred them to coming events which must transpire before that
time should arrive. He warned them that they should “be not shaken
in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as
from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand. Let no man deceive you
by any means; for that day shall not come, except there come a falling
away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition.”
Paul foresaw that there was danger of his words being misin-
terpreted, and that some would claim that he, by special revelation,
warned the people of the immediate coming of Christ. This he knew
would cause confusion of faith; for disappointment usually brings un-
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belief. He therefore cautioned the brethren to receive no such message
as coming from him.
In his Epistle to the Thessalonians, Paul reminds them of his
manner of laboring among them.
1 Thessalonians 2:1-4
. He declares
that he did not seek to win souls through flattery, deception, or guile.
“But as we were allowed of God to be in trust with the gospel, even so
we speak; not as pleasing men, but God, which trieth our hearts.” Paul
rebuked and warned his converts with the faithfulness of a father to
his children, while, at the same time, he cherished them as tenderly as
a fond mother would her child.
When the Jews saw that the apostles were successful in obtaining
large congregations; that many were accepting their doctrines—among
them the leading women of the city, and multitudes of Gentiles—they