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The Acts of the Apostles
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 brotherly love,” the apostle
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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 proph-
esyings; 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, that in
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“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