Skip to main content

1 Thessalonians 1:3

remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Thessalonians 1:3 - ESV)

Now Paul is getting into the specifics on why he is thankful to God for these Thessalonians. Notice the "triad" of things he is thankful for... 

1. Faith -- Displayed in Work. 
2. Love -- Displayed in Labor
3. Hope -- Displayed in Steadfastness. 

This is not the first (or last) time that Paul mentions these three together: Faith, Hope, and Love. In 1 Corinthians chapter 13, he ends by pointing these three out, the order is different here, but the same three are mentioned. For the Corinthians, Paul may have ended on Love because that is what they were most needing to hear about, and it truly is the greatest of these. For the Thessalonians, Paul may have ended on Hope, because that is the place where they were in most need of encouragement. 

Faith was displayed in work. This is actions and behaviors. Things that the Thessalonians were doing. 

Love was displayed in labor. This is not the same Greek word as work... This one is focused on the sweating intensity of the actions being accomplished. The Love was not displayed primarily in the specific actions, but in the exerted effort in those actions. 

Hope in our Lord Jesus Christ is displayed in steadfastness... Keeping at it!
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Please add some additional commentary to this verse. Your input is greatly appreciated.

Popular posts from this blog

Ephesians 4:31

Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. (NIV) This verse might be best served with some definitions. Bitterness - Just what it says, bitterness. It is a bitter root that produces a bitter fruit. Rage - Usually translated as Wrath. It has to do with a passionate anger. This is the person who is fuming. They are bubbling over with anger. Anger - This word has also been translated as wrath. It is most definitely referring to the actions associated with anger. It doesn't have to mean this, but their can also be the association with violence. This is the person who is acting out on their anger, in a sinful way. Brawling - Ok, I just learned something new, this word has to do with making an outcry, or a crying. After I read the definitions, what immediately jumped into my mind was the person who yells when they are angry. He may not do something violent, but he is letting everyone know exactly how angry he is. He is a ye...
2 comments
Continue Reading »

Jonah 2:10

And the LORD commanded the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land. (NIV) Don't you just love fresh starts. They're not always fresh, but they are a start. The God that we serve is a God of fresh starts. My mind goes to the many times that Christ reached out his hand, pulling a lame man to his feet, and saying, "...now go and sin no more." Or the woman caught in adultery, "...neither do I condemn you, go and sin no more." Only a God of grace will allow a swallowed man to repent. Praise Him.
4 comments
Continue Reading »

Psalm 136:4

to him who alone does great wonders, His love endures forever. (NIV) If this verse said, "to him who does great wonders..." it would still be a great verse. We could talk about all of the wonders that God does. Everything from the rings of Saturn and the Sombrero Galaxy to the forming of a child inside its mothers womb or even how electrons are spinning around the atoms and not flying off. We could talk about all of those things and marvel at His wonders. But get this, all of the great wonders are His! He doesn't just get credit for great wonders, He gets credit for all of them, because the verse says, "to him who alone does great wonders..." God has no counterpart. He has no arch-rival. There is none like Him, and He is the only one who is doing the wonderful stuff! He is the changer of hearts and lives. He is the redeemer. He is the savior. He is the God who hears and the God who sees. And the most wonderful of all, His love endures Forever!
3 comments
Continue Reading »