The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

1 Thessalonians 1:1-5, “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.

A work of faith is more than doing what the believer thinks to be right; it’s doing what the Holy Spirit has directed him to do. The Thessalonian Christians were following the Spirit’s leadership, and it was for this that Paul was expressing thanks.

Paul is also thankful that their labor is a labor of love. The word Paul uses for labor, kopos, means “work to the point of exhaustion.” There is a sense in which we are to let the Holy Spirit work through us. “Now to Him who is able to do exceeding abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us…” (Ephesians 3:20).

The priests in the Old Testament were to wear linen garments while ministering before the Lord (Ezekiel 44:19). Woolen garments made them sweat. And sweat symbolizes human effort. Sweat is first mentioned in Genesis 3:19, and is connected with how man is to live under God’s judgment for sin. One principle of Biblical interpretation is the “first mention” principle. The manner in which something is first mentioned in Scripture has been noted to be the manner in which it is mentioned throughout. For example, the first mention of light occurs in a good sense, and the usage of the world light throughout the Scripture is in that same good sense. The first mention of the serpent, however, is bad, and all subsequent references to serpents are also bad. In this sense, “labor” is a negative factor.

But, there is another sense in which we are to be physically and emotionally involved in the work the Lord assigns us. It’s not always easy to serve the Lord; but He promised, “My yoke is easy, and My load is light” (Matthew 11:30).

Above all, spiritual work must be motivated by our love for Jesus Christ. This is the way it was with the Thessalonians.

Paul is thankful, too, that their steadfastness rested in the hope of our Lord Jesus Christ.

“…and steadfastness of hope in our

Lord Jesus Christ in the presence of our

God and Father…” (v. 3c).

What the Thessalonian believers did, they did with the anticipation and expectation of the Coming Again of the LORD Jesus! Their hope was rooted in His coming again. When the Bible speaks of “hope,” it is always future, yet it is always completely certain. Elpis signals “expectation of a divinely provided future…”

Nothing prophesied in Scripture concerning the LORD’s return is more phenomenal than the prophecies surrounding the nation Israel. Scattered among the Gentile nations as an act of judgment from God, Israel has now been brought back into her Promised Land by the hand of the Lord.

Jeremiah prophesied,

“‘As the Lord lives, who brought up the

sons of Israel from the land of the north

and from all the countries where He had

banished them.’ For I will restore them

to their own land which I gave to their

fathers” (Jeremiah 16:15).

Israel has hope today in the Lord’s remembrance of her. Does America have hope? I certainly pray that she does! But what about you? Is your hope certain? Are you ready for the Coming of the LORD? Are you ready to meet Him whether at His Coming or in death? You are if you are a committed believer in Jesus Christ. Nothing in this life is more important!

Remember that it is the Holy Spirit’s leadership and power that brings lost souls to Jesus Christ. We are merely His messengers. Yet, the messengers are important; otherwise, He would not have commissioned us to witness.

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

(Dado III)

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.

Springdale, Arkansas 72764

United States of America

“We never know that God is all we need

until He becomes all that we have.”