I Thessalonians 2

I Thessalonians 2:1-12

"We speak as men approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel. We are not trying to please men but God, who tests our hearts." I Thessalonians 2:4

Paul's desire and prayer for the Thessalonian church was that they would receive the Lord Jesus as their Savior and Lord and that they would grow in spiritual maturity. Paul's passion and desire was that his life, testimony, and preaching would influence others for Christ. Our desire also must be that our actions, words, and attitudes will draw others to Christ.

As we seek to live our lives for Christ, we must be very certain that we are speaking and acting as men and women "approved by God."  I Thessalonians 2:4 tells us that our motives must not be to please people "but God, who tests our hearts." In all our motives, actions, and attitudes we must be seeking to bring glory to the Lord. We must be also seeking to draw others to the Lord by our actions and words. Our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ should be evident to all those around us. We must not seek to win a popularity contest according to the world's standards. Our passion should be to being glory to the Lord and to reflect the Lord Jesus in all areas of our lives. Our love relationship with the Lord should be so obvious in our lives that others will also be drawn to our Savior and Lord.

If we desire to live lives "approved by God" we must make certain that our lives are not motivated by greed or selfishness. We must demonstrate gentleness, kindness, and compassion towards others.  I Thessalonians 2:7 says we must be gentle and loving towards others and "like a mother caring for her little children." We must be willing to share our very lives with others, and we must strive to demonstrate a servant attitude towards others. By the example and words of our lives we must be "encouraging, comforting and urging" others "to live lives worthy of God." (I Thessalonians 2:12) By our examples and words we must be drawing others to the Savior and towards spiritual maturity.

Finally, if we are going to live our lives "approved by God" our lives must be governed by a desire for purity and holiness. According to I Thessalonians 2:10 our lives must be "holy, righteous, and blameless," and our lives must be based on the truth of the Word of God. We must be striving to eradicate sin and behavior unbecoming to a child of God from our lives. We can and must do this through the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives. We must be passionately seeking to make our lives "living sacrifices" for the Lord. (Romans 12:1) We must be living our lives in such a way that others will be attracted to Christ's kingdom and will grow in spiritual maturity. Romans 12:11 says, "Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord."