1 Thess 2:13-16; The word of God working with faith.
April 5, 2023
1Th 2:13
For this reason we also constantly thank God that when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but for what it really is, the word of God, which also performs its work in you who believe.
The word of God mixed with faith does its work. The work it does is to transform you, grow you in maturity, and make you wise to live the life that pleases God and does His work.
“You who believe” – present participle likely refers to continued faith. The faithful to the word reap its benefits.
1Pe 1:25
the word of the Lord abides forever.
Heb 4:1-11
Therefore, let us fear if, while a promise remains of entering His rest, any one of you may seem to have come short of it. 2 For indeed we have had good news preached to us, just as they also; but the word they heard did not profit them, because it was not united by faith in those who heard. 3 For we who have believed enter that rest, just as He has said,
"AS I SWORE IN MY WRATH,
THEY SHALL NOT ENTER MY REST,"
although His works were finished from the foundation of the world.
4 For He has said somewhere concerning the seventh day: "AND GOD RESTED ON THE SEVENTH DAY FROM ALL HIS WORKS"; 5 and again in this passage, "THEY SHALL NOT ENTER MY REST." 6 Therefore, since it remains for some to enter it, and those who formerly had good news preached to them failed to enter because of disobedience, 7 He again fixes a certain day, "Today," saying through David after so long a time just as has been said before,
"TODAY IF YOU HEAR HIS VOICE,
DO NOT HARDEN YOUR HEARTS."
8 For if Joshua had given them rest, He would not have spoken of another day after that. 9 So there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God [peace in Christ through continued faith in your position]. 10 For the one who has entered His rest has himself also rested from his works, as God did from His [living and working in grace]. 11 Therefore let us be diligent to enter that rest [apply faith], so that no one will fall, through following the same example of disobedience.
Sabbath rest – enjoying and prospering in God’s grace.
Not doing nothing.
Thriving in God’s sphere of love.
The Sabbath rest is our whole life of resting our hearts in faith. It doesn’t mean doing no work. We are to do a lot of work, but the work that the Father wills, we do without being anxious about the results. We rest in God’s will and enjoy the work and trust God for the results.
The writer of Hebrews then moves his Jewish readers’ minds to the fulfillment of the Sabbath which came through the cross of Christ. The saved and sanctified saint, the believer, rests in the grace and love of God through Jesus Christ. Just like the Sabbath of the Garden of Eden and the Sabbath of Israel, it is not a means to do nothing, but to live and thrive in the sphere of God’s love and grace, knowing that we are forgiven and we are complete in Christ. We work very hard, but not so much as toil as in the joy of doing the Father’s will, and we rest in the results.]
The way we learn to rest is faith in God’s word.
Heb 4:12-13
For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. 13 And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do.
If we are listening, the word of God, being alive and active and sharp, will reveal to us if we’re resting in God or not. Some believers want to know this. These want to grow and want to change more into conformity to the image of Christ. They actually enjoy the reprovals of God’s word and are grateful for them.
But there are those who don’t really want to grow, but prefer the pleasures of the world. They do not listen to God’s word with the intent of obedience. The pain that the word causes within them as it judges their thoughts and motives is unwelcomed and so they find it more comfortable to stay away from the word and forget about the calling of God’s will. That attitude makes it far easier to pursue the pleasures of the world.
Luk 8:14
“The seed which fell among the thorns, these are the ones who have heard, and as they go on their way they are choked with worries and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to maturity.”
As the Lord said so simply and so clearly – we can’t serve two masters. Either our pleasure is in God or it is in the world or the flesh. And the wonderful thing about that sobering truth is that if we do recognize that we have been serving the wrong master, by grace in the full forgiveness of Christ, we can turn away from the old master and follow the one Master.
Our other option, when we discover from the word of God that we’re following the wrong master, is to sweep that revelation under the rug and try to forget about it. We can try to hide it. Lie to ourselves that life is okay. It’s good enough. We lie to others, putting on the proper mask that seems to show us having it all together, living spiritually, happily; when we’re anything but. We can hide the addictions that we have used to try and fill our unfulfilled lives. In other words, we’re not being honest.
The writer of Hebrews is careful to show us that what the word of God sees, God sees. And if we want to hide our inner selves, thinking our solution is to ignore the word of God so that God will not see us, the author then states that nothing is hidden from God’s eyes. You could ignore the Scripture and hide in the remotest part of the earth and still God sees everything about you.
Heb 4:13
And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do.
God’s omniscience forces us to be honest.
No more lying to self.
Confession.
No more hiding.
Frequent and honest prayer.
God tells us of His omniscient power to see all that we are and all that we think and all that we plan and wish for, because He wants us to be honest with Him and with ourselves. God notices everything, even the little things.
Psa 139:1-2
O Lord, You have searched me and known me.
2 You know when I sit down and when I rise up;
You understand my thought from afar.
You can be blind to the work that God is doing in the world. Is it really worth the cost? Ironically, you pay in order to settle for far less.
Eze 16:30
Men give gifts to all harlots, but you [as a harlot] give your gifts to all your lovers to bribe them to come to you from every direction for your harlotries.
If you know the word to be from God and you have put your faith in its authenticity and authority, then rejoice.
And don’t forget to pray.
Heb 4:14-16
Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 15 For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. 16 Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
Psa 139:23-24
Search me, O God, and know my heart;
Try me and know my anxious thoughts;
24 And see if there be any hurtful way in me,
And lead me in the everlasting way.
The Letter to the Hebrews was written to Jews in Judea. They are experiencing suffering by the hands of their countrymen as the Thessalonians are from their countrymen.
Heb 10:32-36
But remember the former days, when, after being enlightened, you endured a great conflict of sufferings, 33 partly by being made a public spectacle through reproaches and tribulations, and partly by becoming sharers with those who were so treated. 34 For you showed sympathy to the prisoners and accepted joyfully the seizure of your property, knowing that you have for yourselves a better possession and a lasting one. 35 Therefore, do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. 36 For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God, you may receive what was promised.
The whole letter of Hebrews shows us that these believers had become weary of the suffering they had been enduring, and due to weariness they were leaning towards returning to temple worship so that their fellow Jews would stop pestering and persecuting them. He bids them not to throw away the confidence (boldness) they once had.