In the opening chapters of 1 Thessalonians, Paul is effusive in his thanks for these new believers. And in the midst of this gratitude, Paul makes some astonishing claims about the Bible.
And we also thank God constantly for this, that when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men but as what it really is, the word of God, which is at work in you believers. (1 Thess 2:13)
It Really is the Word of God
We must, as always, read this passage in context. But some things are plain from this verse alone. Paul thanks God that the Thessalonians accepted their preaching of the gospel (1 Thess 1:5; 2:2; 2:8; 2:9) as what it really is, the word of God.
It’s easy to lose sight of this miracle, but dwell on it with me for a moment. The Bible is not the word of man, it is the word of God. This means that the Bible is lasting, not temporary; it is perfect, not flawed; it is given intentionally, not on a whim; it is for our good, not to ruin our fun; it is sturdy, trustworthy, reliable, and holy. The Bible is the word of the most glorious, most blessed king. The fact that this God has given us his word should knock us over flat.
The Effect of the Word
Paul mentions that the word of God “is at work in you believers.” From the first two chapters of 1 Thessalonians, we can see what Paul means.
Paul remembers their “work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Thess 1:3). The gospel had come to them “in power” (1 Thess 1:5). The Thessalonians “became imitators” of Paul and his co-missionaries (verse 6), they “became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia” (verse 7), and “the word of the Lord sounded forth” from them (verse 8). By the power of the Holy Spirit, God’s word had transformed them from unbelievers to proclaimers of the gospel.
In the more immediate context of 1 Thess 2:13, the word of God came as exhortation, encouragement, and charge from Paul and his friends. The Thessalonians were told to “walk in a manner worthy of God,” so the word instructed and shaped them. But the word also reminded these believers that God “calls you into his own kingdom and glory” (1 Thess 2:12). The word of God provided encouragement and hope.
This hope was needed as well, because one final effect of the word’s work in the believers was suffering. The Thessalonians received the word “in much affliction” (1 Thess 1:6). As these new believers learned to imitate older Christians, they “suffered the same things from [their] own countrymen” that the churches in Judea had suffered from the Jews (1 Thess 2:14). This is not unexpected, but it is fact: God’s transformed people should expect suffering (see 2 Tim 3:12).
In summary, what effect did the word have in the Thessalonians? It brought them alive in faith and made them proclaimers of that faith. The word instructed and encouraged them. And as a result of their transformation, it brought them suffering.
How Might We Act if We Believed This?
Not only do we have access to the word of God, but this word is at work in us. In other books, the words sit inert the page, but God’s word transforms us. That transformation may happen slowly, but if we believe the Bible we need to agree that God’s word is at work!
How might this truth shape our lives, both individually and as communities of faith?
If I really believed God’s word was at work in me, I would be more eager for it. I would welcome every opportunity to take in the Bible.
I would also meditate on God’s word more than I currently do. I would ponder exactly how God’s word is working in me. How is the Bible encouraging me? How is it confronting or convicting me? This is not a call for any increased focus on myself—God knows I do too much of that now! But if I believed God’s word worked in me, I would have more thoughtful, meditative engagement with the Bible.
Finally, we should note that this is not written to individuals but to a group. The word of God is at work in believers, but it is also at work in the community of believers. Within the church, we should consider how we can exhort and encourage each other with words of Scripture. This will likely include bearing witness to how God’s word is working in us individually. We should plan and expect for God’s word to change our church families over time, because his word is an active word. It works!
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