1Th 2:7 But we were gentle among you, even as a nurse cherisheth her children:
1Th 2:8 So being affectionately desirous of you, we were willing to have imparted unto you, not the gospel of God only, but also our own souls, because ye were dear unto us.
1Th 2:9 For ye remember, brethren, our labour and travail: for labouring night and day, because we would not be chargeable unto any of you, we preached unto you the gospel of God.
1Th 2:10 Ye are witnesses, and God also, how holily and justly and unblameably we behaved ourselves among you that believe:
1Th 2:11 As ye know how we exhorted and comforted and charged every one of you, as a father doth his children,
1Th 2:12 That ye would walk worthy of God, who hath called you unto his kingdom and glory.
Gentle- not forceful, not overbearing, not demanding- but gentle, this is how the apostles preached the gospel to people. Were they adamant, perhaps at times. They didn't sugar-coat the truth, they didn't beat people down and sit on them to shove it down their throat. They preached with LOVE, just as JESUS did.
They labored, the travailed as they preached the gospel- their desire for people to KNOW the truth was a deep desire, not something superficial. Their hearts were in their work. They didn't want a single person to miss out on knowing the truth that could lead to their salvation.
The apostles conducted themselves as Jesus would have them. They were LIVING messengers of His word, they were living examples of a live connected to the Savior.
They loved these people they were NOT related to and yet they treated them as a father would treat their children. When you love your children you act responsibly and you deny them things you in your parent wisdom knows could harm them. You try to teach them lessons so that they're prepared for the life they'll one day have to live without them to be their guides. We want our children to be independent and be able to raise their own children to be responsible and so on. We don't tear down our children but we teach. We don't abuse our children but we discipline. God, our loving heavenly Father lives the same way with us. His love guides all His actions.
The apostles wanted people to walk worthy of God- God who has called them to His kingdom and glory.
We are to walk worthy of God because God has called us ALL to His Kingdom and His Glory.
We are NOT to walk as those who have no hope in them. We are NOT to walk content to flaunt our sinful ways. Maybe we do have sins that easily beset us, but those sins aren't something to be proud of, something to show off, something to commit as if they weren't deadly to us. We do not walk worthy if we relish our sins. We do not walk worthy if we are not striving against sin.
Heb 12:4 Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.
We do not walk worthy if we take the love of God and ignore it, if we fail to live with that love as a reality in our lives.
All by the grace of God we live, we love.
1Th 2:8 So being affectionately desirous of you, we were willing to have imparted unto you, not the gospel of God only, but also our own souls, because ye were dear unto us.
1Th 2:9 For ye remember, brethren, our labour and travail: for labouring night and day, because we would not be chargeable unto any of you, we preached unto you the gospel of God.
1Th 2:10 Ye are witnesses, and God also, how holily and justly and unblameably we behaved ourselves among you that believe:
1Th 2:11 As ye know how we exhorted and comforted and charged every one of you, as a father doth his children,
1Th 2:12 That ye would walk worthy of God, who hath called you unto his kingdom and glory.
Gentle- not forceful, not overbearing, not demanding- but gentle, this is how the apostles preached the gospel to people. Were they adamant, perhaps at times. They didn't sugar-coat the truth, they didn't beat people down and sit on them to shove it down their throat. They preached with LOVE, just as JESUS did.
They labored, the travailed as they preached the gospel- their desire for people to KNOW the truth was a deep desire, not something superficial. Their hearts were in their work. They didn't want a single person to miss out on knowing the truth that could lead to their salvation.
The apostles conducted themselves as Jesus would have them. They were LIVING messengers of His word, they were living examples of a live connected to the Savior.
They loved these people they were NOT related to and yet they treated them as a father would treat their children. When you love your children you act responsibly and you deny them things you in your parent wisdom knows could harm them. You try to teach them lessons so that they're prepared for the life they'll one day have to live without them to be their guides. We want our children to be independent and be able to raise their own children to be responsible and so on. We don't tear down our children but we teach. We don't abuse our children but we discipline. God, our loving heavenly Father lives the same way with us. His love guides all His actions.
The apostles wanted people to walk worthy of God- God who has called them to His kingdom and glory.
We are to walk worthy of God because God has called us ALL to His Kingdom and His Glory.
We are NOT to walk as those who have no hope in them. We are NOT to walk content to flaunt our sinful ways. Maybe we do have sins that easily beset us, but those sins aren't something to be proud of, something to show off, something to commit as if they weren't deadly to us. We do not walk worthy if we relish our sins. We do not walk worthy if we are not striving against sin.
Heb 12:4 Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.
We do not walk worthy if we take the love of God and ignore it, if we fail to live with that love as a reality in our lives.
All by the grace of God we live, we love.
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