True Believers Endure Through Persecution (TMF:925)

Friday, July 06, 2018
Peace to Live By: True Believers Endure Through Persecution (TMF:925) - Daniel Litton
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       Verses 6b & 7: “for you received the word in much affliction, with the joy of the Holy Spirit, so that you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia” (ESV). When Paul presented the Gospel to the Thessalonians, it would appear that there was persecution from the Gentiles who did not believe. Paul says they had “received the word in much affliction.” So, apparently there was hostility toward receiving the word. And not only that, but once the word was received, there then had to be hostility toward continuing to believe in it. Therefore, even though the Gospel caused these new believers persecution, they kept with it. This shows the transforming power behind the Gospel, that it is real and the power of God that is manifested to new believers. They had an underlying trust in God, which was their joy as the Holy Spirit bore witness to each of them individually that they belonged to God.