What great encouragement there is in this passage to take the gospel out to all and sundry. There is encouragement to those who are seeking to take the gospel out into communities which worship other gods. But there is encouragement here for all of us to take the gospel out because God is able to save folk from any background. Paul reminds the church in Thessalonica of how they ‘turned to God from idols to serve the living and the true God’ [v9].
It is interesting that Paul mentions the fact that God had chosen them [v4 & 2 Thess 2v13] but that also the gospel had come to them [v5]. The Bible clearly teaches the true of divine election. God chooses to save certain people. But it also makes it clear that the means He uses for bringing His chosen people to salvation is the gospel. We are to take the gospel out into our communities in the hope that God will gather in His people.
We are not commanded to save people, because we cannot do that. We are commanded however, to take the gospel out to all people because it is the power of God unto salvation [Rom 1v16].
What an encouragement it is to read of those who were worshipping false gods who were converted by the grace of God. People all around us worship false gods even things like money and fame, yet God is able to save them. Never give up seeking to witness to folk and share the gospel with them because we never now just what God might do.
Tomorrow’s Reading: 1 Thessalonians 2
