1 Thessalonians 3

When Paul and his friends left Thessalonica, they went to Berea and ministered the Word. But the troublemakers from Thessalonica followed them and stirred up opposition. Paul left for Athens while Silas and Timothy remained at Berea (see Acts 17:10–15). Apparently, Timothy did join Paul in Athens (note the “we” in 1 Thess. 3:1–2), but Paul sent him back to Thessalonica to help the young church that was going through tribulations. Several important factors were involved in this move.

Paul’s concern (v. 1). The “wherefore” that opens this chapter refers to 1 Thessalonians 2:17–20, where Paul expressed his great love for the believers. It was because of this love that he could not abandon them when they needed spiritual help. Paul was not only an evangelist; he was also a pastor. He knew that soul-winning was but one part of the commission God gave him. These new believers must also be taught and established in the faith.

Instead, Paul chose to be left alone in Athens so that Timothy could return to Thessalonica and establish the saints. The word translated “left” in 1 Thessalonians 3: means “to leave loved ones at death.” In 1 Thessalonians 2: he said that he felt “orphaned” from his friends in Thessalonica, and the Greek word can also mean “bereaved.” Paul was not a “hireling shepherd” who abandoned the sheep when there was danger (John 10:12–13). To leave these new believers was like an experience of bereavement.

This is a good lesson for Christian workers today. Paul so loved the Thessalonican believers that he would have risked his own life to return to them. He so loved the saints at Philippi that he was willing to stay out of heaven in order to encourage them (Phil. 1:22–26). He wanted to give of himself and his resources for them, as a parent provides for loved children. “I will very gladly spend and be spent for you” (2 Cor. 12:15).

Timothy’s character (v. 2). Not every believer is equipped to establish other Christians in the faith. Ideally, every Christian should be mature enough to help other Christians grow in the Lord and learn to stand on their own two feet. Unfortunately, some Christians are like those described in Hebrews 5:11–14. They have gone backward in their spiritual walk and have forgotten the basic truths of the Word. Instead of teaching others, they themselves need to be taught again. They are going through a second childhood spiritually.

Timothy was the ideal man to send to the church to help them stand firm. Timothy and Titus were Paul’s “special agents” whom he used as troubleshooters whenever the churches had problems. Paul sent Timothy to Corinth to help straighten out the problems there (1 Cor. 16:10–11). He also planned to send Timothy to help the saints in Philippi (Phil. 2:19–23).

What kind of a person can help younger believers grow in the Lord? To begin with, he must be a Christian himself: “Timothy, our brother” (1 Thess. 3:2). We cannot lead another where we have not been ourselves, nor can we share that which we do not possess. Paul had led Timothy to faith in Christ (1 Tim. 1:2) so that he was truly a brother.

But Timothy was also a minister. This is simply the Greek word for a servant. Our English word deacon comes from this word diakonos. Timothy was not afraid to work. He had faithfully served with Paul (Phil. 2:22) and knew how to minister in the churches. It is a demanding thing to establish new Christians. They have many problems and often do not grow as fast as we think they should. Teaching them requires love and patience, and Timothy had these qualities.

Timothy was a good team man; he was a “fellow worker.” He did not try to run the show himself and get people to follow him. To begin with, he was a fellow worker with God. It was God who worked in and through Timothy to accomplish His work (see 1 Cor. 3: and Phil. 2:13).

But Timothy was also a fellow worker with the other believers. He obeyed Paul and left Athens for Thessalonica. He returned to Paul in Corinth with news about the Thessalonican church. No wonder Paul wrote of him: “For I have no man like-minded, who will naturally care for your state” (Phil. 2:20).

The church’s conflict (vv. 3–5). The trials and testings that come to our lives as Christians are not accidents—they are appointments. We must expect to “suffer for his sake” (Phil. 1:29). Persecution is not foreign to the believer (1 Peter 4:12ff), but a normal part of the Christian life. Paul had repeatedly told them this while he was with them. We must warn new believers that the way is not easy as they seek to live for Christ, otherwise, when trials come, these babes in Christ will be discouraged and defeated.

Of course, behind these persecutions is Satan, the enemy of the Christian (1 Thess. 3:5). He is the tempter, and he seeks to ruin our faith. Note the emphasis on faith in this chapter (1 Thess. 3:5–7, 10). As a roaring lion, Satan stalks believers; and we must resist him “steadfast in the faith” (1 Peter 5:8–9). When Satan tempted Eve, he began by weakening her faith in God: “Yea, hath God said?” (Gen. 3:1). As a serpent, Satan deceives (2 Cor. 11:3); as a lion, he devours (1 Peter 5:8). He will use any means to attack the Christian and weaken his faith in God.

The word moved in 1 Thessalonians 3 is interesting. It literally means “to wag the tail, to fawn over.” The idea is that Satan often flatters the believer in order to lead him astray. Satan told Eve she would be like God if she ate of the tree, and she fell for his flattery. Satan is more dangerous when he flatters than when he frowns.

Timothy’s task was to establish these believers and encourage (comfort) them in their faith. It is faith in God that keeps our feet on the ground when the enemy attacks. Without faith in God, we are defeated. “This is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith” (1 John 5:4).

Before a child can walk, he must learn to stand.

Usually the father and mother teach the child to stand and then to walk. Paul was “spiritual parent” to these believers, but he had been forced to leave Thessalonica. How, then, could he help these young Christians learn to stand in the trials of life?

In the first two chapters, Paul explained how the church was born and nurtured. Now he dealt with the next step in maturity: how the church was to stand. The key word in this chapter is establish (1 Thess. 3:2, 13). The key thought is expressed in 1 Thessalonians 3:8: “For now we live, if ye stand fast in the Lord.”

Paul explained three ministries that he performed to help these new Christians become firmly established.

Timothy met Paul at Corinth (Acts 18:5) and gave him the glad news that things were going well at Thessalonica. The phrase “brought us good tidings” is the exact equivalent of “preaching the good news of the gospel.” The report from Timothy was, to Paul, like hearing the gospel.

Timothy reported that the new believers were standing firm in spite of persecution. They did not believe the lies that the enemy had told about Paul, but they still held him in the highest esteem in love.

Paul’s response was to write them this letter. Paul wrote some letters that are not a part of the New Testament (1 Cor. 5:9), but the two letters to the Thessalonican church are a part of God’s inspired Word.

This suggests that God’s Word is one of the best tools for establishing new Christians in the faith. “So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the teachings we passed on to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter” (2 Thess. 2: niv). When Jesus was tempted by Satan, He used the Word of God to defeat him (Matt. 4:1–11). Paul admonished the Ephesian believers to take “the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God” (Eph. 6:17) in their battle against Satan and his demonic assistants.

The Bible is able to establish us because it is inspired of God (2 Tim. 3:16). It is not simply a book of religious ideas or good moral advice; it is the very Word of God. It is “profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.” It has well been said that doctrine tells us what is right, reproof tells us what is not right, correction tells us how to get right, and instruction tells us how to stay right

First Thessalonians is saturated with Bible doctrines. Every major doctrine of the faith is touched on in these brief chapters. There are dozens of references to God the Father and Jesus Christ, and at least four references to the Holy Spirit (1 Thess. 1:5–6; 4:8; 5:19). In this epistle, Paul dealt with sin and salvation, the doctrine of the church, the work of the ministry, and especially the doctrine of the last things. Since Paul did not remain in Thessalonica very long, it is remarkable that he taught his converts so much.

Dr. R. W. Dale was pastor of Carr’s Lane Congregational Church in England for nearly fifty years. He began a series of sermons on basic Bible doctrine, knowing that his members could not stand firm in their faith if they did not know what they believed or why they believed it. A fellow pastor said to Dr. Dale, “They will never take it.” But Dale replied, “They will have to take it!” And they did, to the strengthening of the church.

When I became a Christian, churches did not have regular follow-up courses for new converts such as we have today. My “follow-up course” was a series of Bible studies from the book of Hebrews, led by a gifted layman and taught in his living room. Much of what was taught was over my head as a new believer. But what I did learn grounded me in the Word and established me in the faith.

A working knowledge of the Bible is essential for spiritual growth and stability. God’s Word is food to nourish us (Matt. 4:4), light to guide us (Ps. 119:105), and a weapon to defend us (Eph. 6:17). “Thus saith the Lord!” is our sure foundation. One reason God has established local churches is that believers might grow in the Word and, in turn, help others to grow (2 Tim. 2:2; Eph. 4:11–16).

Paul sent them a man, and that man established them in the Word. Paul ministered to them in a third way.

The Word of God and prayer should go together. The prophet Samuel told the people of Israel, “God forbid that I should sin against the Lord in ceasing to pray for you: but I will teach you the good and the right way” (1 Sam. 12:23). Peter said, “But we [the apostles] will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word” (Acts 6:4). Paul had this same emphasis: “And now, brethren, I commend you to God [prayer], and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up” (Acts 20:32).

Jesus prayed for His disciples, just as Paul prayed for the Thessalonican Christians, that their faith would not fail (Luke 22:31–32). I ministered for several weeks in Kenya and Zaire, and when I arrived home, I was more convinced than ever that the greatest need of missionaries and national churches is prayer. We must also pray for young Christians here at home. It is not enough to teach them Bible truth; we must also support them in our prayers.

Paul prayed for three specific requests. First, he prayed that their faith might mature (1 Thess. 3:10). Paul asked God to make it possible for him to minister to them personally, but God did not answer that request. Paul longed to see them again; he longed to minister to them and help bring their faith to maturity. The word translated “perfect” has the meaning of “adjust, equip, furnish.” It is even used for the mending of nets (Mark 1:19). Our faith never reaches perfection; there is always need for adjustment and growth. We go “from faith to faith” (Rom. 1:17).

Abraham is a good illustration of this principle. God called him to the land of Canaan, and when he arrived, he discovered a famine. God permitted that famine so that Abraham’s faith might be tested. Unfortunately, Abraham failed the test and went down to Egypt for help.

Each step of the way, God brought circumstances to bear on Abraham that forced him to trust God and grow in his faith. Faith is like a muscle: it gets stronger with use. Abraham had problems with his worldly nephew, Lot. He also had problems with his wife and her handmaid, Hagar. The ultimate test of faith came when God asked Abraham to sacrifice his beloved son, Isaac.

Faith that cannot be tested cannot be trusted. God tries our faith, not to destroy it, but to develop it. Had Abraham not learned to trust God in the famine, he could never have trusted Him in the other difficulties. Paul prayed that the suffering Christians in Thessalonica might grow in their faith, and God answered his prayer. Paul wrote in his second letter, “We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren … because that your faith groweth exceedingly” (2 Thess. 1:3).

Paul’s second request was that their love might abound (1 Thess. 3:12). Times of suffering can be times of selfishness. Persecuted people often become very self-centered and demanding. What life does to us depends on what life finds in us; and nothing reveals the true inner man like the furnace of affliction. Some people build walls in times of trial and shut themselves off. Others build bridges and draw closer to the Lord and His people. This was Paul’s prayer for these believers, and God answered it: “The charity of every one of you all toward each other aboundeth” (2 Thess. 1:3). Our growing faith in God ought to result in a growing love for others. We are “taught of God to love one another” (1 Thess. 4:9), and some of these lessons are best learned in the school of suffering. Joseph suffered for thirteen years because of his brothers’ envy and persecution. Yet he learned to love them in spite of their hatred. The Jewish legalists persecuted Paul from city to city, yet Paul so loved his people that he willingly would have died for them (Rom. 9:1–3).

When I counsel young couples in preparation for marriage, I often ask the man, “If your wife became paralyzed three weeks after you were married, do you love her enough to stay with her and care for her?” True love deepens in times of difficulty; shallow romance disappears when difficulties appear.

But true Christian love is shown not only to believers, but also “toward all men” (1 Thess. 3:12). We love one another, but we also love the lost and our enemies. Abounding love must not be bound. It must be free to expand and touch all men.

Paul’s third request was for holiness of life (1 Thess. 3:13). Again, it is the return of Jesus Christ that motivates the believer to live a holy life. Our Lord’s return is also a source of stability in the Christian life. Where there is stability, there can be sanctity, and where there is holiness, there is assurance. The two go together.

Notice that Paul’s prayers for his friends were not careless or occasional. He prayed “night and day”; he prayed “exceedingly,” which is the same word translated “exceeding abundantly” in Ephesians 3:20. True prayer is hard work. Epaphras must have learned from Paul how to pray for people: “always laboring fervently … that ye may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God” (Col. 4:12).

The entire Trinity is involved in this prayer. Paul addressed the Father and Son in 1 Thessalonians 3:11. In verse 12 “the Lord” may refer to the Holy Spirit, since “our Lord” at the end of 1 Thessalonians 3: certainly refers to Jesus Christ. If this is so, then this is the only prayer I know of in the New Testament directed to the Holy Spirit. The Bible pattern of prayer is to the Father, through the Son, and in the Spirit. Since the Holy Spirit is the Sanctifier of the believer, and this is a prayer for holy living, the address is proper.

Paul ended 1 Thessalonians 2 with a reference to the place of the saints at the return of Christ, and he ended this chapter in the same way. He prayed that his converts might stand blameless and holy before God at Christ’s return. Since all believers will be transformed to be like Christ when He returns (1 John 3:2), Paul could not be referring to our personal condition in heaven. He was referring to our lives here on earth as they will be reviewed at the Judgment Seat of Christ. We will never face our sins in heaven, for they are remembered against us no more (Rom. 8:1; Heb. 10:14–18). But our works will be tested, and you cannot separate conduct from character.

Paul’s prayer teaches us how to pray not only for new believers, but for all believers. We should pray that their faith will mature, their love grow, and their character and conduct be holy and blameless before God. “And every man that hath this hope in him [Christ] purifieth himself, even as he is pure” (1 John 3:3).

As we review this chapter, we see how important it is to care for new Christians. Leading someone to Christ is not enough. We must also lead him on in the Christian life and help him get established. If he is not established, he will fall when the winds of persecution start to blow. If he cannot stand, he will never learn to walk.

What shall we do? We can be an encouragement and stand at his side as he matures. We can share the Word of God. We can pray. This is what Paul did—and it worked.