First Thessalonians 1:6: Receiving the Word in Much Affliction
In a previous post, we discussed the initial explosion of grace that must come to all who know Christ. In Thessalonica, the word of the Lord went forth and the Spirit of God brought many to life who were dead in their sin. Paul is recounting the evidence of God’s sovereign election and regeneration of the new believers he loves so much. The effects of God’s initial explosion of grace in their lives are what I’m calling “waves of imitation.”
These waves of imitation are not only how Paul knows that these Thessalonians were elect from before the foundation of the world, and have been given new life in Christ, but they are also an encouragement to Paul, and should encourage the Thessalonians. Whenever we see God’s grace at work in our lives, it is a cause for rejoicing, even if it is not particularly enjoyable to endure.
Today, we will look at the first wave of imitation:
The Word Was Received in Much Affliction
6 And you became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you received the word in much affliction,
As we’ve said before in our series, when the gospel came to Thessalonica, persecution came with it. This was one of the ways they became imitators of Paul and the Lord. As you know, Paul’s life was filled with persecution (2 Cor 11:23-28). Once, he was an instrument of affliction to those who were proclaiming the gospel of Christ (Acts 8). But no more. When Jesus opened his eyes on the road to Damascus (Acts 9), Paul went from being the great persecutor of the Church to being one who was greatly persecuted. He was mocked, beaten, rejected and, ultimately, he would be put to death.
And these Thessalonians are experiencing some of that persecution. The gospel came to them and they received it with gladness but it meant that they would now be in the sights of those who hate the Lord Jesus. We are not told exactly what all they had to endure but you can imagine that it greatly affected their whole life. Family members, who did not come to Christ, might have shunned them. They may have been treated unfairly in the market place. The pressure from the various authorities may have become very intense. We do know that the jealous Jews started a riot and that some of the Thessalonians were attacked and taken before the authorities (Acts 17:1-9).
What Paul is so encouraged by, and is thanking the Lord for, is that these Thessalonians came to Christ and held firm in their faith, even in the midst of such affliction! Think of how this was an evidence of their election and regeneration. This was not an easy choice for the Thessalonians. This meant alienation from friends and family, and various other forms of persecution that would make life extremely difficult for them. What explains their willingness to believe the unbelievable (in particular, the resurrection of Jesus), follow in the steps of a crucified Savior and give up much of the comfort of this life? The answer is that God has chosen them, and in time and space has brought them to life in Christ by his Spirit. Paul is saying, “We know it’s true because it hurt so much to believe.”
This might be something that is foreign to us in our context, but for most of the last two thousands years, and in most places in the world, trusting in Christ always came with affliction. The early Church rejoiced in suffering for the name of Jesus (Acts 5:41) and Paul is here encouraging the Thessalonians with something similar to what Peter and James might say: don’t be surprised and count it all joy when you suffer. Paul is not enjoying their suffering, but he is thankful for God’s incredible work in them through it and in the midst of it.
And notice that this affliction was not evidence of God’s lack of love for them. Suffering in this way was evidence of his love for them (v 4)! How exotic that is to our thinking at times! What else might be difficult for us to swallow is that suffering is a tool for our sanctification. And this is what should encourage the Thessalonians and us: we share in the sufferings of Christ as we suffer for the sake of the gospel. In this, we are made more like Jesus.
The Thessalonians became imitators of their Savior. He suffered the mocking, the rejection, the scorn, and ultimately, death. Obedience brought suffering to him, and all those who seek to follow Christ will experience some sort of persecution (2 Tim 3:12).
We may not always be called to endure the kind of affliction that the Thessalonians lived through, but all of us are acquainted with the grief and misery that accompanies this life. God was using the difficulty in Thessalonica to conform those new believers to the image of his Son. We can trust that God uses all the suffering we endure in this life to do the same for us.
If you have never heard the Shane and Shane song, Though You Slay Me, it is worth the listen. And don’t miss what John Piper says in the middle of the song. For the background on the song, see here.