Introduction. Read 2Thes2v13to17

I am going to study this short passage using the outline proposed by Dennis Davidson: Persuaded by the truth; Persevere in the truth; Practice the truth. The Christian is a Man of Truth as distinct from the Man of Lawlessness of the earlier part of the chapter.

(1) Persuaded by the truth. See vs13and14.

We see in these two verses:

(a) The method of salvation.

Some Christians misread these verses. They seem to believe that they support the doctrine of unconditional election. This doctrine states that God chose people by name in a kind of vast heavenly lottery. Once chosen, then God eventually gave them the faith to believe in Jesus.

The verses tells us clearly what God chose. He chose to give salvation to those who believe the truth about Jesus and as a consequence receive new life through the gift of the Holy Spirit. God has made salvation possible by accepting the sacrifice Jesus made on the cross to atone for sin. We need to submit to Jesus and trust in his sacrificial work before receiving the Holy Spirit and being adopted into God's family.

(b) The means of salvation.

The Thessalonians were called, or invited, to believe by the declaration of the gospel. This is something Paul stressed in his epistle to the Romans: How then can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard. And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? Rom10v14. The glad and glorious gospel calls out to men and women to believe and be saved.

One good thing about the old Sankey hymn book is that it contains many songs about the gospel call.

Tis a true and faithful saying,
Jesus died for sinful men;
Though we've told the story often,
We must tell it o'er again.

Oh, glad and glorious Gospel!
With joy we now proclaim ...
A full and free salvation,
Through faith in Jesus' name!

There are three marvellous things about a Christian's salvation:

• Every believer is beloved of the Lord Jesus. We are precious to him - redeemed by his own shed blood. Paul wrote to the Ephesians: Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. Eph5v2.

• Every believer is adopted into God's family and becomes one of many brothers. Christians come under God's protection and enjoy his provision. He is our gracious heavenly father with unlimited resources at his disposal.

• Ever believer shares in the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ. When a great athlete wins a gold medal representing his country in the Olympic Games there is a sense in which an entire nation shares his victory and his glory. People who identify strongly with the athlete will rejoice in his accomplishment and be uplifted by his success. This is also true when a football team wins the FA Cup. It isn't only the winning football team that is dancing for joy but thousands of supporters will be singing and cheering with delight.

  Believers share in Christ's great victory over sin and death and Satan. When we sing those great resurrection hymns we share his glory.

  All glory to his sacred Name!
  He lives, my Jesus, still the same;
  O the sweet joy this sentence gives -
  I know that my Redeemer lives!

Paul urges his readers to:

(a) Stand firm.

This implies that Christians will be:

• Pressurised into giving ground. There are many interest groups in our society who by relentlessly keeping up the pressure get their own way. I heard recently of a Grace Baptist young lady who was spotted by a modelling agency whilst out riding her bicycle. The modelling agency was serious in its intent. A contract was drawn up and approved by the girl's mother. Eventually the young model was asked to work in the United States for a fortnight. Any foreigner working in the United States needs a visa. The modelling agency told our young lady to pretend she was going on holiday! They exerted pressure on her to be dishonest. She refused to abandon her principles - AND STOOD FIRM. The agency told the young Christian she was the only scrupulously honest model on their books.

  Several years ago I went to preach at a Baptist Church in London. The fellowship was at sixes and sevens. A church meeting had been held the previous week to decide if a certain man should be called to the pastorate. The vote had not been enough to appoint the man to the ministry. The friends I spent the day with had voted against the candidate because they didn't feel he was up to the job. However, pressure was put to bear on them. Some who were very keen for the candidate to be appointed said that if the decision of the church was not reversed they would leave. So another church meeting was convened and my friends succumbed to pressure! The new man was appointed - and less than two years later had to resign - unable to cope with the demands of the job.

  When we come under pressure to do what is wrong we should neither waver nor compromise but stand firm.

  George Herbert wrote:

  Only a sweet and virtuous soul,
  Like seasoned timber, never gives;
  But though the whole world turn to coal,
  Then chiefly lives.

• Nagged into giving in. In many underground caves the drip, drip, drip of water will eventually wear a hole in solid rock. This is a warning that persistent entreaty can wear down our resistance to what is wrong. One only has to think of Sampson and Delilah to be aware of this. Eventually the nagging of Delilah paid off. These sad and cautionary words are recorded in the book of Judges: With such nagging she prodded him day after day until he was tired to death. So he told her everything. Judges16v16and17. Sampson's long braids were cut off, he lost his strength and his enemies, the Philistines, took him.

  Many a Christian father will be nagged by his teenage son to take him to play football on a Sunday morning rather than attend church. Some will finally give in - to the detriment of their Christian witness. Many a Christian wife will be nagged by her non-Christian husband to forego evening worship so that they can go out together. The husband may agree to his wife's attendance of morning worship but expects a compromise on how Sunday is spent. The unpleasantness may well be such that the wife eventually agrees to do as her husband wishes - a sad price to pay for being unequally yoked.

• Frightened into capitulating. There is no doubt that the enemies of Christianity have adopted extreme methods to intimidate Christians through the centuries. It is very difficult to stand firm when one's livelihood, freedom or life is at stake. This was the situation the Thessalonians were in. It is a situation that Christians in many parts of the world are in. I hope I will be forgiven for using the story I used in the exposition on 2Thes1 again.

  During China's Boxer Rebellion of 1900, insurgents captured a mission station, blocked all the gates but one, and in front of that one gate placed a cross flat on the ground. Then the word was passed to those inside that any who trampled the cross underfoot would be permitted their freedom and life, but that any refusing would be shot. Terribly frightened, the first seven students trampled the cross under their feet and were allowed to go free. But the eighth student, a young girl, refused to commit the sacrilegious act. Kneeling beside the cross in prayer for strength, she arose and moved carefully around the cross, and went out to face the firing squad. Strengthened by her example, every one of the remaining ninety-two students followed her to the firing squad. (Taken from Today in the Word, February, 1989, p. 17.)

• Battered into submission. In the 20th century there was a huge, determined and sustained effort by the rulers of the Soviet Union, China and Cambodia to batter Christians into submission and eradicate the church. Never has Christianity been exposed to such unremitting, implacable hatred. Yet many, many believers stood firm.

  During his years as premier of the Soviet Union, Nikita Khrushchev denounced many of the policies and atrocities of Joseph Stalin. Once, as he censured Stalin in a public meeting, Khrushchev was interrupted by a shout from a heckler in the audience. "You were one of Stalin's colleagues. Why didn't you stop him?"

  "Who said that?" roared Khrushchev. An agonizing silence followed as nobody in the room dared move a muscle. Then Khrushchev replied quietly, "Now you know why." (Taken from, 'Today in the Word', July 13, 1993.)

  It takes guts to stand firm in the face of overwhelming opposition. Sampson was by no means a Christian role model. He was a flawed hero. But the great thing about Sampson was he stood up to the most implacable of Israel's enemies, the Philistines. Such was his 'never say die' attitude that he raised the morale of his people.

(b) Hold on.

Paul urged the Thessalonians to hold on to what he taught by word of mouth and by letter. He would not have impressed on them this necessity but for the fact there are many things that can weaken our hold on Christ's truth. These include:

• The perception that it is too hard. I don't suppose I am the only one to buy a manual on a Microsoft program like Publisher or Word and then ignore the vast majority of it as being too complicated. A huge amount can be done on Paint Shop Pro but only if a lot of time is taken getting familiar with the instructions. I tend to familiarise myself with the bare minimum to get by on.

  A lot of Christians are like that. The ethical teaching of Jesus and Paul just seems too demanding. So it is let slip. I was talking to Nev a few days ago about his well attended church. He said, "Things are not as good as they seem. We have about 500 members but a third are away every week." A substantial number only turn up to church if they haven't something better to do. They ignore the teaching of the writer to the Hebrews: Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another. Heb10v25. What is even worse, immature Christians take a very loose hold on what Jesus said: But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given you as well. Mt6v33.

• The conclusion that it doesn't work. For the last three weeks I have been doing exercises recommended by a physiotherapist to help with spinal stenosis. Until yesterday I was firmly of the opinion that these exercises were doing me more harm than good. Each morning my back and legs were so stiff I could hardly straighten up. There did not seem to be any improvement in the nagging pain in my back that grew worse and worse as I walked. I felt like giving up. It wasn't as if the exercises were fun to do!! My physiotherapist said I must do the exercises every day. "They're your daily bread," he said.

  Prayer is not easy! It doesn't seem to make much of a difference. Private prayer is not much fun. We often pray for the same things over and over again. It is even harder than the physical exercises I do - because you can fall asleep saying your prayers. Yet there is no doubt that prayer strengthens us; it gives us spiritual energy and stamina. It is more important than our daily bread; it is our daily breath!

• The discovery that it doesn't pay. Let us take humility for example. Jesus taught, "Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the Kingdom of God." Here is an extract from what I wrote in my series on the Beatitudes: Forty years ago I conducted a Geography fieldtrip to the Lake District for twenty-five delectable young ladies. For the first two days I led from the front and walked the party vigorously over difficult terrain. At the end of the second day did those girls complain! I set too fast a pace. Those at the back were struggling all the time to keep up. I was a typical man with no feeling at all. It is not really much fun being the only male in charge of twenty-five women! I decided to change my tactics. Next day I led from the rear. In the evening one of the young ladies came up to me and asked, "What was the matter with you today Mr. Reed?" "Nothing", I replied. "Why were you lagging behind?" she persisted. I explained that I was trying to encourage the slow walkers and restore the morale of the party. To my chagrin the girl shook her head sadly and said, "The trouble with you Mr. Reed is that you are getting old." I was in my prime!! There is no glory in coming last.

  The poor in spirit do not show off and they have to pay for it. In, 'War and Peace', Tolstoy describes the modest, little, Russian General Dohturov who was active in the defence of the Motherland during Napoleon's invasion. Dohturov wasn't renowned for making plans of campaign, dashing at the head of regiments, dropping crosses about the batteries or anything else to catch the public eye. He had a reputation for lacking decision and penetration. No one celebrated Dohturov in prose or verse. But throughout the Russian wars with the French the little general was always in command where the position was particularly difficult. Tolstoy shrewdly observes, 'The silence in regard to Dohturov is the plainest testimony to his merits.' If we are poor in spirit there is no great reward for us in this life. See Mt5v3.

  So many Christians ignore Christ's teaching on humility and adopt the tactics of the world which include self publicity and promotion. They pay!

It requires courage, determination, self-discipline and perseverance to stand firm and to hold on. In spite of the difficulties, many have and many do. We are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses. So let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfector of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Heb12v1and2.

(3) Practice the truth.

Paul makes two closely related points:

(a) Christians are beneficiaries of Grace:

The apostle acknowledges what tremendous encouragements the love and grace of both God the Father and God the Son are. As beneficiaries of God's grace in salvation we should have:

• A sense of well being. If a class of children are conscious of the expertise and commitment of their teacher they will be happy in his company. Anyone walking into the classroom will be aware that a truly happy spirit prevails. Surely such should be the case with a church. We are all beneficiaries of God's gift of salvation and we are united by a common admiration for and devotion to Jesus.

• A spirit of gratitude. It is good if this spirit exists in the home - if children are grateful for the love of their parents and a husband is thankful for the love of his wife.

  Surely Christians should be deeply grateful for God's love. This gratitude should sweeten our lives. There shouldn't be any crabby, crusty, grumpy, discontented, disillusioned or disappointed believers. Yet there are! And sometimes I'm found in that number!!

• A gracious and generous spirit. As recipients of God's grace we should show grace. This means treating people in ways that they do not deserve. Christians are pretty good at advocating that men and women should get their just deserts. Right wing Christians are great supporters of law and order.

  We should never forget that God does not treat us as we deserve. Far from it. We would be without hope if he did. It was not easy for God to show us grace. So we shouldn't expect it to be easy to show grace to others. See story on, 'An almost perfect day.'

(b) Christians are beneficiaries of hope.

Our hope of eternal reward should strengthen our resolve to:

• Speak up for Christ. There are just so many ways we can do this. John Bunyan began to think seriously about Christian things after hearing a group of old woman in Bedford discussing God's goodness to them.

  One day I was visiting Cambridge and having coffee in Waterstones with my friend Tommy. As we relaxed over our coffee for some reason or another Germane Greer's name cropped up. Tommy said, "She's done a lot for women."

  I replied, "I don't think so. I hate feminism and all its works. She's done more harm than good. Christianity teaches that in marriage men and women are equal but different. They have different but complimentary roles...." Tommy had heard all this before and gave his customary snort of disgust.

  Suddenly the lady sitting next to us turned round and said to me, "I agree with you."

  I don't know who was more surprised - Tommy or me. Tommy nearly fell off his chair. "Nobody agrees with him," he said.

  The black lady then addressed Tommy, "You will never be truly at peace until God is at the centre of your life. I was like you once; I didn't want anything to do with God. When my sister was converted I was angry. I told myself that I would never believe in God. However one day I was walking up the stairs in my house - on the bottom step I was resisting God but by the time I reached the top step I believed. It changed my life. I would never go back to that life without God. One day you will believe in God, I know you will."

  At this juncture Tommy Bamber thought he would get himself another cup of coffee. The lady then spoke to me, "You pray for him. He will become a Christian if you pray for him. I have been sitting here waiting for someone to speak to about God. I have been praying for someone to speak to about God." She got up, smiled at me, and left.

  When Tommy returned with his coffee he looked at me and said, "Wasn't she a nice lady?" And she was. She witnessed directly and with passion but she was intelligent, articulate, cultured and charming. She was very charming.

  That lady taught me a lesson. She was sitting in a bookshop drinking coffee hoping to find someone to talk to about God. She was praying for an opportunity to witness. I wonder how often we do that? I never do. We read that when Paul and Barnabas were in Iconium that they spoke boldly for the Lord. Acts14v3. Western Christians have almost given up speaking boldly to unbelievers about the Lord. The black lady in Cambridge was an exception. I salute her.

• Do good deeds for Jesus. I know many Christians who demonstrate the reality of their faith by doing good: decorating, gardening, bringing the elderly to church, visiting the sick, taking the old and frail shopping, baby sitting, showing hospitality, household repairs and so on.

  When Christians behave like this they are truly the salt of the earth and their labour will not be be in vain. God is no man's debtor. Jesus said if we give a cup of cold water in his name we will have our reward.