The apostle, Jew as he was, addresses these Gentiles as his brethren, and represents them as the objects of Divine love. "Knowing, brethren beloved of God, your election."

I. THERE IS AN ELECTION ACCORDING: TO GRACE.

1. The election referred to here was not an election to external privilege or ecclesiastical relationship; for that might have had a very uncertain issue, and would not have been the subject of such abounding thankfulness as he expresses in this passage.

2. It was not even the call to obtain glory, which they had received through his gospel (2 Thessalonians 2:13, 14); for the election only realized itself in that call, Scripture always distinguishing the order of election and calling. "Whom he did predestinate, them he also called" (Romans 8:30).

3. Much less is the election to be identified with regeneration, conversion, or faith. These were its effects.

4. It was an election to eternal life, involving all the various processes of his grace. (Romans 11:5.)

(1) It is an election in Christ (Ephesians 1:4).

(2) It is irrespective of merit (Romans 9:11).

(3) It is through faith and the sanctification of the Spirit (2 Thessalonians 2:13).

(4) It is to eternal glory (Romans 9:23).

II. THE KNOWLEDGE OF THIS ELECTION IS A POSSIBLE AND AN ACTUAL EXPERIENCE. The apostle's knowledge was not derived from special revelation, neither was it the mere credulity of a kindly charity, "hoping all things" in the absence of evidence. It had a double ground - one subjective and the other objective; one based upon the apostle's conscious experience in preaching the gospel, the other upon their practical and hearty reception of the truth.

1. The subjective evidence. "For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance."

(1) It did come in word, for it was conveyed to the Thessalonians in human speech, albeit not "in the enticing words of man's wisdom," but it passed beyond the word. It did not merely sound in the ear nor touch the understanding.

(2) But it came in power - on the part of the preachers with an overwhelming force and persuasiveness, so that "the faith of the people should not stand in the wisdom of man, but in the power of God" (1 Corinthians 2:5). There was a conscious abounding energy which carried them beyond themselves, with an overmastering conviction that they would prevail.

(3) It came also "in the Holy Ghost," or, as the apostle elsewhere phrases it, "in demonstration of the Spirit and of power" (1 Corinthians 2:4). The Word would otherwise have been a dead letter and a killing letter, but the Spirit gave it life. The power of the gospel, therefore, was due to the efficient operation of the Spirit.

(4) It came also "in much assurance," not on the part of the Thessalonians, but on the part of the preachers of the gospel, who were fully convinced of its truth, and had thorough confidence in its power.

(5) This subjective evidence was confirmed by their own recollection of the three preachers of the gospel - "As ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake." The Thessalonians would have a very vivid recollection both of the preaching and the preachers. The three brethren were conspicuous by their holiness, their zeal, and their interest in the welfare of the Thessalonians. This was no self-flattery, for it was confirmed by the knowledge of their converts.

2. The objective evidence of their election. "And ye became imitators of us, and of the Lord, having received the Word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost." Their ready imitation of the apostle and his colleagues - which was, in truth, an imitation of Christ, so far as they were connected with him in his life and truth - was a practical proof of the sincerity of their conversion. The imitation was manifest in the spirit and circumstances of their reception of the truth.

(1) The truth was received "in much affliction." The history of their conversion confirms this statement (Acts 17:5, 9). But the persecution continued after the departure of the apostle. The gospel had its drawbacks, but the Thessalonians were steadfast in their allegiance to the truth.

(2) Yet it was received "with joy of the Holy Ghost;" that is, the joy that springs from his presence in the soul. They were thus imitating that apostle who "took pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake" (2 Corinthians 12:9, 10). The joy in question is

(a) a fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22);

(b) it is essentially connected with the kingdom of God as part of its blessedness (Romans 14:17);

(c) it is capable of increase through the very presence of affliction (Acts 5:41);

(d) it is the strength of the believer - "The joy of the Lord shall be your strength" (Nehemiah 8:10);

(e) its advent marks a distinct change in the world's history;

(f) it ought to be constant (Philippians 4:4);

(g) it is maintained through abiding in Christ (John 15:10, 11). - T.C.

I. THE ELECTION "of God" is not connected with "knowing" nor "election." The meaning is that the Church was "beloved" of God, not merely of the missionaries. And the proof of their being the subject of the Divine love is their election. This election was their historical selection out of the Western World to be the earliest European recipients of the gospel. The narrative in Acts 16:6-10 is expository of it. The missionaries' course was narrowed off from this and that place until the vision of the man of Macedonia. Thessalonica being the chief city of Macedonia, the vision was a declaration of the election of its inhabitants. The term "election" is a rare one in Scripture, and is absent, except in this case, from all Paul's earlier Epistles. It had been used of Paul to Ananias in reference to his own similar selection: "He is a vessel of election unto Me." In both cases it means selection for privilege, and therefore for service. The same election is ceaselessly seen — one nation, city, family, individual, called before another. Many perplexities gather round the subject, and its ultimate solution is to be found in the Divine sovereignty alone. Often, however, the thing is clear. Here, e.g., there was a fitness in the choice of Thessalonica as a centre for Christian influence (ver. 8). Thessalonica was a great emporium of commerce by sea. It lay also on the line of one of the great Roman roads. Cicero describes it as "placed in the bosom of the Roman Empire."

II. THE GROUNDS OF THE APOSTLE'S KNOWLEDGE OF THIS ELECTION were —

1. Subjective — on his part.(1) "Our gospel," a phrase implying —(2) Heart possession of it. "I believed, therefore have I spoken." This is the first prerequisite of a faithful ministry. As Melanchthon used to say to his students, "It is the all thy house shall be saved." These words were proclaimed by the apostle's lips. Human instrumentality is employed in what is in the strictest sense God's work. But often it is in "word only." Even from the lips of Christ the message fell ineffectual, and Paul has his share in this. But it was far different here.(3) This gospel came "in power" — not miraculously, but persuasively. It was no cold, formal performance of duty, but in a very exceptional degree heart work.(4) It was therefore "in the Holy Ghost." The presence and energy of the Divine Spirit were recognized by Him. His utterances were more than the struggles of an earnest human spirit; they were the winged words of the Spirit of Truth.(5) Hence it came "in much assurance," i.e., in the firm conviction that his message was from heaven, and that it was not in vain (1 Corinthians 2:1-5). So he knew from within himself that they were "appointed unto salvation." From this we may gather —(a) Every minister feels sometimes powerless, unaided by the Spirit, and oppressed with doubt. In such a case he is bound to search for causes in his own heart. But he is also entitled to look without; to trace the cause of his own feebleness in the apathy of the people. He may even, after the example of Paul, conclude in some cases from this ineffective preaching that they are not the chosen people of God. Pulpit and pew react on each other. "Like people, like priest."(b) The apostle appeals to their knowledge of his bearing and conduct as well as his words. Personal influence is far more direct and effective than official. Truth must be taught by example as well as precept. An infidel once said to Fenelon, with whom he had been residing: "If I stay here any longer I shall become a Christian in spite of myself."(c) This bearing was not self-interested, but for their sakes, as every minister's should be.

2. Objective — the eager joyfulness with which the Thessalonians received Paul's preaching. The two grounds cannot be separated. The first could be no safe evidence without the second. Their having been chosen of God is shown by their having chosen God's gospel (1 Thessalonians 2:13). It became theirs as well as Paul's. They became followers, i.e., imitators, of Paul and Christ. How? Not in their reception of the truth. In this they might be imitators of Paul, but not of Christ, who was the Truth. The point of imitation is the joyful endurance of suffering. Paul preached the gospel "in much affliction with joy of the Holy Ghost," as Christ had wrought it out: "Who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross." In this sphere of trial, and of spiritual joy in the midst of it, Christ and His apostles and people are at one. Embracing Christ entailed suffering; but sorrow from without could not destroy inward joy. Afflictions come from men, but joy from the Holy Ghost. The gospel cannot be received without joy. Paul, then, would encourage them to greater endurance still, by his grateful recognition of this evidence of their election.

(J. Hutchison, D. D.)

I. THE WORD OF GOD COMING HOME WITH POWER. The power of the gospel —

1. Does not lie —(1) In the preacher, otherwise men would be the converters of souls.(2) Nor in the preacher s learning, or it would consist in the wisdom of men.(3) Nor in the preacher's adaptation to his work; that is a secondary agency, not the cause.(4) Nor in the pathos the preacher may employ. People may weep at a theatre. No, there is something more wanted. A half-drunken man said to Rowland Hill, "I am one of your converts." "Yes," said he, "I dare say you are one of mine; but if you were one of God's, you would not be in that state."

2. It does lie in the power of the Holy Ghost.(1) Did you ever — never mind where — in listening to the Word, feel a Divine power coming with it? Not an impression — that may be wiped out — but a power convincing of sin, making you tremble under it, and then wooing you to Christ, in whom you believed and then became a changed man?(2) And since that has the Word rebuked you, filled you with God's love and light and joy, and desire after holiness? If not, you lack a proof of your election. Not that it will be so every time, for the preacher is not always in a fit frame.

II. RECEIVING THE WORD WITH MUCH ASSURANCE — not full assurance; that comes afterwards. There are some people who play fast and loose with principles; put a hymn book in their pockets when they are going to meeting and a song book when they are going somewhere else. They can hold with the hare and run with the hounds. Such people have never much confidence in their religion: and it is very proper that they should not, for their religion is not worth the time they spend in making a profession of it. But the true Christian, when he gets hold of principles, keeps them. His religion is part of himself. He believes the truth, not because he has been taught it, but because it is true to him; like the servant girl who, when she could not answer her infidel master, said, "Sir, I cannot answer you, but I have a something in here that would, if it could speak." Now, if you have received the gospel with much assurance, you can say, "Christ is mine. I know that Christ is precious, not by 'Paley's Evidences' or 'Butler's Analogy,' but by my heart's inward evidence, the analogy of my soul's experience." If you can say that, whether you believe the doctrine of election or not, you are one of the elect.

III. BECOMING FOLLOWERS OF US AND OF THE LORD; by which the apostle does not mean that they said, "I am of Paul, I of Silas, I of Timothy." No, they imitated them so far as they imitated Christ. Are you Christ-like, or do you want to be? Can you forgive your enemy, love him, and do him good? Are you prayerful as Jesus was? If a man follow not Christ, whatever he may say about election he is not the Lord's.

IV. ENDURANCE OF AFFLICTION WITH JOY.

(C. H. Spurgeon.)

A man of colour who had received the gospel became a preacher among his black brethren. He was addressed on one occasion by his master in these words: "And so I hear that you have become a preacher, Sam, and that you believe in the doctrine of election." "Well, yas, sah, I believe dat truth is clearly revealed in the Word of God." "And I suppose, Sam, that you think that you are one of the elect." "Well, sah, I'se prepared to say dat I gib all diligence to make my calling and election sure, dat is true." "But I suppose you don't think that I am one of the elect," said Sam's master. The sable preacher gave an answer that is worth quoting. Sam knew his master was given to the pursuit of pleasures, money, and the service of sin. Very quietly he replied, "Well, massa, I am not sure about that; dis I know — I nebber knew of an election whet' dar was no candidate."

(H. Varley.)

An Arminian being about to pay a Calvinist a sum of money, asked, "Is it decreed that I shall pay thee this money?" "Put it in my hand, and I will tell thee," was the reply. Is it not to be wished that many professors of religion would infer their "election of grace" by their actual possession of grace?

(New Testament Anecdotes.)

Henry IV, King of France, was in every point of view a great man. It is said that on an anniversary of his birthday he made the following reflection: "I was born on this day, and, no doubt, taking the world through, thousands were born on the same day with me; yet, out of all those thousands, I am probably the only one whom God hath made a king. How peculiarly am I favoured by the bounty of His providence!" But a Christian, reflecting on his second birth, may, with greater reason, adore the free and sovereign grace of God.

The way by which the apostle knew the election of the Thessalonians must be the method by which we are to know ours. We have known some men who pretended to know their election by their impudence. They had got into their head the presumption that they were elected, and though they lived on in sin, and still did as they liked, they imagined they were God's chosen. This is what I call presuming upon election by sheer impudence. We know others who have imagined themselves to be elect, because of the visions that they have seen when they have been asleep or when they have been awake — for men have waking dreams — and they have brought these as evidences of their election. They are of as much value as cobwebs would be for a garment, and they will be of as much service to you at the day of judgment as a thief's convictions would be to him if he were in need of a character to commend him to mercy. You may dream long enough before you dream yourself into heaven, and you may have as many stupid notions in your head as there are romances in your circulating libraries, but because they are in your head they are not therefore in God's book. We want a more sure word of testimony than this, and if we have it not, God forbid that we should indulge our vain conceits with the dainty thought that we are chosen of God. I have heard of one who said in an ale house that he could say more than the rest, namely, that he was one of God's children; meanwhile he drank deeper into intoxication than the rest. Surely he might have said he was one of the devil's children with an emphasis, and he would have been correct. When immoral men, and men who live constantly in sin, prate about being God's children, we discern them at once. Just as we know a crab tree when we see the fruit hanging upon it, so we understand what spirit they are of when we see their walk and conversation. "Without holiness no man shall see the Lord." If we are God's elect, we shall have some substantial evidence to attest it.

(C. H. Spurgeon.)

Paul, Silas, Silvanus, Thessalonians, Timotheus, TimothyAchaia, Macedonia, ThessalonicaBeloved, Brethren, Brothers, Choice, Chosen, Conscious, Dear, Election, God's, Loved, Marked, Purpose1. The Thessalonians are told both how mindful of them Paul was in thanksgiving, and prayer;
5. and also how well he was persuaded of the truth and sincerity of their faith and conversion to God.

1 Thessalonians 1:4

     7142   people of God, NT

1 Thessalonians 1:2-5

     3221   Holy Spirit, and prayer
     6639   election, to salvation

1 Thessalonians 1:4-5

     4804   breath
     5109   Paul, apostle
     6670   grace, and Holy Spirit
     7125   elect, the

A Summary of Experience and a Body of Divinity
In those days there was a good deal of practical atheism abroad, and therefore the wonder was not so much that men left their idols, as that they turned unto the living God. It became a matter of talk all over the city, and the Jews in their violence helped to make the matter more notorious; for the mobs in the street and the attack upon the house of Jason all stirred the thousand tongues of rumour. Everybody spoke of the sudden appearance of three poor Jews, of their remarkable teaching in the synagogue, …
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 30: 1884

The Beginning of the New Testament
[Illustration: (drop cap T) Coin of Thessalonica] Turn to the list of books given in the beginning of your New Testament. You will see that first come the four Gospels, or glimpses of the Saviour's life given by four different writers. Then follows the Acts of the Apostles, and, lastly, after the twenty-one epistles, the volume ends with the Revelation. Now this is not the order in which the books were written--they are only arranged like this for our convenience. The first words of the New Testament …
Mildred Duff—The Bible in its Making

The Christian Church
Scriptures references: 1 Corinthians 3:11; 3:6-9; Colossians 1:18; Acts 2:47; Ephesians 5:23-27; Matthew 16:16,18; 18:17; Acts 5:11,12; 13:1,2; 14:23; 16:5; 1 Corinthians 11:18-34; 12:28-31; 1 Thessalonians 1:1; 2:14; 1 Timothy 3:15; Hebrews 12:22,23; Revelation 1:4,11,20; 2:7,11; 22:16; 22:12-15,17. THE FOUNDATION OF THE CHURCH What is the Christian Church?--One of the best definitions is as follows: "The church consists of all who acknowledge the Divine Lord, Jesus Christ, the blessed Saviour …
Henry T. Sell—Studies in the Life of the Christian

Of Love to God
I proceed to the second general branch of the text. The persons interested in this privilege. They are lovers of God. "All things work together for good, to them that love God." Despisers and haters of God have no lot or part in this privilege. It is children's bread, it belongs only to them that love God. Because love is the very heart and spirit of religion, I shall the more fully treat upon this; and for the further discussion of it, let us notice these five things concerning love to God. 1. The …
Thomas Watson—A Divine Cordial

Christ's Exaltation
'Wherefore God also has highly exalted him, and given him a name above every name, &c.' Phil 2:2. We have before spoken of Christ's humiliation; we shall now speak of his exaltation. Before you saw the Sun of Righteousness in the eclipse; now you shall see it coming out of the eclipse, and shining in its full glory. Wherefore God has highly exalted him;' super exaltavit, Ambrose. Above all exaltation.' Q-28: WHEREIN CONSISTS CHRIST'S EXALTATION? A: In his rising from the dead, his ascending into …
Thomas Watson—A Body of Divinity

The Christian's Hope
Scripture references: 1 Timothy 1:1; Colossians 1:27; Psalm 130:5; 43:5; Proverbs 10:8; Acts 24:15; Psalm 71:5; Romans 5:1-5; 12:12; 15:4; 1 Corinthians 9:10; Galatians 5:5; Ephesians 1:18; Philippians 1:20; Colossians 1:5; 1 Thessalonians 1:3; 2:19; Titus 1:2; 2:13; 3:7; Psalm 31:24; 71:14,15. HOPE IN THE PRESENT LIFE That which a man ardently hopes for he strives to realize. If he desires fame, office or wealth he will seek to set forces in motion, here and now, which will bring him that which …
Henry T. Sell—Studies in the Life of the Christian

Man's Misery by the Fall
Q-19: WHAT IS THE MISERY OF THAT ESTATE WHEREINTO MAN FELL? A: All mankind by their fall lost communion with God, are under his wrath and curse, and so made liable to all the miseries in this life, to death itself, and to the pains of hell for ever. 'And were by nature children of wrath.' Eph 2:2. Adam left an unhappy portion to his posterity, Sin and Misery. Having considered the first of these, original sin, we shall now advert to the misery of that state. In the first, we have seen mankind offending; …
Thomas Watson—A Body of Divinity

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