The Helplessness of Man's Self-Guidance
1 Thessalonians 3:11-13
Now God himself and our Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, direct our way to you.…


A merchant, though he owns the ship, and hath stored it with goods, yet, because he hath no skill in the art of navigation, he suffereth the pilot to guide it. Certainly we shall shipwreck ourselves unless we give ourselves up to be guided by the Spirit of God according to His will.

(T. Manton, D. D.)Just as if a master, who had given his scholar charge to follow wheresoever he might lead, when he sees him forestalling, and desiring to learn all things of himself, should permit him to go utterly astray; and when he had proved him incompetent to acquire the knowledge, should thereupon at length introduce to him what he himself has to teach: so God also commanded man in the beginning to trace Him by the idea which the creation gives; but since they would not, He, after showing by the experiment that they are not sufficient for themselves, conducts them again unto Him by another way.

( Chrysostom.)



Parallel Verses
KJV: Now God himself and our Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, direct our way unto you.

WEB: Now may our God and Father himself, and our Lord Jesus Christ, direct our way to you;




St. Paul's Prayer for His Converts
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