“For you yourselves know, brethren, that our coming to you was not in vain. But even after we had suffered before and were spitefully treated at Philippi, as you know, we were bold in our God to speak to you the gospel of God in much conflict. For our exhortation did not come from deceit or uncleanness, nor was it in guile. But as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, even so we speak, not as pleasing men, but God who tests our hearts.” 1 Thessalonians 2:1-4.
Many of us can become quite discouraged when we are railed upon by someone who hates Christ, or does not, “Want your religious stuff shoved down our throats.”
Very often this can happen when we just offer them a Christian tract (a short pamphlet with a gospel message), or quote a Bible verse; then, bang, they go off the rails.
A simple, “No thank you” would suffice, but there are a lot of people out there who know that Christians are supposed to, “Turn the other cheek”, so they use that as an excuse to be rude.
But always remember my friends the demonic is behind this opposition at all times. So pity is what you should feel rather than anger or embarrassment when confronted in this manner.
The Apostle Paul encountered this sort on his journeys and the account of Philippi is specifically mentioned here (see Acts 16:11-40).
Incidentally the book of Acts reads like a novel; if you just want to sit and read a book, I recommend this one.
The point here is that instead of giving up, they moved on. Not just moved on, but persevered, even when met with more vicious opposition at Thessalonica; “…we were bold in our God to speak to you the gospel of God in much conflict.”
“For our exhortation did not come from deceit or uncleanness, nor was it in guile.” 1 Thessalonians 2:3.
“For our exhortation…” according to the lexicon, the word, exhortation in this verse means; persuasive discourse, stirring address – instructive, admonitory, consolatory; powerful hortatory (urging to some course of conduct or action – encouraging) discourse.
In short exhortation can be taken as a persuasive discourse which includes all of these things.
“For our exhortation did not come from deceit or uncleanness…” the word deceit can be defined as meaning error as in this verse, even though it is often used to mean an intentional effort to deceive someone.
Uncleanness means, impure motives. Any stupid – hell bound con artist knows that inventing a false religion is the quickest and easiest way to fulfill all of their lusts, whether for sex, money, or power. All they have to do is face an afterlife in the lake of fire for eternity.
Unfortunately many of the folks who reject Christ because of these hypocrites will spend all of eternity with these same hypocritical miscreants.
“…nor was it in guile” again, according to the lexicon, means; a lure, snare; hence craft deceit. Has the idea of drawing someone out with a hook.
“But as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, even so we speak, not as pleasing men, but God who tests our hearts.” 1 Thessalonians 2:4.
This is a truly important point to be taken by all who give out the gospel of Jesus Christ; as we hear, we speak, kindly, tactfully, yet not watering down the truth.
The Apostle Paul was unquestionably approved by God, and entrusted with the true gospel.
“To me, who am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to make all people see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the ages has been hidden in God who created all things through Jesus Christ; to the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places, according to the eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through faith in Him.” Ephesians 3:8-12.
“For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast of, for necessity is laid upon me; yes, woe is me if I do not preach the gospel! For if I do this willingly, I have a reward; but if against my will, I have been entrusted with a stewardship. What is my reward then? That when I preach the gospel, I may present the gospel of Christ without charge, that I may not abuse my authority in the gospel.” 1 Corinthians 9:16-18.
“…even so we speak, not as pleasing men, but God who tests our hearts.” 1 Thessalonians 2:4b.
God tests the hearts of all men, even the apostles.
When it comes to mankind and the sin nature which still works evil within us even after salvation in Christ; all of mankind prophet, apostle, pastor, teacher, or the day to day Christian that you meet on the street is in a constant battle with it.
This following portion from Romans 8:5-8 concerns this battle within the Christian.
“For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God.” Romans 8:5-8.
For the Christian to become more spiritually minded there is a simple idea that is difficult to employ yet very effective in overcoming the desires of the flesh, “You can feed the flesh and starve the spirit, or you can feed the spirit and starve the flesh.”
Feeding our fleshly lusts is simple; starving them is quite something else. But you are not alone; the Apostle Paul fought the same battle. This is one reason, “…God tests our hearts.”
“The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it? I, the Lord, search the heart, I test the mind, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.” Jeremiah 17:9-10.
The above two verses go together, never separate them.
“But the Lord said to Samuel, ‘Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have refused him. For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.’” 1 Samuel 16:7.
“O Lord, You have searched me and known me. You know my sitting down and my rising up; You understand my thought afar off. You comprehend my path and my lying down, and are acquainted with all my ways. For there is not a word on my tongue, but behold, O Lord, You know it altogether.” Psalm 139:1-4.
“For the ways of man are before the eyes of the Lord, and He ponders all his paths.” Proverbs 5:21.
“…even so we speak, not as pleasing men, but God who tests our hearts.” One last thought on verse four before moving on.
When giving out the gospel, “…we speak, not as pleasing men”, it is God whom we serve, and it is God whom we please; this is done by telling those around us what God wants us to tell them, not what we think we should tell them either to flatter or to win support.
The politically correct crowd would not have us offend anyone by speaking of hell, eternal damnation, or of Christ being the only way to heaven.
“Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.’” John 14:6.
“He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.” 1 John 5:12.
“He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.” John 3:36.
“Look to Me, and be saved, all you ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is no other.” Isaiah 45:22.
Nor would they have us speak out against any of their sacred cows, in fact they are making it illegal to criticize many things which are blatantly sinful. But that is not what Scripture tells us, is it “…we speak, not as pleasing men, but God who tests our hearts.”
“And you, son of man, do not be afraid of them nor be afraid of their words, though briars and thorns are with you and you dwell among scorpions; do not be afraid of their words or dismayed by their looks, though they are a rebellious house. You shall speak My words to them, whether they hear or whether they refuse, for they are rebellious.” Ezekiel 2:6-7.
Not in Vain, 1 Thessalonians 2:1-4 taken from godisrevealed.com posted on 8-31-13, updated on 12-23-20.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version, copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission, all rights reserved.