Week 15, Day 3: Attitude Toward God’s Word

Today’s Reading:  1 Thessalonians 3:1-4:18

Some thoughts from yesterday’s reading…

Paul praised the Thessalonian brethren for having the proper attitude toward the word of God.  He told them in 1 Thessalonians 2:13 that he thanked God for them because they received the word of God as just that–His word.  They did not think of it as the word of men, or the traditions of men.  Understanding that it was the word of God caused them to be obedient to what it said.  Having this proper attitude allowed the word to work effectively in them, transforming them into the kind of people that they should be.

It was through that word of God that the people in Thessalonica were able to become imitators of the churches of God that were in Judea (the place where the church had first been established, 1 Thessalonians 2:14).  It is interesting that Paul was praising the church in Thessalonica for being imitators of the first churches established.  In essence, the point seems to be that the word of God will make churches that are very much alike.  In function, and in practice, the churches of the first century were the same.  Having the same set of rules certainly would make the churches the same.  Think of how every football game is played the same way.  It is because it has the same rule book.  The church also has only one “rule book” and that is the word of God.

Today, there are many who believe that the word of God is just a set of recommendations, and general instructions, rather than a book of requirements.  However, if that were the case, then how could the churches in Thessalonica be imitators of those in other places?  Paul, as he wrote to the Corinthians, stated that he taught the same things to all the churches (1 Corinthians 4:17).  If we realize that the instructions for every single church  were the same, then it should not be surprising that churches function the same ways.

Churches today have the same teachings as the church in Corinth, the church in Thessalonica and the churches of Judea.  God’s word reveals to us what He wants us to do, and how He wants us to do it.  If we follow the word revealed by God, then we too will be imitators of the churches of Judea.  But, we have to have the right attitude toward the word of God.  It is the authority for all that we believe and practice.  If we stray beyond the revealed word, we can have no way of knowing that our practice is acceptable to God.  So, we must get rid of all the teachings of men, and listen to only the word of God.  If we accept it as authoritative (as the word of God) then we will not argue with it, and we will submit to every bit of instruction that we find.

We, as Christians today, can also thank God without ceasing for our brethren that have the proper attitude toward the word of God, causing them to be faithful and develop churches that are in accordance with His will.