Declare the Truth Boldly out of Love
1 Thessalonians 2:1-12
If God has entrusted you with the Truth of His Gospel, then speak it boldly and live like you are His.
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#gospel
#speaktruth
Published June 25th, 2016
Meditation
Phrase
notes
Meditation
I have very little patience with pastors and other church leaders who preach a "watered down gospel" for fear of offending some congregation members. In this passage Paul teaches that those who have been entrusted with the truth of the Good News should boldly declare it, in spite of opposition. We, who have heard and believed the Gospel message, must love our fellow man/woman enough to tell them the unadulterated version.And we have to share the gospel for the sole purpose of pleasing God - not to make money, not to make a name for ourselves, not to appease the easily offended! We are all broken and need to be fixed. Only God through Jesus can fix us. That's the truth the world needs to hear, but too many preachers avoid the topic of "sin" and "judgment", preferring to paint a picture of a benevolent God who looks more like a magic genie than the Living God.
Phrase
editing
NT
1 Thessalonians 2:1-12
esv
Declare the Gospel Boldly
Speaking the Truth in Spite of Opposition
For you yourselves know, brothers,
to you
Locative
that our coming ... was not
Content
in vain.
Purpose
But though we had already suffered
Concessive
and been shamefully treated
at Philippi,
as you know,
Explanation
we had boldness
in our God
to declare to you
of God
Producer
the gospel ...
in the midst
of much conflict.
Speak to Please God
Speak the Truth from Pure Motives
For our appeal does not spring
from error
Source #1
or impurity
Source #2
or any attempt to deceive,
Source #3
but
just as we have been approved
Example
by God
Agency
to be entrusted
with the gospel,
so we speak, ... to please God
who tests our hearts.
not to please man, but
Negative
For we never came
Ground
with words
Content #1
of flattery,
Attributive
as you know,
nor
with a pretext
Content #2
for greed—
God is witness.
Nor did we seek glory
from people,
Source #1
whether from you
Source #2
or
from others,
Source #3
though we could have made demands
as apostles
of Christ.
Possessive
Share the Gospel and Yourself
Be as Loving and Nurturing as a Newborn's Mother
But we were gentle
among you,
like a nursing mother
taking care of her own children.
Manner
being affectionately desirous
of you,
Objective
So, ... we were ready to share
with you
Reference
not only the gospel
of God
but also our own selves,
because you had become very dear to us.
For you remember, brothers, our labor
and toil:
we worked night and day,
that we might not be a burden to any
of you,
Epexegetical
to you
while we proclaimed ... the gospel
Temporal
of God.
Walk Worthy of God
Exhort and Encourage As a Caring Father
You are witnesses,
and God also, how holy
and righteous
and blameless was our conduct
toward you believers.
For you know how,
like a father
with his children,
Accompaniment
we exhorted each one
of you
Partitive
and encouraged you
and charged you
to walk
in a manner worthy
of God,
who calls you
into his own kingdom
Destination #1
and glory.
Destination #2
phrasing
Comments
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