Thursday 11th May
Read 1 Thessalonians 4:9-12
“Now about your love for one another we do not need to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love each other. 10 And in fact, you do love all of God’s family throughout Macedonia. Yet we urge you, brothers and sisters, to do so more and more, 11 and to make it your ambition to lead a quiet life: you should mind your own business and work with your hands, just as we told you, 12 so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody.” (NIVUK)
After a dire warning (v6-8), much like the pastor to the Hebrews, Paul turns from harsh words to praise and confidence in their faith. But that praise is truly remarkable. It seems as if, in contrast to his ‘words of warning consistently delivered’ (v6), they did not learn their love from the apostle. Sure, Paul and those with him showed them what the love of God looked like, but Paul invents a Greek word to describe the true source of their love.
‘Theodidaktoi’ – ‘taught by God’ or ‘divinely instructed’.
Ponder that for a moment. Their love was taught to them by God himself. Their love was famous throughout Macedonia (v10). Paul doesn’t need to instruct them. There are no words he can add. God himself taught them to love. Against their natures. Imagine that!
It should come as no surprise that God is able to teach them, and us, to love. As John so beautifully and clearly wrote: ‘Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.” (1 John 4:7-8) (NIVUK).
Many consider the words of warning about departing from God’s holiness and truth (v1-8) too great a contrast to Paul’s words concerning God’s love and desire to teach his people to love. But God’s character is not internally inconsistent – he reflects holy love perfectly. If God has given us his Spirit to lead us to holiness (1 Thessalonians 4:8), he has equally given us his Spirit to teach us to love. As John also writes: ‘No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us. 13 This is how we know that we live in him and he in us: He has given us of his Spirit.’ (1 John 4:12-13) (NIVUK)
How good a student of God’s teaching are we?
