Chasing Truth™: Read the Bible Cover to CoverSample

Splendid Faith

1 Thessalonians 1:1-10

First Thessalonians is one of my favorite books in the Bible. It’s one of those very powerful letters that provides extremely important instructions to believers in our generation. Chapter 1:1-10 is a good example. In these verses, the Apostle Paul rejoices about the believers. They had splendid faith and opened their hearts so widely to Christ that people everywhere were talking about it (1 Thessalonians 1:8a). They trusted God. Paul says that they leaned into God with their entire being (verse 8b). Also, the Thessalonians looked forward to Christ’s return from heaven (verse 10). 

It’s not that living this way came easy to the Early Church. It was very hard to be a Christian in their time. Persecution caused the apostles to endure outrageous treatment to bring the good news of salvation to these places. 

As women in our era, it benefits us to stop a moment and use the Thessalonian “filter” to evaluate our current responses to God. Ask, “Am I splendid in my faith? What kind of entrance does the Gospel have in my life? Do I lean in to God wholeheartedly? Am I totally sold out? Do I look forward to Christ’s return? Am I willing to suffer for the gospel?” The answers serve as a good test for our spiritual temperature.

In Christianity, we are to love God “all in”—heart, mind, soul and strength. The Early Church of Thessalonians understood this and did so. As a result, Thessalonica prospered and remained a strong Christian city for many generations. We can pray for the Father to fill us with His Holy Spirit, so we can be strong like the Thessalonian converts.