1 Thessalonians 3:9-13
I like the story about the husband and wife that were having a disagreement and she proceeded to tell him, “According to scripture, you have to love me as your wife. If you can’t do that, you have to love me as your sister in Christ. If you can’t do that, you have to love me as your neighbor. If you can’t do that, you have to love me as your enemy. But, one way or another, you have to love me.”
I think most of us can agree that at times it is difficult to love some people. By loving, I don’t mean having warm, fuzzy feelings about a person. I mean loving them in the biblical sense of the word...a self-sacrificing, self-giving love that is primarily characterized by actions more than feelings (1 Corinthians 13). It is a love that is modeled after Christ’s love for us that caused Him to leave Heaven’s glory to come to us that we might have God’s forgiveness and gift of eternal life.
In studying the prayers of the Apostle Paul we learn that one of the things he prayed for other believers was that they would “increase and abound” in love for one another (1 Thessalonians 3:9-11). That is a prayer worthy of praying on behalf of others when we are interceding for them, as well as for ourselves.
Paul had come to Thessalonica after a traumatic experience of persecution in Philippi (cf. Acts 16). In that city he was beaten and thrown into prison for preaching Christ, only to be miraculously delivered. This all resulted in the Philippian jailer and his family coming to faith in Christ.
Paul travelled from there to Thessalonica (Acts 17) and for at least three weeks (or more), reasoned and preached about Christ. Paul again met with stiff opposition and had to quickly leave the city. Because of his sudden departure, all that he wanted to accomplish in grounding these believers in the faith was not completed. As a result, the new believers and this young church weighed heavily on his heart and mind. He was concerned about them continuing with Christ in the face of their ever present opposition and persecution. He desperately wanted to get back to them to further the work God had begun in them and it is the reason he prayed so fervently (3:10) for them, as well.
Soon after leaving Thessalonica, Paul was so concerned about these young believers that he sent Timothy back to the city to check on them and gratefully, he returned to Paul with a positive report that they are continuing to follow Christ (1 Thessalonians 3:2). When he hears this report he rejoices (1:2; 2:13; 3:9) that they have been faithful to Christ. However, he also knows that there are still things “lacking” (needing further development) in their faith (3:10).
Paul prays earnestly that God will allow him the opportunity to return to them, though heretofore he has been hindered from doing so (2:18). And, it will be several years before he is able to return to Thessalonica in person. But, through Paul’s prayers, letters and love for them, he still seeks to confirm them in their faith and provide further spiritual grounding.
In addition to praying that God might allow him to return to Thessalonica, he also asks specifically that they will be filled to overflowing with love for one another and even for their persecutors (3:12b). He knows that people facing great trials need each other, as well as God’s help to not become bitter. The kind of love Paul is praying for them to experience transcends natural, human love and is only produced in the hearts of believers supernaturally by God (3:12a).
Love amongst the people of God is a primary identifier that distinguishes Jesus' disciples (John 13:35). It is not always easy to love some people, but God is the One that can enable us to do so.
Paul spoke about the kind of love that we should be demonstrating in 1 Corinthians 13. Each of the statements in this passage about love relate primarily to actions, not feelings. God wants us to be able to act in “loving ways,” even if when we don’t have “loving feelings” in our hearts.
Obviously, this kind of love can only happen as God enables us and that is why Paul is praying for these believers. He wants them to be able to show love to one another in spite of their present suffering...because they need each other. It is also the remedy for bitterness toward their persecutors.
It is in this environment of love among the brethren that we can be “established...blameless in holiness” (3:13). This holiness is not positional (once for all established at conversion), but progressive (always growing and developing in our spiritual journey) throughout our lives.
Ultimately, as we learn to love one another, we advance in holiness (practically speaking) and become prepared to stand before Christ at His coming as “blameless.” This is when we will hear the commendation of our Lord for having served Him well and for allowing Him to love others through us.
Bring your prayer life to a greater level of maturity by asking...
1. That believers may be strengthened with God’s power on the inner man. (Eph. 3:16)
2. That believers may better grasp the immensity of the love of God. (Eph. 3:17)
3. That believers would mature to the place of Christlikeness. (Eph. 3:19)
4. That God might enable believers to love others as they should. (1 Thess. 3:12-13)
