We’ve just started studying Paul’s letter to the church of the Thessalonians in our small group, now in our third week. Paul has just told them how he thanks God for them, and then gives a few reasons why. If you want to read what he has to say about them, you can do that here.
In studying it, I came upon these thoughts from A. R. Buckland in his commentary, written in 1908, and thought they were appropriate yet today for each of us to ask about ourselves.
“Well might all to whom the Gospel has come inquire of their hearts how far the Thessalonian traits are their own.”
- Have they, too, definitely broken with the past—turned from the old idols?
- Have they given themselves to full service with the new Master?
- Are their lives—apart from their words—of advantage to anybody?
- Are other people helped by their example?
- Do they consciously ‘wait for’ the Lord ‘from heaven?’
- Are the people round about them, in their own Macedonia, witnesses of their consistency and zeal?
- Has their zeal borne fruit farther afield?
- Has it?
It’s worth the self-evaluation, don’t you think?
