6 ¶ And ye became followers of us, and of the
Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost: 7 So that ye were ensamples to all that believe
in Macedonia and Achaia.
There is a great doctrine hidden in this passage in plain sight.
The Thessalonians, on the physical level, received the gospel with, “much
affliction.” Affliction is distress and
suffering.
Genesis 16:11 And the angel of the LORD said unto her,
Behold, thou art with child, and shalt bear a son, and shalt call his name
Ishmael; because the LORD hath heard thy affliction.
Psalm 25:18 Look upon mine affliction and my pain; and
forgive all my sins.
1Thessalonians
3:7 Therefore, brethren, we were
comforted over you in all our affliction and distress by your faith:
Emperor worship became prominent in the first century and
continued. To refuse to acknowledge the emperor as a god or a messiah was
considered unpatriotic. Early Christians refused that honor to an earthly
ruler, unlike American Christians who are always trying to elect a left or
right wing messiah to save them. The Thessalonians would have had great
distress and personal persecution if they had been true to their faith which
Paul is implying here that they were.
To put yourself in their position mentally, just imagine if
you began, because of your faith and not because of your apathy, to refuse to
celebrate patriotic holidays like July 4th, religious holidays that
are not called for as such in the Bible like Christmas, to vote, to say the
pledge allegiance to the flag, to get a marriage license, or any number of
other things that a, “good American,” is supposed to do then you can imagine
the ostracism and alienation you would feel from friends and family. Now, you
say, well it isn’t the same, but it was to the Roman. To the Roman the customs
of reverence and worship of the state, the honoring of gods of everything from
the farmer’s field to the child’s nursery, and the celebration of civic and
religious holidays as a moral duty were part of the cultural fabric that
signified being a good Roman citizen.
Imagine the difficulty you would face if you put Christ
first and brooked no competition between Him versus family and state. At least
you aren’t likely to be arrested and executed for your stubbornness as they
would have been.
However, they received the gospel not only with affliction,
but at the same time, “with joy of the Holy Ghost.” This underscores that for
true, uncompromising Christianity rather than the drivel passed as such in
today’s world, our promises are spiritual, not necessarily physical. We can be
persecuted, even killed for our faith, and have supernatural joy because of
Christ. Just read accounts of the martyrs throughout history.
Today, imagine being a Christian in North Korea, Somalia, Syria,
and Iraq. To not go along with the crowd, to resist the government and the
culture, results in murder, rape, kidnappings, church burnings and a whole host
of evil. Yet, any review of the magazine put out by the organization called The Voice of the Martyrs will show you
how many of these Christians express sheer joy at their faith and in their
distress.
2Timothy 3:12 Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ
Jesus shall suffer persecution.
Romans 5:1 ¶ Therefore being justified by faith, we have
peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: 2
By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and
rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 3
And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that
tribulation worketh patience; 4 And
patience, experience; and experience, hope: 5
And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in
our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.
On the other hand, much of the affliction spoken of by Paul
in the early church had to do with their great poverty and need.
2Corinthians 8:1
¶ Moreover, brethren, we do you to wit
of the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia; 2 How that in a great trial of affliction the
abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their
liberality. 3 For to their power, I bear
record, yea, and beyond their power they were willing of themselves; 4 Praying us with much intreaty that we would
receive the gift, and take upon us the fellowship of the ministering to the
saints.
We have our example of the joy that comes from fulfilling
God’s will in Jesus Christ.
Hebrew 12:2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of
our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising
the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
With obedience to God through Christ comes great
tribulation, affliction, and distress often but also joy in the Holy Ghost
knowing that in doing God’s will and being in God’s will He will lift you up
and you will experience supernatural and unexplainable joy.
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