THE WORD, THE POWER, THE HOLY GHOST, AND ASSURANCE

1 Thess. 1:5

Morning Meditation 11/30/14

"For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance; as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake."

Paul is reminding the Church at Thessalonica what his approach to them was when he came to their city with the gospel of Jesus Christ. He uses the term "our gospel" and in this he is reminding them of the gospel which he preached. There were a large group of false teachers in that day preaching a false gospel. The false teachers gospel was not the simple gospel that Paul preached. Paul defines the gospel which he preached as being the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ (1 Cor. 15:1-4). He tells the Churches of Galatia that if anyone adds anything to the definition of the gospel he renders it null and void and completely ineffective to save a lost soul (Gal. 1:6-10).

Paul says that the gospel he preached was not "in word only." It was not just the right words. Now before we go further let me say that it could not come without words. There is no interpreting of Scripture, no preaching of the Gospel, no hearing of it without words. But if it stops there it comes dangerously short of being the saving Gospel.

He says it came to you, not only in words, but also in power. The word power is the translation of the Greek word "dunamis" which means, "inherent power." The gospel is the power of God unto salvation. Paul makes a good commentary on this statement in 1 Corinthians 2:1-4, "And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified. And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling. And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: (Same word dunamis)."

Paul here sets forth the truth that one can be right in the words he says but with wrong results. There must also be the power of God present in our preaching.. The same power that raised Lazarus from the dead, raises men from spiritual death, when they hear the gospel preached in power, and they mix their personal faith with the truth of it.

This gospel that changed the lives of those in Thessalonica was not only true in its theological content, it was not only preached in power, it was accompanied with the Holy Ghost. Many think that power and the Holy Ghost are the same. But they are both used in the same verse. They are not the same but they work to the same end, i.e., the salvation of those who repent and receive the gospel with a believing heart.

There is one other thing that is a must if one is truly saved that Paul mentions here. He says, "For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance. . ." There is no joy in our Christian experience if there is no assurance. Assurance is the matter of knowing that you are saved. The Bible is clear to those who have a believing heart and come before the Scriptures and let them speak. Be still and listen to what God says: 1 John 3:2, "Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall (not might) be like him; for we shall see him as he is." (Parenthesis mine).

1 John 5:13, "These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God."

May the Lord bless these words to our hearts.

In Christ

Bro. White