Thessalonians Study

This is a wonderful Epistle. Thessalonica lies the northern reaches of the Aegean Sea. This city became the capital of Macedonia and enjoyed the status of a "free city" which was ruled by its own citizenry. It also became known as " the mother of all Macedonia". The population back then in Paul's day reached 200,000 people.

When Paul came to this city the first time, he got into some dialogue with the local jews so he could teach them. He started with the OT concerning Christ's death and resurrection in order to prove that Jesus of Nazereth was truly the promised Messiah. The great part here is that some people.. some Jews, believed! and soon after, Hellenistic proselytes ( The proselytes were converts from heathenism to Judaism. In ancient Israel the gerim, or "strangers," were a class possessing a special status and belonging to another race which had for some reason entered the land of Israel and placed themselves under the protection of its people ) and also some wealthy women (Acts 19:29) became converted! And because Paul's ministry was effective, the Jews had Paul's team evicted from the city, so they went south to Berea (Acts 17:15,15) and then timothy was sent back to Thessalonica. After Timothy,Slivlanus rejoined Paul in the Corinth (Acts 18:5), then he wrote 1 Thessalonians in response to Timothy's good report of the church.

Now this right here should make everyone want to read this Epistle! It also tells me that the road is narrow to heaven. We have some converted, but no, not everyone. 

I still to this day check my own self for my salvation that it be real. How do i know personally? I see the holy spirit working in me, be it through learning, chastising, drawing me to a certain way of repentence. Even through the chastising, (when i know its going on) i will stop and be glad that the work is still going on in me.(though its not fun in this flesh of mine) I still find joy and it and it makes me Thank our Lord for not abandoning me. ( Though i so deserve to be abandoned)

May God bless you today and bring you closer to Christ our Lord.