The qualities of a model church: (Chap.1)
A father took his son to a large city museum, thinking that the visit would entertain the boy. But in two hours the boy got bored and in desperation he said to his father, “Dad, let’s go someplace where things are real!”
Some people feel that way when they read the Bible. They think they are in a religious museum, looking at ancient artefacts that have no meaning for life in today’s scientific world. But they are wrong. No book published has more meaning for our lives, and more relevance to our problems, than the Bible. William Lyon Phelps who is the Yale’s most inspiring professor once said: “I believe a knowledge of the Bible without a college course is more valuable than a college course without a Bible.”
Paul says: “For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope” (Rom.15:4).
Now let us look at the 5-qualities of a model church from which the believers can learn a lot and examine themselves.
I. An energetic church: (1:1-3):
Paul, Silas and Timothy gave thanks to God for the believers in Thessalonica. The Thessalonica was a constant source of joy to them. These believers showed their gratitude under severe conditions and served as models for all Christians. They had turned to true God from idol worship.
We can list out 3-characters in verse-3:
- Faith produced true repentance to turn them from idol worship to true and living God.
- Of course many of the Christians today do not worship idols, but still some of us have some sort of superstitions and traditions. We need to renounce them.
- Their labour prompted by love for Christ. They served the living and true God in the midst of severe persecution.
- This is a rare virtue in many of the Christians today. Many people fear of coming to the church because they do not want to disclose to others. Sometimes a small problem in their lives make them to go away from Church.
- They had the endurance to bear patiently under heavy load of persecution and trials, because they were inspired by hope in Christ. This is the hope required for every believer. If our hope is lost everything is lost.
These 3-virtues produced praises and their behaviour has been changed. When they heard the Gospel, they heard, they believed and lived in it with the hope that one day the Lord will come and take back with the elect Christians. This has given Paul and his companions a real impetus to thank the Lord profusely.
A true church is distinguished by these 3-virtues viz. Faith, hope and love. Every Christian without exception is a believer, a lover and a hoper, because of these are the evidences of regeneration.
- A true faith in God leads to works and faith with works will achieve the purpose.
- A true love for people leads to labour for them otherwise it would simply end as a sentimentality.
- A true hope in God leads to endurance, which develops patience in the face of opposition and persecution and also patiently wait for the return of the Lord Jesus Christ.