To Encourage You

2 Thessalonians 2:13-14 “But we ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers beloved by the Lord, because God chose you as the firstfruits to be saved, through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth. To this he called you through our gospel, so that you may obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

In the verses above Paul uses the term “our gospel,” with reference to the good news that he had preached to those in Thessalonica.  It is by this gospel that Paul reminds the Thessalonian Christians that they had been “saved,” “sanctified by the spirit,” “believed the truth,” and “called . . . to obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.”  Such wonderful eternal effects these are from the preaching of the gospel. 

Recently I read a sermon by Charles Spurgeon on this same passage of Scripture. One of the things he says in that sermon is this: “I know that however many may preach the gospel better than I do, there is no one who can preach a better gospel than the one I preach.”  That is so true, and something that every Christian can take to heart.  We have a message, the good news of the gospel, that is the best news that anyone can ever share with anyone.  However inarticulate and inadequate our eloquence, however uneducated, however lacking in financial resources or physical and intellectual talents, we have a message that is the only message that can save the world, and we would be wise to share it as widely and as often as we can.  It’s a message that can free people from sin, death, and hell. As such, the enemy of our souls, who exists only to “steal, kill, and destroy” (John 10:10), will do all in his power to stop us.  He will work to shut us up by intimidation, human laws, persecution, and even death. Because of this, although the message is wonderful beyond compare, it can be difficult one to share. Even Paul, who wrote a major portion of the New Testament and started churches wherever he went in Asia Minor, was opposed on every hand and suffered as much as any other Christian in history for his faith.  Despite the wonderful ways in which he was used by God, Paul warned us to put on the whole armor of God, “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 6:12).  He then talks about putting on such things as “the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, shoes of the readiness given by the gospel of peace, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.” And then he tells us to “keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints.” Paul concludes by asking the Ephesian believers to pray “also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak.” 

So, we should pray for others and ask them to pray for us that we will have boldness to share to most wonderful news that it is possible to share with anyone; the gospel of Jesus Christ. It is the message that can save others, like it has saved us, from sin, death, and hell. But we can be sure in our sharing that the one who would keep others chained in those same things will oppose us to the end.  Yet we should continue to open our mouths and boldly share the gospel, knowing that we can have confidence in the truth that “He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world” (1 John 4:4).

So, have you told anyone the good news of the gospel today?  It’s a message that can save the lives of those who hear.