BY THE LATE REV. ALEXANDER GUNN, WATTEN, CAITHNESS.
Delivered on 6th July, 1890.*
(Taken verbatim by a hearer, and hitherto unpublished.)
“Knowing, brethren beloved, your election of God. 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. And ye became followers of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost. So that ye were ensamples to all that believe in Macedonia and Achaia. For from you sounded out the word of the Lord, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith to God-ward is spread abroad; so that we need not to speak anything. For they themselves show of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God; and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.” I THESS. i., 4-10.
I MAY say that the Apostle, in this Epistle to the Thessalonians, gives us a picture of what the Church of Christ ought to be—abounding in faith and in good works, striving to spread abroad the kingdom of God among the surrounding nations. In the foregoing verses, which we were considering last Sabbath, the Apostle gives thanks to God for the work of saving grace that was wrought in the hearts of the Thessalonians, remembering their “work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope” in God in the midst of many trials; and from these fruits that appeared in them he observes their eternal election of God to grace and glory—to life everlasting. A tree is known by its fruits, and the tree of God’s election is known by its fruit. It cannot be a barren tree; it must of necessity bring forth the fruits of righteousness, just as the Church of the Thessalonians did. This is shown in the fifth verse—that the Word of God in the hand of the Holy Spirit came with such saving power into their hearts as to give evidence that they were truly partakers of grace, and of the graces of the Holy Spirit, namely, faith and hope and love—the powerful work of the Gospel in the heart and life.
I say that in these things the riches of the soul consist. The soul that has these graces and fruits is rich towards God. It was generally in those times the poorest of the people that became converts to Christianity, and no doubt this was the case in regard to most of these Thessalonians—they were among the poorest of the people; as the Apostle James says, “God hath chosen the poor of this world, rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him.” All are on a level before God. There are neither rich nor poor, high nor low, because all are infinitely below Him. Usually the Church of Christ is made up for the most part of the poor rather than of the rich. The rich have so much to take up their hearts, and so much to take them away from religion. But the lot of man is well balanced upon the whole; the poor have their drawbacks, and so have the rich. But I say in these graces of the Holy Spirit the riches of the soul consist. They came from the electing love of God, and they call for continual thanksgiving, such as Paul offers here to the Lord for the grace he witnessed in the Thessalonians.
Now, my friends, there must have been very clear evidence of the truth and reality of the religion of these Thessalonians to draw forth from such a man as Paul such strong commendations as he here gives them. He was not a man to give praise where it was not deserved. He might say as Elihu said to Job, “I know not how to give flattering titles to men.” There is no false praise here, strong as the commendation is. Self-flattery and flattery of others usually go together, and they were never more abundant than in the present time. You can hardly take up a magazine or paper, religious or otherwise—and, indeed, I would say, especially religious magazines—but you will see very exaggerated praise given to very ordinary men, so that we might be tempted sometimes to think that these magazines were written by a mutual admiration society. But, my friends, where the grace of God is in the heart it will modify and subdue, and it will mortify and destroy the disposition either to give or receive flattery. It is a dangerous thing to give, and a dangerous thing to receive, but the grace of God will certainly deliver men from it. Paul’s praises, therefore, were not empty compliments to the Thessalonians. They proved in their Christianity and conduct the reality of true religion, and, indeed, Paul was moved by the Holy Ghost to declare this of them, and, therefore, there could be no mistake. There is no Church that received from Paul more commendation than that of the Thessalonians.
The Apostle says in the fourth verse: “Knowing, brethren beloved, your election of God.” How did he know that? Well, he tells us. Because of the assured faith with which they received the Word, “in power and in the Holy Ghost.” “For our Gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance.” That was one proof of their election of God. “No man can receive anything except it be given him from above.” It was an evidence that they had God’s effectual call when they inclined their heart to receive the truth as it is in Jesus; and another proof of their election was this, that the Word had become the rule of their conduct. In the sixth verse he says: “And ye became followers of us and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction with joy of the Holy Ghost.” What are we to understand by that—”ye became followers of us and of the Lord”?
Well, there appear to be two things implied in it. The first is, that they made a public profession of Christ—a public profession that they had received Christ, and received the doctrines of the apostles as the true doctrines of Christ—the only means of salvation. They renounced all the foolish opinions of the heathen around them, and joined themselves to Christ. He says in the second chapter: “Ye became followers of the Church of God, which in Judea are in Christ Jesus,” for they had united themselves publicly to the Church of Christ. This is what Christ requires of all Christians, of all His followers. “Whosoever, therefore, shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.” And, again, in the eighth chapter of Mark: “Whosoever shall be ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him also shall the Son of Man be ashamed when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.” Thus every Christian is bound to make a public confession of Christ. Now, my friends, lay this to heart. There are some whom I would wish to see making a public confession, but they do not do it. Another meaning we may take out of the words, “Ye became followers of us and of the Lord,” is that they followed the Apostles, not merely in making a profession, but they followed them in their life and conversation also. They followed them in holiness, while formerly they followed the devil, the world, and the flesh, being led away by divers lusts, hateful and hating one another, with their lives opposite to God and His ways. But now there was an entire change, and they became followers—or as the word is more literally rendered “imitators”—of the Apostle, and not of the Apostle only, but also of Christ, as Paul says in one place: “Ye became followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.” Even the apostles and prophets are not primarily examples of Christianity. Christ Himself is the great example; you must look to Him who has left us a pattern. We can only follow holy men so far as we see they follow Christ, for the Word says: “Whom he did foreknow, them he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son.” The apostles themselves were not blameless. You see how that Paul says he withstood Peter to the face because he was to be blamed. “There is not a just man upon the earth that doeth good and sinneth not.” Now, this following implies a new heart and a holy affection—an affection set on things above, not on things on the earth. It manifests itself in a holy life and actions, and in a cleaving to the commands of God and the ways of God, through the power of the Word, coming from the hand of the Holy Spirit with much assurance into the heart. That was the way in which the Thessalonian believers were regenerated and renewed, and made to lead such lives as were exemplary to all around them.
Now, this profession and following of the apostles on the part of the Thessalonian believers were in spite of “much affliction” and much opposition. If a man sets his face resolutely to follow that which is good, he may certainly look for opposition in some shape or another from the devil, the world, and the flesh. The devil stirred up much opposition to the Thessalonians when they began to lead holy lives. He stirred up much persecution and affliction from the heathen around them, and more especially from the Jews. The Jews were scattered abroad over all Asia Minor at this time, and they were the most deadly enemies of all to the Christians. As we see in the second chapter of this Epistle: “For ye also have suffered like things of your own countrymen, even as they (the Churches in Judea) have of the Jews: who both killed the Lord Jesus and their own prophets, and have persecuted us; and they please not God, and are contrary to all men: forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they might be saved, to fill up their sins alway: for the wrath is come upon them to the uttermost.” The Jews were given over of God now, and were established in all quarters as the most determined enemies of Christ and Christianity. And they have ever continued in that state for 1800 years, for in their synagogues every Friday Christ is publicly cursed by their priests.
Persecution from men, incited by Satan, in all ages has been the lot of Christ’s Church and of those who embraced the truth. And it is a great evidence of a man’s sincerity that he is ready to endure persecution for his profession, and to bear the cross for Christ’s sake. So it showed the sincerity of the Thessalonians. That was one clear and convincing evidence of Paul’s assurance of their election of God. Persecution followed the first planting of the Church of Christ everywhere, as you see in the case of the apostles. The more so was the case at the Reformation, when the Gospel was planted first in Europe, or rather the second time, because it was planted first by Paul in Philippi and Thessalonica. But it dwindled away, and was almost quite dead at the time of the Reformation in the 16th century, and then great and sore persecution was raised up. And, my friends, the reason why we have less persecution now may be that the character of the modern Church is not so decided and steadfast as was the Christianity of the earlier Church, and that it is more in conformity with the world and its opinions and practices. I think that is one great reason why the Church of Christ is comparatively free from persecution. For the Word says: “All that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution”; and that Word cannot be broken. If the Church would live a more godly life, there would be more persecution. And another reason why there is no persecution is that there is so much lukewarmness.
The Thessalonians endured much persecution, and not only did they endure it, but they endured it with joy, and it was not merely joy, but joy of the Holy Ghost. And Christ Himself says: “Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely for my sake. Rejoice and be exceeding glad, for great is your reward in heaven.” Thus the Thessalonians looked to Him for their reward, and believed that there was a good time coming for them, although they had an evil time now. That was the work of faith. And we find various instances of the same thing in the Church of Christ, for Paul says to the Church at Rome: “And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also, knowing that tribulation worketh patience, and patience, experience, and experience, hope”; and of the Hebrews: “Ye took joyfully the spoiling of your goods, knowing in yourselves that ye have in heaven a better and an enduring substance.” That was the reason why they rejoiced, because they looked forward to “the recompense of the reward.” Christ also says that all the sufferings of believers for the truth would turn unto them for a testimony. “These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple: and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them. They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat. For the Lamb, which is in the midst of the throne, shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of water; and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.” They were willing to bear the cross for Christ, and to bear it joyfully. Now, this is a picture for the true Christian Church, and it is recorded for our instruction and imitation that we may “be followers of them who, through faith and patience, inherit the promises.”
There is another evidence of their election in the seventh and eighth verses. They “sounded out the word of the Lord.” What does that mean? It means that the Church of Thessalonica was an active, energetic missionary Church, for they “sounded out the word of the Lord, not only in Macedonia and Achaia.” That was an evidence of the truth of their religion. And it is one of the chief duties of the Church of Christ, as we see from Christ’s parting command: “Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature” (Mark xvi. 15). “Go ye, therefore, and teach all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost; teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you; and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world” (Matthew xxviii. 19, 20).
There was great missionary zeal in the first and second centuries. Those that were scattered by the persecution that arose in Jerusalem went everywhere preaching the Gospel. It appeared as if at first they were too much disposed to stay at home and were lacking in enterprise and enthusiasm. And how did God deliver them from this snare? He sent persecution among them. Everywhere there were great persecutions. For the first two hundred years (A.D.), every man that was caught and proved to be a Christian was sure to be thrown to the lions in the amphitheatre at Rome. There thousands and tens of thousands were murdered because they were Christians. Those who escaped were scattered abroad throughout the whole world, and some, it is believed, came as far as Scotland preaching the Gospel, and to the extremes of the Roman Empire, in order to hide themselves from the wrath of the Emperor. Then, again, there came a time when the Church was very much at rest. They became rich and wealthy, and became worldly and carnal and proud and covetous, until the true Church almost died out. Then there was an awakening in the fifth and sixth centuries, especially in Scotland and Ireland, and parts of France. Patrick, Columba, Gregory, and others, were truly zealous men who spent their lives in devotedness to the Church of Christ, and spread the Church, having been remarkably successful in their labours. There was a wonderful blessing which accompanied the labours of Patrick and Columba. Columba not only planted the greater part of Scotland with preachers, but even went as far as Orkney and Shetland. Then, again, there was a great revival in the middle ages, at the time of the Reformation. They were very zealous then. And from the beginning of the present century, the Church has been awakening more and more to its duty as a missionary Church, to a great extent in America, as well as in Britain. And among many shortcomings, there is this token for good, that the number of missionaries and the amount of contributions to missionary work are yearly increasing. But O how short does the whole Church of Christ on earth come of her duty in this respect! We are told that the whole amount of money contributed for missionary work throughout the world does not exceed two millions of money in one year, and that the amount spent in Great Britain alone in intoxicating liquor in the same time is one hundred and fifty millions. This is a sad disproportion—£2,000,000 spent in spreading the kingdom of Christ, and the greater part of £150,000,000 in spreading the kingdom of Satan. O what need there is for a time of revival from on high!
Now, there were other Christian Churches in Macedonia before the Church of Thessalonica, for Paul planted a Church in Philippi, and a very large Church it was, and there were other younger Churches, but they were not alive to their missionary duties. The Lord then sent a special time of zeal and devotedness to the Thessalonian Church, and that was the means of quickening the zeal of the others. The Thessalonians were not only examples of Christianity to the heathen population around them, but they helped greatly to quicken the ardour of older Churches than themselves, so that their zeal provoked many. The work of God’s grace was so manifest in them, that it commanded the respect of all the Churches around.
How, still further, did the work of grace show itself? It did so, not merely by outward profession, not merely by the observance of religious ordinances and talking about religion. No; there may be much of that, and much outward profession, without any grace. It showed itself by the patient endurance of affliction and by undaunted suffering for the cause of Christ and obedience to the Gospel, like Moses, who chose rather to suffer affliction for the cause of God than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season, and forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king. That is the example of grace which the Thessalonians followed, and by their steadfastness, zeal, well-doing, and self-denying labours through much tribulation, they spread the gospel of Christ among the surrounding nations.
These things, it would appear from what the Apostle says here, were so manifest, that when he came to other places, he found that the good report of the Thessalonians had always got before him. He did “not need to speak any thing” in their favour, for in every place their “faith to God-ward is spread abroad;” so that we need not to speak anything. For they themselves show of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God; and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come. Oh what a good report there would be of a Church, if every member was a missionary! But oh, my friends, see what a lack of zeal has come upon the Church of Christ, and upon nations that are called Christian nations. Paul says in his epistle to the Romans, “that when the Jews went among the Gentiles, the name of God was profaned.” They brought an evil report upon the Jewish religion because of their ungodly lives, and caused the name of God to be profaned among the heathen. And that is much the same way with a multitude of the people of Britain when they go abroad. The Indian missionaries in their reports tell us that the ungodly lives of British officers is one of the chief hindrances in India to the spread of the Gospel. And the same is more or less the case in all British colonies. The same is also true of the greed of British merchants. Many of them are sending shiploads and shiploads of rum and gin into Africa, and are doing their utmost to make the poor African nation drunkards. And what can be thought of Christian men who send cargoes of opium to China, notwithstanding the remonstrance of the Chinese government, for their debasing and ruining the souls and bodies of multitudes of the people.
What a contrast the Church of Thessalonica was to this! Their whole efforts were directed to the good of their fellow creatures, to the spread of the Gospel of Christ among them, to the saving of their souls, and to the glorifying of God by living holy lives. The testimony borne by all around them to the grace and Christian zeal of the Thessalonian believers, was an evidence of what Paul here says of them, and what they themselves showed. What did they show? They showed the power with which Paul had preached the Gospel. When he was in Asia, he beheld in a vision a man of Macedonia inviting him to come over to Europe and help them. He came over first to Philippi, where Lydia and many others were joined to the Church. But the people rose up against him—the heathen incited by the Jews, perhaps—and he had to leave Philippi. Then he came to Thessalonica, and the Word was accompanied by much of the power of the Holy Ghost, so that we are told that some of the Jews were converted to Christianity, and of the devout women not a few. That was the founding of the Church of Thessalonica. These things were known to all the Churches, and they indicated the authority and power of the Apostle, and were a great cause of thankfulness, and the means of quickening the zeal of the Churches. And they were not only a great testimony to the Apostle, but also an evidence of the almighty power of the Gospel, then accompanied by the blessing of the Holy Spirit, to awaken men altogether, and to make them holy, and new creatures in Christ Jesus.
“And how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God.” There, see the wonderful change that was made; they “turned to God from idols.” Idolatry was deeply engrained in them. They were trained up for many generations in the practice, and they were remarkably devoted to it. I have often been struck in reading Herodotus with the fact that no Greek ever engaged in any public business without first sacrificing to the gods. That was their invariable practice, and any man who neglected the worship of their gods was looked upon as an infamous person, with whom no one should hold any acquaintance. O what a reproof they are to professing Christians! And what a reproof also the Papists are! You find Christian churches almost empty, and the Popish churches overflowing. None of them ever think of neglecting the church. The same is the case on the Continent. In many Protestant churches in Berlin and Hamburg, there will be only a few women, while the Popish churches are comparatively crowded. It shows that, whatever kind of religion they have or not, they are in earnest, and it shows on the contrary, the practice of professing Christians, that they are not in earnest, when they forsake, as so many do, the assembling of themselves together. They “turned to God from idols” when they received the gospel in faith, and shook off all their connection with idolatry, in spite of their education and life-long universal custom, and in spite of the commands of their laws, and the influence that it had been having on them from childhood. But this what the Lord promised would take place: when the Spirit of the Lord would come, He would utterly abolish the idols. And this is the universal result where the gospel comes with power. Thus, in the South Sea Islands, they made a bonfire of their idols, and if we had the same Christianity, we would do like them. We would say, “What have I to do any more with idols?”
“To serve the living and true God.” Now, a man may turn from his evil practices, and yet may not turn to God. For instance, the drunkard may turn from his drunkenness, and yet be far from God and as graceless as ever. But these Thessalonians turned from idols to serve the living and true God. We read of some that were like a deceitful bow; they turned from their former practices, but they did not turn to God. The Thessalonians turned to give Him both their outward and inward reverence, worship, and obedience, and without this, men may change their habits, but they do not change their master. The devil is still their ruler. A man may hate and forsake the superstition and foolishness of his former ways, and yet remain a child of the devil, destitute of the living God.
Another effect of the gospel received in faith was this: “To wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.” Their great business was to serve God, to wait for His Son, to serve Him here that they might enjoy Him hereafter. They looked to the endless happiness of eternity, that eternity which awaits all who serve God. They looked to Christ’s second coming, to Christ as their deliverer from the wrath to come, and to the resurrection of Christ as the bridge to life everlasting.
Now, my friends, what lessons are here for us! Oh what important lessons! One of them is this. Every sinner needs the same change as that which came over the Thessalonians. Sinners need to receive the true grace of God, the gospel of Christ, in such a way as shall turn them from their idols to the service of the living and true God, and to wait for His Son from heaven. God calls us to this: “Turn ye, turn ye, why will ye die?” Then do you, like the Church of old, turn all His commandments into prayers; and when He says, “Turn ye, why will ye die?” say in reply, “Turn thou me, and I shall be turned; turn away my eyes from beholding vanity, and turn my heart from sin, from the world and from all idols, to serve the living and the true God, and to have the blessed hope of waiting for Christ’s second coming, as Christ has already a people, who shall come to Him as a willing people in the day of His power.” Let each seek the Lord while He may be found, and call upon Him while He is near. “Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him, and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon.”
* This is a discourse by the second Mr. Gunn of Watten, who was over 80 years old when he delivered it. He died on the 14th December, 1892, in the 83rd year of his age, and 55th of his ministry.—Ed.
The Happy Hindoo.
The Rev. Eustace Carey, from India, relates a pleasing anecdote of a native Christian whom he was called to visit. Inquiring as to the state of her mind, she replied, “Happy! happy! I have Christ here,” laying her hand on the Bengalee Bible; “and Christ here,” pressing it to her heart; “and Christ there,” pointing towards heaven. Happy Christian! to whatever part of the universe she might be removed, the Lord of the universe was with her, and she was secure of His favour.