A little while ago, I produced a verse by verse series in Philippians. I really enjoyed that exercise and have been wondering if I should take on another book. Well it turns out that 1 Thessalonians is the victim of my machinations, and hopefully, the thoughts produced by this fantastic book will edify and encourage the reader.

As with Philippians I am going to limit each post to one verse, and hopefully produce a short, succinct read for my friends who follow.

1 Thessalonians 2:3 For our appeal does not spring from error or impurity or any attempt to deceive,

Error

It has been s few weeks since we spent some time in 1 Thessalonians, so it may be wise to remind ourselves that Paul is in the middle of responding to the slurs and slander being slung around in the sanctuary.

Enough of the alliteration!

He was addressing the claim of those in the church that were charging multiple offences against the apostle, before his very church! In our last verse he spoke of his defense against the implication of his previous suffering. If he suffered under the authority of the city of Philippi, he surely was not to be listened to. Dang – he was “corrected” by the city government of Philippi when they put him to the rods!

For our verse this morning, he again speaks out against the enemies of the church by bringing to light a claim against him associated with the message he brought them. Specifically, the claim he is addressing is the moral character of the content of his message.

Impurity

First off, Paul speaks of his exhortation, his message to the Thessalonians as an encouragement, a supplication and of a persuasive discourse. This exhortation of pleading with the Thessalonians brings to mind a messenger that seeks the best for others, and has the best on intents.

But the detractors are not spreading a message of Paul seeking the best for the church. They are claiming that Paul’s message is sourced of impurity.

What is Paul speaking of? Is it that they claimed he was in error, that he simply was deceived? This would be a very effective claim since all intuitively knows that nothing pure can come from the impure. If this claim of those in the church stuck, Paul’s gospel becomes polluted, and is not to be trusted.

Attempt to decieve

But the detractors were not done. Paul goes on to to add the defense that his message of the gospel did not spring from any attempt to deceive.

Both of these claims center around error or deception.

The first speaks of Paul as impure, possibly unknowing of his error, teaching what he thinks is true, but because he is impure, the message is impure. His intent may be good, but because he is mistaken, his message is wrong.

This claim is attacking Paul’s attempt to deceive. It is as though Paul knows the truth, but decides to lie to the Thessalonians for some hidden reason.

That simply doesn’t make sense, and as we follow the Lord, we too will come up against inconsistencies of the enemies of the gospel over and over again.

Let me try to explain.

Paul has just suffered in Philippi, having been beaten by the rod, humiliated, and run out of town. He enters Thessalonica, and a crowd erupts in anger against him. He again is rejected by the masses, having to abandon those few that believed his message of a rejected and crucified Savior.

If his message is fueled by deception, where is the gain for this apostle? Why? If he is wrong, or his intent in delivering a message is to deceive, why go through all the trials and troubles he has went through.

The very claim of his being a deceiver, or of being deceived has to pass one sniff test. There are other tests of course, but for this short verse we are addressing the claim of deception in Thessalonians.

What is the sniff test?

Why suffer for a lie?

His detractors are silent in this regard! They wouldn’t suffer for their message. As a matter of fact, their message is compliant with the enemies of the cross. They are towing the line of the world in fighting against God and his Savior! No suffering for them. They have picked their camp!

But Paul knows the truth and in spreading the truth, he is attacked, defamed and tore down by those who fight against God. Paul experiences a constant barrage of pain and trial, yet he stays the course, holding desperately onto the truth, for in a world of detractors dealing in deception, Paul found his only sanity in looking to the way the truth and the life!

It is true for us today also. Look to the truth of Jesus, and detractors will come. But Jesus is the truth. Trust Him only.

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