the acts of the apostles-第50章

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please　God；　so　ye　would　abound　more　and　more。　For　ye　know　what　commandments
we　gave　you　by　the　Lord　Jesus。　For　this　is　the　will　of　God；　even　your
sanctification；　that　ye　should　abstain　from　fornication。〃　〃For　God　hath　not
called　us　unto　uncleanness；　but　unto　holiness。〃

The　apostle　felt　that　he　was　to　a　large　extent　responsible　for　the　spiritual
welfare　of　those　converted　under　his　labors。　His　desire　for　them　was　that
they　might　increase　in　a　knowledge　of　the　only　true　God；　and　Jesus　Christ；
whom　He　had　sent。　Often　in　his　ministry　he　would　meet　with　little　companies
of　men　and　women　who　loved　Jesus；　and　bow　with　them　in　prayer；　asking　God　to
teach　them　how　to　maintain　a　living　connection　with　Him。　Often　he　took
counsel　with　them　as　to　the　best　methods　of　giving　to　others　the　light　of
gospel　truth。　And　often；　when　separated　from　those　for　whom　he　had　thus
labored；　he　pleaded　with　God　to　keep　them　from　evil　and　help　them　to　be
earnest；　active　missionaries。

One　of　the　strongest　evidences　of　true　conversion　is　love　to　God　and　man。
Those　who　accept　Jesus　as　their　Redeemer　have　a　deep；　sincere　love　for
others　of　like　precious　faith。　Thus　it　was　with　the　believers　at
Thessalonica。　〃As　touching

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brotherly　love；〃　the　apostle　wrote；　〃ye　need　not　that　I　write　unto　you：　for
ye　yourselves　are　taught　of　God　to　love　one　another。　And　indeed　ye　do　it
toward　all　the　brethren　which　are　in　all　Macedonia：　but　we　beseech　you；
brethren；　that　ye　increase　more　and　more；　and　that　ye　study　to　be　quiet；　and
to　do　your　own　business；　and　to　work　with　your　own　hands；　as　we　commanded
you；　that　ye　may　walk　honestly　toward　them　that　are　without；　and　that　ye　may
have　lack　of　nothing。〃

〃The　Lord　make　you　to　increase　and　abound　in　love　one　toward　another；　and
toward　all　men；　even　as　we　do　toward　you：　to　the　end　He　may　stablish　your
hearts　unblamable　in　holiness　before　God；　even　our　Father；　at　the　coming　of
our　Lord　Jesus　Christ　with　all　His　saints。〃

〃Now　we　exhort　you；　brethren；　warn　them　that　are　unruly；　comfort　the
feeble…minded；　support　the　weak；　be　patient　toward　all　men。　See　that　none
render　evil　for　evil　unto　any　man；　but　ever　follow　that　which　is　good；　both
among　yourselves；　and　to　all　men。　Rejoice　evermore。　Pray　without　ceasing。　In
everything　give　thanks：　for　this　is　the　will　of　God　in　Christ　Jesus
concerning　you。〃
　　　　The　apostle　cautioned　the　Thessalonians　not　to　despise
the　gift　of　prophecy；　and　in　the　words；　〃Quench　not　the　Spirit；　despise　not
prophesyings；　prove　all　things；　hold　fast　that　which　is　good；〃　he　enjoined　a
careful　discrimination　in　distinguishing　the　false　from　the　true。　He
besought　them　to　〃abstain　from　all　appearance　of　evil；〃　and　closed　his
letter　with　the　prayer　that　God　would　sanctify　them　wholly；

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that　in　〃Spirit　and　soul　and　body〃　they　might　〃be　preserved　blameless　unto
the　coming　of　our　Lord　Jesus　Christ。　Faithful　is　He　that　calleth　you；〃　he
added；　〃who　also　will　do　it。〃

The　instruction　that　Paul　sent　the　Thessalonians　in　his　first　epistle
regarding　the　second　coming　of　Christ；　was　in　perfect　harmony　with　his
former　teaching。　Yet　his　words　were　misapprehended　by　some　of　the
Thessalonian　brethren。　They　understood　him　to　express　the　hope　that　he
himself　would　live　to　witness　the　Saviour's　advent。　This　belief　served　to
increase　their　enthusiasm　and　excitement。　Those　who　had　previously　neglected
their　responsibilities　and　duties；　now　became　more　persistent　in　urging
their　erroneous　views。

In　his　second　letter　Paul　sought　to　correct　their　misunderstanding　of　his
teaching　and　to　set　before　them　his　true　position。　He　again　expressed　his
confidence　in　their　integrity；　and　his　gratitude　that　their　faith　was
strong；　and　that　their　love　abounded　for　one　another　and　for　the　cause　of
their　Master。　He　told　them　that　he　presented　them　to　other　churches　as　an
example　of　the　patient；　persevering　faith　that　bravely　withstands
persecution　and　tribulation；　and　he　carried　their　minds　forward　to　the　time
of　the　second　coming　of　Christ；　when　the　people　of　God　shall　rest　from　all
their　cares　and　perplexities。

〃We　ourselves；〃　he　wrote；　〃glory　in　you　in　the　churches　of　God　for　your
patience　and　faith　in　all　your　persecutions　and　tribulations　that　ye　endure：
。　。　。　and　to　you　who　are　troubled　rest　with　us；　when　the　Lord　Jesus　shall　be
revealed

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from　heaven　with　His　mighty　angels；　in　flaming　fire　taking　vengeance　on　them
that　know　not　God；　and　that　obey　not　the　gospel　of　our　Lord　Jesus　Christ：
who　shall　be　punished　with　everlasting　destruction　from　the　presence　of　the
Lord；　and　from　the　glory　of　His　power。　。　。　。　Wherefore　also　we　pray　always
for　you；　that　our　God　would　count　you　worthy　of　this　calling；　and　fulfill
all　the　good　pleasure　of　His　goodness；　and　the　work　of　faith　with　power：
that　the　name　of　our　Lord　Jesus　Christ　may　be　glorified　in　you；　and　ye　in
Him；　according　to　the　grace　of　our　God　and　the　Lord　Jesus　Christ。〃

But　before　the　coming　of　Christ；　important　developments　in　the　religious
world；　foretold　in　prophecy；　were　to　take　place。　The　apostle　declared：　〃Be
not　soon　shaken　in　mind；　or　be　troubled；　neither　by　spirit；　nor　by　word；　nor
by　letter　as　from　us；　as　that　the　day　of　Christ　is　at　hand。　Let　no　man
deceive　you　by　any　means：　for　that　day　shall　not　come；　except　there　come　a
falling　away　first；　and　that　man　of　sin　be　revealed；　the　son　of　perdition；
who　opposeth　and　exalteth　himself　above　all　that　is　called　God；　or　that　is
worshiped；　so　that　he　as　God　sitteth　in　the　temple　of　God；　showing　himself
that　he　is　God。〃

Paul's　words　were　not　to　be　misinterpreted。　It　was　not　to　be　taught　that　he；
by　special　revelation；　had　warned　the　Thessalonians　of　the　immediate　coming
of　Christ。　Such　a　position　would　cause　confusion　of　faith；　for
disappointment　often　leads　to　unbelief。　The　apostle　therefore　cautioned　the
brethren　to　receive　no　such　message　as　coming　from　him；

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and　he　proceeded　to　emphasize　the　fact　that　the　papal　power；　so　clearly
described　by　the　prophet　Daniel；　was　yet　to　rise　and　wage　war　against　God's
people。　Until　this　power　should　have　performed　its　deadly　and　blasphemous
work；　it　would　be　in　vain　for　the　church　to　look　for　the　coming　of　their
Lord。　〃Remember　ye　not；〃　Paul　inquired；　〃that；　when　I　was　yet　with　you；　I
told　you　these　things？〃

Terrible　were　the　trials　that　were　to　beset　the　true　church。　Even　at　the
time　when　the　apostle　was　writing；　the　〃mystery　of　iniquity〃　had　already
begun　to　work。　The　developments　that　were　to　take　place　in　the　future　were
to　be　〃after　the　working　of　Satan　with　all　power　and　signs　and　lying
wonders；　and　with　all　deceivableness　of　unrighteousness　in　them　that
perish。〃

Especially　solemn　is　the　apostle's　statement　regarding　those　who　should
refuse　to　receive　〃the　love　of　the　truth。〃　〃For　this　cause；〃　he　declared　of
all　who　should　deliberately　reject　the　messages　of　truth；　〃God　shall　send
them　strong　delusion；　that　they　should　believe　a　lie：　that　they　all　might　be
damned　who　believed　not　the　truth；　but　had　pleasure　in　unrighteousness。〃　Men
cannot　with　impunity　reject　the　warnings　that　God　in　mercy　sends　them。　From
those　who　persist　in　turning　from　these　warnings；　God　withdraws　His　Spirit；
leaving　them　to　the　deceptions　that　they　love。

Thus　Paul　outlined　the　baleful　work　of　that　power　of　evil　which　was　to
continue　through　long　centuries　of　darkness　and　persecution　before　the
second　coming　of　Christ。　The　Thessalonian　believers　had　hoped　for　immediate
deliverance；

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now　they　were　admonished　to　take　up　bravely　and　in　the　fear　of　God　the　work
before　them。　The　apostle　charged　them　not　to　neglect　their　duties　or　resign
themselves　to　idle　waiting。　After　their　glowing　anticipations　of　immediate
deliverance　the　round　of　daily　life　and　the　opposition　that　they　must　meet
would　appear　doubly　forbidding。　He　therefore　exhorted　them　to　steadfastness
in　the　faith：

〃Stand　fast；　and　hold　the　traditions　which　ye　have　been　taught；　whether　by
word；　or　our　epistl