The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Thessalonians — Section 74

Ver. 8.-Bt. Paul's devotion to his converts. I. A PIOTUBB o:r CHRISTIAN LOVJ:, St. Pnul is intensely devoted to his converts. Their prosperity is his life, their unfaith- fulness hie death. Love of the brethren is a conspicuous feature in the early Ohristian character-more conspicuous than, alas I it is in the modem Church. An apostle felt more than a brotherly love for the Churches he had planted. Hie affection was that of a father for hie children. 1. Christianity promotea care for other,. It is directly opposed to a self-seeking exclusiveness as much in spiritual as in worldly affairs. As it bide a man not simply care for the enriching of himself with material wealth, so it equally forbids him to seek only for the saving of hie own soul. The Ohurch of Christ is always required to have in view the object which Ignatius Loyola propounded as the great end of the society of the Jesuits when he wrote, "The end of this society is not only, with the grace of God, to devote ourselves to the salvation and perfection of our own souls, but also, with the same Divine gra.ce, to labour most earnestly for the salvation and perfection of our neighbour." 2. Christianity bind~ Ohriatian, together in close bonds of affection. This is its aim, and this is what it does when unhindered by culpable selfishness and coldness. The gospel introduces a new experience into the world. Christian love is quite unlike pagan friendship, being (1) broader; (2) deeper, founded on spiritual union; and (3) warmer. II. AN INDUCEMENT TO CBBISTIAN FIDELITY. 1. The induce=t iafirst direct and persooal. St. Paul urges the Thessalonians to be steadfast because he feels his own life to be wrapped up in their fidelity. For his sake, if not for their own, he desires them to resist the temptations that are trying them. No doubt so devoted and affec- tionate a man as St. Paul would be able to bring great weight of persuasion to bear on hie converts by this appeal to their consideration for their spiritual father. A similar influence may be helpful now. If we know one who has laboured, prayed, and watched for our soul, surely the desire not to grieve him at the last by proving all his toil to have been in vain should be a motive for profiting by it. The scholar should feel th1111 towards his teacher, the child towards his Christian mother; above all, every one of 118 towards Christ, that his work may not be in vain-tbat,_after all he has suffered for 111, he should not be made to suffer by us. 2. FU'l"ther, the inducement ia general lffltl inferential. If the steadfastness of the Thessalonians was a matter of such profound concern to St. Paul, it must have been of great importance in itself. Here ia a strong reason for not thinking lightly of Christian fidelity. An apostle feels that he lins in the faithfulness of his converts. How supremely necessary must that faithfulness be for them I how supremely necessary must it ever be for the Church! III. AN EXAMPLE roB CeRISTIAN woBJL The Church at Thessa.lonica. was faithful. St. Paul was not disappointed in his friends. The secret of this steadfastness may be seen in the spirit of the apostle. He was no perfunctory preacher. Not only was bis heart in his work ; his heart was with the people to whom he ministered. Their faithfulness and failure were questions of life and death to him. The servant of Christ has here an example of supreme interest. Learning, eloquence, holiness, zeal, all fail without love. The preacher who identifies himself with his people ia the most succeas- ful in winning them for Christ.-W. F. A. Ver. 12.-The increaN of love. I. THE INOBEASE OF LOVE IB THB J'IBST El!8ll:l!ITU.L OF CHRISTIAN PROGRESS. St. Paul sets it first and by itself as the root and secret of the blameless holiness before God which he regards as the great consummation of perfection. The Church has too often disregarded this primary note of progress, preferring growth in knowledge, enlarged activity, and more extended influence in the world. But it needs to be Heen that the one measure of spiritual prosperity is the degree in which love abounds. The reasons for this honouring of Ohristian love are apparent. 1. LOIJtl i, the most like God, of all human ea:periences. We are nearest to God when we love one another most. 2. Love is the most fruitful grace. It does most good to the world and inspires the best service of God. 3. Love is the foundation of all other graca. It opens the eyes of knowledge, and kindles the ardour of zeal, and inspires the life of aith, and breathes holiness into the soul. II. 'l'HIB INCREABJI: OF LOVE MUST BE IN-EX'l'ENT AS WELL A.8 Ill JllTENlllTY. It la not enough that we have a very warm, passionate devotion if this is confined to • llKl'OW clrole. Ons of the molt Important features of Christian lon, in contradi1tinotiat • SU  n THE FIRST EPISTLE TO THE THESSALONIANS. [ea. m. 1-13,