The Scheme for March – April can be found here
Deut 20-22; 1 Thes 1-2; Psalm 119:113-128
Twice in these opening chapters of the first letter to the Thessalonians, Paul speaks of the imitation of these Christians of the way of life of the Apostles as the confirmation of their election. This Imitation is no mere copying though, throughout it is tied to their reception of the Holy Spirit. The word is not merely received, i.e. agreed to, no it comes with the Spirit and power that lives are transformed.
This aspect of conversion is more and more neglected in an age where faith is a matter of believing certain facts. A Sign of our elcetion, that the Gospel has gone home is that our lives are transformed more and more into the likeness of Christ, and that change brings with it persecution. Christian Life is not socially acceptable, for it calls the world to something New – to change.
The further emphasis on the word as being more than a message to be ‘believed’ is found as St Paul speaks of the ministry of himself and his companions amongst those at Thessalonica. He begins (2:1-7) by saying that they have spoken in such a way not as to win approval from men, as in the same way he speaks of bringing the gospel to Corinth. The words are not cover for something else, there is no flattery, no pretext for greed. The Apostles do not seek anything for themselves through the ministry. We might, were we to stop half way through verse 7, imagine Paul go on to say that they proclaimed the truthful word. We might imagine how we are commended to Truthfully proclaim the word, in and out of season – but at this point Paul changes the reminder of their mission to the words – ‘we were gentle’ amongst you, like a nurse tenderly caring for her own children. So deeply do we care for you that we were determined to share with you not only the gospel of God, but also our very selves . . .’
Paul’s model for evangelism is not ‘pure proclamation’, but the vulnerable an gentle sharing of lives. A model I suspect we have largely forgotten in the years since this the earliest account of Christian witness was written.
the elves are heading west 
I agree whole heartedly. We live in a time when many believe all you have to do is “ask Jesus into your heart” without any real understanding of the Gospel, conviction of sin, or repentance. Genuine salvation will be evidenced by a growing understanding of those things and by a changed life. Thanks for speaking the truth.
Thank you for your gracious words Donna
In a sense our conversion is a life long journey, ever deeper into the life of Christ – as St Paul would have it, ‘from one degree of glory to another’?
I must admit that I find the language of ‘inviting Jesus into my heart’ troublesome.
Firstly, insofar as it is from Scripture, it comes from the letter to Laodicea – it is a Rebuke to a church, a reminder that it is always the church which needs to fully hear the gospel.
Secondly in reality it is not that we need Jesus to step into our lives – for he has already done this in the Incarnation. Rather the call to conversion is to step into His Life, into the LIfe which his resurrection has let loose in the world – ‘Follow me’ is the Gospel invitation.
Grace and Peace to you
Eric