Stand Firm in the Gospel

In the time of turbulence, Paul exhorted a young church in Thessalonica to stand firm and hold on tight: “So then, brothers, stand firm and hold on to the traditions that you were taught by us, either by our spoken word or by our letter.” (2 Thess. 2:15 ESV) Paul taught them in person; now he taught them through his letters. In 1 Thess. 2:17 ESV, Paul said, “But since we were torn away from you, brothers, for a short time, in person not in heart, we endeavored the more eagerly and with great desire to see you face to face.” He then sent Timothy to them (1 Thess. 3:1-5), and Timothy returned with the good news of their spiritual condition (1 Thess. 3:6-10). Paul and the Thessalonians were separated in distance, but not in spirit. Paul’s heart was attached to the Thessalonians. Paul ministered to them in person or through another person; he also ministered to them in his letters.

“The traditions that you were taught” refers to the fundamental teachings of Christian faith that are consisted of three things: the basic gospel message (His death and resurrection; see 1 Cor. 15:3-4); a balanced worshipping church, such as preaching the Word and performing sacraments (e.g. the Eucharist and baptism); and the basic rules of Christian behavior (e.g. love).[1] How important it is to get back to the fundamental teachings and lay a firm foundation on those teachings. “We do not move on from the Gospel. Instead, we move on in the Gospel, for its depths are unfathomable and its implications for life and teaching are innumerable.”[2] In other words, we can never grow out of the gospel; we can only grow with the gospel. If we are serious about the gospel, we must be serious about the gospel implications, such as theology, community, and ethics.

How often we witness people falling short and giving up their faith in the midst of doubt and difficulty. Ever since then, they have kept their lives away from the gospel. One of the reasons why some people give up their faith is that they are not firmly grounded and nurtured in the gospel in the initial stage of Christian journey. How common it is in today’s church. We turn away from the self and to the gospel; however, we are not biblically, theologically, and ethically grounded in the gospel. We end up being saturated with the self.

For the Thessalonians, Paul taught them to stand firm and hold on tight. Don’t be captivated by the cultural force or present circumstances. Rather, the church in Thessalonica must stand firm in the truth and model this truth in the world. “The church must remember two points in particular: first, that Christianity is about truth, and second, that those who say they are Christians must model this truth by their integrity.”[3]

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[1] N. T. Wright, Paul for Everyone: Galatians and Thessalonians (Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 2004), p. 150.

[2] Gary A. Parrett and S. Steve Kang, Teaching the Faith, Forming the Faithful: A Biblical Vision for Education in the Church (Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 2009), p. 99.

[3] David F. Wells, The Courage to be Protestant: Truth-Lovers, Marketers, and Emergents in the Postmodern World (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2008), p. 92.