Commentary on "The Apostolic Example (1 Thess. 2:1–12)"

RICK BARKER

 

Day 4: Tuesday, July 31, 2012 - Pleasing God (1 Thess. 2:4–6)

 

Observations

The lesson starts with a solid piece of information, that the word translated "approved" generally implies some testing has occurred. However, the lesson quickly departs from Scripture alone when the author concludes, without any evidence, that is was the integrity of the apostles' lives that was tested and approved. Why not conclude that is was the apostles' willingness to proclaim the Gospel plainly and boldly? I'll tell you why, the author has been trying to twist Scripture in the last several lessons to make the character of the apostles the important message of this book instead of the Gospel.

I do have to commend the author on an excellent paragraph about human self worth. I'm not sure what it has to do with the verses being discussed, but the teaching that "Genuine and lasting self-worth is found only through the gospel" is a solid truth.

I would also agree with the author that preaching to pleasing people is not an effective way to truly evangelize. It has become popular in the church to focus on what people want to hear, to please them by preaching to their felt needs. Last quarter's lesson even suggested that SDAs should pursue this type of evangelism. I'm pleased to see that not every SDA agrees with that approach.

 

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