Gospel Wednesday: 1 Thessalonians Chapter 3: Love

1 Thessalonians Chapter 3

Therefore, when we could no longer endure it, we thought it good to be left in Athens alone, and sent Timothy, our brother and minister of God, and our fellow laborer in the gospel of Christ, to establish you and encourage you concerning your faith, that no one should be shaken by these afflictions; for you yourselves know that we are appointed to this. For, in fact, we told you before when we were with you that we would suffer tribulation, just as it happened, and you know. For this reason, when I could no longer endure it, I sent to know your faith, lest by some means the tempter had tempted you, and our labor might be in vain. But now that Timothy has come to us from you, and brought us good news of your faith and love, and that you always have good remembrance of us, greatly desiring to see us, as we also to see you— therefore, brethren, in all our affliction and distress we were comforted concerning you by your faith. For now we live, if you stand fast in the Lord. For what thanks can we render to God for you, for all the joy with which we rejoice for your sake before our God, night and day praying exceedingly that we may see your face and perfect what is lacking in your faith? Now may our God and Father Himself, and our Lord Jesus Christ, direct our way to you. And may the Lord make you increase and abound in love to one another and to all, just as we do to you, so that He may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all His saints.

I Thessalonians 3:1‭-‬13 NKJV
https://bible.com/bible/114/1th.3.1-13.NKJV

And may the Lord make you increase and abound in love to one another and to all, just as we do to you,

I Thessalonians 3:12 NKJV
https://bible.com/bible/114/1th.3.12.NKJV

May the Lord make us all to increase and abound in love for each other and all!

He who says he is in the light, and hates his brother, is in darkness until now. He who loves his brother abides in the light, and there is no cause for stumbling in him. But he who hates his brother is in darkness and walks in darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.

I John 2:9‭-‬11 NKJV
https://bible.com/bible/114/1jn.2.9-11.NKJV

Look what this says. He who hates is in darkness. He who loves is in light. No stumbling in him. The one who hates stumbles and does not know where he is going.

In this the children of God and the children of the devil are manifest: Whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is he who does not love his brother. For this is the message that you heard from the beginning, that we should love one another, not as Cain who was of the wicked one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his works were evil and his brother’s righteous.

I John 3:10‭-‬12 NKJV
https://bible.com/bible/114/1jn.3.10-12.NKJV

If we don't practice righteousness nor love the brethren we are not of God. That's pretty serious. We should love the brethren and not be as Cain who hated hid brother and murdered him (Genesis chapter 4).
Abel was righteous. Cain was evil.

Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.

I John 3:15 NKJV
https://bible.com/bible/114/1jn.3.15.NKJV

Hate is murder in the sight of God. And no murderer enters heaven. Pretty serious!
By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. But whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him? My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth.

I John 3:16‭-‬18 NKJV
https://bible.com/bible/114/1jn.3.16-18.NKJV

Jesus sacrificed Himself for us. And we should sacrifice for the brethren. Meet their needs. Don't shut up our hearts to them. Love in deed and truth, not merely words.

Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. He who does not love does not know God, for God is love. In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.

I John 4:7‭-‬11 NKJV
https://bible.com/bible/114/1jn.4.7-11.NKJV

If we love we are born of God. If we don't love we don't know God. Are not born of Him. God proved His love by sending His Son. We should love the brethren as God loved us.

No one has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God abides in us, and His love has been perfected in us.

I John 4:12 NKJV
https://bible.com/bible/114/1jn.4.12.NKJV

If we love God abides in us. If we don't love, God does not abide in us.

If someone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen?

I John 4:20 NKJV
https://bible.com/bible/114/1jn.4.20.NKJV

If we say we love God yet hate our brother or sister in Christ, we are liars.

By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep His commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome.

I John 5:2‭-‬3 NKJV
https://bible.com/bible/114/1jn.5.2-3.NKJV

If we love God, we will keep His commandments. And they are not burdensome.

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so? Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.

Matthew 5:43‭-‬48 NKJV
https://bible.com/bible/114/mat.5.43-48.NKJV

We are even to love our enemies and pray for them.

Let's pray each day that our love increases and abounds for God, for the brethren, for all, even our enemies.

If you have not obeyed the Gospel then please obey today before it's everlasting too late.


The Gospel in a nutshell

Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:

1 Corinthians 15:1‭-‬4 KJV

https://bible.com/bible/1/1co.15.1-4.KJV


1. Hear
So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

Romans 10:17 KJV

https://bible.com/bible/1/rom.10.17.KJV

2. Believe
I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins.

John 8:24 KJV

https://bible.com/bible/1/jhn.8.24.KJV

3. Repent
I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.

Luke 13:3 KJV

https://bible.com/bible/1/luk.13.3.KJV

4. Confess
Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven.

Matthew 10:32 KJV

https://bible.com/bible/1/mat.10.32.KJV

5. Be baptized
He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.

Mark 16:16 KJV

https://bible.com/bible/1/mrk.16.16.KJV

6. Remain faithful
Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.

Revelation 2:10 KJV

https://bible.com/bible/1/rev.2.10.KJV

For more information on obeying the Gospel contact your local church of Christ.

Baptism 

Why Are There So Many Churches?

What Must I Do To Be Saved?

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