The Strand Study Bible

Written From Corinth During Paul’s Second Missionary Journey

2002

I THESSALONIANS

greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to (against) thy husband, and he shall rule over thee .” Because Eve gave into her pride and gratified her emotions, the “better half” of man was now condemned to two states: a state of sorrow ; and a state of subjection . Even heathen kings warned against the danger of “un” submissive women ( Esther 1:12 -20). *Woman was first in transgression (first to be deceived – vs 14) - According to Genesis 3:1-6, Satan knew to go after the woman instead of the man. Satan knew, because of the woman’s superior design in beauty and intelligence, that she would be more vulnerable to spiritual deception than the man, because he could appeal to her pride. Knowing the woman has more influence over the man than God Himself (I Pet 3:1), Satan chose Eve for his trickery. Women are therefore admonished not to assume spiritual leadership over men. Any believer who wants to avoid being “fooled” by the wrong kind of spiritual leadership must learn to follow spiritual men who elevate Christ above their preferential style of worship and/or movement, not spiritual women. 3. Learn to follow cautiously (Acts 17:10-11) The author of Hebrews writes in Hebrews 13:7: Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God: whose faith follow , considering the end of their conversation . Remember the example, says the author, to follow cautiously those who first taught you spiritual truth. A spiritual leader’s right to lead is always determined by his pattern (example), not his person (ego). Any believer who wants to avoid being “fooled”by the wrong kind of spiritual leadership must learn to follow men ever so cautiously ( Job 32:21 ). 4. Learn to follow those men who understand their accountability before a Holy God for your spiritual condition (I Thess 5:12-13 and Ezk 3:17-21) The author of Hebrews writes in Hebrews 13:17: Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account , that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you . Spiritual leaders who love you more than they love God will end up telling you what YOU want to hear. 1:8 Every local church should be well known for what it believes and how it behaves ( from you sounded out the word of the Lord ). The question is not, “Where is your church?” Rather, it should be noted by others, “Where is your church not!” The local church you attend should be “ sounding out the Word of the Lord ” everywhere, reaching the lost for Christ. God never called us to build our church; He called us to build His Church ( Rev 3:17 ). Our SAVIOR is going to hold every believer accountable for where he “chose” to go to church, and why ( II Cor 5:10-11 ). 1:9 Notice that Paul did not say, “how ye turned from sin,” but rather “ how ye turned to God .” True repentance has nothing to do with “turning from sin,” and everything to do with “ turning to God ” by acknowledging your sin (Lk 23:39-43). The Greek word for repentance is PHτDQοHZ ( metanoeo ) and means “ after ” ( PHτD ) “ thought ” ( QοHZ ). Repentance has everything to do with “changing your mind,” not changing your life (by turning from sin). Repentance is not, “Look what I’ve done for Jesus. I’ve turned from sin and changed my life so that I could come to salvation,” but rather, “Look what Jesus did for me! I was headed to Hell because of sin, and yet, He was willing to save me.” True repentance for salvation occurs the moment people “ turn to God ” by changing their minds about themselves and God, not changing their lives for God. ( Jonah 3:5 , Mt 27:3 , II Cor 7:10 and Mt 3:2 ). 1:10 a Does God have a “son” that He sired ( his SON ) somewhere along the way? The answer to that question is, “Absolutely not!” Contrary to Mormon theology, which teaches that God sired Jesus, whenever the term “ SON ” is used in connection with GOD THE FATHER , it is always in reference to the SECOND PERSON of the Triune Godhead. Isaiah 7:14 says: Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a SON , and shall call his name IMMANU-EL ( which being interpreted is, God with us – Mt 1:23). God did not birth the SON ; God became the SON ! There is a difference. Jesus said in John 8:42: If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God ; neither came I of myself, but he sent me . Notice Jesus did not say, “…but he sired me.” No, Jesus said, “… but he sent me .” God did not sire the SON ; God “ sent ” the SON ! Again, there is a difference. Jesus said again in John 16:27,30: Notice what Jesus said. He said that he came out from God (that is, Christ stepped out of eternity and stepped into time 2,000 years ago so as to become our perfect sacrifice for sin). Christ is as much God as the Father is God. Notice I Thessalonians 1:5- 6. There is yet another Person within the Triune Godhead, called the Holy Ghost. The Holy Ghost is the Third Person of the Triune Godhead. The reason it is so vital to understand the Trinity is because no one can worship God correctly that does not understand God’s Triune nature ( Jn 4:23-24 and Gen 1:1 b ). 1:10 b “… the WRATH to come ” begins with the DAY OF THE LORD ( GREAT TRIBULATION - Rev 6:5,6-8 a ) and ends 3½ years later with the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. Because of the Rapture of the Church ( Rev 4:1 ), Christians will not experience this time of WRATH (I Thess 5:1-9). For the Father himself loveth you, because ye have loved me, and have believed that I came out fromGod . I came forth from the Father, and am come into the world: again, I leave the world, and go to the Father .