Daily Bible Nugget #202, 1 Thessalonians 2:13

The Nugget:

1 Thessalonians 2:13 For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe. (KJV)

1 Thessalonians 2:13 And for this cause we also thank God without ceasing, that, when ye received the word of God which ye heard from us, ye received it not as the word of men, but, as it is in truth, the word of God, which also is powerfully working in you that believe. (Noyes NT)

My Comment:

The Scriptures work effectually in them that believe. The Scriptures as we now have them in written form work powerfully in those who believe the message they contain. Paul wrote to the Romans saying “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth, to the Jew first, and also to the Greek” (Romans 1:16). Do you see the connection between these two statements? It is the Bible and its message that is the power of God that will work in your life if you read it, study it, and believe it. God by His Holy Spirit works through the written word of God preserved only in the Bible. The Scriptures are the source, by God’s grace, of spiritual life. Not the sacraments of some self-proclaimed “One True Church” or some self-proclaimed teaching authority headquartered in either Rome or Brooklyn, NY. You will not read anywhere in the Bible of grace received through the ritual observance of any church sacraments. But you will read that salvation is by grace alone through faith alone based upon our confessing belief in the bodily resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ from the dead (Romans 10:9-10). Now the precise words “faith alone” and “grace alone” and “Scripture alone” are not found in the Bible, but the truth of these expressions is certainly to be found in the Bible. The concept of “faith alone” is seen in Ephesians 2:8 and related passages; of “grace alone” also at Ephesians 2:8 and related passages; of “Scripture alone” in Isaiah 8:20 and related passages. The concept of “faith alone” does not mean “easy believism,” or a faith that does not result in regenerative change. Good works are the result of true faith, not the basis of faith, and really refer to the fruit of the Spirit produced in the lives of those who are genuinely converted to Christ (Ga 5:22-25). The related passages I allude to (for Ep 2:8 and Is 8:20) can be found by consulting the cross references for these verses as found in standard resources which contain a full collection of cross references, including The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, The New Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, and Nelson’s Cross Reference Guide to the Bible. The cross references for each of those verses is likely posted elsewhere on this site as well in an even fuller form than found in those three resources.

For those who desire to DIG DEEPER into this subject:

(1) Consult the cross references given in Nelson’s Cross Reference Guide to the Bible on page 632 for 1 Thessalonians 2:13.

(2) Consult the cross references given in The New Treasury of Scripture Knowledge on page 676 or in Logos 5 Bible software for 1 Thessalonians 2:13.

(3) Lacking access to those two resources, consult the cross references for this passage as I have developed them as given below:

1 Thessalonians 2:13. For this cause. Jn 12:18. thank. See on +*1 Th 1:2, 3. 1 Ch 29:13. *Ro 1:8, 9. Phm 7. without ceasing. +1 Th 1:3. because. *Je 44:16. Mt 10:13, 14, 40. *Ac 2:41. 10:33. 11:1. 13:45, 48. 16:14, 30-34. +**Ac 17:11, 18-20, 32. *Ga 4:14. *2 P 3:2. ye received. 1 Th 1:6. *1 Th 4:1, 8. Ps 119:102. *Pr 4:10. Ezk 3:10. *Mt 10:40. 13:23. Lk 10:39. **Jn 8:47. *Jn 17:8. +**Ac 17:11, 12. *1 Cor 15:1. 2 Th 1:10. He 4:2. word of God. 1 K 17:24. Je 10:1. Jn 6:63. 2 Th 3:1. *He 13:7. +*James 1:21. which ye heard. lit. the word of hearing. FS144B, +Dt 33:19. Ne 8:3. Hg 1:12. **Ro 10:17. Ga 3:2, 5. Ep 1:13. Col 1:5. He 4:2. James 1:19. of us. Ga 1:6. +*2 Tim 3:14. received it not as. T#1066. +Mt 10:20. +*Lk 8:18. Ga 4:14. word of men. 1 C 2:13. 9:8. *Ga 1:11, 12. **1 J 2:27. is in truth. Gr. alēthōs (S#230g, Mt 14:33). 1 Th 1:9. Ps 45:4. Ga 2:5. the word of God. Rather than contending so much for what is clearly not essential to faith in Christ, true Bible believing Christians encourage others to get into the written Word of God in the Bible for themselves so that others can come to know Jesus Christ in a personal way and have a life-giving relationship with Him that results in genuine belief that brings eternal life. Only the Bible provides the spiritual food necessary for spiritual growth and “works effectually” in those who believe. 1 Th 1:5, 8. 1 K 17:24. **Je 23:28n, 29. Mt 7:28, 29. Lk 1:37. 4:32, 36. *Lk 5:1. *Lk 8:11, 21. +*Lk 11:28. 20:1-8. Ac 8:14. 13:44, *Ac 13:46. +Ro 9:6. **Ro 10:17. *Ep 6:17. +**2 Tim 3:15, 16. 4:2. **He 4:12. *1 P 1:25. *2 P 1:16-21. effectually worketh. Middle Voice verb, so reference to the Word, not God, thus “which effectually worketh,” not “who effectually worketh,” which would require Active Voice. It is the Word of God now contained in the Bible, not tradition, “which effectually worketh also in you that believe.” T#1053. ver. 1 Th 2:1. *1 Th 1:5-10. Ps 110:2. +*Ps 119:105. **Is 55:11. Je 5:14. 23:29. **Jn 15:3. *Jn 17:17, 19. Ac 19:20. +*Ac 20:32. +*Ro 1:16. *Ro 6:17, 18. **2 Cor 3:18. Ep 3:7. 4:16. %*Phil 2:13n. *Col 1:6. 2 Th 1:11. 3:1. +**2 Tim 3:15, 16. **+He 4:12. +*James 1:18. *+James 5:16. +*1 P 1:23. *1 P 2:2. *2 P 3:18. **1 J 2:27. *1 J 3:3. *1 J 5:4, 5. 3 J 1:2. also. Marking those who upon hearing believed, in contrast to those who merely heard. Ac 16:14. in you that believe. 1 Th 1:7. He 4:12. James 1:21. 1 P 1:23.

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One Response to Daily Bible Nugget #202, 1 Thessalonians 2:13

  1. ken sagely says:

    1 th 2.13 For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye
    received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received the word of God
    which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth,
    the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe.

    encouraging cross refs(the best commentary on the bible is the bible)
    1. 1 th 1.8 He…that despiseth, despiseth not man, but God, who hath also
    given unt us his Holy Spirit.
    2. mt 10.40 He that receiveth you receiveth me, and he that receiveth me
    receiveth him that sent me.
    3. gal 4.14 My temptation which was in my flesh ye despised not, nor rejected;
    but received me as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus.
    4. jas 1.18 Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth.
    5. 1 pe 1.23 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible,by
    the word of God, which liveth and abideth forever.

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