The Nugget:
1 Thessalonians 3:5 For this cause, when I could no longer forbear, I sent to know your faith, lest by some means the tempter have tempted you, and our labour be in vain.
My Comment:
There is much to learn from this statement in Scripture. Unfortunately, few Christians in churches, and probably few Bible readers in general, have the stomach or fortitude to fully take in what this verse means. And this results in great loss to the church and a less-effective outreach for the good news of the Gospel. To more fully study this verse, consult the notes and cross references given in The New Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
This is the third reference passage on the subject of how to make disciples. The first passage was Jonah 4:11. The second passage was Exodus 18:21.
From The Ultimate Cross Reference Treasury:
have tempted you. The Aorist or point tense indicates that the Apostle feared not merely an assault on their faith, but a successful assault: “that the tempter had succeeded in tempting you” (see Hogg & Vine, p. 95). +**1Co 6:9; +**1Co 6:10, 2Co 11:28, 29.
and our labour. Paul consistently sought to conserve his gains and minimize losses through careful follow-up of his converts (Act 15:36; Act 20:20, 31, 32, Compare +*Heb 3:12; +*Heb 3:13).
In our day more attention needs to be paid to spiritual growth following initial conversion. So much attention has been focused upon the “birth” that little has been done to insure growth of new believers.
As a result, as many are lost silently out the “back door” as are currently being won and brought in through the front door. Warmly receive (+**Rom 15:7) newcomers, then introduce them to the fellowship of strong believers who will exercise continuing love and hospitality toward them (+*Rom 12:13, *1Pe 4:9; *1Pe 4:10) to facilitate the development of deep Christian relationships (+*Rom 12:5).
Rather than be so efficient in dropping inactive members from the church roll, we ought to be careful to exercise our responsibility in caring for (+*1Ti 3:5) and feeding the sheep, seeking out the ones who have left the fold, winning them back to active life in the body of Christ, rather than abandoning them to the world, the flesh, or the devil. See related notes (Jon 4:11 note. Heb 3:13 note. Heb 6:9 note). See on 1Th 2:1; 1Th 2:11, 12, 13; 1Th 2:19, 20, *Isa 49:4, Gal 2:2; +*Gal 4:11, *+Php 2:16.
My Concluding Comment:
What we most need is a revival of daily reading and study of the Bible to take place in the life of every Christian. For this there is no substitute strategy that will work.
Despite the sad decline in church attendance and affiliation that has taken place at an increasing pace over the last ten years, all hope is not lost! This trend can be overcome and reversed. How? Get busy and start doing real Bible study.
Too many Christians, whether in the pew or in the pulpit, think they know the Bible so well already that there is no need to further engage in serious Bible study.
One pastor whose ministry I sat under for ten years responded, when I suggested the need to encourage small group home Bible studies, responded in disdain: “All this church needs is another Bible study!” Very obviously, this pastor, like too many pastors, had no idea what a real Bible study is like!
A dear pastor I met in John’s Bible and Bookstore in Detroit told me, when I asked how he went about teaching his church members how to study the Bible, “If I did that, I’d soon be out of a job!” Of course, the opposite is true.
Dr. Gary Elfner, with whom I worked at Mott Media, told me that I needed to find a way to teach Pastors how to use The New Treasury of Scripture Knowledge!
A pastor I sat under for about five years, when I suggested he would find The New Treasury of Scripture Knowledge to be a most helpful resource in his own Bible study and sermon preparation, responded “I already have set up my own method of sermon preparation so I don’t need or want any additional resources.”
That is the pastor who told me, when he first visited my home, “Jerry, you talk too much about the Lord and too much about the Bible.”
That is also the pastor who told me I needed “to find a church that believed like I believe.”
I notice with gratefulness that many of my Christian friends on Facebook encourage others to faithfulness in regularly attending church. I sometimes respond with a reference to Romans 15:7. If you are in a church that faithfully teaches the Bible and strongly encourages daily personal Bible reading and study, thank God for the means of genuine Christian fellowship He has provided for you. Support your church and pastor every way you can.
But my negative experience with some pastors and churches is not an isolated problem–it is mostly to be found everywhere. George Barna, I have read, has identified a trend such that where once 80% of those who claim a Bible-believing faith are attending church regularly while 20% are no longer affiliated with any church, he stated that in his opinion in ten or twenty years those numbers will be reversed, with only 20% of Christians attending church, and 80% will no longer be affiliated with any church. I think “the handwriting is on the wall,” but if more people can be encouraged to do daily Real Bible Study using Bible study tools like The New Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, this trend can be reversed!
“No revival is more to be desired than that of systematic, personal Bible study!”