Tempted to Labor in Vain 1 Thessalonians 3:5

Paul desired to visit with the Thessalonians, and yet, he and his traveling companions decided it would be best that he stay in Athens. They also decided to send Timothy to see the church members to comfort and confirm them in their faith, and to encourage them even though they heard about and experienced the afflictions for following Jesus Christ. In chapter three and verse five of his letter, Paul told the Thessalonians he could no longer wait to be sure about their faith, and that his labor was not in vain. We read:

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 labor be in vain.

The verse begins, “For this cause, when I could no longer forbear, I sent to know your faith,...” Paul began with the phrase, “For this cause” or “because, since and on account of this reason” “when I could no longer forbear” which is the Greek phrase “stegō mēketi stegō” and means “Paul could not wait, cover, conceal or hide” “I sent” or “bid to carry, thrust and dispatch” “to know” which means “learn about, get knowledge of, perceive and understand” “your faith” which refers to the Thessalonians' “conviction of the truth that God exists and is the creator and ruler of all things, the provider and bestower of eternal salvation through Christ”. Paul could not wait to know the spiritual condition of the Thessalonian church members.

The verse goes on to say, “... lest by some means the tempter have tempted you, and our labor be in vain.” Paul went on to add the reason for his concern as he wrote, “lest by some means” or “somehow or that perhaps” “the tempter” who is “the tester, scrutinizer, enticer and examiner” “have tempted you” or “tempted, tried, assayed, examined and gone about” “and our labor” which refers to Paul and his companions' “beating of the breast with great sorrow, work, intense toil and trouble” “be in vain” which means “devoid of truth, empty and containing nothing”. Paul knew “the tempter” would attempt to persuade the Thessalonians to turn from their faith in Jesus Christ and begin to worship and trust in something other than Him.

When we meditate upon Paul's words, we see once again the care and concern he had for the Thessalonians. He knew there would be heretics and apostates who would attempt to convince the Thessalonians in something that was contrary to faith in Jesus Christ for salvation. Paul had seen this before, and he knew the Thessalonians were not only going to be persecuted for their faith in Jesus, but false teachers would introduce unbiblical ideas and ways among them. Paul sent Timothy to know of their faith condition. Do we have this amount of care for others? Are we concerned for others being persuaded by false teachers and doctrines? Let us ask the Lord Jesus to fill us with His Holy Spirit that we may not only care for others in this manner, but be diligent enough to be sure they abide in the truth.

Next time Paul tells the Thessalonians about when Timothy came back to him, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

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