1 Thessalonians 2:9-13 (NRSV)
Read 1 Thessalonians 2:9-13 on biblegateway.com
Verse 9You remember our labor and toil, brothers and sisters; we worked night and day, so that we might not burden any of you while we proclaimed to you the gospel of God. Verse 10You are witnesses, and God also, how pure, upright, and blameless our conduct was toward you believers. Verse 11As you know, we dealt with each one of you like a father with his children, Verse 12urging and encouraging you and pleading that you lead a life worthy of God, who calls you into his own kingdom and glory.
Verse 13We also constantly give thanks to God for this, that when you received the word of God that you heard from us, you accepted it not as a human word but as what it really is, God's word, which is also at work in you believers.
Devotion
A member of our youth group recently popped into my office and said, “I just finished reading all of Paul’s letters, and I have some questions.”
After I picked myself back up off the floor – this being a wonderful but unexpected ministry experience – I asked what was on her mind. Her big concern was that Paul seemed to be a bit full of himself. This passage was the sort of thing she had in mind. How could Paul describe himself as “pure, upright and blameless,” especially when he’s always pointing out the sin he sees in others?
It is certainly tempting to see only others' sin, but this is not what Paul is doing here. He locates his blamelessness squarely in the word of God, through which we become blameless even as we remain sinners. This is whence our righteousness comes, so that we, like Paul, may not be full of ourselves, but of the righteousness of Christ.
Prayer
Lord Jesus, thank you for granting us your purity and blamelessness. May we use these gifts always for the sake of your kingdom. Amen.