The Gospel of God. 1 Thessalonians 2:2-3 God is the author of the greatest news of all, even though many turn away, ignore it, and often reject those who preach it. He is the one who planned the way of salvation and calls people to repent and believe the Gospel. These good tidings are necessary so that everyone who believes the truth presented can experience its light. Its source is God, and it is His plan for others to seek this grace, to move out of darkness and into the light of the Gospel.
The Gospel begins with love, which starts with God and was demonstrated when the Father sent the Son to be the Savior of the world. God’s love is also evident in the Lord Jesus Christ, through His life and death, when He paid the price for our sins. There was love from the Father, love from the Son, and love from the Holy Spirit. In the past, the Gospel was planned, and God’s love was shown to be true through types and shadows. Today, that love is not only preached in the Gospel, but it was also demonstrated to us when Christ died for us.
There is truth in God’s Gospel that everyone must face; we have all fallen short of God's glory and are condemned sinners. But truth also states that when repentance is genuine, there is the power to cleanse sinners of their sins through the precious blood of Christ and to remove the consequences that await unforgiven sinners. The truth of the scripture is given so that believers can have assurance. The life that God gives, eternal and full, belongs to each one that God chooses to save.
Those who preach the Gospel must be approved by God, who knows and tests the hearts of those who speak for Him. What we believe and preach makes it very important that our lives are lived in a way that is worthy of Him. Insults will happen, and perhaps even injury at times, but the messenger of God can “be bold in our God” and continue to proclaim the Gospel of God concerning His Son, our Lord Jesus Christ.
It may have been around that time that Paul wrote this from Corinth, and God spoke to him in the night to assure him that he was in the right place, at the right time, doing the right thing. That was enough for him to stay bold in the Lord. Boldness during conflicts influences both those who hear and those who watch from afar.
When the Gospel is proclaimed clearly and plainly to everyone, conflict is sure to happen because the conviction of sin wounds people's consciences and humbles each person's pride. Those brave enough to share the whole counsel of God will find they are not always popular because people prefer to hear messages that make them feel good and that suggest sin isn't so serious. But God witnesses to the messages given, and we must give an account of what is said. Did the people truly understand that the words they heard came from God's Gospel? It may be difficult for those who speak openly to call all men to account because of the wages and consequences of sin. However, repentant sinners will thank you, and God is eager to bless the preaching of His grace-filled Gospel.
Moral integrity is expected of those who represent the holy God. The people of Corinth, Thessalonica, and other places in those old days are similar to those where we live today. People justify immorality by saying, "Everyone does it," or "It is legal." "What I do is up to me," they say, "and it is no one else's business." When a stand for biblical righteousness is taken, we have to expect opposition in various forms. Sin exposure reaches a person's conscience even though they often deny its serious consequences. Broken marriages, shattered homes, and broken hearts accompany immoral behaviors. Those three men understood that God had entrusted them with something of great value.