Paul, and Silvanus, and Timotheus, unto the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is meet, because that your faith groweth exceedingly, and the charity of every one of you all toward each other aboundeth.
2 Thessalonians 1:1-3
In the first verse of his first letter to the Thessalonians, Paul had commended their work of faith, labor of love, and patience of hope. Here, in his second letter, he commends only their faith and love.
Why?
No longer living for the Second Coming of Christ, they had lost their hope. Of faith, hope, and love, the greatest is love (I Corinthians 13:13) — however, all three elements are essential because it is faith and hope which allow us to love.
How?
Hung up by my past sins, I’d be too ashamed to love. But faith tells me my past sins and failures were totally cleansed by the blood of Jesus. Worried about the future, I’d be too afraid to love. But hope tells me He’s coming again, so there’s no need to fear the future.
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