Tuesday, November 04, 2008

Labor in Vain

1 Thessalonians 3:5 KJV
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.

Barnes Notes (on Galatians 4:11) help explain the Apostle's words
His fears were that they had no genuine Christian principle. They had been so easily perverted and turned back to the servitude of ceremonies and rites, that he was apprehensive that there could be no real Christian principle in the case. What pastor has not often had such fears of his people, when he sees them turn to the weak and beggarly elements of the world, or when, after having “run well,” he sees them become the slaves of fashion, or of some habit inconsistent with the simplicity of the gospel?

A preacher’s joy and delight is to see souls respond to the Gospel and turn to Christ. Conversely, their dread is that those who have so turned, turn back to their old lives and prove themselves to be false professors.

The preacher is not in the ministry for the outward show of accomplishment, but for the eternal souls of men. And he has no human way to know if his work has been successful but by the faithful behaviour of his congregation.

What fear the preacher has that, after having preached the Word of God - he learns there was no true saving faith in the lives of his congregation.

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