1 Thessalonians 2:2-3: But even after we had suffered before and were spitefully treated at Philippi, as you know, we were bold in our God to speak to you the gospel of God in much conflict. For our exhortation did not come from error or uncleanness, nor was it in deceit.
“Gospel” means “good news”. Moreover, we rightly see Jesus being both the Subject and the First Messenger of the good news. He also tells us in John 3:17, “For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.” We hear He died for our sins, He healed people, and He gave amazing sermons that offered great wisdom. When you view Him in these perspectives, it is hard to understand why anyone would have a problem with Him. The fact of the matter is, though, plenty do.
One reason is when He made statements like the one he did in Matthew 10:34-36, “Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword. For I have come to ‘set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law’; and ‘a man’s enemies will be those of his own household.’” He also said in Matthew 10:21-22a, “Now brother will deliver up brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and cause them to be put to death. And you will be hated by all for My name’s sake.”
Whoa – wait a minute – what happened to the Jesus in the first paragraph? Nothing – He’s the same One talking in the second paragraph. Not bringing peace and bringing a sword doesn’t sound like someone who is promoting everyone holding hands and singing “kumbaya”. Rather, it sounds like someone who wants to instigate adversity and conflict. After all, where’s the good news when He says He wants to set a man against His father or a daughter against his mother?
First things first, Jesus, being part of the triune Godhead, never wanted to be in the position that He is in as He is making these statements – that was not God’s original plan for humanity. We, as sinful and rebellious people put Him there. We have believed the lies Satan has been telling us from the time of Adam’s sin. I said earlier that it sounded like Jesus was instigating adversity and conflict. The reality is Satan initiated – and still is initiating – adversity and conflict. We have just been too blind to the truth of what it means to live in a world governed by God.
What Jesus meant in His statements was that we are all walking around believing the lie, and He, being the truth (John 14:6), has come to tell the truth. We read earlier that His purpose was to save the world. John 18:37 expands on His purpose saying, “Pilate therefore said to Him, “Are You a king then?” Jesus answered, “You say rightly that I am a king. For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth.” Therefore, God’s mission for Jesus in John 3:17 and John 18:37 is saving people by telling them the truth.
Truth and lies are mutually exclusive. That means they can’t coexist. They are directly opposed to each other. They are enemies. Jesus says the following regarding the devil in John 8:44, “He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it.” So we have Jesus being the truth, and Satan being the lie. Herein ‘lies’ the conflict and the adversity. God indicated the fact of this adversity in pronouncing His judgment on Satan because of his temptation of Adam and Eve, “And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel.”
Now reviewing our verses today, which proclaim that speaking the Gospel occurred in conflict, we understand why – because the exhortation did not come from error or uncleanness, nor was it in deceit. In other words, it was the truth, and this Satan-governed world, which has been blinded by his lies, doesn’t like hearing the truth; therefore, there is conflict. Jesus promises, though, there’s a reward for telling the truth in Matthew 10:22b, “But he who endures to the end will be saved.” If believing the truth means you will be saved, what do you think follows if you choose to believe the lie? Living in the truth is worth the fight.