The Acts of the Apostles (1911) — PDF Scan 273

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THE THESSALONIAN LETTERS 267 hoped for immediate deliverance; now they were admonished to take up bravely and in the fear of God the work before them. The apostle charged them not to neglect their duties or resign themselves to idle waiting. After their glowing anticipations of immediate deliverance, the ronnd of daily life and the opposition that they must meet would appear doubly forbidding. He therefore exhorted them to steadfastness in the faith: ^ ^ Stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle. Now our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, and Grod, even our Father, which hath loved us, and hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace, comfort your hearts, and stabiish you in every good word and work." "The Lord is faithful, who shall stabiish you, and keep you from evil. And we have confidence in the Lord touching you, that ye both do and will do the things which we command you. And the' Lord direct your hearts into the love of God, and into the patient waiting for Christ." The work of the believers had been given them by God. By their faithful adherence to the truth they were to give to others the light which they had received. The apostle bade them not to become weary in well-doing, and pointed them to his own example of diligence in temporal matters while laboring with untiring zeal in the cause of Christ. He reproved those who had given themselves up to sloth and aimless excitement, and directed that ''with quietness they work, and eat their own bread." He also enjoined upon the church to se|)arate from their