William Burkitt Notes and Observations - 1 Thessalonians 1:8 - 1:8

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William Burkitt Notes and Observations - 1 Thessalonians 1:8 - 1:8


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Still our apostle proceeds in a copious commendation of these Thessalonians, or rather in a thankful admiration of the grace of God shining in them; he tells them, and that without flattery, that the fame and report of their graces was spread abroad far and near, insomuch that the foreign churches, amongst whom he conversed, were able to give him a perfect account how the aposles' entrance amongst them at Thessalonica was; though not pompous, yet very prosperous, strangely succeeded, and singularly blessed, to the turning of them from dead idols, to serve the living and true God.

Learn, that where true grace is rooted in the heart, though it be not immediately seen, yet it cannot long be hid, but it will discover itself in the genuine fruits and vital effects of it, to the deserved admiration, and wished for imitation of all beholders whatsoever: From you sounded forth the word of the Lord &c.

And how you turned from idols, that is, how readily and speedily, how sincerely and heartily you turned from idolatry, your former idolatry, in which you had been educated and brought up; yet upon the preaching of our gospel, ye left it, and turned with indignation from it, to serve God, the living God, so called in opposition to their dead and dumb idols; and the true God, in opposition to their false gods.

These words of the apostle teach us how to expound those words of our Saviour, This is life eternal, to know thee the only true God: Joh_17:3.

Teaching us, that the Father is called the only true God, not in opposition to Jesus Christ, as the Socinians would insinuate, but in opposition to idols and false gods only.

Now from this effect, which the gospel had upon the Thessalonians, to turn them from idols to serve the living God, we learn, that as every man naturally bears an idol in his heart, that is, sets up something there in God's stead, which attracts and draws off the chief of his affections from God; so wherever the gospel is heartily received and entertained, there will be an abandoning of, and turning from whatsoever did usurp God's throne in the soul, and the person hereafter, will only love and serve the living and true God: Ye turned from idols to serve the living and true God.