The Witness Of Assurance

Let us muse again today from I Thessalonians chapter four. It is here Paul gives us assurance while we are waiting for our King to come. In verses 6-10 he deals with the witness of assurance. Our lives should tell of our King while we wait, or surely we wait in vain. In verse 6 we are asked to have a witness of honesty. Paul says for us not to defraud our brother. If we are less than honest in all matters, Paul says we can look for God not as our King, but our avenger. The word avenger is one who gets even by destroying all. In verse 7 we are told of the witness of holiness. God’s call on our life is to holiness. He has put the Holy Spirit in us, who will cause us to walk holy. In verse 8-9 I find the witness of humility. Paul says if we defraud or despise others we are doing it to God. Verse 9 seems to take on the feel of humility when Paul asks us to show brotherly love. There is great distance from defraud and despise that can only be reached by humility. In verse10 Paul asks us in light of the fact the King is coming, let us increase more and more in honesty, holiness, and humility.