Deeper Reflection
IN HIS THANKSGIVING TO GOD, PAUL MENTIONS THE Thessalonians’ “faith” and “love” (v.3), but not “hope” as in 1 Thessalonians 1:3. While Paul does not mention “hope” specifically, it is implied in mentioning their “perseverance” (v.4), for their “perseverance” was “perseverance of hope” (1 Thess 1:3). Biblically, hope and faith are interlinked and overlap, as indicated by “your perseverance [of hope] and faith in all your persecutions” (v. 4). The writer of Hebrews defines “faith” as “the assurance of things hoped for” (Heb 11:1). We will “abound in hope” in “believing” in “the God of hope” (Rom 15:13).It is noteworthy that the setting of the Thessalonians’ abundant growth (v.3) was “persecutions” and “afflictions” (v.4). And with “perseverance and faith” they were “enduring (anekomai)” the fiery trial. Anekomai means “to be patient with, in the sense of enduring possible difficulty”⁵. This “enduring” is a God-empowered discipline of the mind and will to withstand a trial amidst feeling the difficulty in it.Trials are for “the testing of your faith” which “produces endurance” (Jas 1:3). Enduring is an act and endurance is a quality. So, as we endure day by day, the quality of endurance is developed in us and becomes part of us. And “when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing” (Jas 1:4, NLT) – that is, abundant growth.We must recognise that “trials of any kind” (Jas 1:2) is a key process by which God brings about abundant growth in us. And our response to trials reveals if we accept or reject this divine process.

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⁵ Johannes P. Louw & Eugene A. Nida, Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament Based on Semantic Domains, Second Edition, Volume 1 (UBS, 1988, 1989), 25.171