Are you growing in Christ? You should be growing. A Christian is either moving forward or backward. There is no stagnant Christian. If you aren’t growing, then you are in danger. Chances are, though, that if you are reading these, you are growing. I am hoping these teachings stretch you to grow up more and more into Christ.

The Christians in Thessalonica, in Greece, are growing. They are growing abundantly in their faith and increasing in their love for one another.

Paul rejoices that their faith has remained intact through persecution and reminds them that God will repay them and those afflicting them. We will be judged by our deeds.

Those who do not “obey the gospel” will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction away from the presence of the Lord.

The gospel is to be obeyed. We talk a lot about believing the Good News, but faith without works is dead. If you believe the Good News, you walk in the Good News. You seek forgiveness and live in the resurrection power of God through His Spirit dwelling in You giving you the power to overcome sin.

How can we live above sin? Because we are seated in the heavenly places with Christ. Pray with Paul that God will MAKE YOU worthy of His calling and fulfill every resolve you make to do good. If God’s doing the work, it can be done!

Paul also prays that God would fulfill their works of faith by His power. It’s God’s power that accomplishes. Our faith doesn’t make things happen. God’s power makes things happen. No one’s faith brought down the walls of Jericho. That was the power of God responding to obedience that showed faith.

We want to walk in every good work of faith and righteousness because we want to see the name of Jesus glorified. We want His grace in our lives to shine His light in all the world.