Brothers Loved by God

4For we know, brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you, 5because our gospel came to you not only in word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction. You know what kind of men we proved to be among you for your sake.

Continuing my study on 1 Thessalonians, Paul addresses his fellow believers. He calls them brothers loved by God.

I have to admit, I find it bothersome that in today's feminist culture that some women are bothered by the masculine language of the bible, and therefore feel compelled to change it rather than seeing the language as it was meant to be seen...inclusive of all. When Paul writes here to brothers loved by God he is being inclusive of meaning all brothers and sisters.

This was an affectionate term which highlighted their new spiritual relationship as members of the family of God, as those who had been born into the family of God by the Spirit through faith in Jesus Christ (Keathley)

He reminds them that they were CHOSEN by God. Hmmmm...you know what that means to me? It means that God saw me, and that he wanted me. :) Imagine that...a holy God, seeing me and knowing me, and he chose me. Doesn't that just exalt God?

When I read those words I think of how God chose the Israelites, and how the Israelites would turn away from and then turn back to God. How within the Israelite nation there were people who SO loved God back that they are examples to us today. How within that same Israelite nation there were people who just turned from and rejected God, and God would punish them and correct them and at times destroy them so that HIS glory could be shown.

God chose me. And his method of choosing me was brought about by his gospel being brought to me. Just as Paul, Timothy and Silas preached the word to the Thessalonican people, so God's word was preached to me. Just as Paul and the others lived a life of of example, so was I given examples to live by that showed God to me. Through these things, and the power of the Holy Spirit at work, I was enabled to choose God back! :)

Pretty cool eh?