Paul's letter to a young church begins with eleven signs that people are truly elect and saved. Paul can rejoice for the Thessalonians, but could he for us? And are the signs reflected in professing Christian congregations today? Have we reason to rejoice?

Thessalonica saw lives radically changed. The new objective of believers was the gathering of souls out of a doomed world for Christ's return, not world restoration (an old heresy returning today). Here also is their realisation of God's hatred of sin. Is ours fading?

Paul entered Thessalonica outwardly lowly but inwardly laden with treasures of grace and power. He lays out three tests of soundness: matter (the message), motives, and manner (of proclamation), and here we apply them to Jews, pagans, modern atheism, and present-day Christian phonies also.

Paul's description of the mission to Thessalonica presents the vital ingredients of evangelism - a desire for souls, hard work night and day, holy lives, fatherly appeals, and a desire for lasting conversion, all leading to a miracle of God in illumination and regeneration.

Of all the marks of conversion the apostle's crowning sign here is readiness to suffer in the course of witness. Also, he refers to Satan's hindrances (here are today's), and to the immense joy of relating to converts (our wreath of glory) both now and eternally.

Reflected in this letter is the apostle's deep concern for believers, and his sacrificial spirit. Also we see his acceptance of hardship for Christ, his great priority of building faith and trust in believers, his prayerfulness and his teaching on separation from the world.

Four principles of living to please the Lord: (1) The need to be pledged to constant progress, (2) the chief virtues to aim at, (3) the necessity of deliberate, determined abstention from sin, especially returning sin, and (4) the role of the Holy Spirit.

The apostle declares Christ as the unique and authoritative hope for the resurrection of the body. Here also is the concept of being joined to Him for salvation and therefore for eternity; the parousia and the rapture, and their imminence and comfort.

So inclined are we to spiritual and moral casualness that the apostle stresses the necessity and urgency of constant self-scrutiny of our tendencies, temptations, conduct, words and our associations in the fight against the surrounding 'darkness'. Here are his three selected items of armour.

This brief 'treasury' of concise exhortations lists key duties for Christian living, including rules for the spiritual life and duties for life in the everyday world. Here are the first eight forming a life of aspirations to both monitor and inspire.

A call to prove the Lord in every phase of life. Here are the biblical departments of prayer, followed by the need for greater determination, faith, desire, thoughtfulness, patience, holiness and sincerity, with attention to prayer in trials, and the obligations that come with prayer.

The Bible is full of thankfulness. Here is its immense significance in the Christian life, also its power to inspire humility, indebtedness to God, appreciation of Him, holiness, trust, reliance, love, happiness and evangelism. Here also are matters for inclusion in thanksgiving.

How is the fire of the Spirit manifested in believers' lives? Here are texts showing His work to be sanctifying, illuminating (with joy), and imparting zeal for souls and good works. Here also are the ways we resist and quench the holy flame.

The mighty work of God in the Reformation that began 500 years ago can only be truly honoured by a commitment to continuing reformation. Here are nine major aspects of church life and belief, abandoned by many evangelicals today, that must be reformed for spiritual blessing.

Reasons why we fail to prove all things. Here with examples are key rules. Is the idea in the Bible, or dependent on other knowledge? Beware of the secret formula for success. Is it new or novel? Examine carefully the source or origin.

All believers have a solemn responsibility to examine and establish the biblical authority behind all doctrines, acts of worship and methods proclaimed or carried out by their churches, and by themselves as individuals. Here are categories of doctrine and practice to be monitored. Paul’s first letter to the Thessalonians is…

'Let go, and let God' is a great mistake in sanctification, for there must be striving and prayer for progress in holiness. Yet, says Paul, it is all achieved by the power of God. Here also are the three 'departments' of life to be specially guarded.