1. God is witness Ye knowYe remember Ye are witnesses

2. CHARACTER OF PAUL’S TEACHING EXHORTATION – beseeching, goal (I Thess. 2:3, 12) Not of error – false doctrine moves us away from the right path of God (2 Pet. 3:17) Not of uncleanness – sexual purity (I Thess. 4:3,7; Col. 3:5, Gal. 5:19) Not of guile – bait, snare, deceit (I Pet. 2:1) – No words of flattery, no cloak of covetousness (I Thess. 2:5-6) – Not seeking glory of men - trying to get from them (I Thess. 2: 6,9; I Cor. 9:11-12)

3. CHARACTER OF PAUL’S TEACHING Pleasing God – Not men (I Thess. 2:4, Gal. 1:10) – God tests our hearts – goal of approval (cf. Lk. 14:19) – Temptations: sex, money, power: authority of an apostle (I Thess. 2:3, 6, 9) – Not speaking to be liked – calculating – angles – how will they respond??? Will they approve???

4. Paul Shared More Than the Gospel Paul shared his “soul” – affection for the people (I Thess. 2:17, 20, 3:5, 7, 10, Rom. 12:10, I Pet. 1:22) Willing to spend and be spent for their behalf (I Thess. 2:8,9; 2 Cor. 12:14-15) Gentle – as a nurse (I Thess. 2:7, 2 Tim. 2:24) Encouraging – as a father (I Thess. 2:11)

5. Character of Paul’s Behavior How HOLILY – regard for truth (Eph. 4:24) How RIGHTEOUSLY - just conduct without prejudice, sober living (I Pet. 2:23, Titus 2:12, I Cor. 15:34) How UNBLAMABLY – without fault (I Thess. 3:13, 5:23, Phil. 3:6, Phil. 2:15-16)

6. Following Paul’s Pattern (Phil. 4:9, I Cor. 11:1) Able to present the character of our life before the critics of our message ( I Pet. 2:11-12) Speak the Gospel with exhortation – goal of men walking worthily of God – glory of heaven (I Thess. 2:12) Share our souls, not just the Gospel - we all have something to give (I Thess. 2:8) Never allow our sharing to cross the line into sexual impurity (I Thess. 2:3)

7. Following Paul’s Pattern (Phil. 4:9, I Cor. 11:1) Paul’s three weeks in Thessalonica were not in vain – How he lived then was now his defense. We can never appeal to the character of our living in defense of the Gospel if we do not start living accordingly to Paul’s example. Start now!