One of the earmarks of a genuine surrender to Jesus is a changed life. A saved person lives differently than he or she did in the past. That life is marked by holiness.

Paul prayed for God to open doors for ministry and taught about living a life of love and holiness.

Paul fought some spiritual battles for the Thessalonian believers, but he was confident he would stand with joy before Jesus at His return.

When Paul's ministry and motives were being attacked, the perfect defense was to point out the way he lived his life. The people of Thessalonica knew Paul's character and actions; therefore, they knew the accusations were not credible.

In Paul's commendation to the Thessalonian church, we see that the believers in Thessalonica turned from idols to serve God and they were waiting for Jesus' return.

While it's tempting to look past the greeting in 1 Thessalonians to get into the "meat" of the letter, to do so would cause us to miss some powerful truths - including the effect that faith, love, and hope has on followers of Jesus.