1 Thessalonians 2:13

And for this cause we also thank God without ceasing, that, when ye received from us the word of the message, even the word of God, ye accepted it not as the word of men, but, as it is in truth, the word of God, which also worketh in you that believe.

It is verses such as this which forbid any allegations that Paul was mistaken about the near-approach of the Advent, or anything else. Paul and all the other apostles declared repeatedly their absolute and invariable conviction that what they delivered to us was not their word, but the word of Almighty God. Those who do not believe this is true do not believe the New Testament.

This verse reminds us of the following passage from Acts:

Now these (of Berea) were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, examining the scriptures daily, whether these things were so (Acts 17:11).

Paul's testimony in 1 Thessalonians 2:13 shows that Luke's account in Acts was focused upon the unbelievers in Thessalonica, whereas Paul here tells the way it was with the believers.

Which also worketh in you that believe ... We are indebted to David Lipscomb for this tabulation of how the word works in believers:

By the word the new birth is effected (1 Peter 1:23). By it the soul is saved (James 1:21).

By it we are sanctified (John 17:17; 1 Timothy 4:5).

It prevails mightily (Acts 19:20).

Like the seed (Mark 4:26,27), it has power in itself to produce.

It is living and active (Hebrews 4:12).

It is like fire against that which is false (Jeremiah 23:29).

It is like a hammer against that which is strong (Jeremiah 23:29).

It is light in darkness (Psalms 119:105).

It is the sole weapon in Christian warfare (Ephesians 6:17).[24]