One of the key forerunners of the Reformation was Bohemian John Hus. He devoted himself to Scripture and taught that Christ, not the Pope, is Head of the Church.

In 1414, Hus was called before the Council of Constance to defend his beliefs. He was convicted of heresy and sentenced to be burnt at the stake unless he recanted.

But Hus stood firm. On the day of his martyrdom he said: ""God is my witness that the evidence against me is false…In the truth of the gospel I have written, taught, and preached, today I will gladly die."" As the crackling flames consumed him, he joyfully sang a hymn.

Facing persecution and paying with his life, Hus championed the gospel and helped pave the way for the Reformation. Similarly, the apostle Paul also faced strong persecution in response to his teachings about Christ.

Today's text indicates that charges of doctrinal error and greed were being leveled against Paul by some in Thessalonica. This was to become a familiar story for the apostle. He would face similar accusations throughout his ministry.

The fact that 1 Thessaloni-ans may be one of the earliest of Paul's letters (second, after Galatians) shows that opposition to his ministry existed from the start. So Paul takes twelve verses of chapter 2 to defend his conduct in Thessalonica.

One evidence that the charges against Paul were false was that his mission in Thessalonica was not a ""failure,"" meaning ""without results, futile."" God doesn't bless a sham!

Paul's references to the insults and injuries he and Silas suffered in Philippi (Acts 16:16-40), as well as to their harsh treatment in Thessalonica, is another strong answer to those questioning his motives.

The idea is this: If Paul were only preaching the gospel to attract a following or to line his pockets, why would he endure such suffering? People who are insincere or dishonest don't persevere when their schemes start to backfire. If Paul was doing ministry for money, he was going about it all wrong!

It's a blessing to be able to say we have nothing to hide. ""Integrity"" is a political and corporate buzzword these days, much like ""family values."" You can't always be sure what people mean when they use the term.