#43a- Who Is Truly Faithful?
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(English Standard Version)
1Thess 1 - Greeting - The Thessalonians’ Faith and Example
1Thess 2 - Paul’s Ministry to the Thessalonians - Paul’s Longing to See Them Again
1Thess 3 - Timothy’s Encouraging Report
1Thess 4 - A Life Pleasing To God - The Coming of The Lord
1Thess 5 - The Day of The Lord - Final Instructions and Benediction
COMMENTS and QUESTIONS
by J Neil Evans:
Read 1 Thessalonians for yourself then…
Watch the Bible Project video 1 Thessalonians
I am sure that I do not really appreciate the feelings people in Bible times (or any times before our own) had as they were separated by distance from people they loved. If we wonder how someone is getting along we just email, text, or even “face time” with them instantly, no matter where they are. In times past (even just a few decades ago) communication was not so immediate and while waiting for letters to be sent and received people were left to wonder and worry about the people they loved.
So, being away from the people he loved in Thessalonica, Paul wondered how they were holding up under the persecutions by unbelievers, the misleading of false teachers, and their own temptations. Hearing mixed rumors, Paul sent Timothy to Thessalonica to get a first-hand, eye witness report about them.
Everything Paul had hoped for seemed to be true. The responses Paul had seen while among them were continuing. He was “thankful to God … for their work of faith and labor and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ”. (1:3) Their “faith in God had gone forth everywhere”. (1:8) The humble and sacrificial ways Paul had ministered among them had been effective. They had accepted what Paul preached “not as the word of men but as what it really is, the word of God, which worked in them”. (2:13)
Prayerfully expressing his desire to see them again Paul says:
Now may our God and Father himself, and our Lord Jesus, direct our way to you, and may the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, as we do for you, so that he may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints. (3:11-13) Paul knew that it is not ourselves, but the Lord Who makes our love increase and abound, and establishes our hearts blameless in holiness.
Paul discussed briefly the way Christians are to live daily pleasing God and loving each other. He was pleased that they were doing so but encouraged them to do so “more and more”. He then wrote about what happens to Christians who die, or as they used to say, “are asleep”. Paul assured them that when Jesus returns
“the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord.” (4:16,17) Believers do not need to worry about where they will spend eternity because they will “always be with The Lord”. And because Paul knew that our tendency is to wonder and worry, he added: “Therefore encourage one another with these words”.
Another similar topic that requires us to encourage one another is “the Day of The Lord”. Paul had taught them before but reminds them of the fact that Jesus is coming back at any time and that they should be ready by “being sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation. For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with him.” (5:8-10)
It is natural for us to wonder if these future things are really true. Can we have a sure and confident hope of being alive with Jesus after this life is over? Paul concludes his first letter to the Thessalonians with a remarkable paragraph. “Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.” (5:23,24) When Jesus comes for His own, they will be sanctified completely, their whole being, spirit, soul, and body will be blameless. And it will be accomplished by the One Who is truly Faithful, The One Who has called us, He will SURELY do it.
Now if that doesn’t give us God’s Peace, nothing will.
This is the Grace of the Lord Jesus Christ that is with us; that is worth reading about over and over; that is worth challenging each other to read and ponder as we encourage one another in this LIFE that God has given us.
(English Standard Version)
1Thess 1 - Greeting - The Thessalonians’ Faith and Example
1Thess 2 - Paul’s Ministry to the Thessalonians - Paul’s Longing to See Them Again
1Thess 3 - Timothy’s Encouraging Report
1Thess 4 - A Life Pleasing To God - The Coming of The Lord
1Thess 5 - The Day of The Lord - Final Instructions and Benediction
COMMENTS and QUESTIONS
by J Neil Evans:
Read 1 Thessalonians for yourself then…
Watch the Bible Project video 1 Thessalonians
I am sure that I do not really appreciate the feelings people in Bible times (or any times before our own) had as they were separated by distance from people they loved. If we wonder how someone is getting along we just email, text, or even “face time” with them instantly, no matter where they are. In times past (even just a few decades ago) communication was not so immediate and while waiting for letters to be sent and received people were left to wonder and worry about the people they loved.
So, being away from the people he loved in Thessalonica, Paul wondered how they were holding up under the persecutions by unbelievers, the misleading of false teachers, and their own temptations. Hearing mixed rumors, Paul sent Timothy to Thessalonica to get a first-hand, eye witness report about them.
Everything Paul had hoped for seemed to be true. The responses Paul had seen while among them were continuing. He was “thankful to God … for their work of faith and labor and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ”. (1:3) Their “faith in God had gone forth everywhere”. (1:8) The humble and sacrificial ways Paul had ministered among them had been effective. They had accepted what Paul preached “not as the word of men but as what it really is, the word of God, which worked in them”. (2:13)
Prayerfully expressing his desire to see them again Paul says:
Now may our God and Father himself, and our Lord Jesus, direct our way to you, and may the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, as we do for you, so that he may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints. (3:11-13) Paul knew that it is not ourselves, but the Lord Who makes our love increase and abound, and establishes our hearts blameless in holiness.
Paul discussed briefly the way Christians are to live daily pleasing God and loving each other. He was pleased that they were doing so but encouraged them to do so “more and more”. He then wrote about what happens to Christians who die, or as they used to say, “are asleep”. Paul assured them that when Jesus returns
“the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord.” (4:16,17) Believers do not need to worry about where they will spend eternity because they will “always be with The Lord”. And because Paul knew that our tendency is to wonder and worry, he added: “Therefore encourage one another with these words”.
Another similar topic that requires us to encourage one another is “the Day of The Lord”. Paul had taught them before but reminds them of the fact that Jesus is coming back at any time and that they should be ready by “being sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation. For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with him.” (5:8-10)
It is natural for us to wonder if these future things are really true. Can we have a sure and confident hope of being alive with Jesus after this life is over? Paul concludes his first letter to the Thessalonians with a remarkable paragraph. “Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.” (5:23,24) When Jesus comes for His own, they will be sanctified completely, their whole being, spirit, soul, and body will be blameless. And it will be accomplished by the One Who is truly Faithful, The One Who has called us, He will SURELY do it.
Now if that doesn’t give us God’s Peace, nothing will.
This is the Grace of the Lord Jesus Christ that is with us; that is worth reading about over and over; that is worth challenging each other to read and ponder as we encourage one another in this LIFE that God has given us.
Check out these LINKS:
Watch Bible Project summary of 1Thessalonians
Read "Bible Words to Ponder" related to this week study
Read "The Gospel"