The Future According to Godනියැදිය

1 THESSALONIANS 5: Our To-Do List

Today, we finish 1 Thessalonians with chapter 5, all about the day of the Lord. Jesus will come as a thief in the night. Before that day, we are to encourage and build up one another. Paul closes the letter with a few instructions, a Christian “to-do” list. When you master it, let me know. Please read or listen to 1 Thessalonians 5.

COMMENTS

We will take a last look at my journals when I was thirty-seven, thirty-eight, and thirty-nine years old in 1992, 1993, and 1994. Regarding 1 Thessalonians 5, in 1992, I wrote, “Be sons of light and of the day. Our deeds can be exposed, and that’s okay, referring to 1 Thessalonians 5:5-8.” Referring to verse 9, I wrote, “Destined for salvation,” and verse 11, “‘encourage . . . and build up one another’ (1 Thess 5:11 NASB). 1 Thessalonians 5:11-15, help people. And, ‘Rejoice always’” (1 Thess 5:16 NASB). Then, “My spirit is often not in the rejoicing mood. ‘Pray without ceasing’” (1 Thess 5:17 NASB). I finished with, “My prayer life is not what it ought to be.”

One year later, in 1993, I wrote, “We are not people of the dark, but rather people of the light. Therefore, although Jesus may come as a thief in the night, we being of the light and sober in spirit should not be surprised, overtaken, when He comes. ‘Therefore encourage one another and build up one another’” (1 Thess 5:11 NASB).

One year later, in 1994, I wrote, “Peace and safety. People are concerned about dying. Help me understand and help people find peace and safety in Christ.” I referred to 1 Thessalonians 5:11, “‘encourage and build up one another’ (1 Thess 5:11 NASB). Appreciate those over me. Rejoice, pray, give thanks, hold fast to that which is good. ‘Faithful is He who calls you, and He also will bring it to pass’” (1 Thess 5:24 NASB).

Amazing, in all my journals, I failed to write one thing about the day of the Lord. So let’s go back through the final chapter of 1 Thessalonians. Remember, they were concerned about the second coming. They were concerned some missed it, so Paul is writing and saying they really do not need to hear about this. They know enough. But he does go on to say in verse 2, “For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night” (1 Thess 5:2 ESV).

The next verse goes on to say, some people would look at that and be afraid, but he says, because you are children of the light, not darkness, there is no need to be afraid of that night. Verse 4, “But you are not in darkness, brothers, for that day to surprise you like a thief” (1 Thess 5:4 ESV).In other words, for us, there is no fear of the day of the Lord. Verses 9 and 10 say, “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” (1 Thess 5:9-10 ESV).

Paul sets the hearts of the Thessalonians at ease with these comforting words about the day of the Lord, “Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing” (1 Thess 5:11 ESV).

Paul shares about leadership. “Respect those who labor among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, and to esteem them very highly in love because of their work” (1 Thess 5:12-13 ESV). He goes on to say. “See that no one repays anyone evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to everyone” (1 Thess 5:15 ESV).

How about this? “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing” (1 Thess 5:16-17 ESV). I wrote in my journal, I don’t always have a rejoicing attitude, and my prayer life certainly needs improvement.

Paul continues, “Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise prophecies, but test everything; hold fast what is good. Abstain from every form of evil” (1 Thess 5:19-22 ESV).

We can spend a lot of time on the laundry list of things we should be like. How are you doing with rejoicing always, or praying without ceasing, or giving thanks in all circumstances? In my flesh, I probably cannot accomplish much of that, but thank God we have the Holy Spirit to help us.

If that is not enough, how about verse 23? “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” (1 Thess 5:23 ESV).In my lifetime, I have described myself in many ways, but I have never described myself as blameless. I’m giggling now because verse 24 tells us how to do all this. “He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it” (1 Thess 5:24 ESV). I wish it were that easy! But on a serious note, I have experienced the fact that “He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it” (1 Thess 5:24 ESV). This ministry, the Ezra Project, is a great example of just that. He called me to do this, and He has been faithful to do it.

Paul wrote to the Thessalonians to answer a bunch of questions they had as an early Christian church. He probably thought he did a pretty good job answering those questions; however, he needed to write again, so he wrote 2 Thessalonians.

DIGGING DEEPER

What is our practical application from this last chapter in 1 Thessalonians? Well, it is a pretty tall order, as we have already seen:

•respect those who labor among you (1 Thess 5:12 ESV)

•Be at peace among yourselves (1 Thess 5:13 ESV)

•admonish the idle (1 Thess 5:12 ESV)

•encourage the fainthearted (1 Thess 5:14 ESV)

•help the weak (1 Thess 5:14 ESV)

•be patient with them all (1 Thess 5:14 ESV)

•See that no one repays anyone evil for evil (1 Thess 5:15 ESV)

•Always seek to do good to one another and to everyone (1 Thess 5:15 ESV)

•Rejoice always (1 Thess 5:16 ESV)

•Pray without ceasing (1 Thess 5:17 ESV)

•Give thanks in all circumstances (1 Thess 5:18 ESV)

•Do not quench the Spirit (1 Thess 5:19 ESV)

•Do not despise prophecies (1 Thess 5:20 ESV)

•test everything (1 Thess 5:21 ESV)

•hold fast what is good (1 Thess 5:21 ESV)

•Abstain from every form of evil (1 Thess 5:22 ESV)

How are you doing so far?

Lastly, keep your whole spirit, soul, and body blameless. When you get all that done, let me know. When you do, I cannot wait to meet you! Verse 25 closes with, “Brothers, pray for us” (1 Thess 5:25 ESV), and I am going to do that right now.

PRAYER

Lord, we had a little fun with the end of this book, but You are serious about holiness. All these would be qualities of being holy, living a holy life. But, Lord, in our human strength, we cannot do it. Thank You for the gift of the Holy Spirit that can at least help us on the path toward these things.

We thank You as You close this book with this promise, that “He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it” (1 Thess 5:24 ESV). You are faithful, so help us with all these qualities in our lives. As we see improvement in any of these areas, may we give You the praise and the glory. As You shine us up, may we be an encouragement to one another and build each other up in You. Hallelujah, amen.