Lesson 5

I Thessalonians 4:1–12

In all of the Pauline epistles there is a doctrinal section and a section dealing with the practical life of those whom he is addressing. Usually the doctrinal section comes first according to the rule: the practical life is based on the doctrines which are confessed. In this epistle he follows a somewhat different order. He spoke of practical matters from the beginning of this letter and later he will deal with a doctrinal matter.

The Christian “Walk”

He does begin a somewhat different topic at the beginning of this chapter. He begins to speak of practical matters more specifically than he has done in the first three chapters. He has a very healthy attitude to life and seeks to instill this attitude in the hea rts of his readers. Doctrine may be perfectly sound but the life of a believer must correspond to the faith he professes. He therefore admonishes the Thessalonian Chris tians to live in such a manner that they may therein please the God they are serving. The Bible often speaks of life as a “walk.” They have received instructions how they were to walk while the Apostle was with them. This was not his own teaching, but he spoke with the authority of his Lord. He has also discover ed that they do seek to walk in such a way that they may be approved of God. For this he is thankful, yet, he would have them “abound more and more.” They have not attained to perfection—and that is the ideal set before them. Now that they have come to the faith they must endeavor to walk “worthily of God, who calleth you into his own kingdom and glory” (2:12). They are, therefore, to remember the instructions which he gave them while he was with them.

“Called to Holiness”

The will of God for their lives is their sanctification. When a person has received salvation he has indeed received a great gift, but there is more to it. To be justified is wonderful, but God‘s purpose doesn‘t stop there. One of the greatest weaknesses among men, is that they stop here. They are saved! What more can be desired? There are even some who believe that they can t hen do as they please. Paul shows them that God desires their sanctification! Their lives are to be “set apart” for His service. He demands a life of devotion and of gratitude for the salvation which they have received. They are therefore to abstain from fornication. This sin is singled out because it was so common in the heathen world of that day. Women were held in low esteem and the readers of t his epistle lived in one of the important and busy cities of that day. There immorality was common. The person who professes faith in Jesus Christ may not live as the majority of the people of that day lived. They are set apart! The sanctifying work of the Spirit of God is taking place in their lives. They must co-operate in this work.

Holy Marriage

This sanctified manner of life is also to be reflected in the marriage relationship. The immorality of the day had undermined the marriage relationship, in fact, it became the first victim of that immorality. God’s people are to live in a different manner. Each man is to take a wife according to the rules of the Word of God. God has instituted marriage and He also lays down the rules for it. The taking of a wife is to be done according to the holiness which is to characterize Christians. They are to marry in the Lord. They are to hold the wife in honor! This is the opposite of the manner of the heathen of their day . They are not to live with their wives in the passion of lust which disregards all decency. This the Gentiles do, and these Christians may not live as t he Gentiles. For, those people do not know God (Rom. 1) and as a result they are a law unto themselves.

There is considerable difference of opinion on the meaning of verse 6. Some believe that the author is here dealing wit h a different subject from the one treated in the previous two verses that he here deals with the matter of defrauding a brot her in business dealings. However, I believe that he is still dealing with the subject of immorality. No one should go beyond what is proper in the matter of obtaining a wife or living with her. Whenever men do go beyond what is proper, they defraud someone else, they take someone else’s wife or daughter. Immoral conduct always brings injustice to another. The brother who is defrauded may not even be aware of the injustice which has been done him, but God sees and He is avenger!

We forewarned you and testified to you about these things, says the Apostle, while he was with them in Thessalonica. We should not lose sight of the many things he taught them in that short time he was with them. He had to bring the gospel so that they might know the way of salvation. Besides this, he taught them the proper manner of life. All in the space of a few weeks! What is the secret of such comprehensive teaching? He brought them the whole counsel of God! He preached the Word! He did not lead them to salvation and them allow them to flounder.

The conclusion of the whole matter is this: God called us not for uncleanness, but in sanctification. He has given wonderful gifts and He demands the thanks for those gifts. No uncleanness can ever be approved by Him. Real faith produces “fruits” of virtuous living. “By their fruits ye shall know them.” Justification must lead to sanctification.

Those who might reject this teaching of Paul are not just rejecting him but are also rejecting God. He is fully persuaded that the message he brings is indeed the Word of God. In this, of course, he is simply repeating what his Lord had also taught. The rejectors obviously reject God because He has sent His Spirit Who testifies to the truth of the Word spoken. They thus reject the works of the Spirit. That Holy Spirit is at work in making Christians more holy.

Brotherly Love

Love of the brethren is a common New Testament theme. John writes about it in his Gospel and also in his epistles. Paul also mentions it again and again. Of course, this belongs to the very nature of the Christian life. As a result, Paul does not feel that he has to write at length about this subject because they are taught of God. Anyone who believes the gospel from the heart will naturally love his brother. Note that he speaks of love to the brethren. That is a different love from that to those who are outside of the brotherhood. Today love is often the only theme men know—but the Apostle makes it very clear what love is and then does not engage in an elaboration of the obvious. Where true faith has been instilled in the heart, this love will become evident. He therefore also makes mention of the fact that these Christians do show this love to the brethren in “all Macedonia.” Living in the kind of city that Thessalonica was, they come in contact with believers scattered throughout Macedonia and their dealings with these believers reveal the faith they have embraced. This is wonderful, and Paul is very pleased with it. Yet, he would urge them to “abound more and more” (see vs. 1). There is always room for improvement, and they are to be encouraged to persist in their Christian walk.

Learn to Be Calm

The words “and that ye study to be quiet” are not very clear to anyone reading this epistle in our day. It would be a better translation to read: “and be ambitious to live calmly.” Then one sees that the Apostle is urging them to try to live as calmly and soberly as possible. This does not mean that he is cautioning them against a zeal for the gospel or against a zeal for holy living. His own life shows that he is filled with a consuming zeal for the cause of Jesus Christ. What does he have in mind? He is writing to the Thessalonian church which is “worked up” to the extreme concerning the return of Christ. This is a t heme which has often been neglected in the history of the church, but it can also be overemphasized. This theme of the Lord’s return had been overemphasized among the Thessalonians. He urges them to strive to live calmly. They must be about their “own business.” They have meddled in the affairs of others and are making it difficult for the leaders in the church who do not share the extreme feelings about the return of the Savior.

Diligent Workers

One of the things which is necessary for the calm life which he encourages is that they work with t heir own hands. Apparently the great majority in this church were laboring people. But, if Christ will return soon, why work? That is the extreme to which their faulty view of the return of Christ had led them. Manual labor is not to be held in contempt. They will not be engaged in a lesser activity if they are found working with their hands when the Lord comes again than if they were engaged in prayer or some other “spiritual” activity! Of course, they also do not know the time of His return. Let the church, the people of God, go diligently about its business, regardless of the time. His people are called to be faithful! They are to be obedient! Again he refers to the fact that he had instructed them in these matters while he was with them! Certainly, the coming of our Lord must color the whole life of believers but not in the sense that they may neglect their work and calling in the day in which they live.

This command to do the work to which they have been called is also necessary for them to make the proper impression on those who are outside of the circle of believers. If they are not faithful in doing their common work, but look only for the return of Christ, they will be judged as extremists by those who are without. The person who is only able to talk about and engage in “spiritual” things, has lost his balance. It is totally unnatural and we should be natural concerning spiritual things and spiritual about the natural things! There is also another very practical side to the issue: the one who stops working with his hands is not going to be able to support himself and will become dependent on others. The Apostle admonishes Christians to work diligently with their hands so that they will not suffer any material need. Our Lord has indeed commanded His people to take care of the poor, but He also wants His followers to work so that they will not be in need but will be able to help those who are in real need. Poverty in itself is no virtue! It is to be avoided if at all possible.

So the Apostle has given them some guidelines for the godly life. Here the words are addressed to people laboring under a false conception concerning the time of the return of Christ; but these words are timeless. They are needed in our time.

Questions for discussion:

1. What is the nature of a truly Christian life? Is it one of commandment upon commandment? How are freedom and commandment related in a Christian life? 2. Paul was in Thessalonica only a few weeks. What does his example of teaching and preaching say to us in our mission work? What does it say to those who believe that everything must be made very simple? 3. What is sanctification? How does it differ from justification? Is it important to know the difference? Some never get beyond the joy of being saved. What do you think of that attitude? Is it dangerous? 4. How does our faith influence our marriage relationship? Family relationship? 5. Are the labors of our hands “good works”? (L.D. 33) I s work a blessing? Explain.

6. Is it an indication of true spirituality if one always talks about spiritual things and neglects his daily work?

   

Lesson 6

I Thessalonians 4:13–18

As we have said before, the Apostle had covered a large number of subjects in the brief period of time he had been permitted to work in Thessalonica. This is instructive for the church of later ages because it is thereby advised as to the method of preaching the whole counsel of God. Of course, Paul had spoken to the Thessalonians concerning the work accomplished by Jesus Christ while He was here on earth. He had emphasized the need of repentance and faith. He had instructed them in the kind of life which is to be the product of faith. But, he had done more. No gospel is complete which fails to deal with all the events which have taken place or are to take place in our redemption. Consequently he had also spoken to them about the return of Christ.

Worry about Christians who Have Died

It need not surprise us that these Thessalonians did not immediately understand all the things in which he had instructed them. Nor should it surprise us that various problems arose among them when they reflected upon the teaching which they had received. There was also t he possibility that they might have misunderstood some of the things which they had been taught. This passage deals with one of their misunderstandings. They seem to have received the impression that Christ would return soon-in their own life-time. Some of their brethren who had been converted as a result of the Apostolic preaching in their city had died. Their concern is: are those who have died going to be at a disadvantage when the Savior returns? They have no doubt concerning the salvation of those who have died, but, will they not have the glorious experience of welcoming the Christ of God when He returns to take His people to Himself? Paul answers this particular problem in this section.

He introduces the subject in a manner which is common in the Pauline writings. He does not want them to be or remain in ignorance concerning this matter. Such ignorance would rob them of the comfort which they ought to possess. Their concern regarding this subject gives evidence of a real love relationship which they have toward those who have passed away. They want these to share the same benefits which they themselves will enjoy when the Savior returns. They fear that those loved ones who have departed from this life will not share the same blessing which will be theirs. However, this rests on a misunderstanding and the Apostle will not allow them to continue in this ignorance.

Hope for those Fallen Asleep

He speaks of the departed ones as “them that fall asleep.” It is significant that the New Testament reserves this figure of speech for the believers who have died. Death is not final for them, no more than sleep is final. Sleep is a necessary experience for a healthy life. Sleep gives r est and also gives the promise of awakening! Ignorance concerning these must be removed because otherwise there is the danger that the Thessalonian Christians will sorrow for them in the same way that the heathen who have no hope sorrow. Wrong views always rob the individual of the riches which have been given him to enjoy. The rest, i.e., the heathen, have no hope. Theirs is an impoverished life. Their view of the body, both in Greek and Roman thought, is that it will perish. They had considered the body to be the “prison house” of the spirit. But, they also have no hope concerning the spirit! Because they have no hope they, of course, have no comfort. Surely, such a view may not be entertained by those who have learned to know Christ!

Dependence on Christ’s Resurrection

Paul now seeks to lay a firm foundation for the Christian hope and comfort. He refers to the resurrection of Christ. That is the only hope. The words he uses are translated as though the matter is conditional — “If we believe.” This is not his purpose at all. It is a form he often uses whereby he takes for granted that those to whom he is writing believe it without a doubt. It is certain that Jesus died and rose again. What is the effect of this resurrection? If you believe that He rose—you must conclude that those who are His will also rise. The original has “through Jesus” instead of “in Jesus.” Grammatically there are problems in this verse, but the clear meaning is: when the resurrected Jesus comes again God will bring those who have fallen asleep in Jesus with the Lord! In other words, their departed loved ones will accompany Jesus when He returns! Therefore, they are not excluded from the blessings and glory of His return!

The Lord’s Revelation

The subject with which he is dealing and concerning which he will have much more to say later, is one which is tremendously important. It is still future so that it is more difficult to understand than those things which have already happened. Paul is not going to give his own view on this subject, but realizes that only the Lord Himself is able to speak to this subject. He now refers to a word of the Lord which we cannot find in the gospels. This is no problem, however, to those who take the Bible seriously. John tells us at the close of his gospel that there were many other things which Jesus did which are not recorded in his gospel (John 21:25) and, no doubt, there were also many other things which were said by our Lord which have not been recorded. Acts

20:35 is an instance of this as well as verse 15 of this chapter. This word of Jesus was known to Paul. The Lord had made it clear that those who would be alive at the time of His return would not precede, be ahead of, those who had fallen asleep. These Thessalonians may therefore rest assured that their departed loved ones will not be at a disadvantage when He returns.

The Sound of His Coming

The writer now describes, in a general way, the manner of the return of Christ at the last day. We must note that he is here describing that return only as it has reference to believers. This is a very important passage dealing with our Lord’s return and must not be overlooked when we consider other passages such as those in the book of Revelation. The first coming of t he Lord was in humiliation—the second is not. Few realized that the Son of God had come into this earth at the time of His first coming—the whole world will know it at the time of the second coming. There are, of course, many other dissimilarities. He begins by saying that the Lord will descend and utter a shout! It is really a shouted command. It is a word used in military circles where the leader gives such a shouted command to his troops. It is used of leaders calling those under them to action. So Christ will descend and shout His commands. It will be a shout which is creative and life-giving. At that shout the dead will rise! Itis a shout which penetrates where no word of anyone has penetrated before. It is a shout of victory and by means of it He claims all that which He has earned with His redemptive work.

The voice of the archangel will also be heard. Although we are by no means certain concerning the orders of the angels, Scripture leaves no doubt regarding the first importance of the archangel. Michael is called archangel in Jude 9 and he is the only one so named in Scripture. Daniel calls him one of the chief princes (Daniel 10). This mighty angel now raises his voice as the mighty Christ descends from heaven to earth. The shout of Christ and the voice of the archangel make it clear that the return of Christ will be public and open and audible. No one will have to be told: lo He is here! The shout of Christ reaches into the graves and it will then certainly reach the ears of those still living. The voice of the archangel resounds through the whole universe. The trumpet of God will also sound. Christ shouts; the archangel raises his voice; and God blows the trumpet! The “day of days” has arrived! All heaven rejoices! The mighty “Conqueror” comes to claim all that is His.

Christ’s Dead Rise First

Having given this brief description of the manner of Christ’s return, the writer now returns to the subject he had begun to treat. When He so returns, the dead in Christ shall rise first! This is just the opposite of their fears. Instead of being at a disadvantage—they are the first to profit from His return! All their fears are groundless. Now they can have true comfort concerning those who have preceded them in death. From this point of view, it is no advantage to be still alive at the time when Christ returns in glory.

What of the Living?

“Then we that are alive, that are left . . .” There is, of course, no neglect of those who will still be living at that time. They also shall share in that glorious renewal. The fact that Paul uses the word “we” in this connection has led some to believe that he thought he would be among those still living at the time of the second coming. However, this is unwarranted. It is rather: we, the living—in contrast with those who have fallen asleep. In other places Paul has made it very clear that there are various things which must happen before the Lord returns, which things could scarcely happen during the short time he would still live.

The “Rapture”?

The following words have become the occasion for all kinds of fanciful interpretations. A rapture? What kind of rapture? We must listen closely to t he words which the Apostle has written. He indeed speaks of both those who had previously died and those believers still alive at His coming being caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. This is Scripture! The emphasis falls on the suddenness. It includes both groups of believers and nothing is here said about unbelievers. The two groups of believers are not caught up to Him at different times. Nothing is done in secret. There will be no time left to convert. The die is cast, He comes to judge.

Believers shall meet Him in the air. This is the kind of welcome which is reserved for dignitaries of the highest rank. Ever since they believed they were the property of Christ. Paul speaks time and again that the true believers are “in Christ.” But, the relationship in which they will stand to Christ after His return will be much more glorious. “So” shall we ever be with the Lord! Their bodies have been resurrected or have been completely changed in the twinkling of an eye. Now with redeemed bodies as well as souls—“so” shall they ever be with Him. Never s hall this glorious union be dissolved.

They must now comfort each other with this truth. Ignorance of these truths had brought much misery into their lives. Now that they know the truth—they will be able to go their way rejoicing.

Questions for discussion:

1. Does ignorance of the truth often rob us of comfort? Can it also give ungrounded hope? What does considering these questions teach us regarding the importance of true doctrine? 2. What is the present state of “those who fall asleep in Jesus”? Is it a “perfect” state? Explain. 3. Does one who questions the historicity of Christ’s resurrection have any hope? 4. Is it a loss for us that we don‘t have all the words Jesus spoke? Explain. 5. What is the work of angels? Has enough attention been paid by the church to the Scriptures’ teaching concerning angels? 6. Do you think that modern day evangelism pays sufficient attention to the doctrine of the second coming of Christ? If not, is it a full gospel?