Lesson 9

I Thessalonians 5:16–28

The Apostle is coming to the close of this first epistle to the Thessalonian church but he still has many things to say to them. When we consider the volume of work accomplished by this man, we often wonder how he found the time to write to so many churches and individuals. In these verses we seem to have an indication of the press on his time. The exhortations come in terse language—he does not seem to have the time to explain himself more fully. As a result, each brief statement contains a world of thought. One has to be acquainted with his other writings to be able to understand what he has in mind in each one of these short sentences.

“Rejoice Always”

First of all he counsels them to rejoice always. This sounds like an ideal which is far beyond the grasp of most people. How ca n one rejoice at all times? There are so many experiences in life which remove all joy. Even the Scriptures inform us that there is a time to be glad and also a time to mourn. Yet, it is not an optimist who is totally out of touch with reality who is speaking here. He himself had had many difficult and frightening experiences. Besides, it is the Spirit of God Who is speaking through him. It is, therefore, a command that we are always to rejoice. How is this possible? The Thessalonian Christians will be able to understand him. They had left the service of idols—which gave no joy whatsoever—and had become members of the body of Christ. That is sufficient reason to rejoice continually! They now had a comfort which they had not deemed possible in their former manner of life. The future too was safe and they would enjoy future bliss such as they had not dreamt of. But, if this is then so natural for a believer, why does he have to give this exhortation? This is not difficult to understand because, although we have reason to rejoice at all times, we don‘t do it. Paul makes it clear to them (and to us) that there is no place for an unhappy Christian—no, that is a contradiction in terms. They must heed this admonition too to be true witnesses to the grace of God.

“Pray Without Ceasing”

Beside rejoicing at all times, they must also pray without ceasing. Every believer realizes the importance of prayer in the life of a Christian and we have our stated times for prayer, but how can we pray without stopping? Does not this same author emphasize the need of diligent work on the part of believers? How can one then spend all his time in prayer? His view of life does not permit one to become a monk! He does not counsel them to be engaged in formal prayer all the time, but their whole life must be a prayer! Their communion with their God must be unbroken. Only when the whole life is a prayer will they be able to rejoice always.

“In Everything Give Thanks”

They are also called to give thanks in everything. Again, it is the kind of statement which seems to ask the impossible. There are so many experiences in the life of a believer for which he prays God that they may be removed. How then can he be thankful for all the varied experiences sent him? Even the unbeliever does not find it too difficult to be thankful for prosperity, if he would only know where it came from. The believer’s thanksgiving is differ ent. He looks on all the things his God has sent him in His wisdom and realizes that these things have not come by chance. God has a purpose and his child seeks to view all his experiences in the light of the purpose of God. He must know that all things are “subservient to his salvation” and he gives thanks. Therefore this same writer can speak in other places of rejoicing in tribulation, etc.

“The Will of God{

He has exhorted them to the above three things because that is the will of God in Christ Jesus to them. God has their welfare in mind. Not only must they become children of God, they must also learn to live as His children. It is again emphasized t hat these are not the Apostle’s feelings or thoughts, but that it is a revelation of the will of God!

“Quench Not the Spirit”

He now comes with an exhortation which sounds even more impossible than the former ones. He says: “Quench not the Spirit.” How would puny man ever be able to quench the Almighty Spirit? But, this is New Testament language with a history. In Ephesians 4:30 he speaks of grieving the Spirit. Stephen accused the Jews of always resisting the Spirit (Acts 7:51). To grieve or to resist the Spirit does not seem to be as strong as to quench the Spirit. These terms must be taken together to come to a proper understanding of them. We grieve the Spirit when· ever we sin. We resist Him when we do not follow the way He has clearly indicated to us. But, to quench the Spirit is to oppose the Spirit in His working. This is most dangerous. The promptings of the Spirit must be followed. The Spirit is to be honored in all His work. If there is a quenching of the Spirit or His work, the spiritual blessings promised them will no longer come to them. The Spirit works ceaselessly to accomplish the work of Christ in the believer. This work must not be opposed.

“Despise Not Prophesyings”

In this connection he warns them not to despise prophesyings. It seemed to be much more important to many in the early church if someone was able to speak in tongues or to heal someone’s body dramatically than if he were able to prophesy. The prophet is the servant of the Spirit as well as those who have the other gifts. If people despise the prophesying, they are quenching the spirit. Whenever the Apostle speaks of the gifts given to members of the early church he also mentions the gift to prophesy. This was important in the life of the church of that day because the revelation had not yet been completed. The prophet is one who speaks the word of God. This is the original meaning of the term used. Whether he foretells the future is incidental. Christians cannot do without this word which may come to members of the church at that time. Do not despise this prophesying.

“Prove All Things”

There may also have been those who claimed they were prophesying while in fact they were not. This may have led many to despise all prophesying. Paul counsels them to prove, to test these things. They were to test the spirits whether they were from God. John counsels his people in like manner (I John 4:1). The only true test of prophetic utterances is the revelation they have. The prophecies must correspond to the rest of revelation and to the words of the Apostles. Believers must compare Scripture with Scripture. Having so tested the words spoken to them, they must hold on to that which is good, i.e., that which has stood the test, and cast away everything which does not agree with it. These words have often been taken by themselves and given the mean–ing “try everything once and then decide what is good and what is bad.” That these words cannot have this meaning becomes evident when they are read in the context in which they are found. The context must always be taken into consideration in the interpretation of Scripture because we can make Scripture say whatever we please if this is not done.

God’s Sanctification

Although the commands which Paul has given to the members of this church are brief, each one covers a large part of the spiritual life they have received. How are they going to be able to do all the things he has demanded of them? In themselves they will never be able to do it. Therefore he now points them to the source of their strength. He prays that God may sanctify them wholly. The process of sanctification must go on in their lives. They must be made more holy. This is a process which lasts as long as life itself. They themselves are to cooperate in this process but it is essentially God who causes it to come about. By this sanctification they will be more and more separated from sin and will turn to the living God. Instead of speaking of the Spirit of God, Who works sanctification, he speaks of the God of peace. Peace has been established between God and the believer through the work of Christ. He will also bring that peace, that calmness into the heart of the believer.

The Whole Person

The Lord is not satisfied with saving “souls.” He saves the whole man. This is the thought which Paul now stresses. The whole person is to be kept for Him. His sanctification takes the whole man into account. He has made men, not only souls. The body too will be resurrected. Man is to be kept entire. This is also the emphasis when the writer now speaks of spirit and soul and body. Some have interpreted these words to mean that the Apostle is here teaching a trichotomy, i.e., that man consists of spirit and soul and body. It becomes clear enough from his other writings that man consists of only soul and body. But here, where all the emphasis falls on the totality of the being of man, he names all three. The whole man is to be preserved without blame till the coming of the Lord. Even more, the sanctification is to be so thorough that it will also be found without blame when God shall judge. That will be the true test. But, sanctification is the work of God. That work is perfect and will be able to stand even in the judgment.

God Is Faithful

One of the most difficult matters in the life of the believer is the fear that he may falter in the life of faith when conditions become too difficult for him. To believe in Jesus Christ for salvation is wonderful, but the grind of life may cause him to stumble. In short, will the faith we have professed be able to stand when life becomes difficult? Have no fear, says the Apostle. The God who called them in the first place does not abandon the work He has begun. He who began a good work in you will perfect it unto the day of Jesus Christ (Phil. 1:6). Here Paul deals with the same subject. He is faithful—He will do it. The fact that He continues what He has begun is a matter of the greatest comfort to every believer. We are not left to ourselves—He will do it.

Prayers for One Another

The Apostle has informed this church that here members them daily in his prayers. It is a great benefit to the members of this church that they may know that Apostolic prayers are sent to the throne of grace for them. This man knows how to pray! But, be feels the need for the prayers of this people for him just as well. Although he is performing a staggering amount of work, he knows that he is not able to do it in his own strength. When we hear this great man of God asking for the prayers of his brethren, we see his own childlike faith and his consciousness of his own need. He also is only human! His whole life and labors underscore his own statement: By grace are ye saved!

Christian Greetings

He has come to the end of this epistle. There are problems in this church but the work of God’s grace is abundantly evident. These people are very dear to him. All the brethren are to be saluted in the name of Paul. This is to be done–according to the custom of the time and place. Here, as elsewhere, he speaks of the holy kiss. This was the natural form which the greeting took among those who were very near to each other. In our western world we are not as demonstrative in our greetings.

An Inspired Letter

The letter which he is hereby sending to them is intended for everyone in the church. These were not mere letters. These letters were part of the revelation of God! Paul is fully aware that he is being used by the Spirit of God to make His will known to the church. Those who receive such letters may not deal lightly with them. There seems to have been the fear in his mind that some might purposely absent themselves from the worship service in which this letter was read. He therefore virtually places them under oath that they see to it that every member of the church hears what he has written to them. Some may have feared what the Apostle would have to say about them. These letters were, of course also to be preserved for all future ages. The fact that he emphasizes that everyone is to hear this letter indicates that he attributes much more weight to the content of this letter than if it had only been his own production. He is writing the word of God!

He closes with a very brief benediction. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. The grace of their Savior will abide with them. This is not a prayer whose answer must still be awaited, but it is the blessing which he, as an ambassador of Christ, lays upon the church.

Questions for Discussion

1. The Christian life is often judged by how “serious” a person is. Does this agree with Paul’s statement that we should always rejoice? When he gives this statement does that mean that the believer must wear a perpetual smile? 2. When should we pray? Is it proper to have stated times for prayer? Is more required? Can we pray while we work? 3. Can a person realistically give thanks for all things? Is our gratitude a measure of our spiritual life? 4. Is the preaching of the word prophetic today? Explain. 5. What is sanctification? How does it differ from justification? Can we do anything in the area of sanctification or is it all God’s work? 6. Do we hear enough about the perseverance of the saints? Is it important?    

GRATITUDE FOR SPIRITUAL PROGRESS

Lesson 10

II Thessalonians 1 :1–5

Paul’s first letter to this church was written only a short time after he had left Thessalonica. In this letter he had shown his concern for the believers there and had instructed them in various matters. That letter had been delivered. When he heard of the situation at Thessalonica from those who had delivered that letter he must have sat down to write this second letter almost immediately. Many think that the second followed the first in a matter of weeks.

In this second letter he reveals how thankful he is that the conditions in Thessalonica are much better than he feared. He had written about several matters in the first letter which need not be repeated because they had taken his instruction to heart. No longer does he have to defend his Apostleship. But, there are several items which must be clarified for these people, and especially the matter concerning the return of Christ. He will go into these things more broadly in this epistle.

God’s Greeting

First of all, he gives the usual greeting. The greeting he uses at the beginning of this epistle is almost the same as the one he employed in the previous one. This is not a personal greeting but a greeting of God Who is bringing His word to these people. Paul and his helpers are not able to give grace and peace to them—these are the gifts of God! It is the church at worship which is to receive this greeting. Grace and peace are declared to them and it is not a wish of the Apostle that they may receive it. The church at worship is not interested in a greeting of a man! By Paul’s declaring this grace and peace to them it becomes evident that they are indeed gathered together in the name of God. Rich is the content of the terms he uses. It is also noteworthy that “God our Father” and “the Lord Jesus Christ” are placed on one plane so early in the history of the church. The deity of Christ was confessed since the earliest days. This was not a doctrine “discovered” by the church of a later day. The gospel is rooted in the confession that Jesus is divine.

Thanksgiving

Although this second epistle will deal with the wrong views the people at Thessalonica had in regard to the return of Christ, the Apostle speaks of his great joy in the first part of this letter. We have to give thanks for you, he says. One would be remiss in his duty if he did not give thanks for what has happened in Thessalonica. The wrong view of eschatology which is present here does not blind Paul to all the blessings which are found here. He has a very balanced view of the life of the churches to which he writes. The fact that there are problems and misinterpretations does not obscure the work of God which is going on in the lives and hearts of these people. He is witness to the work of God’s grace as it comes to expression in the hearts of these people. Their difficulties do not characterize these people but the fact that they are believers in the Lord Jesus Christ!

This also becomes evident in the fact that he doesn’t only speak of the church here in general, but that he emphasizes the fact that he gives thanks for every individual in this church. This, therefore, includes those who have difficulty in understanding his teaching concerning the Lord’s return. It includes those who have adopted the wrong manner of life as a result of their faulty conception of the second coming. He will express his gratitude to God for them all—even for those who must still be corrected. Although perfection has not come to this church, as it also has not to any other, they, even those who err, have come a long way. He knows that his work of teaching and preaching have not come to an end when he has made known to them the way of salvation. He will gladly continue to instruct to the end that they may all come to the knowledge of the truth. The imperfections found in the church will not silence his thanks to God for them. He would be an ingrate if he could only see the problems in the church and not the beautiful work of the Spirit of God!

Spiritual Growth

For what is he thankful? For the answer to his prayers as they are recorded in the first epistle. He had there commended them on the faith and love and hope they possessed. Yet, he admonished them to increase in these things. Now he comments on the growth of their faith. It grows exceedingly! That’s what he wanted to see! Now he has received the information that the faith of these people is outstanding. That faith is growing stronger all the time. If that faith would not grow it would be dead. Faith never stays the same—it either grows or dies. Their love for each other “aboundeth.” He had also prayed for this to happen. The gospel of Jesus Christ has brought them closer together than anything else could. These are people of varied background and social and economic status. There is no power on earth which can bind such diverse individuals together except the common faith in one Lord. This reveals the spiritual life of the church. Apparently their different views concerning some very important matters had not diminished their love for each other. Then there is good hope for the future and for the correction of errors. The Apostle does not mention hope in this connection although he had done so in the previous epistle. This has led some to believe that their hope was not too strong and is therefore not mentioned here. That, however, is not true. He indeed mentions their strong hope later in this letter. This Thessalonian church puts many others to shame and the Apostle is simply elated to hear of their progress.

Encouragement by Example

Because there is such a healthy spirituality in this church the Apostle glories in them to all the other churches. In his writings to the various churches he often makes mention of the other churches. Each was interested to hear of the others and the others were often mentioned to instruct and comfort the church to which he was writing. In his contacts with the other churches he is now able to “boast” about the church at Thessalonica. Their faith had indeed become well–known to all the churches in the vicinity (I Thess. 1). Theirs was not only an enthusiasm for the moment of the reception of the gospel, it is still growing. Surely the Apostle needed this kind of encouragement in all the difficult labors in which he was engaged. And that this church should be such an example to others! He had come here out of the prison at Philippi and had been forced to leave here after a very brief stay. To think that those few weeks produced such returns! Often the labors of a far longer period of time produce far less fruit. No wonder he glories in them!

In Persecutions

Specifically, he glories in them for their patience and faith in all their persecutions. People who have very recently come out of paganism now have the patience and faith to endure persecutions! This is a marvel of grace. Here their hope is evident. Their faith is not shaken and they have endured patiently. These people have experienced the same things which befell the Apostle when he had been in their city. He had been forced to leave because of the activity of those who opposed the gospel. These people, who live here and have to make their living here, are now experiencing the same things. Persecution will come to those who acknowledge Another King than Caesar. Especially if their’s is a vibrant faith. Paul, no doubt, had warned them that these things could be expected. But, when they actually come it is far different than when one hears of it in the abstract. The fact that they were patient and kept the faith under these circumstances was evidence that the faith was genuine. How soon this persecution came! The Lord asked much of these “new” Christians but He also gave them much! The patience and faith which they manifest is not their own doing but it is His gift –His work within them.

Paul not only speaks of the persecutions which have come to them but that they also have been enabled to endure]“ “afflictions.” Though closely associated with the persecutions, the two terms do not mean the same thing. The afflictions are rather the result of the persecutions. Often those who no longer worshiped the gods of the pagans were not able to do business. Persecutions may come in various forms but they usually afflicted the people first of all in their ability to make a living. Then they become a severe test. Yet, the Apostle is able to “boast” of these believers in all the churches, that their patience and faith has not been broken. These people are ready to die for their faith. That salvation which has been made known to them is worth far more than material goods. When such a faith is present, the difficulties which still remain in this church can be overcome. When that faith is absent, difficulties are magnified and will not come to solution. He indeed has reason to “boast” of these people to the other churches and use them as an example for others.

The Problem of Christian Suffering

The matter of the suffering of believers is often mentioned in the Pauline epistles. Suffering is often spiritually dangerous. Men often have the idea that if suffering comes it is an indication that God has forsaken them or that He is no longer in control. Others, in our day, often say that if this is the way God deals with them, they will have nothing to do with Him. God is love, and the suffering of men does not demonstrate love. It might be expected that these new Christians would have difficulty understanding the God Who had been proclaimed to them now that they were being persecuted for His name’s sake. The teaching which Paul now gives them is therefore very significant.

Faith’s Endurance

The people in Thessalonica must not only see the afflictions which they have to endure, they must also see the patience and faith which has been given them so that they will be able to stand. That, to Paul, “is a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God.” These are their rewards as believers in the Lord Jesus Christ. God not only sends the persecutions but also the means whereby these persecutions may be borne. Therein He shows Himself as righteous Judge. If He shows His righteous judgment to them now they will also have the assurance that His judgment will be righteous on the last day! No one may ever accuse Him of unrighteousness. These persecutions and afflictions are not pleasant in this day but they can be assured of this that God is not unrighteous, is not going contrary to His being, when He sends these things. They are not able to judge the value of these experiences, but God is. Paul is speaking of those things which belong to his own experiences. He was able to rejoice in tribulation. That might seem too much to expect of these new Christians, but their faith is holding strong and they maintain their patience. Their eyes must now be opened to see the righteousness of God displayed.

Looking Ahead

The view of suffering and its purpose must be directed beyond the present. This is not done in order to minimize the importance of the present life and proclaim a “pie in the sky by and by” of which Christianity has often been accused. No, they ought to see the manifestation of His righteous judgment already in the present that He has given them what they needed in all their suffering, but they must also look beyond the present time. They will, because of their faith and patience be counted worthy to enter into the kingdom of God. That is the reason for their suffering in the present time. God looks beyond the present. He sees the end from the beginning. It is difficult for the believers to have the proper perspective when it seems as though the suffering which they have to endure in this life is not according to justice. They must remember that God has great things in store for them. When they see the whole picture, they will also be able to see the righteous judgment of God already revealed at the present time. To see this their faith must be strong and their patience must endure. In this, too, they must become imitators of the Apostle himself (I Thess. 1).

No church is without problems, because there are many problems in the life of believers in this world. However, Paul is exceedingly grateful for the progress this infant church has made. His work has not been in vain for they demonstrate in all things that God has begun a good work in them.

Questions for Discussion

1. What is the significance of the salutation in a worship service? Is it proper for him who leads the service to give his greeting too or does this detract from the salutation of God? 2. Is there a tendency to magnify the problems in a church and neglect to give thanks for all the good that is found in it? 3. Why do persecutions come? Why is there so little persecution today in our countries? 4. Is persecution ever harmful to the faith? Discuss. What is persecution and affliction supposed to accomplish in the believer? 5. Why is God’s righteousness so often called into question when adversity comes? How can one be patient in adversity? 6. Is the kingdom of God a present reality or is it future? Or is it both?