1 Thessalonians - Intro

Though Paul ministered only a short time in Thessalonica, he was joyful as to the events happening in this church and the spiritual progress made by the believers there in a short period.

The city of Thessalonica was the largest and most important city in the Roman province known as Macedonia (in the northern part of what is today the nation of Greece). It was a harbor city on the Aegean Sea and was a cosmopolitan city of approximately 250,000 people who were Greeks, Romans, sailors, travelers, tradesmen, and businessmen. The Jewish portion of the city was significant and thriving as noted in Acts 17:1 & 5-9.

The best asset for the city was the fact that it sat on the major east west highway of the Roman Empire, known as the Egnatian Way, running from what is now Albania to Byzantium (now Istanbul). Such a position contributed strongly to the spread of the gospel.

The city was founded around 315 BC by Cassander, one of the generals for Alexander the Great, and he became king of the city after the death of Alexander. In 42 BC the city was named a “free” city meaning it was no longer occupied by Roman troops.

Paul came to the city on his second missionary journey after traveling west across Asia Minor, he came to a stopping point. Here we have one of the strongest moments of the direct work and guidance of the Holy Spirit of God. This incident is described for us in Acts 16:6-10. Paul wanted to travel onward toward Asia south of Mysia and was forbidden to do so by the Spirit. Next Paul wanted to turn north into Bithynia to preach and was again forbidden by the Spirit. With no other way to proceed, Paul went to Troas, a city on the Aegean Sea. There Paul was given a vision of a Macedonian exhorting him to come to that province and preach the gospel. Paul and Silas crossed the sea and landed at Philippi and began preaching. The preaching of the Word there caused a riot and Paul and Silas were beaten and placed in prison in stocks. God released them by means of an earthquake with one result being the jailer and his family being converted. When the locals found they had beaten Roman citizens without a trial they hurriedly begged the men to leave Philippi. The two men left and walked 100 miles along the Roman road to Thessalonica. Paul’s preaching there caused again an uproar and some converts were seized and charged with treason, believing now in a king other than Caesar.

Paul and Silas left and traveled to Berea and began a successful ministry until the same Jews from Thessalonica arrived causing more trouble and Paul then went onward to Athens, where Silas and Timothy later joined him. Paul sent Timothy back to Thessalonica to determine the status of the church, and sent Silas possibly to Philippi, leaving himself alone to evangelize Athens.

Timothy brought a very encouraging report on the Thessalonica church to Paul when he later met Paul at Corinth (Acts 18:5). Even though the report was positive, Paul felt it necessary to write to the church to express his thoughts on some issues that needed to be brought forward and considered.

The persecution that caused the missionaries to leave had not diminished. Enemies of the truth were spreading lies and slander about God’s missionaries, claiming Paul was only preaching to enrich himself. These false accusers also said that Paul and his helpers had abandoned the new believers. They said that Paul had not returned which was proof that he was guilty of all they said about him.

Paul’s defense against all charges was one of the reasons for the letter to be written. Other reasons were to prevent backsliding, further encourage their love for one another, encouraging them to work diligently, and lastly to correct any wrong understandings about the end times.

The letter was sent from Corinth and Paul’s time there is upheld there by the correlation of his stay in the time of the Roman pro-consul Gallio (Acts 18:12). Stone inscriptions found at Corinth date Gallio to have ruled there around the early 50’s.

Now, let us begin the study into the mind and heart of Paul as he writes to those in the church at Thessalonica.

1 Thessalonians - Chapter 1

As we begin the study of chapter one, we should recognize first the terms Paul uses so favorably to describe the believers at Thessalonica, “beloved brethren” and “elect” (“… your election by God”). Our study guide provides an opening paragraph dwelling upon the doctrine of election, under the sovereign plan of God, unknowable by man but always effective and unfolding among mankind.

Let us not overlook, as we begin, the beauty of the words of Christ in John 6:44:

“No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day”

God’s call requires faith and repentance. Paul has seen evidence of both in this church. It is refreshing to hear the apostle speak to commend the assembly and to further encourage them as they continue to seek the Lord’s will and to do it, being both hearers and doers of the Word.

Paul reflects upon these things as he begins his letter and he describes in these first ten verses ten virtues of Christian faith that are evident within this church. As we view these ten virtues, let us also reflect on them for our own lives and within our own church for these virtues are as important today for believers as they were the moment Paul wrote them.

1-3:

Paul and Silas and Timothy send greetings to the church of the Thessalonians beginning with the very strong commendation that the church is in God the Father AND in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Because they were of the elect, these followers were living for the honor of Christ. Paul immediately gives his thanks for that fact and advises that these believers are in the prayers of all three teachers (“… in our prayers”.) Notice how Paul uses not just the name of Jesus but the royal title for Him, the Lord Jesus Christ. As Paul begins his discussion of the ten virtues as evidence of salvation, he sends strong praise for their faith that worked, their labor that loved, and their hope that endured.

The first of the ten virtues is the work of faith displayed by the Thessalonians. A true saving belief in Jesus Christ will always result in a mighty work of God that produces changes in the nature and future of the saved. The work of faith is action brought by the transforming power of salvation. The elect were engaged in holy and righteous deeds to honor the Lord. Their faith allowed the authentic saving Grace of God to produce fruit in their lives.

Paul sounds very positive when he writes that he is “… constantly bearing in mind your work of faith…”. 

We must remember that scripture stresses this active side. Salvation is by Grace through faith alone, but from that moment forward we live a life in which we are progressively sanctified by honoring our salvation by works of faith. Our study of James (especially chapter 2) has well taught us this lesson.

The second virtue is their labor of love. This love is part of the fruit of the Spirit of those who are now led by the Spirit. This refers to the highest form of love, spiritual love, also known as agape. Believers live to advance the truth of the gospel through their love, for fellow believers, for strangers, and even for their enemies. 

Let’s recall the strong teaching of Jesus in John 13:35 which shows us that we are to be known as His people by the love we show one for another. Also 1 John 2:10 teaches us “The one who loves his brother abides in the light…”.

The third virtue is the steadfastness of hope. This means a persevering anticipation of future glory as our inheritance is received. Titus 2 teaches clearly of this virtue when it says, “… looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory…”.

Here steadfastness means enduring while under pressure. Christians should hold fast to their hope until the end. Remember all those who are mentioned in the roll call of heroes in Hebrews who died without seeing the promise, steadfast until their end. Jesus taught in Matthew 24:13 that “The one who endures to the end will be saved”.

4-5:

Paul now gives a powerful assurance to this church that he himself knows they have been chosen of God. 

Jesus used similar words to describe His own disciples in John 15:16 when He teaches them that they did not choose Him but rather He had done the choosing. Paul is confirming the completion of the salvation election by teaching that he knows these believers have heard the call, repented in faith, and accepted the gospel.

Now Paul provides the fourth virtue that is the divine power of God having been revealed in them by their full conviction under the gospel. He says the gospel came not in word only, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit. Paul further says that he and Silas and Timothy share such conviction and that these people know what kind of men they are.

While we remember that faith does come from the hearing of the Word, the true transforming work of salvation is a work in the heart from above. This is the power Paul is talking about and he teaches it again and again, especially in Ephesians when he teaches that it is the quickening of those in trespass and sin that brings salvation. 

1:6

The fifth virtue Paul reveals is that the believers in this church became imitators of Paul & Silas & Timothy, and more importantly of the Lord. As they follow these teachers and Christ, they confirm the truth of salvation because they are now new creations, no longer following those things of the past. Their past worship of pagan gods is gone. They seek to become more righteous to properly follow the examples given them and to bear spiritual fruit. 

Paul has written of this matter also in 1 Cor 11:1:

“Be imitators of me, just as I also am of Jesus Christ”.

The sixth virtue is also given by Paul as he confirms that the Thessalonians were truly elect as seen by their JOY in the middle of suffering and hardship. There were those who wanted to defeat the gospel, and they worked hard to dishonor the Word, as well as the ministry of Paul, as we will study in chapter two.

As the Thessalonians responded to these trials with the joy of the Holy Spirit there is a reminder of the suffering we see in Acts 5, where after being beaten for preaching, those beaten rejoiced that they had been considered worthy to suffer for the Lord.

Joy is a divine benefit of salvation and even if human joy can be stopped by death under persecution, the joy of the Spirit never dies.

1:7

The seventh virtue, which is an extension of the first six, is the very good conduct of the believers of this church. The behavior of these followers was so excellent that they became examples to all other believers in Macedonia and Achaia.

Paul even used the church at Thessalonica as a later example to the church at Corinth. He said that even though the church was poor and persecuted, they gave much to help the needy believers in Jerusalem (2 Cor 8). This church demonstrated a pattern of godliness in their conduct, clearly showing evidence of true salvation & conversion to the gospel.

1:8-9

The eighth virtue shown is how faithful these believers were to proclaim the gospel. The word of the Lord, the divine truth, sounded forth from the church at Thessalonica. This phrase, found nowhere else in the NT, means literally “blasting forth” or “sounded forcefully or intensely”. It sounds as if Paul sees this sound as moving outward in larger and larger circles and he says that this sound was so powerful and effective that he and his helpers needed to say nothing after it is heard. 

The ninth virtue, sure evidence of conversion, is that these believers had turned to God, away from false gods, and had submitted themselves to a new Master. Repentance means a full turning away from past things and placing them away from ourselves completely, and turning to a new Master, the Lord. Paul teaches that they have now chosen to serve a new Master, and the word he uses for serve is “douleuein” meaning serve as a bond slave, the most demanding type of servitude.

1:10

Paul’s tenth and final virtue is that the members of this church now waited for His son from heaven. Those who love Christ long for and patiently await His promised return. These believers accepted that position and fulfilled its requirements well. This waiting for the promise to be kept is a virtue of the heart, and each believer is dedicated to persevere in patience, even if mortal death brings us to Him before He comes back for us.

Notice the last portion of verse 10 and Paul’s description of Jesus, which will preview chapter 5. Paul teaches that Jesus is our deliverance from the wrath to come.

These ten virtues reflect the proper Christian life of every follower of Jesus. Each virtue listed is as important today as it was 2,000 years ago and should speak loudly to our hearts as to how we are to respond in our lives to the love of the Lord, and to His glorious election of each of us.

1 Thessalonians - Chapter 2

Leaders in the Christian church must be spiritual physicians who can apply biblical cures and truth to the issues and vices of the assembly.

In addition he must be a champion for scriptural understanding, a guardian and protector of the purity of the Word, and of spiritual virtue. 

Paul was all of these things and more. In spite of Paul’s integrity, his enemies, the false teachers and those who simply did not wish the status quo of the law’s traditions to be challenged, all were striving to diminish Paul’s message. Paul found himself in a position of having to defend his work among the church and to provide reassurance that his message was pure, sound, and was from the Lord.

1-6:

Paul opens the defense by reminding the church that the ministry had made a powerful impact upon the lives of the believers and was not in vain.

Positive effects had been realized among these new converts.

While Paul and his helpers had suffered and been badly mistreated in Philippi, he is still convinced of the power of the Lord’s gospel. Note that his confidence was not in himself, but rather properly placed in the Lord.

Paul clearly confirms his unwavering belief in God’s truth. The truth had been shown by him in both word and conduct. There had been no deceit. So Paul was not only guarding the truth but was also living the truth for all to see.

Paul reminds that his ministry had been given to him by a commission directly from God. He was approved by God to bring it. Paul confirmed his mission in exactly the same way throughout his several letters. We can see it in the following examples:

1 Cor 15:10   “But by the grace of God, I am what I am; and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all; yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me”

Eph 3:8   “Unto me, who am the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ:”

1 Timothy 1:11   “According to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, which was committed to my trust.”

Titus 1:3   “But hath in due times manifested his word through preaching, which is committed unto me according to the commandment of God our Savior.”

Paul teaches that he was accountable to God, and in that manner, God had examined his heart and was witness to his work not to please men nor in greed.

His dedication was to God’s glory, not his own. He and Silas & Timothy could have claimed special status from their authority but never did so.

7-12:

Scripture offers us many examples of the plan of God for spiritual leadership. From the beginning the Lord has repeatedly established leadership as a strong component of His will, starting in Gen 2:18 with Adam being presented as first leader.

We see in the first six verses of chapter two, the leadership qualities of Paul, Silas, & Timothy, which are tenacity, integrity, authority, accountability, and humility.

Now Paul begins to contrast the behavior of himself and his helpers with those who try to diminish the gospel. Here are the qualities Paul mentions to the church that were adopted by him and his helpers to bring the ministry to the church:

1. Gentleness – Paul compares his efforts to the gentle way a nursing mother cares for her child. He uses the soft word “tenderly” to describe their care.

2. Fond Affection – Paul extends the comparison by a phrase all could understand, as parents surely have such fond affection for their children.

3. Giving of Self – Paul says he and the other preachers imparted their own lives into the church as well as the gospel.

4. Unselfish Labor – The preachers worked night & day to help the church and to meet its needs.

5. Father Figure – Paul tells the believers that they have led the church just as a father leads his children, exhorting, encouraging, imploring. He further notes that all in the church were witnesses to the upright behavior of the preachers and that this behavior brought the believers into a worthy walk with God.

13-16:

God’s plan of redemption is a two edged sword. On one side is the happiness for those saved and the other side represents sadness for those who are not. The Jews are likely the people who have most rejected the Lord throughout their history and of course His Messiah.

The Thessalonian church had accepted the word of God and had put His gospel in their hearts and lives. The proof of this acceptance was their imitation of Paul, his teachers, and through them, Christ. Even through persecution and its hardships, these believers had persevered.

The people that all should be sad for are those who killed Jesus, killed the prophets, and drove Paul and his helpers away. These, Paul warns, are to be subject to wrath. We must keep in mind that the Romans executed the Lord, but only at the insistence of the Jews (John 19:12-16).

17-20:

Paul left Thessalonia only because he was forced to leave by the mob of Jews (Acts 17:1-10). His love for this church and its people was unchanging. He felt the same way about the Philippians (Phil 1:7-8). Although he had only been apart from them for a short while, he missed them and longed to return.

Paul also faced much more opposition than just angry mobs or unbelievers who rejected the gospel. A strong second reality to Paul was that Satan was actively working very strongly against his efforts to spread the word of God. The word Paul used for Satan’s efforts “hindered” is a military term meaning to destroy the path of an army, as in ripping up a road or digging a trench that is unpassable. Paul knew well the work of the evil prince and we know that the demons knew Paul and his work.

Acts 19:15   “And the evil spirit answered and said, Jesus I know, and Paul I know, but who are ye?”

 But after all these obstacles and problems and difficulties, Paul closes the chapter in glory by asking the beautiful question of who is our hope or joy or crown of exultation? Paul had the assurance that at the coming of Christ, he would see all those who he had converted and those who had learned the word from those and become Christian. His true honor from God will be those whom he reached as God’s chosen vessel.

1 Thessalonians - Chapter 3

In Chapters 1 & 2 Paul had shown the true concern of a pastor. He was thankful for them, appreciated their testimony, and was encouraged by what he heard, loved them, and longed to be with them again. Now Paul will open his heart in a more specific way, revealing his concerns for them again as well as showing that his separation from them had caused him to feel even more intense concerning this beloved and faithful church.

In the first ten verses of chapter 3, Paul shows 7 elements that are found in a loving pastor’s heart.

1:10:

The pastor’s affection for his people:

In the end of chapter two, Paul had closed with the most positive sentence that said these believers were his glory and joy.

It seems Paul was becoming more intolerant of his separation from the church and therefore his lack of direct knowledge as to the events there. His love for these people was stronger than emotional attachment. He wanted to help these believers to fulfill God’s calling and to help them toward spiritual maturity.

The pastor’s sacrifice for his people:

Selfless love will always give itself away for its object. Now Paul advises the church that it seems best to send Timothy back to them. We should remember that Timothy was his most precious friend and fellow missionary. Here Paul calls him brother. Even though Timothy is so close to Paul, the sacrifice will be made to part with him and have him return to Thessalonica.

The pastor’s compassion for his people:

Compassion, born of love, motivated Paul to Send Timothy back to strengthen and encourage them concerning their faith. Paul feels so strongly that he makes the point on this issue, their faith, five times (verses 2, 5,6,7,10). Paul was worried that they may be disturbed or afflicted, knowing that Satan was surely working against this mission. Paul even reminds them that when he was with them he had warned them that affliction would come. 

The pastor’s protectiveness toward his people:Paul wanted to protect his people by sending Timothy to help the church to weather the storms of faith and difficulty that suffering may bring. Timothy was to protect them from the spiritual attacks that Paul was sure would come upon the church.

Satan has three evil ways to attack those in a church:

First, he always wants to prevent people from belief.

Second, he then tries to destroy the initial interest and enthusiasm for the gospel.

Third, he seeks to weaken the faith of those who do not submit to the first two ways.

If Satan found success in this church, Paul’s work would have been in vain.

The pastor’s delight in his people:

When Timothy returned to Paul, who was now in Corinth, the report was so good and so positive that Paul called it “good news of your faith and love”. Timothy brought a four-part message to Paul:

He delivered the good news that their faith in Christ was genuine. Their hearts bore much spiritual fruit.

He told Paul of their authentic love for the Lord.

They always thought kindly of Paul and still cherished him as the true apostle of Jesus.

The people held Paul in such affection that they longed to see Paul again.

The pastor’s gratitude for his people:

All thanks for these wonderful things go to God. Paul rejoiced at the news and knew he had no means to repay the blessings granted.

The pastor’s intercession for his people:

Paul’s prayer for this church was constant and fervent, with prayers upward for them night and day and his hope was to complete anything that may be lacking in their faith, Notice how like Christ Paul has become as he is communicating the needs of the people to the Lord, and is working strongly on their behalf, interceding with God for them.

11-13:

Paul now provides his clear and direct prayer for the believers at the church of Thessalonica. Here in just three verses he seeks the will of God for the lives and faith of these true members of the Lord’s assembly.

Paul uses a different form for this prayer. Instead of using the normal second person manner, Paul changes the approach to use the first person, addressing Him by name in the petition, “our God and Father and Jesus our Lord”. We will see this form again in 5:23. The use of the word “our” states that there is a relationship deeply made between these believers and Paul. Paul’s use of the first two members of the trinity shows he considers them of one essence and they are equal in Paul’s heart.

Jesus used the same third person format when teaching the apostles to pray what we call the Lord’s Prayer as he told them to open the prayer with the beautiful words “Our Father”. In these opening words, Jesus clearly shows that He and His apostles are ONE. Paul follows perfectly.

Paul had three reasons for his prayer:

1. He prayed that God would grant the Thessalonians a perfecting faith.

2. He asked for a prospering love.

3. He asked for a purifying hope.

We see these same three purposes from Paul in 1 Cor 13:13. 

“And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three: but the greatest of these is charity”. (charity = love)

Paul focuses upon the heart in these verses because it is the seat of all human emotion, most importantly the love of the heart. If their hearts were pure, clean and righteous, they could withstand the work of the evil one, and physical temptations.

VERY IMPORTANT:

Notice the last portion of verse 13: “… the coming of the Lord Jesus with all his saints.”  Paul is preparing the way for his explanation in our chapter four (there were no chapters or verses when written) that will bring the glory of the Rapture.

Rapture and reward are awaiting these believers who have turned their lives from idol worship to true belief in Jesus under the ministry of Paul, Silas & Timothy. This is the promise and the hope shared still today by all who are Christians in the Lord’s true church.

1 Thessalonians - Chapter 4

1-2:

Paul now exhorts the members of the church at Thessalonica to excel still more. He had the positive report from Timothy about the strong and continuing faith of these believers but opens this portion of his letter by asking them to accomplish even more.

There is always a possibility of Christians thinking that there is no further need for progress after salvation and becoming settled into a good church. But we should always remember that on this side of eternity no believer has ever reached all of their potential spiritually.

Paul knew they could do better and he encouraged them to do so. He has taught that he was not satisfied with his own progress. In Philippians 3, Paul writes: “Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: … I press forward for the mark…”

Spiritual growth & the sanctification it brings are part of a process, not a single event, such as salvation. It is a continual walk in life here that is marked by obedience that is made possible only by the indwelling of the Spirit.

 3-8:

Paul provides a view of certain activities of life that should not be allowed to exist inside the life of a Christian. 

First he strongly warns against sexual immorality. Paul teaches in other writings that we should abstain not just from the physical act but also from the connected things that may lead us down that path.

Eph 5:3 teaches us to refrain from “any impurity”.

Col 3:3-5 teaches us that members of our earthly body are to be considered dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amount to idolatry.

1st Cor 6:15-20 teaches that our bodies are members of Christ and a temple of the Holy Spirit.

In this regard, Paul teaches that:

The body should not control the believer (verse 4:4) as you should know how to possess the vessel.

The believer should not act like the unbeliever (verse 4:5).

The believer should not take advantage of others, as in fraud (verse 4:6).

The believer should be moral because of:

God’s vengeance (verse 4:6)

God’s purpose (verse 4:7) – We are called unto holiness.

God’s Holy Spirit (verse 4:8) – Disobedience does not mean rejection of man but of the Holy Spirit of God for this standard is not established of man but by the Lord so that His people should not be unclean.

(Ezekiel 36:27 – “And I will put my spirit in you and cause you to walk in my statutes…”)

9-12:

Paul commends the church that it has already shown love for one another but while asking them to excel still more, he is very specific in his hopes as to how they will proceed. Their ambition should be for a quiet life, attend to their own business, work with their hands, behave properly toward outsiders, and not be in any need.

Might we describe this hope as everyday, practical, straightforward walking with the Lord? 

13-18:

The consideration of the end time events of the Christian faith has likely filled more volumes than any other subject. There may be few, if any, believers who do not want to learn as much as possible about this mysterious time promised by a number of our Holy Scriptures.

Probably Paul could have easily written a book that covered only this one subject and sent it to the church but he did not. 

Notice that Paul’s concern here in these verses appears to be far more the comforting words of a pastor than words of pure doctrine. The other verses of the NT that cover this event (John 14:1-3 & 1st Cor 15:51-58) also are presented as words of comfort and encouragement.

When Paul wrote this letter the members had only been in Christ a matter of months and he had covered the general topic in 2:19 & 3:13.

It seems clear that Paul had taught them about the Day of the Lord (verses 5:1-3), the time of judgment of the ungodly. But some issues of Christ gathering the believers were perhaps troubling these believers.

They may have been worried that the Rapture had come and gone and they missed it. We will see in 2nd Thessalonians 2:2 that Paul assures them that the day was still to come, even if others taught otherwise.

Here is a clue as to the Rapture surely being taught by Paul to precede the Tribulation for if he had taught that it was after the time of Jacob’s trouble, these believers would not have any concern that they had missed it.

There also seems to have been a strong concern about those who had died. Would they receive their resurrection body at the Rapture or must they await the future time to have it? If the Rapture had been missed would the dead be not full citizens in the afterlife? Were their deaths as a result of their sin in life? Paul reveals a clue in 1St Cor 11:30 concerning those whose death may be so connected. These concerns made Paul seek to reassure this strong church as to the events to come at the final day. 

We need to be sure we grasp that Paul always teaches that those who sleep (die) are sleeping (in death) only in the body. There is NO soul sleep.

Paul is very clear in 2nd Cor 5:8 that to be absent from the body was to be present with the Lord.

Hope and comfort were the reasons Paul revealed a portion of the end times to this church. Paul actually provides a four part description for these strong but concerned believers:

Pillars of the Rapture are:

We believe that Jesus died.

We believe He rose again.

He has revealed His plan before in scripture (John 14:1-3)

Participants of the Rapture:

Two groups, those who have died in Christ and then those who are in Christ but are alive at his appearance.

Plan of the Rapture:

The Lord himself will come, not His angels. He will descend from heaven with a shout and the voice of an archangel and the trumpet of God will sound. The dead will rise to meet the Lord, and then those alive will then go to meet Him in the clouds. Thereafter, we shall always be with the Lord.

Profit of the Rapture:

All who are in Christ, no matter whether they are living or dead shall profit equally in the Rapture. There was no reason for the Thessalonians to carry any concerns for those who had gone onward or for themselves who may remain. The Rapture was to be profitable for all who are His.

1 Thessalonians - Chapter 5

1-11:

The Day of the Lord –

The Christian view of history stands above and apart from all other views. The Bible reveals that history is the working of the plan of purpose of God for His creation as the sovereign of all things.

Job 42:2 is our good teacher on this fact:

“I know that thou canst do everything, and that no thought can be withholden from thee”.

As the Lord’s plan continues to unfold, one event is large on our horizon, the Day of the Lord.

Paul had preached on this topic to this church during his brief stay there as we will see in the 2nd chapter of the 2nd letter (2-5). Just as he dealt with their strong concerns about the Rapture he also now deals with their concerns about the Lord’s Day to come.

In terms of timing Paul was clear in verse 1, “…ye have no need…”. Jesus had taught in Matthew 24:36 that the time of the Day was reserved unto the Father only. Just as it was to these believers then, it remains to us today. We have no need to know the time. If the time were far off in our knowledge, spiritual indifference would result. If it were close in our knowledge, there would be much confusion and perhaps panic. We should be forever ready and watchful for it will come as a thief in the night.

Every generation is to live as if the Day is tomorrow.

There are strong clues given as to the events that likely will come before the Day of the Lord:

There will be a man given to us to prepare us as in Malachi 4:5:

“Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord”.

Matt 11:14 advises that this portion was fulfilled in John the Baptist.

Other signs are clearly given in the 2nd letter, chapter 2.

Matthew 24 (the Olivet Discourse) prepares us by the words of Christ himself and those words are echoed in His Revelation to John in the first four seals to be broken by the Lamb.

Acts 2:19-20 give further signs:

“And I will shew wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath, blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke.

The sun shall be turned into darkness and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come:”

Notice in verse 3 that Paul clearly refers to “them” and “they” meaning the believers he is addressing will not endure these things.

The sad reality that Paul is teaching is that those who have rejected Christ will suffer both the earthly wrath AND the eternal wrath of the Lord.

Paul teaches further using the main theme of the gospel of John which is light & darkness.

Paul also gives us in verse 9 perhaps the most profound and powerful teaching in the NT on this matter: 

“God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ”.

The death of Jesus on the cross has set aside (made holy) all who are called to Him and accept His gospel, and ALL those will be removed before the Day of the Lord arrives, whether they are dead in Christ or alive in Christ.

Paul teaches that now that they know these things, they should comfort themselves together and edify (build up) each other from his words.

12-15:

Paul reminds these members that they should recognize and accept those who labor among them as leaders. 

We should remember that this church was still quite young and few, if any, converts were spiritually mature enough to lead. In verses 14-15 Paul addresses the conflict caused in the church. Some in the church wondered why other new believers were over them and likely were not submissive to the leadership of those appointed. Paul admonishes these members by reminding them of the relation that always exists between those who lead and those who are led.

Paul says that the leaders among them were to labor with them, exercise authority over them and instruct them.

He also says those led must esteem these leaders highly, love them, and live in peace with them and the other members.

Paul’s message was his desire that this church come closer to the best example we have in scripture of the early church. We find that example in Acts 2:42-47.

Paul sees in this young church those who may become wayward, worried, weak and wearisome. He warns on all these areas as well as the possibility of some becoming wicked, rendering evil for evil.

16-22:

Paul declares his strong teaching on basic Christian life. He says that the sheep (members) have a responsibility to the Great Shepherd to be :

• Joyful

• Prayerful

• Thankful.

• Not Quenching of the Spirit Given

• Responsive

• Discerning

This one phrase (quenching of the Spirit) reminds us that the Spirit is said to be a fire unto the believer (Acts 2:2-4 & Ex 13:21 & Mal 3:2-3). Paul uses the metaphor concerning fire that it should not be quenched, that is smothered or extinguished by indifference or neglect or turning away from the Word.

23-28:

Paul closes the section by praying for the complete sanctification of these believers. Notice how Paul prays for all parts of the believers, that their whole spirit, and soul and body be preserved until the second coming. Notice also the beauty of the final description Paul gives of Jesus in verse 24: “Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it”. (The believers are totally secure in Him). As in all his epistles, Paul begins and ends with the mention of divine grace. Grace is the very heart of all Christian theology and summarizes the gift to the heart of each believer chosen to be His.  

2 Thessalonians - Intro

It is generally thought that the 2nd letter to the church at Thessalonica was written a few months after the first. While Paul had been unable to visit them again to bring his message personally, he felt it necessary to communicate some important points to this church.

Paul was generally pleased with the state of the devotion of the believers to the gospel. He also had received some reports of further issues that seemed to need clarification so it seemed a second letter was in order. In the second epistle, Paul addresses three main points:

1. The persecution, which had begun while Paul was there, was still ongoing. In the first chapter Paul encourages the believers to stand firm and remain faithful to the Lord despite their suffering.

2. Paul had written to the church concerning the end times in the first letter, developing strong but comforting thoughts for them on both the Rapture and the Day of the Lord. Now false teachers had come to the church and were teaching that the Day of the Lord had arrived. These lying teachers even produced a false letter, said to be from Paul, Timothy, and Silas, confirming the Day was here. Paul writes to calm the fears of the church assuring the church that the Day of the Lord had not arrived.

3. Paul writes also concerning the matter of idleness among the members. He had written on this issue in the first letter as well (1 Thess 4:11-12). Some members, believing the Day of the Lord was upon them, had stopped all work. Now Paul takes a stern stance against this falsely based idleness and also writes concerning church discipline in chapter 3.

The second letter was written from Corinth and was widely accepted in the early church as a genuine work of Paul. Polycarp (the scribe for John), Justin Martyr, and Ignatius all wrote in their early church writings concerning this letter as true and accepted.

1. Greetings (1:1-2)

2. Comfort in Persecution (1:3-12)

3. Correct of Errors in Prophecy (2:1-17)

4. Practical Encouragement (3:1-15)

5. Closing (3:16-18)

2 Thessalonians - Chapter 1

1-5:

(A church to be proud of)

Many churches take pride in things which show what they believe makes them special. These things are varied, from the size of the membership, the size of the buildings, the size of their bank account, the wealth and status of their members, their influence in their community, their political clout, their music, their entertainment, or any number of other claims to fame.

Based upon any or all of these factors we see in churches today, the church at Thessalonica had nothing close to these things going for it. Yet, the chosen vessel of God, Paul begins his second letter giving his thanks for this church and its members and telling them that he speaks proudly of this assembly among the churches of God.

Only in the 2nd letter to this church does Paul find no reason to identify himself with a title, such as apostle, bond servant or slave, as he has in all of his other writings. We might take from this fact that there were no serious challenges to his authority inside the assembly (although some were seen from the outside), and this makes the letters seem more endearing and intimate.

Paul, Timothy, and Silas had founded the church on his second missionary journey (Acts 17:1-9) and their success there enraged the Jews.

Paul had received a good report from Timothy on this church but also had heard that some were still confused about the Day of the Lord perhaps stirred up by false teachers who were saying that the Day was upon them and some believers had even stopped their work, becoming idle foolishly.

Paul's work now was to reinforce his earlier teaching and to provide specific lessons as to what must occur before the Day of the Lord brought wrath. He was still very encouraged about the church for five clear reasons:

1. Genuine conversion - These Christians are in true personal, spiritual, and eternal union with the Lord.

2. Increasing faith – A possible translation of the “faith groweth exceedingly” phrase in verse 3 might also be “increased beyond measure”. 

3. Growing love – In the first letter (3:12) Paul had prayed that the church's love would increase and abound. To his great joy, Timothy reported that it had indeed.

4. Persevering hope – Their spiritual growth has demonstrated their faithfulness even in the instances of persecution.

5. Kingdom attitude – In contrast to so many man centered churches today, this church was God centered, seeking first His kingdom and righteousness.

6-10:

(The Vengeance of the Lord Jesus)

The second coming of our Lord will be the climax of all of human history. We remember that His first coming was in humility and in the willingness to be a servant. His second coming will be a return in victory to establish His dominion over all things inside the creation.

Paul strongly assures the church that those who had troubled them and tried to divert their devotion would be repaid with tribulation from God. He teaches that Jesus will return with His mighty angels (a literal translation is His angels of power). We should remember the words of Moses (Deut 33:2) that described God coming with ten thousand of His saints and lightning  flashed from his right hand. In Psalm 68:17 David wrote of the chariots of God being twenty thousand, and thousands of angels. This is the image Paul wanted to portray to these believers.

The teaching is that when He comes, He will bring sweet relief to believers and bitter retribution for those who have not believed. Isaiah 45:20-25  and Ezekiel 33:17-20 both show how just will be the vengeance of the Lord when His wrath appears.

11-12

(Praying for the Right Things)

The true goal of prayer is not demanding things from God but rather finding His will for our lives as we remain here to serve Him. Paul now goes to the Lord in prayer for these believers seeking only the right things for them that will be the result of God honoring the Apostle's request because it is within His will for this young church. 

Notice the three things Paul specifically prays for and let's recall the strong teaching of James 5:16 that tells us that “... the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.”

1. Worthiness – Paul prayed that the Thessalonians would prove worthy in practice through the sanctification by the Holy Spirit that they would walk in a manner worthy of the Lord's calling.

2. Fulfillment – Paul prays that God would fulfill every noble and righteous desire of their hearts.

3. Power – Paul knew that these believers were already bearing spiritual fruit and yet he wanted their work of faith to increase in power so there would even be more righteous deeds.

Paul purpose was not just for these members but more that the name of the Lord Jesus Christ be glorified in their lives. This should be the ultimate desire of every believer, whether young in the faith or strongly mature in the faith. We should recall the words of Jesus himself on this matter in John 12:26:

“...if any man serve me, him will my Father honor”.

2 Thessalonians - Chapter 2

1-5:

(Remember what you know)

We come now to the most profound portion of the two letters to the church at Thessalonica, the direct and revealing teaching of Paul on the signs of the end of times.

We should be careful to first note the last portion of these verses. Paul reminds the church that he had taught them these things when he was with them and he asks the clear question “Do you not remember...”?

All of history has had its evil leaders. The first century saw the horrible persecutions of Nero in Paul's day and Domitian in John's later years. The next 1900 years has brought within each century someone who has seemed to be filled with evil, violence, & destruction. Inside of the past two generations of our lives and our parents we saw the rise of Stalin, Hitler, Mussolini, Pol Pot, and others who brought horrors upon millions of people.

But scripture tells us that one is coming who will far surpass all previous evil men  and will be the most evil man ever to walk the earth. We see in scripture that he has been called by many names:

• Gog of the land of Magog, prince of Rosh, Meshech and Tubal  (Eze 38:2)

• The little horn (Daniel 7:8 & 24 & 8:9)

• The prince who is to come (Daniel 9:26)

• The king who does as he pleases (Daniel 11:36)

• The foolish worthless shepherd (Zech 11:15-17)

• The beast (Rev 11-13-14-19)

• The man of sin (2nd Thess 2:3)

• The son of perdition (2nd Thess 2:3)

• Him whose coming is after the work of Satan (2nd Thess 2:9)

• Antichrist (1 John 2:18)

• (In the Greek, “anti” can mean against” & “in the place of”)

Anyone who opposes the work or person of Jesus Christ has the spirit of the Antichrist. This is why John teaches in 1st John that there are many antichrists (small a) but the true Antichrist (large A) will be the final example and the most evil of all those who came before.

The spirit of evil, to fill the one who will come, has been with us since the garden. His evil had filled the world bringing the flood of wrath. It was this spirit that gave Pharoh the idea to kill all Hebrew male children just as this spirit also gave Herod a similar thought. Jesus heard this voice from the lips of Peter and this spirit actually implemented the will of God at Calvary.

Now Paul writes to the church to deal with the apparent loss of hope and joy that had come over them confusing them about the end times. Paul must refute the false teachers who have appeared to mislead the church and he carefully does so. His proof to them is that God has fixed a date in the future for the end and there are specific events that must occur before that last time may arrive.

He provides three events that must transpire in order for the plan of the Lord to end human time to bring on His Day:

1. There must be a falling away. Paul's words in the Greek meant apostasy, which is a revolt or rebellion against God. The only other time this word is found in the NT is Acts 21:21, teaching of forsaking the Law of Moses. In the OT Greek format, we find this word three times (Joshua 22:22 & 2nd Chron 29:19 & Jer 2:19), all describing rebellion against God.

Paul seems not to be describing overall problems within specific churches but rather a specific and horrible act of rebellion connected to the man who is named next in the same verse.

1. That man of sin must be revealed. Of all the billions of godless evil, lawless sinners in history, none will compare to this depraved and wicked one who will try to command the whole world. Notice that this character is NOT Satan, for he is described as a man. Paul describes him as “the son of perdition”. To assure us of his true state of evil, we see in all of scripture only one other man described by this title, Judas in John 17:12.

2. This Antichrist must also oppose God and exalt himself above all that is called God or that is worshipped.  Rev 13:15 teaches us that he will cause the death of all who refuse to worship him or his beast. Paul tells us that he will actually sit in the temple of God, showing himself to be God.

This act, energized by Satan (his father), is of the apostasy Paul describes. It was called the abomination by Jesus in Matt 24:15 and is shown in prophecy in Daniel 9:27 to occur at the midpoint of the Tribulation as the Antichrist shows his true nature after preaching peace and harmony for the first 3 ½ years.

Paul's point is that since these events have not happened the Day of The Lord has not arrived. He had preached this fact to the church but it had been forgotten. Paul comforts these believers (and all since including us) that this Day will never arrive for those who are in Christ for all who are in Him, dead or living will be caught away before this horrible time falls upon the earth.

6-17:

(Be strong and courageous to be ready for the end time)

Paul had as his goal the comforting of the members of the church in their confusion and concern. He outlines six factors that these believers must NOT be as they consider his teaching:

Deceived / Forgetful / Ignorant / Unbelieving / Insecure/ Weak

In an effort to overcome all these possible issues, Paul now grants wisdom to these members concerning how the man of sin will be revealed. 

In verses 6-8 Paul opens the curtain of God's plan and explains that the Holy Spirit has protected believers through time by restraining the evil that works against mankind. Some have taught that this verse and revelation refers to the preaching of the gospel, or the nation of Israel, or believers who are the salt & light of the world, or the church itself, or the Pope. But we should note that all those other possibilities are from man, not from God. It seems likely that man's efforts cannot restrain the supernatural evil of Satan or the one who springs from him. Only the Lord can do so. So it has been generally accepted that the Holy Spirit does the restraining.

Now this portion of God will step away from His restraint and allow the man of evil to be revealed and to go forward with his plan. Some have said that this verse means the Holy Spirit will be removed from the world at this time. If so, how will souls be saved during the tribulation? But Jesus has taught that the Spirit will abide with us always, and we as believers are removed by Rapture. But God is omnipresent so there is no mystery here.

Paul further teaches that this “Wicked” will be consumed by the Lord with the spirit of His mouth and Revelation 19:20 teaches that he will go into the lake of everlasting fire.

Verse 13 assures the church members that they were chosen from the beginning to salvation and verse 14 assures them they have been called to the obtaining of the glory of the Lord.

Unbelievers will be deceived and deluded, accepting a lie, and will be damned.

But for these church believers, the salvation is secure. They will not suffer wrath as God loved them, chose them, redeemed them, and will glorify them, all through His grace. They must therefore be strong and courageous and remain “looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ (Titus 2:13).

2 Thessalonians - Chapter 3

1-5:

(The pastor's desires from his people)

The office of pastor is rightly held in the highest esteem both by scripture as well as believers. Those who accept that high calling are considered as spiritual shepherds, tending the human flock of the Lord. Both Paul and Peter set clear standards for the one who may hold this position.

 (1 Tim 3:1-7 / 4:6-11 / 2 Tim 3:16 – 4:5 / Titus 1:5-9 / 1 Peter 5:1-4 / Heb 13:7 & 17)

There are also requirements for the Christians who are led with regard to their pastors. Paul had made note of this fact in the first letter (5:12-13). Now we are given deeper insight from the heart of Paul as to his those things he wished to receive from the members at the church in Thessalonica. Paul asked for the following things:

1. The prayers of the people that the word of the Lord have free flow and be glorified. He further asked that he and his helpers be held safe from evil men.

2. The people should hold to their trust in the Lord and he assures them that the Lord is faithful, will strengthen them, and will protect them from the evil one.

3. The people continued in their obedience to what has been taught. Paul clearly states his confidence in their dedication.

4. The people should grow spiritually by the Lord's direction of their hearts into love. Here Paul uses the “Lord direct” phrase meaning literally that the Lord might remove any obstacle in the path of the church to remain steadfast.

We should reflect and take joy in the kind and sweet way that Paul expresses his pastoral concern for the care and growth of this church he planted. His hopes seem to summarize perhaps what all pastors hope for, that their flock pray for them, trust in the Lord, obey what is taught, and grow in spiritual truth.

6-15:

(Work is a noble Christian duty)

Throughout all his writings, Paul was focused upon how theology applied to the lives of believers. Now he uses that focus to center on one of the base aspects of our lives, work.

From God's perspective, as seen in the voice of His wise king, Solomon, work has an honored place in the kingdom:

“...every man who eats and drinks sees good in all his labor – it is the gift of God” (Ecc 3:13)

While God commanded rest on the seventh day, he also commanded work on the other six. Genesis 2:15 gives God's command for Adam to work in the garden.

Some members were not living in accord with the Lord's truth that work is required in life. They were causing strife in the church by refusing to work and were sponging off the other members. Paul did not give us the reason these members chose not to work and there have been assumptions that it was because they thought the Rapture would come very quickly and therefore work was pointless.

Paul had addressed this issue in the first letter (4:11-12) and clearly felt that he should resolve the issue once and for all, and he certainly did in verse 10:

“...if any should not work, neither should he eat”.

He further used the consequence of shunning these who chose to be slack, and provided shame as the result. But he also adds that these who are shunned should be admonished as a brother. Paul seems to be saying that the church should discipline these brothers, but not to reject them from the assembly. 

16-18

(Prayer for peace)

The church which was so strong in many ways had been tormented by persecution, false doctrine, fear and sin. Paul had given these believers clear instructions as to how to deal with these matters in the two letters. 

But Paul knew that even if they fully understood all his commands and advice, that they would not be able to implement all he had said in their own strength. So now Paul asks the Lord to enable these members to conform to his hopes by the Lord of peace himself granting them the peace needed to prevail.

He calls on God to grant these devoted ones two blessings that are needed for spiritual maturity, peace and grace.

Paul's two letters have given us a deeper view of what it means to live the Christian life from one who was tapped by our Savior, Jesus Christ, to become His chosen vessel to the gentiles. This is US !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

ARE WE LISTENING????????? ARE WE LIVING WHAT WE LEARN????????