2 Thessalonians 3:1-3 – The call to propagate the Word

What should believers do between the certainty of the Lord’s coming and the uncertainty of the exact time He will come? In other words, how should we live responsibly while waiting for the Lord’s return? Paul put great emphasis on the Word. In verse 1, he prayed that “… the Word of the Lord may spread rapidly ….” Paul is referring to the instruction of the Lord here. Words such as “the Word,” “the truth” and the term “tradition” found in verse 6, were used by Paul to refer to the revelation of God. Whether oral instruction or written letters, they were the tradition passed down by the apostles of Christ to instruct believers. They bear the authority of God Himself. Through them, God has left His Word to guide believers while they wait for Christ’s return. Two things which believers must do regarding the Word: spread it and practice it. We are to spread it to unbelievers and practice it among believers.

In saying “finally,” Paul was indicating that he was coming to the end of his instructions. Here, he again appealed to the Thessalonians to pray for him and his team. Prayers had played a great part in the success of Paul’s mission. It had always been his first option and not his last resort. There were two things which he requested for here.

Firstly, “… that the Word of the Lord may spread rapidly and be glorified …” (v.1). Paul’s desire was not only for the message of the Gospel to proliferate quickly and widely, but also that the message would be gloriously received by his hearers. In this request, we sense his ambition of seeing the Gospel spread far and wide.

Secondly, “… that we (they) may be delivered from perverse and evil men …” (v.2). Paul envisaged that they would encounter people who would oppose the message of the Gospel. He was fully aware of the opposition from the Jews. Such people were not only “perverse” but also “evil.” He learned from his past encounters how vicious the Jewish opponents were. They were not only out to prevent the progress of the Gospel, but also out to destroy him and his team. He accepted the fact that not everyone has faith.

Immediately following his request for prayer, Paul emphasized God’s faithfulness. Paul deliberately chose the word “faithful” to reaffirm the faithful nature of God. More than that, he wanted the believers to know that human faithlessness can never set aside the faithfulness of God. He is not just watching over His Word to perform it. He is also watching faithfully over His people and servants. He will strengthen them and protect them from the evil one. In verse 3, he brought the devil into his discussion by calling him the “evil one.” In the spreading of the Gospel, Paul knew that he would have to encounter evil men (v.2) and behind them would be the influence of the devil or the “evil one” (v.3). Thus it was needful that prayers be offered on their behalf. When believers offer prayers to a God Who is faithful, He will definitely answer those prayers. And faithfully, God will strengthen and protect His people and servants from the schemes of the evil one.

2 Thessalonians 2:13-17 – Be steadfast to the end

Having told them about the eventual revelation of the man of lawlessness, Paul now turned to encourage the Thessalonians. He began by offering thanksgiving to God for them. He felt obligated to thank God for the Thessalonians because they were God’s choice. God did not save them because the people chose Him, but the reverse. It was God Who had first set His affection on them.

Paul wanted them to know that saving them was God’s initiative. It was His intention for them to ultimately possess the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ. And the process to that glory was through sanctification by the Spirit and their belief in the truth. With that, Paul called on them to remain steadfast and not to be shaken. He exhorted them to hold fast to what they were taught, either via oral tradition or through the letter that the apostle had sent to them.

From thanksgiving, the apostle now turned to pray for the Thessalonians. It is interesting to note that in this prayer, he mentioned the Lord Jesus Christ before God the Father. In doing so, Paul probably saw equality and unity between the Lord Jesus and God the Father. Here the believing Thessalonians not only received divine love but were also the recipients of eternal comfort and good hope. All these were wished upon them so that they would be enabled to face their present afflictions with the hope of a future comfort. And it was through grace that all gifts came upon them.

Paul then proceeded to make two specific requests for the Thessalonians. He prayed first that they would be comforted and strengthened or encouraged in their hearts. Then he asked that they would be rooted and made firm in both good works and the Word.

God has also set His affection upon us and has initiated the saving process in our lives as well. Let’s take heart and be encouraged, and know that He who has begun His work in us will complete it. Reciprocally, we must set our heart and affection on Him and be determined to serve Him to the very end.   

2 Thessalonians 2:6-12 – Activities before the Lord’s return (2)

We are told that “the man of lawlessness” will be revealed after the widespread fall away had taken place. The appearance of this wicked man will occur at a specific point in time, although when exactly that would take place is not indicated. But we surmise that his appearance will not be a gradual but a sudden one. And prior to his emergence, nothing much will be known about him. He will not appear on the scene prematurely. And he will take his seat in the temple of God and set himself forth as God (v.4). The fact that he does not appear sooner is because he is being restrained till God’s appointed time (v.6). Amazingly before Paul described the grandeur of his emergence, he also prescribed his doom. His reign will be short-lived and his end, swift. For as soon as the Lord returns, He will slay him by the breath of His mouth (v.8).

In verse 7, Paul also talked about the removal of the restrainer before the day of the Lord comes. Paul reminded the Thessalonians that they had already been told about what was restraining the emergence of the man of lawlessness. However, what Paul told the Thessalonians was given orally and we have no other writings to verify what he had said. However, it is clear that in God’s eschatological scheme, there will be the appearance of this man of lawlessness. His appearance is restrained for the time being. Although the appearance of the man of lawlessness has not taken place yet, Paul said that lawlessness has already been actively working in the world.

There are suggestions of who this restrainer is. One position takes it to mean Satan himself. It is explained that Satan is presently preventing the man of lawlessness from being made known till an appointed time. Another position says that the restrainer is the preaching of the Gospel. It is taught that when the church is taken up in the rapture, she won’t be around to preach the Gospel. So the man of lawlessness will be manifested.

In verse 7, Paul used the pronoun “he” to refer to the restrainer. Hence we concluded that it’s a person being referred to. Paul tells us that this restrainer would continue to avert the appearance of the lawless one until he, the restrainer “is taken out of the way.” We conclude Paul was referring to the person of the Holy Spirit. So long as the Holy Spirit, who indwells believers, works through the Church, the evil one will be restrained. But when the Holy Spirit stops His work among men, there will be rampant evil culminating in the revelation of the man of lawlessness.  

Verse 9 said that his emergence will be ushered by counterfeit signs and wonders. And he will be totally under the influence of Satan and his utter domination. Naturally his inspiration will come from Satan, who will energize his activities. Paul described his activities in verse 10. He said that they will be characterized by the deception of wickedness. The aim of this wicked one and his activities was to seduce humanity away from the Lord.

Verse 10 reveals the target group of the activities of the man of lawlessness. His aim will be those who are perishing. His plan would be to seal their doom. While his target group has the opportunity to receive the truth, their degenerate minds would reject the truth and not accept it. Thus, they will not be saved. Verses 11 and 12 tell us that since they will not respond to God and His truth, He (God) in turn will allow them to be overtaken by the deluding influence that will result in them believing what is false.

It must be said that God is not the author of evil. But when a person refuses God’s grace and insistently and willfully surrender to the work of deceit, the result will be the inescapable consequence of that error. It is pitiful that instead of believing in the truth, there will be people delighting in wickedness. All who refuse to believe and accept the truth but take pleasure in wickedness will come under judgment.

And as Jude 20-21 had said, as the beloved of the Lord we should build ourselves up in our most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, keeping ourselves in the love of God. So let us wait with anticipation for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ.

2 Thessalonians 2:3-6 – Activities before the Lord’s return (1)

Paul knew full well that if the Thessalonians were totally taken in by the rumors that were circulating concerning the Lord’s return, they would be deceived and be led astray. He then set forth to deal with them. So in verse 3, he told them not to let anyone deceive them. Then he gave the reasons why the day of the Lord had not yet come. He told them that there must first be widespread apostasy or the rebellion before the day of the Lord comes.

What exactly is this event known as the apostasy? This word in the classical Greek was used to denote a political or military rebellion. Thus, it led some to conclude that it is referring to a revolt against the public order or civil authority. They reasoned that since God is the One Who instituted civil authority, so they concluded that this rebellion is one which is against divine authority. Paul is more likely referring to a departure of believers from the faith. It suggests that there will be a widespread revolt against God’s authority.

Then he revealed to them concerning “the man of lawlessness” before the day of the Lord comes. Here, this antichrist is also referred to as the son of destruction. Many would be interested to know who he is exactly. Attempts to link this man to different people in history had been countless, but suffice to say that two things are clearly evident. He will forbid all religions and religious practices, and he will take his seat in the temple of God and set himself forth as God (v.4).

Paul was himself amazed that the Thessalonians should forget what he had told them while he was with them. So in verse 5, he chided them for their forgetfulness. Here he also reminded them that he was not introducing a new subject but one which he had told them before. Had the Thessalonians listened to Paul correctly, they would not be thrown into the disarray by all the misleading teachings.

Deception still lures strongly in our days. The surest insulation we have against it, is still the Word of God and our prayers with discernment. We must be sober-minded and alert so that we will not be unwittingly sucked in it by the devises of the wicked one. To help us to be more discerning, we will be examining some other aspects of his work tomorrow.  

2 Thessalonians 2:1-2 – The danger of false teachings

Paul had urged the Thessalonians to stand firm in the Lord through their tough times. He praised them for their perseverance and told them that it was the grace of God which kept them going. He was confident that everything they went through would come to an end ultimately and they will be justified by the righteous and just God.

Facing persecutions was already tough, but they had to confront a problem of another kind – false teachings. This was a different sort of attack on the church in Thessalonica. In persecution they had shown physical endurance, now what was required of them would be mental resilient. Comparing the two difficulties, we know that mental assault is usually more vicious. To confront it, Paul knew that it would require mental toughness and God’s appropriate truth. While Paul wrote to deal with this vicious challenge, he would very ably exposed the antichrist.

According to verse 1, the two issues confronting the Thessalonians were concerning the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ and the gathering of the saints to Him. The problem that Paul had to deal with here was very unlike that of 1 Thessalonians. The issue in his first letter was the delay of Christ’s return. They supposed the Lord did not come soon enough and they became confused when their loved ones passed away before the Lord’s return. They wondered if their deaths would cause them to be severely disadvantaged.

Now, it appeared that rumors were going around that the day of the Lord had already come (v.2). This false report was circulating and unsettling the believers. Moreover, the rumors were purported to have come from a spirit, a message or a letter supposed to be from Paul. They borrowed Paul’s name to lend authenticity to what they were propagating.

Here, we see Paul denying connection with any of the purported sources of the rumors. He evidently said that he did not endorse any one of them. However, Paul’s primary concern was not about where the rumors had originated. His prime concern was that the Thessalonians had been taken in by the rumors. In fact, many had already been “shaken from their composure” and “were disturbed.” Paul was concerned that they had lost their convictions and become unduly anxious.

Just like in Paul’s day, false teachings are also proliferating today. There is a flurry of them - in printed pages, through seeming prophetic and teaching conferences, through internet, and etc.  There is not a more critical time than now, where the gift of discernment is more needed. Beloved, we are called to test all teachings we have heard. And this we must do if we don’t want to be distracted, hook-winked and be led down a path that leads to destruction. Let’s take time to examine the Word to ensure that we are truly living the truth.  

2 Thessalonians 1:11-12 – Be a vessel for God’s glory

Recognizing that God is the one who would evaluate believers, and whether believers would be counted worthy to be God’s vessel, is entirely His prerogative. He alone has the right and capacity to determine that. Therefore, Paul never took God for granted. He knew that a complete reliance on God was inevitable to experience a sustained progress for Him. So he told the Thessalonians that he was continuing his prayer for them. Here we see two things he prayed for them.

Firstly, he prayed that in God’s evaluation of the Thessalonians, that He might count them worthy of their calling. This suggests to us that how Christians live their lives must be consistent with their belief. Our belief in God would then enable us to live out practical holiness in our lives. This Paul knew could only be accomplished by God’s power. Therefore, he prayed for God to enable them so that they would be deemed worthy of God’s Kingdom.

Secondly, he prayed that God by His power would grant them the desire for every good work. Realizing that they not only needed desire, but also the strength to carry out their desire, so his prayer included asking God to help them put action into their desire. Only as they act would the work of faith be produced. Paul knew that the inward desire for goodness must be accompanied by the outward action of faith. So this prayer was for both their desire and action to be congruous.

Verse 12 also reveals the purpose of his prayer for them. His purpose was so that the name of the Lord Jesus Christ might be glorified in them and that they also would be glorified in Christ. What does it mean? Paul meant that believers, who live lives demonstrating the attitude of goodness and work of faith, would be reflecting Christlikeness. This would honor and glorify His name. When that happened, they would become vessels where the image of Christ would be made manifest.

When we begin to live Christ-like lives, the Lord Jesus will be glorified in us, and our lives will be the human vessels where the image of God will be reflected. All this can take place because we are granted the grace by God and our Lord Jesus Christ. Today, let’s choose to become vessels where the light of Christ will shine through, in whatever assignment in life! Let’s do it for His glory!

2 Thessalonians 1:5-10 – The impending judgment

Having thanked God for the Thessalonians’ steady progress, Paul turned to encourage them to keep up with their progress. He knew the tremendous pressure from the opposition that they were enduring. So he told them that their ability to endure the hardship not only demonstrated the grace of God in their lives, but also His righteous judgment (v.5). And their ability to endure the hardship plainly revealed that they were fit for the kingdom of God.

In verse 6, Paul enforced the fact that God is just. He asserted that there is coming a day when God will vindicate and justify the Thessalonians. Those who persecuted them will be brought to justice, whereas they (the persecuted including the apostle) will find their relief in God. For on that day, the Lord will bring their persecutors to justice.

A question that would naturally come to mind will be: when exactly will God do this? Verse 7 indicates that this will take place “… when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels in flaming fire ….” The way Paul described this scene also reveals that the Lord will return personally, visibly and gloriously. Although, in 1 Thessalonians 4:16, Paul said that the Lord “will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet of God,” here he described another aspect of it. In verse 7, he said that the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels in flaming fire. When we put all these together, it will mean that His return will truly be a glorious one.

Paul tells us that one of the purposes for His coming would be to deal out retribution (v.8). This begs the question – to whom will he deal the retribution to? According to the same verse, there will be two categories of people who will receive their just retribution. They are those who do not know God, and those who do not obey the Gospel.

The punishment which they will receive will be eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power. Eternal destruction is the opposite of eternal life but it does not suggest in any way the cessation of existence. It is not saying that they will be annihilated. But what is clear here is that they will be banished from the presence of the Lord and the glory of His power. They will be excluded from heaven and the power of God permanently. This separation will be irrevocable.

In verse 8, we saw that one of His purposes for coming is to deal out retribution. Now in verse 10, we will see two others. They are: to be glorified in His saints and to be marveled at amongst believers. Paul then concluded by reminding the Thessalonians that they would be among the company of people that the Lord will reveal Himself to because of their belief.

In the light of this coming of God’s judgment, there are two things that seem immediate: (1) what are we doing with those whom we know are still outside the Kingdom of God? (2) What must we do with our lives now? Like the Lord, we must seek and save the lost. And while we are doing that, we must keep abiding and growing in Him!

2 Thessalonians 1:3-4 – Thanksgiving and steadfastness

Following the greetings to the Thessalonians, Paul launched into giving thanks to God for their growth in the faith and love. He had earlier prayed that they would “increase and abound in love …” (1 Thessalonians 3:12). God had apparently answered his prayers and the reports of their abounding love must have stirred in his heart to give thanks to God for them.

In the short phrase, “as is only fitting …,” he was acknowledging that giving thanks to God was the right and proper thing to do. He knew that it was the grace of God that divinely enabled the Thessalonians to have an enlarged faith toward God and an overwhelming love toward each other. Notice that they not only loved greatly but that their love had also grown progressively greater (v.3).

According to 1 Thessalonians 1:3, their hope was also steadfast. Although Paul did not mention hope here, verse 4 speaks of their steadfastness and perseverance. The fact that he could boast about their perseverance to the churches of God tells us that their perseverance was gaining momentum and getting increasingly strengthened, so much so that in the midst of their persecution, they persevered and in their affliction, they endured.

On reflection, we will see that Paul went about thanking God for the Thessalonians’ faith, love and perseverance, was skillfully done. He did it in a way that indirectly praised them and yet would keep them from becoming swellheaded because it was God’s grace that enabled them. What he did also left the Thessalonians motivated to continue to cultivate their faith, love and hope.

Like them, we need to remain steadfast in hope with all perseverance. This call for consistent living in the world that’s getting increasingly difficult to live out our faith, both truthfully and thankfully, is timely. Yet we must do so with the strength that God will provide. Just as we are exhorted by the writer of the letter to the Hebrews, let us then set our eyes on the Lord, the author and finisher of our faith, and emulate His endurance in the midst of difficulties, and triumphed. All to the praise of God!    

2 Thessalonians 1:1-2 – Introduction and salutation

Shortly, between the space of two to three months, after his first letter to Thessalonians, Paul sent them a second letter. The question that baffled students of the Pauline Epistles is: why did he send another letter within such a short span of time? Even with this in mind, the authenticity of Paul’s authorship was never in doubt. Generally, this letter is accepted as Paul’s, both in style and content.

Like his first letter, the second epistle to the Thessalonians was also composed in Corinth. Being an eclectic city, the flow of information to Thessalonica was not curtailed. Paul must have received further information concerning the situation in Thessalonica. He knew that the church would be affected if he did not quickly address those issues. In essence, Paul was dealing with three groups of people in this epistle: those who persecuted the believers (chapter 1); those who propagated false teachings (chapter 2); and those who were idle (chapter 3). However, more than dealing with these different groups of people, Paul’s major concerns were the anticipated return of Christ and events surrounding it.

As with his previous letter, he identified himself with both Silas and Timothy. They formed that evangelistic team which ministered to the Thessalonians. Paul probably did not want to exclude them in this second letter. Anyway, it would make good sense to include them to lend authenticity.

Here, he once again addressed them as the church in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Notice, however, of the addition of the personal pronoun, “our.” It is indicative that Paul traced the origin and source of his spiritual life and those of the believers to God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. He also sent them the identical greetings, grace and peace, which he wished upon them in his previous letter. Grace always precedes peace. Without the grace of God, there can be no experience of peace.

Thankfully, we are the beneficiaries of God’s rich grace and the recipient of His everlasting peace. In this world of increasing turmoil, we can rest in His grace and enjoy His ever abiding peace. We can be assured that God will not lead us to where His grace cannot sustain us. And we on our part, should not allow circumstances we encounter to rob us of our peace, for guarding our hearts and minds are the fortress of His peace.  

1 Thessalonians 5:23-28 – Spiritual nuggets for sound living

In these concluding verses of his first letter to the Thessalonians, we can gather some insights on impactful living from the life and examples of Paul. First of the lots is his prayer. Paul prayed for the Thessalonians to have a sanctified life (v.23). In his prayer, he referred to God as the God of peace. He saw Him as the originator of perfect harmony. He prayed that believers would not only be sanctified but also preserved for the coming of the Lord.

This phrase “spirit and soul and body” suggests that man is a tripartite being. Man has an innermost being called the spirit, the part that he communes with God. Then he has an intermediate being called the soul. This part is comprised of the will, the thoughts and the emotion. This is where man makes his decision in life. Then he also has an outer being called the body. This is made up of the five senses – sight, smell, sound, taste and touch. This is the part of him that connects with the external world. Remember, man’s spirit is made for worship, his soul is made for witness and his body is made for work.  

Secondly, he reminded the Thessalonians of God’s faithfulness (v.24). The basis for Paul’s prayer and request has its foundation on a faithful God. When God calls, you can trust Him to be faithful to sustain you in that call. He will definitely bring to pass what He had promised.

Thirdly, he requested prayers for him and his team (v.25). “Brethren, pray for us,” he requested. Several times in this letter he told the Thessalonians that he prayed for them. Now he requested prayer for himself and his team. This reveals the humility of Paul. We are reminded that there is no person too great that he won’t need the prayer support of fellow believers.

Fourthly, Paul exhorted them to greet all (v.26), and to do so with a holy kiss. Notice that the call was to greet “all.” This would therefore exclude discrimination or favoritism. The “holy kiss” was cultural specific to Paul’s environment, even in today’s Middle Eastern culture. For us, a handshake would be the norm. In our modern vernacular, this verse would read, “greet all brethren with a warm handshake and a hug.”

Fifthly, he instructed that the letter should be read publicly (v.27). Knowing that what he wrote would be beneficial to all, Paul strongly urged that his letter to them be read publicly. This would also enforce his apostolic authority.

Finally, the apostle closed with the grace of God (v.28). If not for the grace of God, man would be languishing in sin, despair and hopelessness. Therefore, it is fitting that the apostle should conclude with the wish that this inexhaustible grace of God would be the believers’ experience forever.

Beloved, in the Word of God and examples of the apostle Paul, we have a right heritage of faith. It behooves us as God’s beloved children and emissaries, to tap on them, learn from them, and live out our lives to honor and magnify God. 

1 Thessalonians 5:19-22 – Circumspect Living

Verses 16-18 stressed on the spiritual life of believers as individuals. These next four verses describe the life of believers in corporate worship. Here we will see five injunctions – two are put negatively and three positively.

Do not quench the Spirit (v.19). Flame is one of the Biblical symbols of the Holy Spirit. He works in the lives of believers. He enlightens the minds, warms their hearts and empowers their lives. Like fire, the Holy Spirit could be snuffed out and doused. When the Holy Spirit is quenched, the believer’s life will be devoid of warmth, power and passion. Therefore, believers should not resist the work of the Holy Spirit in their lives.

Do not despise prophetic utterances (v.20). Prophetic utterances are messages given through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. They could be messages foretelling the future or forth-telling the present. Some believers then, could have minimized the messages and did not take them seriously. Paul told them not to disparage those prophetic words but to discerningly honor them as God’s given words.

Examine all things carefully (v.21). Unlike us, they did not have the canon Scriptures. Thus, it was even more necessary to examine all things carefully. In our days and age, we can always measure the things we have heard against the Word of God. But the early believers did not have such privilege. They have to measure it against their sound spiritual and godly judgment.

Hold fast to what is good (v.21). To hold fast to what is good refers to those things that could stand sound spiritual judgment. It implies that one should reject those things that could not measure up against the standard of sound judgment. But those that could bear up to the standard must be retained.

Abstain from every form of evil (v.22). The believers were strongly encouraged to reject and avoid what is spurious and counterfeit. Everything that characterized evil should be repudiated.

The fallen nature of man had never changed. We are living among people with all kinds of standard, many of which contradict sound Biblical living. Many a times we are unwittingly influenced by their negativity. It’s time we discern between what would please the Lord and what would not. Thankfully, we have the Word of God, our road-map for life. Let’s go to it daily to know the things that would delight the heart of God and then obey them as we journey with God.      

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 – The will of God

In verses 16-18, Paul shows us believers, several positive steps to take in our spiritual exercises which he said were God’s will for us. 

Verse 16 is a call to rejoice always. This is a similar call to the one that he gave to the believers in Philippi. “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice!” (Philippians 4:4). Here he was also telling the Thessalonians to do the same. We all know how difficult it is to rejoice when we are encountering difficulties. We will rejoice in all situations and circumstances if we only knew the secret of a rejoicing life. The secret rests in learning to see the purpose of God in every circumstance. Why? It’s because rejoicing is a learned response. It is a choice that one has to make regardless of the circumstance one is encountering. It is learning to see the hand of God behind the pain, and the purpose of God beyond the pain. So remember to rejoice in whatever circumstance we may be facing!

Then in verse 17, believers are called to pray without ceasing. Does it mean that we must pray non-stop and without any interruption? No! To pray without ceasing is to remain in an attitude of dependence upon the Lord in the daily grind of life. It is maintaining an attitude of reverential fear for the Lord always. It is learning to pause ever so often in between assignments, and pray to Him giving thanks.

Believers are also called to give thanks to God in everything in verse 18. Notice that both rejoicing and praying have to do with time – “always” and “unceasingly.” But giving thanks has to do with circumstance. In other words, Paul is saying that in whatever circumstance one may be in, the right and appropriate attitude to have, is a thankful attitude.

Like it or not, Paul wanted the Thessalonians, and us as well, to know that it is God’s will that believers should rejoice, pray at all times and give thanks in all circumstances. So daily, let’s rejoice, pray and give thanks!

1 Thessalonians 5:14-15 – Inter-personal relationship

Having settled how believers ought to regard their leaders, Paul now turned to settle the issue of how fellow believers ought to relate to each other. In verse 12, he made a request. But here in verse 14, he urged them. The word “brethren” appears in both verse 12 as well as verse 14. We can, therefore, conclude that it’s the same group of people that Paul was addressing. From his instruction to them to do the three things described in verse 13, we can conclude too that the ordinary members were also expected to do the work of the ministry. It should not just fall on the shoulders of the leaders.

Paul delineated three groups of people that needed attention. Firstly, he talked about the unruly. This category of people needed admonishment. The word unruly was used of a soldier who deserted his post. Some of the believers were so obsessed with the return of the Lord that they quit their work. Being idle, they were meddlesome. Instead of working to support themselves, they were expecting free handouts. These people must be admonished.

Secondly, he dealt with the fainthearted. These people were discouraged. Probably they were those that had loved ones who passed away. They were also described as the timid (NIV), meaning people who probably were distressed by the oppositions and trials confronting them. These people needed encouragement.

Thirdly, Paul talked about the weak. He probably did not mean those physically weak but those who were morally or spiritually weak. People whom he referred to in 1 Thessalonians 4:3-7 – those who faced the temptation and fell into sexual immorality. Paul’s instruction was to help these people.

And whether it was admonishment to the unruly, encouragement to the fainthearted or help to the weak, Paul advocated patience in rendering one’s service or ministry. It is easy to be impatient with difficult people who are demanding, argumentative and unreasonable, yet the call here is to exercise patience.

Having dealt with the three particular groups of believers, Paul turned his attention and gave advice on general Christian behavior (v.15). Here he said that believers should not retaliate or seek revenge. Instead, they should cultivate kindness and seek the best interests for each other. The rationale is logical because it would build mutual benefit and growth for each individual in the fellowship.

As a community called by God, we must learn not to look only at our own interest but also the interest of others. We must learn to guard each man’s dignity and save each man’s pride. Together we can build the tent for the glory of God! Let's ask Him to come and dwell in our tent for His own glory!

1 Thessalonians 5:12-13 – Members and leaders relationship

In both his letters to the Thessalonians, Paul also wrote to instruct Christian living in the light of the second coming of Christ. His overwhelming desire in these letters was for the community to be ready for Christ’s return. Since they all belong to the same community, he wanted each one of them to carefully handle the different areas of life to enhance their own personal effectiveness. In these two verses he addressed the issue of relationship between members and leaders. He advocated love and respect must be shown toward each other. He also promoted mutual care and support.

A careful reflection of verse 12 suggests that some Thessalonians were showing disrespect for their leaders. Hence, the apostle gently appealed to them to show proper respect for their leaders. Notice that in the beginning of verse 12, the words were “we request of you….” They were words of gentle appeal rather than authoritative instruction. His request was for them to appreciate (v.12) and esteem the leaders highly (v.13). And he gave them several reasons for the appeal:

Firstly, he said that those leaders labored diligently among them. Paul could be referring to their spiritual assignments such as teaching, shepherding and counseling. However, it is more likely that he was referring to the seemingly menial tasks that were required to take care of the believers. The word “labor” should be more accurately translated as “toil.” Paul was probably talking about the laborious and arduous efforts of caring for a people facing oppositions and undergoing trials. He told them that those leaders did not shrink away from the mundane tasks of caring for them. Instead, they diligently labored and toiled among them. Thus, they should be appreciated and highly esteemed.

Secondly, the leaders were also given the task to take charge over them. Their main task was to preside over the matters concerning the life of the fellowship. The phrase “in the Lord” tells us that their role was not a secular but a spiritual one. Like theirs, church leaders today ought also to see their ministry as a spiritual one to be discharged under the purview of the Lord. Therefore, there is no room for personal ambition and self-aggrandizement. Their role necessitates dependence on God’s grace and a large degree of spiritual maturity.

Thirdly, the leaders also gave instruction to believers. This term “instruction” could be better translated as “admonishment.” The word has to do with discipline and reproof. It is also used in conjunction with teaching, and often in the context of ethics, to warn against bad behaviors and its consequences. It is also used in connection with reminding believers of the dangers of continuing in the way of error. When admonishment is done with Christian affection, wayward brethren could be steered from their course and rescued from their wrongdoings. Done with love, wrong attitude would be aligned.

Because of their works, leaders ought to be esteemed. Paul tells us here that leaders are called to labor for, take charge over, and admonish the believers for the sake of the church. Thus, they should be appropriately esteemed and accorded due honor. When believers respect their leaders, it will result in peaceful co-existence among them. So Paul asked them to live in peace with each other.

Leaders need our support so that they can function and fulfill their God-given role. As a family of believers, and as we rightly fulfill our roles, we meet needs and ensure mutual growth. Let us both grow and glow for the Lord!

1 Thessalonians 5:4-11 – Stay alert and prepared for Christ’s return

Paul had said that the Lord’s return will be sudden, unexpected and unavoidable. Hence, it would be impossible to know the exact day of His coming. Thus, the solution to be prepared for His coming is not in knowing the day, but in being alert and ready, so as not to be taken by surprise.

In verse 5, Paul tells us that believers are sons of light and not of darkness. Then in verses 6 and 7, he showed the reason for the comparison. His point was that generally a thief would come in the night because in the darkness of the night, he could not be seen. Furthermore, in the night, most people would be asleep and thus would not know of the thief’s coming. As for some who stayed awake but missed the thief, it could well be that they were out drinking and getting drunk. Therefore, the call was to stay sober and alert for His coming, so that we would not be taken by surprise.

What exactly was Paul saying concerning light and darkness in verse 5? We need to know that the Bible divides time into two ages: (1) the present age usually referred to as the age of evil; (2) the age to come or the age of the Messiah. Jesus Christ, the Messiah, came to usher in the age to come. The age of the Messiah is characterized by light and is known as “day.” On the other hand, the evil age, which we are living in now is characterized by darkness and is also called “night.” Presently, these two ages overlap. Only at Christ’s return will the present evil age end.

Believers who have accepted the Messiah have entered into the new age, and are in the light. On the other hand, the unbelievers who do not have the Messiah are still living in the present age or the age of evil and are in darkness and night. Paul’s point, therefore, is whether one is ready for the Lord’s return depends much on which age he belongs to. Only as a believer lives in the light, then he will not be overtaken by surprise at the Messiah’s Second Coming.

In verses 4 and 5, believers are described as “sons of light and sons of day …” and “not in darkness ….” Since we are believers, we should stay alert. In verse 8, Paul went on to reiterate the believers’ status and urged them to go further and be armed for warfare. The armor described here is different from the ones found in the Epistle to the Ephesians. Here, he asked them to put on the breastplate of faith and love and the helmet, which is the hope of salvation. This triad – faith, love and hope – corresponds with the characteristic of the church in Thessalonica (1 Thessalonians 1:3). The helmet is the hope of salvation and it covers the most vital part of a believer – his mind.

At the mention of salvation, Paul’s thoughts were redirected to the blessings as a result of the work of Christ. Bear in mind that to the Thessalonians, the Second Coming meant judgment. This being the case, how could it bring salvation? The whole purpose of verses 9-11 was to allay their anxiety. Paul delineated two great blessings: firstly, believers are not destined for wrath but to obtain salvation through the Lord Jesus Christ. Secondly, Jesus Christ died for believers so that they may live together with Him forever. With these two great assertions of blessings, Paul urged them (and us too) to encourage and build up one another.

1 Thessalonians 5:1-3 - The Day of the Lord

Having dealt with the issue of bereavement and the dead saints, he now turned to deal with the issue of judgment and the living saints. In order to have a better understanding, we need to understand the Biblical teaching on “the Day of the Lord.” What exactly is this Day of the Lord? This concept had been repeatedly dealt with in the Old Testament, especially in the prophetical writings. Suffice to say here that it has to do with the coming judgment, particularly the end-time outpouring of God’s wrath.

The Thessalonians were taught about future events. However, regarding this day of the Lord, they had a flawed thinking. They figured that if they only knew the time that the Lord would return, it would solve their problem. They would be free from anxiety about the future judgment. They reckoned that once they knew exactly when the day the Lord would return, they could prepare for it. Understandably, this was what they thought. Unfortunately, their thoughts were erroneous and Paul had to correct them.

To be prepared for the day of the Lord, they felt that they needed to know when the Day of the Lord would come. In verse 1, Paul was literally telling them how wrong they were. In asking about times and epochs, the Thessalonians were actually asking when exactly would be the day of divine judgment. Concerning the exact timing of the Lord’s return, Paul said that no one knows. The believers there knew this fact. Therefore, it seemed ludicrous to Paul that they should ask the question concerning the exact timing of the Lord’s return. So in verses 2 and 3, he used two similes to refer to the timing of the Lord’s coming. One is the thief who comes in the night and the other is about the suddenness of the birth pangs which would come upon a pregnant woman. What was Paul conveying in these two similes?

For the first one on the coming of a thief, Paul was making them see that the Lord’s return would be sudden and unexpected. In the second simile, he wanted them to know that the Lord’s coming would be sudden and unavoidable, like the attacks of birth pangs on a pregnant woman before the arrival of her baby. Paul’s point was this: the Lord’s return will be sudden, unexpected and unavoidable. Just as the labor pain is unavoidable for a pregnant woman, so also will destruction be inevitable. No one will escape that. If there a time to repent and believe the Lord, it must be before His return otherwise it will be too late. Everyone who rejects Christ will be called to the judgment seat of God and be condemned. It was flawed for the Thessalonians to try and ease their concern by trying to find out the exact date of the Lord’s return.  

For all of us believers, these few verses send an urgency into our hearts. Soul winning must be in our daily agenda. All mankind will either receive the joy of heavenly bliss or the dreadful consequence of eternal damnation, when that day arrives. So let’s get going – pray, share and evangelize - for the ultimate outcome of those within our sphere of influence are in our hands. For God’s sake and theirs, let’s do it!

1 Thessalonians 4:15-18 – The grand reunion

What Paul said so far would conjure further questions in the minds of the Thessalonians. How could those dead, now without a body, be brought back to mingle among those with a body? How could spirits without a physical body intermingle with believers with a physical body? Knowing that this would be a natural thought process, Paul began to address these concerns in verses 15-18.

In verse 15, Paul began by asserting divine authority for what he was about to say. So he wrote, “for this we say to you by the word of the Lord ….” It could well be that the Lord had granted Paul a special revelation concerning what he was about to tell the people. Because what Paul would say is the word of the Lord, it must of necessity be met with careful and close attention.

Firstly, he said that the living saints have no advantage over those who died in Christ. So believers who died in Christ would not be at a disadvantage. Paul used two phrases to describe the living saints. He referred to them as those that are alive; and those that remain until the coming of the Lord. By inference, Paul was saying that there would be a generation of believers who will not experience physical death. Amazingly, you will notice that Paul placed himself in that category by using the pronoun “we.” This tells us that Paul anticipated Christ to return within his lifetime. Here, he asserted that by no means would those who are alive then precede those who died in Christ. In fact, they would only meet the Lord after the dead ones had done so.

Then in verses 16-18, Paul gave the end-time program before calling for a practical response to the end-time events. Verse 16 tells us that the Lord Himself will descend. In other words, the Lord Himself will come in person. He will not be sending a representative. Praise God for this appearing that will be both imminent and eminent. This return will also be a triumphant one. It will be a triumphant event where the command-in-chief would give the word of command. At that command, the indication will be given for the pageant to begin. Then the sounding of the trumpet will come next. In the Lord’s return, He Himself as the Commander-in-chief will give the command and the archangel will echo His command, followed by the sounding of the trumpet. The shout of the Lord, the voice of the archangel and the sounding of the trumpet, are just to indicate that the call to this event will be very distinct and unmistakable.

In verse 14, the Apostle Paul assured the Thessalonians that God would bring the believing dead with Christ when He comes. Then in verse 15, he assured us that the dead in Christ shall rise first. In other words, they will be resurrected and come with Christ. In verses 15-16, we are told that those who are alive will not precede those who died in the Lord. Now, in verse 17, we are told that those who are alive and remain will be caught up in the cloud to be united with the dead and the Lord.

Verse 17 shows us that there will be a grand reunion between all the saints and the Lord. After the grand reunion, both the resurrected saints and those caught up will remain with the Lord forever.

We need to remember that Paul’s purpose in narrating these end-time events was not to answer questions on eschatology. He wrote to comfort the people who were overtaken by discouragement and fear. They had the idea that their departed loved ones would miss out on the blessings since they died before the Lord’s return. With this discourse on the end-time events, he not only encouraged them but also told them (in verse 18) to comfort each other with these words.

Let’s be more fervent now that we know Christ will return to receive us to Himself so that where He is there we may be also. Don’t let what happen in the present moment distract us from the soon return of Christ. Let’s keep looking up, for we know it won’t be long!

1 Thessalonians 4:13-14 – Live with anticipation

In his campaign in Thessalonica, Paul also talked about future events. The believers there accepted the teaching and, like him, they believed that Christ would return in their lifetime. But since Paul’s departure from them, some members of the families of those believers had passed away. Therefore, they were really perplexed and disturbed. Many of them were concerned and wondered what would happen to their departed loved ones at the return of the Lord. There was a sense of hopelessness attending their bereavement. When Timothy came to them, they must have expressed their concerns to him. Timothy then brought their concerns to Paul. Hence, here he wrote to address their questions. We need also to know that the pagan world at that time saw no hope beyond the grave.

Paul did not want them to remain ignorant concerning those Christians who had died as believers. Here he spoke to alleviate their fears to convince them about the truth of the matter. His purpose was to ensure that the Thessalonians would not face death with a grief like the pagans, who saw death with bleak hopelessness.

Here Paul defined death as sleep. In three verses (vv. 13, 14 & 15), he described those who had died as “fallen asleep.” This metaphor is used probably due to the stillness of the body at death. It is also because death in the Bible is often seen as rest from work (Revelation 14:13). In anticipation of the resurrection, Paul also described death as sleep. He wanted them to know that death was a temporary experience for the believers, as there will be the coming resurrection.

In verse 14, Paul provided the important foundation for the hope of resurrection. They looked forward to this experience with great anticipation because of what Christ Jesus had accomplished in His death and resurrection. This historical fact of Christ’s death and resurrection, gives believers great hope. His death and resurrection is the foundation for believers and those who died in Him will also rise with him.

This is also our hope. We look forward for the hope of His return. Meanwhile Paul tells us to be steadfast and immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord. 

1 Thessalonians 4:9-12 – Be loving in life and live to glorify God

In verses 9-10, we see Paul progressing from the issue of chastity to charity. He was calling for the brethren to excel in loving. God would place His love in the heart of a believer. Therefore loving others should characterize a redeemed child of God. Loving others ought to be the natural outcome of those who are in Christ Jesus. And loving one another in God’s family should also be evidently clear. To be unloving toward each other would be acting out of character as a redeemed person.

Paul told the Thessalonians that loving the brethren was so much a part of them already, for God had taught them concerning it. And they had been practicing it with other believers in Macedonia. However, knowing the human tendency to depart from what one knows to be true, Paul reminded and exhorted them to excel even more in love. Love should be the mark of genuine Christianity. And we ought to make loving fellow believers and others our daily agenda.   

Finally from verses 11-12, Paul dealt with the normal everyday issues of life in a believer. He called for growth in this seemingly ordinary area. It appeared that while waiting for Christ’s glorious return, some were so carried away that they literally dropped out of life and became idle. They quit their jobs, choosing to become busybodies instead. They began to take advantage and live on the generosity of others, since they were not earning a living anymore. Paul reminded them not to let life slip away idly. He exhorted them to go about diligently in the everyday business of life. They were urged to work with their hands and to seize every opportunity to glorify and please God. He was saying to them that they could please God in the mundane things of life as they waited for the Lord’s return. How? By attending to their daily living diligently so that they would not be in need.

Work has values. It helps us to gain self-respect and also keeps us from burdening others. Having a meaningful career will help us to maintain self-respect. If we do not work we cannot take care of our own financial needs, and we will also not be able to have the means to help others in need. The value of work is not found in the wealth it will create, but in our ability to help others. This will in turn help us to respect ourselves. So let’s live meaningfully for God.

1 Thessalonians 4:3-8 – Be morally pure

One way to please God requires that we live a morally pure life. Here Paul used the word “sanctification” to define God’s will. This word “sanctification” simply means setting oneself apart from sin to live for God’s glory. Thus, we can conclude that living a sanctified life is God’s will. It is the intention of God that every believer ought to live a consecrated life for His glory. Here Paul specifically mentioned abstinence from sexual immorality. This is God’s will. Of course, we know that sanctification and God’s will is not just about sexual purity. However, we need to know that the sensual environment which the Thessalonians were living in, made it necessary for Paul to single out this area for specific mention. He knew that they were constantly exposed to sexual temptations, and so he wrote to warn and instruct them of the dangers and the dire consequences.

The word “immorality” generally means a wide range of illegal sexual activities. It ranges from the thoughts to the practices. It could mean impurity, fornication, adultery, and all kinds of aberrant sexual behavior and so on. Here the command is to stop practicing immorality. Paul wanted them to know that it was imperative to abstain from illicit sexual practices if they wanted to please God.

In verses 4-5, Paul gave them some instructions on how to abstain from sexual immorality. He said that each believer should learn “… to possess his own vessel ….” What exactly did Paul mean? There are two widely differing understanding for the word “vessel.” One view is that it refers to the man’s body, and the other view says that it refers to one’s wife. Because the second interpretation demeans a woman by making her a vessel, most people would repudiate this position. Hence, the view that interprets the vessel as the man’s body is more widely accepted. It simply means that man is required to exercise self-control. He is to have a control over his own body, and he needs to take the necessary steps to honor his body so as to please God.

The second position, however, takes the view that the man ought to take a wife for himself. This position is made strong by the words “to possess” in verse 4. In the original interpretation, these words mean to acquire or to take. Thus, the RSV (Revised Standard Version) authors had this verse translated as “… that each of you know how to take a wife for himself in holiness and honor.” Perhaps Paul wanted them to have a proper perspective concerning their own sexual needs. And there are two ways to satisfy one’s sexual desires – a right way and a wrong way. It is absolutely wrong to indulge in any kind of immorality. The right way is to find one’s sexual fulfillment in one’s wife.

Regardless of the position one takes, Paul’s point is that sexual purity is needful to live a God-pleasing life. One needs to know that Paul was calling for man to view sex from God’s perspective, rather than be lured into practicing the aberrant sexual enticement of the world. However, take note that even in sexual intimacy with his wife, a man ought to exercise it in a sanctifying way and to exercise it honorably to please God. He is reminded not to have lustful passion like the godless Gentiles.

To sum up, we can say that verse 3 shows us the what, which is to abstain from sexual immorality. Then verses 4-5 show us the how, which is to possess one’s own vessel in sanctification and honor. And now, verses 6-8 will tell us the why that believers should not indulge in sexual immorality.

From these verses, we understand that there are consequences when one indulges in such illicit sexual activities. There are several things that could happen. There would be damage. The word used here is “transgress.” To transgress is “to get out of bound.” When that happens, people will be hurt. Someone will be defrauded or deceived. Paul warned that God would avenge the wrong committed to a brother (or sister) and would punish the offender. The other reason one should not indulge in illicit sexual activities is that God had called us into a life of purity and sanctification, not a life of impurity (v.7). Consequently, a believer who practices immorality will hurt God, Who has placed the Holy Spirit in his life. In all these, there are essentially three things: the right place for sexual intimacy is in a marriage; and the right attitude toward sexual intimacy is to practice it honorably, the goal of it all is to please God.

1 Thessalonians 4:1-2 – Our goal in life is to please God

Thessalonica connected Rome from the East. Being an eclectic city, people from all over the Roman Empire would be found there. Furthermore, the pagan worship in that city was associated with sexual immorality and temple prostitutes. They basically led a very sensually and materialistically oriented lifestyle. Hence, even believers were enticed to lead that kind of lifestyle. The message of Paul in Thessalonians 4 addressed that enticing culture. Our affluent Singapore is just as sensual and materialistic, this message is just as relevant to us.

The first thing Paul called for them to do was to lead the kind of life which God expects of them. The obvious place to begin with would be in their motivation. What can be a better motivation than to appeal to their desire to please the Lord? So Paul made this his starting point. He asked them to make pleasing the Lord their goal in life. In fact he exhorted them to excel even more since they had already began to live God-pleasing lives.  

The word “walk” is used metaphorically to describe one’s lifestyle. This is a term used to refer to one’s day-to-day living. So here Paul reminded them to begin at the most crucial point – do all to please the Lord. The structure of verse 1 tells us that this must be a lifestyle. It was not to be a sporadic or intermittent act, but a continuous effort. It must be a relentless effort to excel more and more. Paul must have realized how easy it was for believers to rest on their laurels, so he told them to excel even more.

Secondly, he told them the basis on which he was making the call. It was on the authority of the Lord that he made this call to them. He reminded them that this was what the Lord would want them to do. In other words, this was the Lord’s commandment; he did not act on his own. Like them, if we want to grow spiritually, we must make pleasing God our priority in life. Not only that, we also need to learn to live under the sovereign authority of the Lord Jesus Christ. So let’s obey the command of Christ, else we are rejecting God!

1 Thessalonians 3:6-13 – Fulfilling ministry

When Timothy had returned from Thessalonica to Paul, he shared with him the good news concerning the believers there. Apparently they were still full of love and faith. Besides, they also remembered the apostle fondly, and were yearning to see him and his team just as much as Paul himself had longed to see them. So overwhelmed was the apostle that he burst out with inexplicable joy. On hearing that they were standing firm in the Lord, he was relieved, and that injected a new lease of life into him. In verse 9 we see him welled up in thanksgiving to the Lord for them. He was then motivated and moved to pray for them earnestly and unceasingly.

So inspired was Paul that he uttered a prayer for them there and then. He requested that God to open the way and direct his team to the Thessalonians again (v.11). Praise God, this prayer was answered and he visited them two times in his third missionary journey (Acts 20:1-3). He also prayed for the Lord’s love in them to increase and overflow toward one another and even for all men. Finally, he prayed that God would strengthen their hearts and cause them to walk blamelessly in holiness before God the Father. His desire was that they would be preserved and sanctified for the Coming of our Lord Jesus. Truly the Second Coming of Christ is a great motivation for us believers to live a life of holiness as well.

The certainty of His second coming set the pace for us to live well now. It’s wonderful to know that we are not trying to live our lives without any heavenly resource. We must lean on the person of the Holy Spirit as we go about each day. Like Paul said in 1 Corinthians 15:58, we must remain “steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that our toil is not in vain in the Lord.”

1 Thessalonians 3:1-5 – A nurturing heart

Paul had shown how much the Thessalonians meant to him. His primary concern was for their spiritual well-being. He could not take the suspense of not knowing what had happened to his beloved converts in that city. And though it would be a lonely experience for him to be left by himself at Athens, he was prepared to face it. He just longed to know how the Thessalonians were doing. In his desire to see them well, he had made several unsuccessful attempts to be there. When he finally could not take the suspense any longer, he decided to send Timothy, a brother and God’s fellow worker, there. Between Silas and Timothy, he chose to send the latter because he was not with them when the church there was first established. Besides this, Paul also had three other reasons why he sent Timothy to them.

Verse 2 tells us that he wanted firstly for their faith to be strengthened and encouraged. Then in verses 3-4 w are told that Timothy went there so that the Thessalonians would not be unsettled by their afflictions. Paul reminded them of what he had previously told them – that affliction was part and parcel of the Christian life. Finally, Timothy was sent there to find out how the Thessalonians were fairing and to return with reports concerning their welfare.

Notice that here Paul also made mention of the tempter, meaning Satan. He would attempt not only to stumble the apostolic band, but also the people who believed the apostle’s message. Paul was concerned that the Thessalonians would fall prey to the tempter’s traps and fall away. That’s why he was glad to hear that they were doing fine.

In thinking deeper, we get a sense that hardship can never be avoided in Christian life. Why? It’s because hardships strengthen our faith. They give us opportunities to trust the Lord, to draw near to Him and to prove our resolve to obey Him. The Lord had said in John 16:33 that in the world we will have tribulation. This, plus several passages in Scripture, such as Rom. 8:17; 2 Cor. 4:17; Phil. 1:29; Col. 1:24 and etc., reveal beyond a shadow of doubt that we will have to face many difficulties in life. And since we have been foretold of this, we should also arm our attitude not to be unduly stressed by them. Instead we should learn to draw near to God, and let Him draw nigh to us.

1 Thessalonians 2:17-20 – Be responsible and accountable

Verse 17 suggests to us that Paul’s ministry among Thessalonians was disrupted. It was the hostile Jews whom he mentioned in verses 14-15 that came to create trouble for Paul and his companions.  They were forcefully taken away from the Thessalonians for a short while. We get the feeling that to Paul the separation was a painful, unwilling and a reluctant one. However, in the spirit they were still with Paul. He had them constantly in his thoughts and heart. In that sense they were constantly with him. And he yearned to see their face again.

Paul repeatedly tried to come to them, but in each attempt Satan had prevented him. Paul seemed to put the blame squarely on Satan. How is Satan the cause of Paul’s inability to return to the Thessalonians? Since Paul was doing the will of God to advance the Kingdom, it would be an act of contradiction if God were the One putting in the obstacles. Only Satan would want to hinder the progress of God’s work. In this sense, he was the one who had hindered Paul’s return. We can see it this way: behind the scene, Satan was engineering opposition to prevent Paul from going back to the Thessalonians.

In verses 19-20, Paul raised a series of rhetorical questions. He had put much effort, while undergoing affliction, to reach them and to now hear of their work of faith, labor of love and steadfastness of hope, was a real encouragement to him. He wanted them to know that they were his joy and pride. They were his hope, joy and crown of exultation. And at the Glorious Appearing of the Lord, they would be the trophies that he would present to the Lord.

Paul’s zeal and fervor in the ministry can be felt in the reading of these verses. What kept him so vibrant in service? Apart from his love for the people he served, we can also see two aspects of Paul: his sense of duty and his sense of accountability. As long as he was serving, he would labor diligently and responsibly. He knew that ultimately when he faced the Lord, he would have to give an account of the tasks delegated to him. Like Paul, we must have genuine love when we serve, but we must keep at the forefront of our mind the sense of duty and our accountability to the Lord. Bear in mind that we are just stewards of God’s grace!   

1 Thessalonians 2:9-16 – Being pace-setters

Verses 9-12 tell us that together with his companions, Paul labored hard, day and night for his own provision, refusing to be a burden to them financially as he proclaimed the Gospel to them. He reminded the Thessalonians that they were fully aware of this and could concur with him. Paul was not just like a tender mother to them, he was also like a consistent father to them. By being a father to them, he constantly set the example by living a devout, upright and blameless life before them. It’s this kind of life that would please God. Besides, he did not just say it in words but also in action. Not only were they his witnesses but so was God. And as an instructing father, he disciplined them as his children. He not only exhorted but also encouraged and implored them, to walk worthy of God, Who had called them into His own Kingdom and glory.

In verses 13-16, Paul portrayed for us his role as God’s messenger. He ceaselessly proclaimed to them the Gospel and they accepted it as God’s Word. They willingly opened their hearts to the message and acknowledge it as God’s voice to them. As a result, their lives were changed by it. For this, Paul did not cease to thank God. Their lives were so evidently changed and bore spiritual fruit. They even emulated the examples of the believers in Judea. And like them, the Thessalonians were willing to endure the suffering and persecution from their own countrymen, even as the Judeans suffered at the hand of the Jews. In verses 15 and 16, Paul was neither anti-Jew nor anti-Semitic. He was merely stating the facts. Many of the Jews were rejecting Christ and opposing the Gospel. They were preventing others, even the Gentiles, from believing in Christ. They were storing up the wrath of God as Jesus had warned.

Like Paul, we must seek to be fervent, upright and blameless. All these are achievable when we yield to the Word of God and allow the Holy Spirit to take full control of our lives. We must also seek to be stable messengers of Christ in words and conduct, constantly bearing fruit. When we keep doing that, no outward threatening circumstance we encounter can ever get us down. Let’s be pace-setters for the Lord!