It is easy for pastors to say of a vibrant church, “You are our glory and joy” (1 Thessalonians 2:20). On the one hand, such a church already following the Lord may “have no need for anyone to write,” and yet, on the other hand, the pastors would still say, “We urge you, brothers, to do… Read More »
Some people refuse to work and are intentionally lazy and idle. They know better but disobey the instruction of God and refuse to follow the example of hard-working Christians. They busy themselves in the lives of others, and burden others with their needs. What does Paul say to these people? In 1 Thessalonians 4:9–12, Paul… Read More »
Paul addresses the matter of working to make a living in both 1 and 2 Thessalonians. In the first letter, he urged his readers to work to meet their own needs as part of their testimony for Christ (1 Thess 4:10–12). In the second letter, Paul commanded his readers to distance themselves from the persistently… Read More »
1 Thessalonians provides us with two verses (2:13 and 5:27) that help us explore the word of God, whether spoken or written. The Spoken Word of God “And we also thank God constantly for this, that when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word… Read More »
In 1 Thessalonians 5:12–13, Paul identifies pastors not with a title but according to three of their primary functions. 12 We ask you, brothers, to respect those who labor among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, 13 and to esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Be… Read More »
The rapture is the event in which “the dead in Christ will rise first” and “then we who are alive, who are left” are “caught up together… in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air” (1 Thessalonians 4:16–17). We can never know when exactly the rapture will take place, but Scripture at least… Read More »
God washes, sanctifies, and justifies everyone that trusts in Christ, and they will inherit the kingdom of God. The sexually immoral, idolaters, adulterers, homosexuals—“such were some of you,” says Paul, but a change came “in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God” (1 Corinthians 6:9–11). These titles above… Read More »
1 Thessalonians 3:13 refers to “the coming of our Lord Jesus with all His holy ones” (literal translation). Are these holy ones angels, God’s people, or both?1 Angels Some conclude holy ones are angels for multiple reasons. First, Paul could be echoing Zechariah 14:5, a text speaking about our Lord’s final descent to earth to… Read More »
Paul’s first letter to the Thessalonians briefly describes how the messengers delivered the gospel with power, Spirit, and conviction (1 Thess 1:5). Paul describes his ministry again in detail in 1 Thess 2:1–12. Several themes stand out. First, in speaking about himself and his fellow missionaries, Paul’s primary concern was to uphold the integrity of… Read More »
One of the reasons that Paul expressed thanks to God for the Thessalonians was that he knew God loved them and had chosen them for salvation (1 Thess 1:2, 4). Paul based his knowledge of God’s love and choice on their exemplary conversion (cf. 1 Thess 1:6–10). He also based this knowledge on how the… Read More »