Encourage Each Other

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

1 Thessalonians 4:13 (ESV) ¹³But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope.

There is grief beyond words, deep grief. Some of you have experienced profound sorrow. Deep sadness comes for different reasons. 1 Thessalonians 4:13 mentions one of the reasons for such grief — no hope. 1 Thessalonians 4:13 points to death as the cause of grief and the loss of hope. 

The Apostle Paul, who wrote the letter to the Thessalonians, says he does not want us to be uninformed. The word he uses means “without knowledge,” and has also been translated “ignorant.” Knowledge of the truth gives us hope, and hope gives us the strength to carry on.

Many of the Thessalonians believers were Gentiles who had accepted the God of the Hebrews as the one true God before they heard about Jesus. Therefore, they were not entirely without knowledge of Scriptural teachings about death and the afterlife. However, they lived in a culture and city with many different ideas of what happens when a person dies. 

Confusion about death, the afterlife and eternity began with the founding of the kingdom of Babylon not many years after the flood. Genesis 10 tells us:

Genesis 10:8–12 (NKJV) Cush begot Nimrod; ... And the beginning of his kingdom was Babel, ..., in the land of Shinar. From that land he went to Assyria and built Nineveh,...

Cush was the son of Ham, the son of Noah. The growth of false religion dates back to Nimrod and Babel. In the Bible, Babylon is used to represent the kingdom of the world that opposes God. This historical reference from Genesis establishes that lies about death and eternity have been in circulation for over four thousand years. Confusion continues to increase as people continue to ignore the truth.

For example, the materialists in the world today teach that the brain creates personality. They think the neurons, chemicals, and activity in the brain give us the ability to think and are the source of personality. Therefore, when the brain ceases to operate, they believe the person ceases to exist. This view allows for no life after death.

Buddhism and related religions teach reincarnation. The soul is said to come back in a different form after death. This is called the transmigration of the soul.  The good or bad deeds of the soul determine the form the body will take in each transmigration.

Although reincarnation and materialism were being taught at the time, the Thessalonians would have been most familiar with Greek mythology. The Greeks taught that souls went to “Hades” after death. The idea was that, at the moment of death, the soul separated from the body. The soul still had the shape of the former person and was transported to the underworld’s entrance. Good people and bad people were separated and experienced torment or bliss, depending upon their conduct while in the body.

The Apostle Paul wrote to the Thessalonians to establish them in the faith so they would stand firm in the face of persecution and opposition.  One of the foundational teachings of the gospel is what happens after we die. Clarity on this subject is essential. If there is no life after death, we need not fear judgment or punishment. If there is no life after death, Jesus would not have needed to die. Indeed, if there is no life after death, Jesus would not have risen from the dead, and our faith is meaningless.

Paul begins with the resurrection. The resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ is the single most important fact of Christianity. If Jesus did not rise from the dead, our faith is meaningless. One of the reasons the resurrection is so crucial is the fact that it is historically verifiable. Just because we were not there to observe it is no reason to maintain that it did not happen. For example, none of us doubt that Abraham Lincoln was the 16th president of the United States, although none of us were there. Our faith that Lincoln was president is based on the testimony of the historical record. The historical record is based on the documents and writings from the days that Lincoln lived. Although Jesus lived more than eighteen hundred years before Lincoln, we have plenty of evidence for his death, burial, and resurrection. Many deny the historicity of Jesus’ life because of bias. We have more (or at least as) reliable evidence of Jesus’ life than we have of Julius Caesar’s life. Some people who doubt the facts of Jesus’ life do not doubt Caesar’s historicity.

Paul starts his teaching about life after death with the resurrection. He says,

1 Thessalonians 4:14 (NKJV) ¹⁴For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus.

The Apostle says, “If” not because of any doubt but because of certainty. Many translations render this phrase, “Since we believe that Jesus died and rose again.” Therefore, we have it on proper authority and evidence that there is life after death. The good authority is the Scriptures and what they teach concerning life and death. 

Life after death is something that cannot be tested in a laboratory. What happens after we die remains invisible to the physical eye. For His own reasons, God desires that we have faith. The Scriptures prove themselves to be reliable when examined objectively against the evidence. Therefore, when the Scriptures speak of things we cannot verify, we can reasonably trust that they speak the truth. However, the areas that we cannot prove are the exact places that the devil attacks with doubt, confusion, and deceit. We must rely on what the Scriptures say and not go beyond what the Bible teaches if we are to remain hopeful in a mixed-up world.

We have hope because the Scriptures promise that we will rise from the dead in the same way Jesus did. We are to encourage each other with these words, as Paul says in 1 Thessalonians 4:18.

1 Thessalonians 4:18 (NKJV) ^18Therefore comfort one another with these words.

The words of 1 Thessalonians 1:14 begin telling the truths we are to comfort each other with.

1 Thessalonians 4:14 (NKJV) ¹⁴For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus.

This verse points us to the hope we have because of the resurrection, and this hope is where our comfort begins. The next truth that brings comfort is the truth of the Rapture.

1 Thessalonians 4:15–17 (NKJV) ¹⁵For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. ¹⁶For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. ^17Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.

The Thessalonians knew that Jesus was supposed to return, but they were worried about those who passed away before Jesus’ return. The confusion concerning what happens after one dies left them wondering if those who died before Jesus’ return were lost forever. So, Paul reassures them that we who alive and remain will not precede those who have died in Jesus. 

Those who have died are with the Lord. This is why Paul says in verse 14, “God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus.” The Thessalonians needed clarity on questions about where those who have died are. We also need clarity about this. For example, teachings about purgatory and the purification of souls made their way into the Church after Paul wrote this letter. However, suppose we need purification after we die. In that case, Jesus’ sacrifice and death are not enough to cover all of our sins and unrighteousness. The Scriptures are clear that God is faithful and just to forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. So, purgatory, which is not taught in Scripture, is not necessary. 

The Apostle says the Lord will bring with Him those who are asleep. Then he says that we who are alive and remain when the Lord returns will not precede those who are asleep. In 1 Corinthians 5:8 and Philippians 1:23, Paul expresses his desire to be absent from the body and present with the Lord. The implication of these verses is that when believers leave the body, they are immediately with the Lord.

The Apostle describes the events of the return of the Lord and the Rapture in verses 16 and 17. The dead in Christ will rise first. Although their souls are with the Lord, they will not receive their resurrection bodies until the Rapture. 

These verses do not contain the word “rapture.” Verse 17 says that we who are alive and remain will be “caught up.” This phrase is where we get our term “rapture.” The Latin translation of this verse used the word “Rapturo.” Early scholarship in the Church was in Latin. So, the term “Rapturo” or “Rapture” stuck. The meaning of “rapture” to be “caught up” or “snatched away.”

As believers, we look forward to the Rapture. When Paul wrote to his understudy, Titus, to instruct him on what to teach believers, he said that looking forward to the Rapture was a part of the believer’s life. He said they were to live:

Titus 2:13 (NKJV) ¹³looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ,

The return of the Lord Jesus is our glorious hope. In 1 Thessalonians, Paul has already mentioned this in his description of salvation.

1 Thessalonians 1:8–10 (NKJV) ⁹For they themselves declare concerning us what manner of entry we had to you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, ¹⁰and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, even Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come.

The fact that Jesus delivers us from the wrath to come explains why the Rapture is our blessed hope. Because of the confusion about life after death, the Apostle Paul instructs us to encourage each other with the resurrection and the Rapture.  Next, he tells us to encourage each other with eternity.

In 1 Thessalonians 4:17, he says:

1 Thessalonians 4:17 (NKJV) And thus we shall always be with the Lord.

This simple statement points to eternity. We will always be with the Lord. When Jesus told us that He was going to prepare a place with us, He concludes His remarks with “that where I am, there you may be also.” (John 14:3) We are saved so we can be with the Lord forever. 

God created us to live with Him for eternity. However, He wants those who freely choose and desire to be with Him. The invitation is to everyone, but only a few accept. “Only a few” is relative to those who do not accept. Many millions have accepted God’s invitation, but the number of those who have not is much larger.

God does not want anyone to perish, and the large number of those who do not accept God’s invitation is what the devil is working toward. He is the enemy of our souls. His hatred of God and us is what led him to introduce destructive confusion about life after death. We need to encourage or comfort each other with the truths we reviewed today. 

1. The dead in Christ will rise from their graves.
2. All believers on earth will one day be caught up to meet Jesus in the air.
3. All believers will be with the Lord forever.

Brotherly Love

Abounding More and More, Part 2

(The Christian Life)

Brotherly Love

1 Thessalonians 4:9-12

The Apostle Paul wrote the letter to the Church in Thessalonica during the early days of the Christian Church. The New Testament was not available. He wrote just 26 years after Jesus returned to the Father. All the Apostles, except James, were still alive. Herod killed James in 44 A.D. The doctrines of the Church were not in writing yet. The Jerusalem council of Acts 15 settled the issue of whether Gentile believers needed to be circumcised. However, very little of the New Testament was recorded by this point. Matthew might have written his Gospel by this time. There is also a chance that the Gospel of Mark was written before Paul wrote 1 Thessalonians.

The Old Testament, the Apostles, and the Holy Spirit were all the early Church had for doctrine and teaching. Therefore, 1 Thessalonians began laying the doctrinal foundation of the Church. It started the written record that is so important to us today.

In the first three chapters of 1 Thessalonians, Paul lays out the basics of salvation, such as faith in Jesus alone for salvation, God’s love and choice of His Church, and the believers’ need for each other. Then, he starts chapter four with “Finally.” He is marking a transition at this point. Until now, Paul has been reviewing fundamental doctrine. Now, he switches to practical matters. The Apostle has been telling them what it is to be saved. Now, he is telling them how they should live as a result of being saved.

In 1 Thessalonians 4:1-2, he urges them to live to please God.

In 1 Thessalonians 4:3-8, he urges them to abstain from sexual immorality.

In 1 Thessalonians 4:9-12, he urges them to increase in brotherly love.

He urges them to grow in these three areas: 

1. Pleasing God. 1 Thessalonians 4:1-2
2. Sexual Purity. 1 Thessalonians 4:3-8
3. Brotherly Love. 1 Thessalonians 4:9-12

These three represent aspects of sanctification. Sanctification means being set apart to God. Sanctification is, in part, instantaneous as a person is made a child of God at salvation. It is also a process of growth as a person becomes more like Christ after salvation. The three aspects of sanctification listed above are not requirements for salvation. All that is required for salvation is to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. However, all believers should show their faith by their actions. Paul points to these aspects of sanctification as being essential parts of our growth.

Last week I covered the first two, the plan this week is to cover the third one, “Brotherly Love.”

1 Thessalonians 4:9 says,

1 Thessalonians 4:9 (NKJV) ⁹But concerning brotherly love you have no need that I should write to you, for you yourselves are taught by God to love one another;

The words “but concerning” signal a transition in thought. Since Paul is making an abrupt change in thought, he marks the path so we can follow. He has been speaking on sexual immorality. Now, he is speaking about brotherly love. Although brotherly love requires sexual purity, Paul does not bring this up as part of his teaching on sexual purity. He marks the introduction of a new subject with the words “but concerning.”

Brotherly love is different from other types of love. We love our neighbor as ourselves, but we express an entirely different level of love for our spouse or children. Through the Scriptures, God commands a whole different level of commitment to one’s spouse as compared to others. Scripture requires us to care for and provide for our families with familial affection. A father’s love for a daughter or a son is a special bond that exists only in that relationship and in no other. Similarly, the brotherly love that exists between Christian brothers and sisters is unique to that relationship.

We love the lost and carry a burden of concern for their salvation, but this is not the same love that we have for our brothers and sisters in Christ. Notice the message of verse nine is that because they were taught by God to love each other, there was no need to write to them about the subject.

A believer is taught by God to love his fellow believers. When a person accepts Christ as Savior, he or she receives the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit within that person teaches him or her to love other believers. Such love is spontaneous. It comes without our knowing it at first. The Holy Spirit teaches us several things. He testifies with our spirit that we are children of God (Romans 8:16). He leads us into all truth (John 16:13). He teaches us to discern the truth (1 John 2:20).

Brotherly love is an essential part of who we are. Look at 1 John 4:20-21.

1 John 4:20–21 (NKJV) ²⁰If someone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? ²¹And this commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God must love his brother also.

“He is a liar” are strong words, but they are the words of Scripture. This Scripture firmly connects love of our fellow Christian with love of God. Jesus also made the same connection. He said that our love for each other is our distinguishing characteristic.

John 13:35 (NKJV) ³⁵By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”

Love and affection are a consistent theme throughout Thessalonians and the New Testament. Love is part of the nature of our God and Savior. If we do not love, we do not know God. The Thessalonians knew God, and it was evident because of their love. Paul says he did not need to write to them about it. However, in verse ten, he urges them to increase more and more. 

1 Thessalonians 4:10 (NKJV) ¹⁰and indeed you do so toward all the brethren who are in all Macedonia. But we urge you, brethren, that you increase more and more;

The phrase increase more and more could be said to be over-emphatic. As a matter of fact, one of the commentaries I read said that it is over-emphatic. The idea behind the Greek word translated “increase” could also be translated “abound.” More precisely, it means to exceed or go beyond the expected measure. In English, we say someone has gone above and beyond what is expected. Paul is urging them and us to grow in this area. Paul could not use stronger language to express the importance of growing in this area because the stronger language does not exist.

Brotherly love affects our entire life, but Paul names three specific areas where our brotherly love will show itself. 1 Thessalonians 4:11 says,

1 Thessalonians 4:11 (NKJV) ¹¹that you also aspire to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you,

The three areas are: 

1. Strive to lead a quiet life
2. Accomplish your own
3. Work with your own hands

The Greek for “Strive to lead a quiet life” is an oxymoron. Strive to be at peace or rest. How can one strive and be at peace at the same time? This is only possible for the Christian. We work to please God and rest in the sufficiency of Christ at the same time. The quiet life we are called upon to lead encompasses the ideas of harmony. Many times the New Testament urges us to live at peace with each other. For example, Philippians 2 urges harmony and unity in the most persuasive language possible when it says:

Philippians 2:1–2 (NKJV) ¹Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, ²fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.

Such harmony is what we are to strive for, but what do we strive for instead? Look at James 4 with me.

James 4:1–2 (NKJV) ¹Where do wars and fights come from among you? Do they not come from your desires for pleasure that war in your members? ²You lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war.

We must understand that this was not written to humanity in general. James was writing to the Church — to you and me! Furthermore, we all carry scars and deep wounds from these battles. Paul urges us to strive to live a quiet life. Taking up our cross and following Jesus, as Jesus calls us to do, will lead to this quiet life. We must surrender our desires to Him. Our battles and scars are evidence of how far we have yet to go.

In addition to striving to lead a quiet life, Paul calls on us to “accomplish our own.”

We may understand “accomplish your own” better if we look at Galatians 6.

Galatians 6:3–5 (NKJV) ³For if anyone thinks himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. ⁴But let each one examine his own work, and then he will have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another. ⁵For each one shall bear his own load.

The truth taught in these verses points out how we ALL meddle. We all take our turn at telling another person how they should live. We speak to each other with words like “you should” or “you ought to.” 

The problem is that not one of us manages our own life perfectly, yet we try to tell others how they should live. We are to pray for each other. We are to try to understand each other. We are to listen to each other and encourage each other. We are to be interested and involved, but we are not to step over the line and tell another person how to live the life God has given them to live.

The obvious exceptions to this are moral issues. We are to confront each other about moral issues. We must warn each other not to steal, kill, or defraud others and stop each other from doing these things. However, we tend to overlook moral issues and pick at personal preferences or opinions. We must learn to distinguish between moral issues and opinions.

The second issue Paul brings up is working with one’s own hands.

“Work with your own hands” is a caution against laziness. Ephesians 4:28 says,

Ephesians 4:28 (NKJV): ²⁸Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather let him labor, working with his hands what is good, that he may have something to give him who has need.

Love requires that we meet our own needs and others’ needs as far as we are able. Not working with our own hands means we live off someone else’s labor, and this is stealing.

The obvious exception to this is those who are unable to provide for themselves for one reason or another. In this case, it is our privilege and a gift from God to meet the needs of others.

If you are one whose physical limitations keep you from working, do not be ashamed. If your contribution is nothing more than prayer, we need you more than we need money or labor. If you are one who could work but won’t, you should be ashamed and get a job.

Sanctification is practical. There are things we must do to become more like Christ. Three aspects of sanctification covered in 1 Thessalonians 4:1-12 are:

1. Pleasing God
2. Sexual purity
3. Brotherly love

A disciplined person can keep a set of rules — a list of do’s and don’ts. However, these three things require a work of God in our hearts that goes deeper than do’s or don’ts. These three things require that we not grieve the Holy Spirit but rather yield our lives and desires to Him.

Abounding More and More, Part 1 (The Christian Life)

1 Thessalonians 4:1-12 

Thessalonica, is the second-largest city in Greece, with a population of 1.105 million in 2019. It is the capital of Greek Macedonia, the administrative region of Central Macedonia and the Decentralized Administration of Macedonia and Thrace. It was founded in 315 BC by Cassander of Macedon, who named it for his wife Thessalonike, half-sister of Alexander the Great. Thessalonica was an important metropolis of the Roman Empire. In the Byzantine Empire, it was a secondary capital alongside Constantinople. It still has a nickname that translates into English as "the co-capital." Thessalonica fell to the Ottoman Empire in 1430 and remained under Turkish control until November 8, 1912, during the First Balkan War, when it became part of the Kingdom of Greece. Today, the city is renowned for its monuments from various cultures, festivals, and events, and is Greece's cultural capital.1

We are interested in this ancient city because Paul wrote a letter to the church there in about 59 A.D.

After establishing the first church in Macedonia in Philippi, Paul visited Thessalonica, the capital city of Macedonia. Persecution forced Paul to go from Philippi to Thessalonica, but this was according to God’s plan. Since Thessalonica was the center of trade and government for the province of Macedonia, the gospel quickly spread from there throughout all of Macedonia. 

Paul wanted to stay and minister in Thessalonica, but persecution forced him to leave the Thessalonians after only a few weeks. This very young church showed exceptional growth and maturity, but it still needed much training and teaching. For this reason, Paul wrote the letter to the Thessalonians, which we are studying today.

This letter is affectionate and full of foundational teachings of the Faith. In the last part of chapter two and through chapter three, Paul repeatedly expresses his great desire to see the Thessalonians face to face. This desire came from the need for them to be established in their faith. When we looked at this last week, we saw that Paul demonstrated the importance of building each other up by his:

1. Effort
2. Action
3. Prayer
4. Passion

Encouraging each other and building each other up is a fundamental part of who we are as believers in Christ.

Throughout the letter, Paul tells the Thessalonians how well they are doing. He praises their testimony and the good reports he hears about them. In chapter four, verses one through twelve, he tells them to continue to abound still more and more.

By emphasizing their need to continue to increase, Paul shows us that we are expected to grow. We are saved by grace. We are saved by believing on the Lord Jesus Christ. When we confess our sins and ask for God’s forgiveness, we are forgiven. Nothing is required except faith, believing in the Lord Jesus Christ. However, once we are born to new life in Jesus, we must continue and grow.

This process of growth is called sanctification. It is the process of becoming more like Christ.  Sanctification means the process of being set apart for God. As believers, we must grow and become more like our Savior.

In 1 Thessalonians 4:1-12, Paul commends the Thessalonians for their growth. He recognizes that they are progressing in sanctification and encourages them to continue increasing (or abounding). He names three areas for them to grow in sanctification.

1. Pleasing God
2. Sexual Purity
3. Brotherly Love

Look at 1 Thessalonians 4:1 and consider the emphasis Paul puts on continuing in the process of sanctification.

1 Thessalonians 4:1 (NKJV) ¹Finally then, brethren, we urge and exhort in the Lord Jesus that you should abound more and more, just as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God; 

Notice the words “urge and exhort.” Paul is stressing this as being very important. In the strongest language he can find, Paul says, “DO THIS!”

1 Thessalonians is a letter focusing on the basics. Neglecting any part of what Thessalonians teaches is to miss out on something essential. Paul’s urging and exhorting stress the critical nature of what he is saying.

Now, notice the words “you should” and “you ought.”

These words alert us to the fact that this is not a passive acceptance of something. There is something we must do. Action is required. Our efforts do not save us, but our participation in our sanctification is essential. We cannot grow without work. God is at work in us, and we must participate. We must work out our salvation with fear and trembling.

Philippians 2:12 (NKJV) ¹²Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling;

The purpose or goal of working out our salvation is our sanctification. We are saved when we believe in Jesus. However, when we believe we begin the process of sanctification. This process of sanctification is the “should” and “ought” of Paul’s urging.

1 Thessalonians 4:2 says,

1 Thessalonians 4:2 (NKJV) ²for you know what commandments we gave you through the Lord Jesus.

Notice the word “commandments.” The Lord Jesus gave commandments. For example, in John 13:34, He says, “A new commandment I give to you that you love one another.” Jesus also said,

Matthew 5:17 (ESV) ¹⁷“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.

We know from Romans 8:4 that the righteous requirements of the Law are met in those who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. Jesus fulfilled the requirements of the Law, and because of this, we are not under law but grace. This means that we do not need to earn merit with God. We cannot earn merit with God because our flesh is weak, and we are imperfect.  Jesus won all our merit with God at the Cross. 

However, as New Testament believers, we have been given a different set of commands, not a list of do’s and don’ts but a way to walk and to live. We are told to walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit. We are told to love one another.

The commands that Jesus and the Apostles gave are harder than a list of do’s and don’ts, because these commands deal with heart attitudes.  We please God by walking by faith. Hebrews 11:6 explains that without faith, it is impossible to please God. Pleasing God begins with walking by faith. We start by believing in Jesus. We believe that His death, burial, and resurrection was sufficient to save us from our sins and that we have new life in His name. Because of this faith, we obey the rest of His commands, the greatest of which is love. Because of our love for God and our faith in Him, we live life yielding our bodies to His Spirit (check out Romans 6).

Paul tells the Thessalonians to abound more and more. They were living and walking by the Spirit, and Paul is urging them to continue. 

As believers, we must make it our goal to please God in everything. This was Paul’s goal. This was the goal he urged on the Thessalonians and was passed down to us. Pleasing God is the first aspect of the process of sanctification in which we must continue to grow.

The second aspect that we must continue to grow in is sexual purity.

1 Thessalonians 4:3 says,

1 Thessalonians 4:3 (NKJV) ³For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you should abstain from sexual immorality;

The Scriptures single out sexual immorality. 1 John 2 tells us that the world consists of the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the boastful pride of life. So, why pick on this one area?

We find the answer in 1 Corinthians 6.

1 Corinthians 6:18 (NKJV) ¹⁸Flee sexual immorality. Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body. 

“Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but...” this statement points out that there is something unique about sexual sin. That exceptional quality is explained in 1 Corinthians 6:16.

1 Corinthians 6:16 (NKJV) ¹⁶Or do you not know that he who is joined to a harlot is one body with her? For “the two,” He says, “shall become one flesh.” 

In the sex act, two are made one. Our culture treats the casual hookup as if it is reasonable and natural. But God created sex for the joining of husband and wife, and we harm ourselves by treating it casually. In 1 Corinthians 6:17, the Scriptures compare this joining to what happens when we are united with Christ. It says, “he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with Him.” 

In addition to the issue of two being joined together uniquely and powerfully, 1 Corinthians says our bodies belong to the Lord as His temple. We no longer belong to ourselves.  We have been bought with a price, the blood of Jesus.

Our culture treats sex casually. We think we are wise and enlightened as we study human sexuality and gender. But we have become fools in ignoring God’s design, and we are paying for it in our own bodies.

In 1 Thessalonians, Paul lists several important aspects of sexual purity.

1. Possessing one’s own body in sanctification and honor.
2. Not wronging a fellow believer.
3. Not rejecting God.

Verse 8 is of particular interest.

1 Thessalonians 4:8 (NKJV) ⁸Therefore he who rejects this does not reject man, but God, who has also given us His Holy Spirit.

Our culture’s morals reflect our rejection of God. This is evident in our sexuality. Gender is no longer clearly defined, and sex is anything two or more consenting individuals want to do. 

As believers, we are called by God to be different, to be pure. 

Sexual purity is closely related to pleasing God. It is part of presenting our bodies to God as living sacrifices.

1 https://turtledove.fandom.com/wiki/Thessalonica_%28City%29. Accessed July 23, 2020. Population figures updated from Wikipedia.

The Communion of the Saints

1 Thessalonians 2:17 - 3:13

Today, I am returning to our study of the letter of Paul to the Thessalonians. As we said at the start, this letter to the Thessalonians was probably the first letter Paul wrote of which we have a copy. In this letter, Paul teaches the basics of the faith.

In the first chapter, Paul states the first steps of becoming a Christian. The content of these first steps as Christians are: 

1. They turned to God from idols.
2. They served God.
3. They expected Jesus to return.
4. They believed in the resurrection, which would also include Jesus’ death and burial.
5. They expected Jesus to deliver them from the wrath to come.

These five steps are a part of anyone who calls himself or herself a Christian.

Next, in the first twelve verses of chapter two, Paul teaches what to look for in those who follow Jesus. These marks are: 

1. Sincerity
2. Devotion
3. Affection

To be more like Jesus, we must exhibit these marks in our lives and find these marks in the lives of those we follow.

Two weeks ago, we looked at chapter two, verses thirteen through sixteen. In these verses, Paul teaches the two foundations that allow the Church to stand. These are: 

1. The Word of God
2. The Gathering

If we are to stand in a world of persecution, we must not forsake either of these foundations.

Today, we are moving ahead and will be covering the remainder of chapter two and all of chapter three. I have called this message “The Communion of the Saints” because, in this part of his letter, by his example, Paul teaches us that we must build each other up in our faith. This is a lesson that the Thessalonians learned early, and it is a lesson that we, the Church, must never forget. 

The Scriptures teach this in many ways. In the Old Testament, the Jewish household was to teach the children the principles and precepts of the Word of God. The king was to read the Scriptures daily. The whole society was structured to train each individual in the things of God. In the New Testament, the disciple is called upon to imitate Christ. Galatians 6 instructs us to bear one another’s burdens. 

In 1 Thessalonians 2:17 through 1 Thessalonians 3, Paul demonstrates by his efforts, his actions, his prayers, and his passion his commitment to building up the Thessalonians in the faith.

We see the efforts that Paul made in 1 Thessalonians 2:17-20.

Look at what Paul says in verses 17 and 18.

1 Thessalonians 2:17–18 (NKJV) ¹⁷But we, brethren, having been taken away from you for a short time in presence, not in heart, endeavored more eagerly to see your face with great desire. ¹⁸Therefore we wanted to come to you—even I, Paul, time and again—but Satan hindered us.

From these words, we gather that Paul tried but was unable to go back to Thessalonica. Along with these efforts, Paul expresses the value of the Thessalonians. They are his hope, joy, and crown of rejoicing. They are his glory and joy.

Paul proved these words with his life. He gave his life in his effort to visit the Churches. He was traveling from church to church and place to place preaching, teaching, and building up the Body of Christ until he was imprisoned in 65 or 66 A.D. and then executed in 67 A.D.  

Paul’s words to the Thessalonians that they were his hope, joy, and crown were not empty. He lived it.

We all make time for what is important to us. Many of us are prepared to give our lives for those who are really important to us. When God examines your life and mine, what will He think is important to us? When God examines us as a local church, what will He say was important to us?

Look at verse 18 again. Do you see the words “Satan hindered us?” 

Paul’s business with the Thessalonians was important to Satan also, but not for the same reason. Satan did not like what Paul was doing. He opposed Paul’s work until God the Father allowed him to kill Paul. However, Paul’s work and writings live on, and Satan continues to oppose Paul’s work. He tries to destroy the Bible. He tries to destroy the Church. He does everything he can to hinder us, the same way he worked to stop Paul.  In the face of this opposition, we must continue to pray and seek and endeavor the same way Paul did.

In 1 Thessalonians 2:17, Paul tells the Thessalonians he was anxious to see their faces.  In chapter 3, Paul says why seeing their faces was so important, and it is essential to remember that we are to imitate Paul as he imitates Christ. In other words, this earnest desire to “see” other believers must be a part of who we are as followers of Jesus, and it must be part of who we are as a church. It is necessary, and it is essential.

In 1 Thessalonians 3:1-5, Paul begins to reveal what is so vital by the actions he takes.

In 1Thessalonians 3:1-2, he says,

1 Thessalonians 3:1–2 (NKJV) ¹Therefore, when we could no longer endure it, we thought it good to be left in Athens alone, ²and sent Timothy, our brother and minister of God, and our fellow laborer in the gospel of Christ, to establish you and encourage you concerning your faith,

According to this, the action Paul took was to send Timothy. Since he could not go, he sent his trusted associate and disciple. He did this even though it cost him. He mentions this cost when he says, “We thought it good to be left in Athens alone.” Paul did not want to be left alone, but it was better to be left alone than to leave the Thessalonians alone. Verse 2 gives the reason this was necessary. The Thessalonians needed to be established and encouraged. Look at verses 3 and 4.

They were harassed, they were under attack, they were persecuted, and, according to verse 5, Paul was afraid “lest by some means the tempter had tempted you.” Just as Satan hindered Paul, Satan opposed the Thessalonians. Satan opposes anything the Son of God is accomplishing through His people. For this reason, believers must be established and encouraged. This establishing and encouraging requires our action. Establishing and encouraging other believers must be a part of who we are as believers. Establishing and encouraging believers is a vital part of who we must be as a church. 

Satan will do everything within his power to hinder this. He will kill us if God allows it. In some parts of the world, God is allowing Satan to kill believers, and He may yet allow it in America. Paul told the Thessalonians to expect afflictions, and we should expect afflictions as well. Jesus said, In the world, you will have tribulation.”

1 Thessalonians 3:6-10 informs us that Timothy returned from Thessalonica with an excellent report. Paul was so comforted by this that he said,

1 Thessalonians 3:8 (NKJV) ⁸For now we live, if you stand fast in the Lord.

I do not know how Paul’s life was tied to the Thessalonians’ standing. I think the best explanation is that the joy of hearing the good news of the Thessalonians’ faith and standing infused new life and energy into the life and work of the Apostle. We see this in what he says about his prayers. Look at 1 Thessalonians 3:10. 

1 Thessalonians 3:10 (NKJV) ¹⁰night and day praying exceedingly that we may see your face and perfect what is lacking in your faith?

“Praying exceedingly” means that he increased his earnest petition and prayer way beyond what it had been. 

To my knowledge, Paul never returned to Thessalonica. God had other plans, and because of this, we have the letters of first and second Thessalonians. Paul constantly carried this weight of prayer and longing for all the churches and all the believers he had seen along the way. His burden and prayer were centered on what he tells us in this verse. He desired to “perfect what is lacking in your faith.”

Paul showed the value of building each other up by his efforts, his actions, his prayers, and finally, by his passion.

As we look at 1 Thessalonians 3:11-13, let’s first consider verse 12.

1 Thessalonians 3:12 (NKJV) ¹²And may the Lord make you increase and abound in love to one another and to all, just as we do to you,

Increasing and abounding in love is required of us. The Lord commands us to love one another. Paul is pronouncing a benediction. He starts chapter four with, “Finally then, brethren.” In this benediction, he desires that they overflow with love for one another and then continue to increase in that love. Then, he uses himself as an example. He is telling them that he overflows with love for them.

Throughout the whole passage we have looked at today, Paul repeatedly expresses his great desire to see the Thessalonians. In verse 11, he starts by asking that the Lord direct his way to Thessalonica. He expresses his great love in a great yearning to see them face to face. And once again, the reason he is praying in this way is seen in verse 13.

1 Thessalonians 3:13 (NKJV) ¹³so that He may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all His saints.

Another consistent theme throughout today’s passage is this desire that the Thessalonians be established and encouraged. Paul invested his life in seeing that the Thessalonians stood firm.

His passion was the people. Seeing them face to face implies that they were not just a gathering, a church, or a flock to Paul. They were precious individuals that he loved very much. 

This is the way Jesus is. He tried to tell us that in the parable of the Good Shepherd. Jesus said that the shepherd made sure 99 sheep were safe in the sheepfold and then went out looking for one lost sheep. With this illustration, Jesus taught that each person is precious, each person is to be loved, and each person is to be cared for. To say this another way, you are Jesus’ passion. You individually, not just as a member of a body, but you individually are Jesus’ passion. He died for you, He pursued you, and He brought you to this place. He desires that you stand and that you be established and encouraged.

Paul was an example of this. He showed by his effort, his action, his prayer, and his passion that the establishing and encouraging of the saints was of utmost importance.

Jesus said:

John 13:35 (NKJV) ³⁵By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.

Can we call ourselves His disciples if we do not have love for each other?

Do we show our love by our effort, our action, our prayer, and our passion?

How important to us is it that our brothers and sisters in Christ are established and built up?