Beloved, I am glad to share with you today the above theme from 1 Th 4.1 and following. Indeed, extraordinary works are not necessary “to serve the living and true God” (1 Thess 1:6-10). Above all, the Christian is asked to live peacefully, to apply himself faithfully to his daily task. Soon it will be the end of his earthly activity! In the voice of the Lord, each one will put down his instrument of work to go to meet him and always be with him. The rapture of believers is the first act of the Lord Jesus’ coming (1 Thess 3:11-13). He comes to get them Himself, leaving no one else with this care and joy. Joy that must be the sharing of each redeemed and his consolation present when one of his own comes to “fall asleep”. With death defeated (not yet destroyed), the dead in Christ are simply “asleep” (John 11:7-15). They will wake up, like Lazarus, but forever, to the command cry of the Prince of Life. Then in perfect order and as He Himself has left the earth, we will all be raptured together to meet Him in the air (Phil 3:20-21). Will our generation experience this wonderful event awaited by so many generations? Everything makes it possible to think so. And it may be later. Is each of us ready?
The apostle is particularly concerned here with purity; for the mores of the gentiles were so corrupt that impurity was not even counted as a sin among them. It may seem strange to us that an exhortation similar to that which Paul addresses here to the Thessalonians was necessary, for Christians as alive as those of Thessalonica; but we do not take sufficient account, in our way of judging, of the strength of the habits in which we were raised and which are part of our nature and the flow of our thoughts; nor do we take sufficient account of the action of two distinct natures under the influence of these thoughts, although, if one gives course to one of the natures, the other loses its vitality. But the motives given to us show on what brand new footing, as far as the most ordinary morality is concerned, Christianity places us.
The body is only a vessel that is used at will for any purpose for which it is to be served: one must possess this vessel, instead of being carried away by the lust of the flesh; for one knows God, one must not deceive one’s brother in these things, for the Lord takes revenge on them. God has called us to holiness, we are dealing with Him, and if one despises his brother by taking advantage of the weakness of his character, to encroach on his rights in this regard, one despises not man, but God, who Himself takes it into account and has given us His Spirit, Spirit, that in such a case, one despises in oneself and in one’s brother in whom he also dwells. The one who is harmed is not only the husband of a woman, he is the abode of the Holy Spirit and must be taken into account as such. What elevation Christianity gives to man, and this in relation to our best affections!
With regard to fraternal love, this new spring of their lives, there was no need to exhort the Thessalonians: God Himself had taught them, and they served as an example of love for all; only the apostle wanted them to abound ever more, walking peacefully, working with their own hands, so that they would not be indebted to anyone, so that the Lord might also be glorified in this regard. These are the exhortations addressed by the Apostle to the Thessalonians. The following is an absolutely new revelation for their encouragement and consolation.
The following verses have been compiled for your edification and grouped together for your better understanding.
What God wants is your consecration:
- The possession of divine approval identified with being pleasing to God
-Make life safe Pr 16:7 When Jehovah approves of a man’s ways, He disposes favorably of him even his enemies.
-A characteristic of Christ Mt 3:17 And behold, a voice made these words heard from heaven: This is my beloved Son, in whom I have put all my affection. John 8:29 He who sent me is with me; He did not leave me alone, because I always do what is pleasing to Him.
-A goal of the true servant of God 1 Thes 2:4 but, according to God has deemed us worthy to entrust us with the Gospel, so we speak, not as if to please men, but to please God, who probes our hearts.
-The duty of Christian 1 Thes 4:1 Moreover, brethren, since you have learned from us how you must conduct yourself and please God, and this is what you do, we pray to you and we conjure you in the name of the Lord Jesus to walk in this regard from progress to progress.
-Enoch, example of divine approval Hb 11:5 It was by faith that Enoch was raptured so that he would not see death, and that he would no longer appear because God had taken him away; for before his rapture he had received the testimony that he was pleasing to God.
-Goodness, a means of divine appropriation Hb 13:16 And do not forget beneficence and liberality, for it is to such sacrifices that God takes pleasure.
- Christian march, characteristics
New Life Rom 6:4 So we were buried with him by baptism in his death, so that, as Christ rose from the dead by the glory of the Father, so too we would walk in newness of life.
-Faith 2 Cor 5:7 for we walk by faith and not by sight,
-Spirituality Gal 5:16 So I say, walk in the Spirit, and you will not fulfill the desires of the flesh.
-Stability Eph 4:1 I therefore exhort you, the prisoner in the Lord, to walk in a manner worthy of the vocation addressed to you,
Love Eph 5:2 and walk in charity, following the example of Christ, who loved us, and who surrendered himself to God for us as an offering and a sacrifice of good smell.
-Precaution Eph 5:15 Therefore, be careful not to behave with caution, not as fools, but as wise men;
Enlightenment 1 Jn 1:7 But if we walk in the light, as He himself is in the light, we are mutually in communion, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.
-Likeness to Christ 1 John 2:6 He who says he dwells in him must also walk as he walked himself.
- Fraud
Lv 19:13 Thou shalt not oppress thy neighbor, nor shall thou shalt rob anything by violence. Thou shalt not withhold the mercenary’s salary until the next day. Mk 10:19 You know the commandments: Thou shalt not commit adultery; thou shalt not kill; thou shalt not steal; thou shalt not bear false witness; thou shalt not harm anyone; honor thy father and mother. 1 Cor 6:8 But it is you who commit injustice and rob, and it is towards brothers that you act in this way!
- Divine inspiration, examples
-The Seventy Elders Nb 11:25 The Lord descended into the cloud, and spoke to Moses; he took of the spirit that was upon him, and put it upon the seventy elders. And as soon as the spirit rested upon them, they prophesied; but they did not continue.
-Balaam Nb 23:5 The Lord put words in Balaam’s mouth, and said, go back to Balak, and you will speak like this.
David 2 Sam 23:2 The spirit of jehovah speaks through me, and his word is on my tongue.
-Micah 1 Kings 22:14 Micah answered: Jehovah is alive! I will announce what the Lord will tell me.
-Zechariah 2 Ch 24:20 Zechariah, son of the priest Jehojada, was clothed in the spirit of God; he came before the people and said, “Thus speaks God: Why do you transgress the commandments of jehovah? You will not prosper; for you have forsaken the Lord, and he will abandon you.
Jeremiah Jr. 1:9 Then the Lord stretched out his hand, and touched my mouth; and the Lord said to me, Behold, I put my words in your mouth.
Ezekiel Ez 3:17 Son of man, I establish you as a sentinel on the house of Israel. You will listen to the word that comes out of my mouth, and you will warn them from me.
- Joy of the future life, in the presence of Christ
Luke 23:43 Jesus answered him: I tell you truly, today you will be with me in paradise. Jn 14:3 And when I have gone, and have prepared a place for you, I will return, and I will take you with me, that where I am you may also be there. 2 Cor 5:8 we are full of confidence, and we prefer to leave this body and dwell with the Lord. 1 Thess 4:17 Then we the living, who will have remained, will all be taken up together with them on clouds, to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord.
From all the above, we note that the Thessalonians were still waiting for the Lord; His coming was their immediate and imminent hope in relation to their daily lives. They were constantly waiting for Him to take them from Him. They had been converted “to wait from heaven for his Son.” Now, it seemed to them that the saints who had just died would not be with them to be raptured. The apostle clarifies this point and distinguishes between the coming of Jesus to take his own, and his day, which is a day of judgment for the world. He exhorts the Thessalonians not to grieve over those who died in Christ as people who have no hope do about the dead. Now the reason Paul gives for not grieving in this way is a touching proof of the close connection of the entire spiritual life of the child of God with the expectation of Jesus returning personally to bring him into heavenly glory. The apostle, in consoling the Thessalonians about their brothers who had just died, does not say, even by a word, that the survivors would join them in heaven. The Thessalonians are kept in the mind that they should always wait for the Lord, in their lifetime, to transform them into His glorious likeness. It took a special revelation to make the Thessalonians understand that those who had died before would also have their share in this event. They had, so to speak, a part similar to that of Christ. He died; he is risen; the same shall apply to them; and when Christ comes in glory, God will bring them as He will bring other believers, namely those who will not be dead, with Him.
PRAYER OF ACCEPTANCE OF JESUS CHRIST AS LORD AND PERSONAL SAVIOR
I now invite every person who wants to become a new creation by walking in the truth, to pray with me the following prayer:
Lord Jesus, I have long walked in the lusts of the world ignoring your love for humans. I admit to having sinned against you and ask your forgiveness for all my sins, because today I have decided to give you my life by taking you as Lord and personal Savior. I recognize that you died on the cross of Calvary and rose from the dead for me.
I am now saved and born again by the power of the Holy Spirit. Lead me every day to the eternal life that you give to all who obey your Word. Reveal yourself to me and strengthen my heart and faith, so that your light may shine in my life right now.
Thank you, Lord Jesus for accepting me into your divine family, so that I may also contemplate the wonders of your kingdom.
I will now choose a nearby waterhole to baptize myself by immersion, in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
All adoration, power and glory are yours, now and for ever. Amen!
I would be happy to respond to any questions and comments you may have, before sharing with you tomorrow “the Lord’s day, exhortation to vigilance and sobriety.”
May the Lord Jesus Christ bless you abundantly.
David Feze, Servant of the Almighty God.