1 Thessalonians 4:1-18
1Th_4:1-18
We move now into the second half of the letter dealing with the practical instructions for these new believers in Christ. The key word is “walk” (1Th_4:1, 1Th_4:12), and Paul beseeches them to obey the Word (1Th_4:1, 1Th_4:10, 1Th_4:12, 1Th_4:14). The Christian’s behavior is compared to a walk for several reasons: (1) it demands life, for the dead sinner cannot walk; (2) it requires growth, for a little baby cannot walk; (3) it requires liberty, for someone who is bound cannot walk; (4) it demands light, for no one wants to walk in the dark; (5) it cannot be hidden, but is witnessed by all; and (6) it suggests progress toward a goal. Paul describes the kind of walk the believer should have.
I. Walk in Holiness (1Th_4:1-8)
Here Paul deals with marriage and the home. The marriage vows in heathen cities said nothing about purity, so there was great danger of immorality in the lives of these new Christians. While love and purity certainly prevailed in many heathen homes, the general atmosphere of these city-states (before the Gospel came) was one of lust and selfishness. The Christian has the responsibility of building a Christian home that will glorify God, so Paul begins here.
Immorality is basically selfishness and robbery. Thus Paul exhorts them to live to please God and not themselves. He had set the example (1Th_2:4), and now he expected them to follow. He had commanded them, from the Lord, to live in holiness and purity by the power of God. God’s will for their lives was that they be sanctified. The word sanctified simply means “set apart for a purpose.” You can rent the Jefferson Hotel in Washington, D.C. but you cannot rent the White House. The latter has been sanctified, set apart for a special purpose. The believer has been set apart for God; he or she is a saint, a set-apart one. We have the daily responsibility of devoting ourselves more and more to God so that in body, soul, spirit (1Th_5:23) we completely belong to Him. Nothing defiles the person more than sexual sin (2Co_7:1; 1Co_6:13-20). People who violate their marriage vows sin against God, themselves, and fellow Christians; God will deal with them in truth.
“Vessel” in 1Th_4:4 may refer to the believer’s body or to the wife (1Pe_3:7). In either case, these vessels have been purchased by the blood of Christ, sanctified by the Spirit (1Co_6:9-11), and must be used for the glory of God. To despise God’s warnings about sexual sin is to grieve the Spirit and invite chastening. Remember David, Samson, Judah, and other Bible personalities who fell into this sin and paid dearly.
II. Walk in Love (1Th_4:9-10)
There was no need to write to them about love; he had taught them about this, and God Himself taught them through the Spirit (Rom_5:5). Love is one of the birthmarks of the believer (1Jn_3:14; 1Pe_1:22; 1Jn_4:9-12).”Behold, how they love one another!” exclaimed the lost as they witnessed the fellowship of the early church. But it is not enough that we love only those in our own fellowship; like these people in Thessalonica, we must love all of God’s people and also the lost (1Th_3:12) more every day.
III. Walk in Honesty (1Th_4:11-12)
Now Paul talks about the believer’s vocation and his contacts with the unsaved in the world. One of the problems in the Thessalonian church was that some people had misunderstood the promise of Christ’s return, quit their jobs, and had become “parasites” who lived off the other Christians. See 2Th_3:5-15 for Paul’s admonition. “Study to be quiet” (1Th_4:11) literally means “Be ambitious to be quiet.” That is, do not fret and worry and involve yourself in the world’s activities. “Attend to your own affairs” and therefore stay out of the affairs of others. It is a sad thing when Christians have nothing to do and become busybodies in other peoples’ lives. The Christian who does an honest day’s work and who is careful to maintain a good testimony will influence the unsaved (see Col_3:22-25 and Col_4:5). Those who do not work, should not eat (2Th_3:10). Let us not practice unscriptural Christian “charity” by taking the Lord’s money to support “Christian loafers” and encourage them in their careless way of life.
IV. Walk in Hope (1Th_4:13-18)
This is the classic passage on the rapture of the church. Sorrow had come to the lives of these saints, and they were wondering whether their dead fellow Christians would be left behind at the return of Christ. Paul assures them that their dead will be raised first, and that all the saints will be gathered together to meet Christ in the air. Do not confuse the rapture of the church (meeting Christ in the air) with the revelation of the Lord, that time when He comes with His saints to earth to judge sinners and to establish His kingdom (2Th_1:7-12). The rapture (meeting Christ in the air) can take place at any time; but the revelation (returning with Christ) will occur some seven years after the rapture.
Christians are expected to mourn when loved ones die, but they are not to grieve as do the people of the world who have no hope. Certainly Christ expects us to shed tears and feel loneliness (see Joh_11:33-36) as we go through the valley; but in the midst of our sorrow, there must be the testimony of the living hope we have in Christ (1Pe_1:3). Note the comforts the believer has in times of sorrow:
God is good
1Th_4:1-18
We move now into the second half of the letter dealing with the practical instructions for these new believers in Christ. The key word is “walk” (1Th_4:1, 1Th_4:12), and Paul beseeches them to obey the Word (1Th_4:1, 1Th_4:10, 1Th_4:12, 1Th_4:14). The Christian’s behavior is compared to a walk for several reasons: (1) it demands life, for the dead sinner cannot walk; (2) it requires growth, for a little baby cannot walk; (3) it requires liberty, for someone who is bound cannot walk; (4) it demands light, for no one wants to walk in the dark; (5) it cannot be hidden, but is witnessed by all; and (6) it suggests progress toward a goal. Paul describes the kind of walk the believer should have.
I. Walk in Holiness (1Th_4:1-8)
Here Paul deals with marriage and the home. The marriage vows in heathen cities said nothing about purity, so there was great danger of immorality in the lives of these new Christians. While love and purity certainly prevailed in many heathen homes, the general atmosphere of these city-states (before the Gospel came) was one of lust and selfishness. The Christian has the responsibility of building a Christian home that will glorify God, so Paul begins here.
Immorality is basically selfishness and robbery. Thus Paul exhorts them to live to please God and not themselves. He had set the example (1Th_2:4), and now he expected them to follow. He had commanded them, from the Lord, to live in holiness and purity by the power of God. God’s will for their lives was that they be sanctified. The word sanctified simply means “set apart for a purpose.” You can rent the Jefferson Hotel in Washington, D.C. but you cannot rent the White House. The latter has been sanctified, set apart for a special purpose. The believer has been set apart for God; he or she is a saint, a set-apart one. We have the daily responsibility of devoting ourselves more and more to God so that in body, soul, spirit (1Th_5:23) we completely belong to Him. Nothing defiles the person more than sexual sin (2Co_7:1; 1Co_6:13-20). People who violate their marriage vows sin against God, themselves, and fellow Christians; God will deal with them in truth.
“Vessel” in 1Th_4:4 may refer to the believer’s body or to the wife (1Pe_3:7). In either case, these vessels have been purchased by the blood of Christ, sanctified by the Spirit (1Co_6:9-11), and must be used for the glory of God. To despise God’s warnings about sexual sin is to grieve the Spirit and invite chastening. Remember David, Samson, Judah, and other Bible personalities who fell into this sin and paid dearly.
II. Walk in Love (1Th_4:9-10)
There was no need to write to them about love; he had taught them about this, and God Himself taught them through the Spirit (Rom_5:5). Love is one of the birthmarks of the believer (1Jn_3:14; 1Pe_1:22; 1Jn_4:9-12).”Behold, how they love one another!” exclaimed the lost as they witnessed the fellowship of the early church. But it is not enough that we love only those in our own fellowship; like these people in Thessalonica, we must love all of God’s people and also the lost (1Th_3:12) more every day.
III. Walk in Honesty (1Th_4:11-12)
Now Paul talks about the believer’s vocation and his contacts with the unsaved in the world. One of the problems in the Thessalonian church was that some people had misunderstood the promise of Christ’s return, quit their jobs, and had become “parasites” who lived off the other Christians. See 2Th_3:5-15 for Paul’s admonition. “Study to be quiet” (1Th_4:11) literally means “Be ambitious to be quiet.” That is, do not fret and worry and involve yourself in the world’s activities. “Attend to your own affairs” and therefore stay out of the affairs of others. It is a sad thing when Christians have nothing to do and become busybodies in other peoples’ lives. The Christian who does an honest day’s work and who is careful to maintain a good testimony will influence the unsaved (see Col_3:22-25 and Col_4:5). Those who do not work, should not eat (2Th_3:10). Let us not practice unscriptural Christian “charity” by taking the Lord’s money to support “Christian loafers” and encourage them in their careless way of life.
IV. Walk in Hope (1Th_4:13-18)
This is the classic passage on the rapture of the church. Sorrow had come to the lives of these saints, and they were wondering whether their dead fellow Christians would be left behind at the return of Christ. Paul assures them that their dead will be raised first, and that all the saints will be gathered together to meet Christ in the air. Do not confuse the rapture of the church (meeting Christ in the air) with the revelation of the Lord, that time when He comes with His saints to earth to judge sinners and to establish His kingdom (2Th_1:7-12). The rapture (meeting Christ in the air) can take place at any time; but the revelation (returning with Christ) will occur some seven years after the rapture.
Christians are expected to mourn when loved ones die, but they are not to grieve as do the people of the world who have no hope. Certainly Christ expects us to shed tears and feel loneliness (see Joh_11:33-36) as we go through the valley; but in the midst of our sorrow, there must be the testimony of the living hope we have in Christ (1Pe_1:3). Note the comforts the believer has in times of sorrow:
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