We have reached a watershed in I Thessalonians. There is an abrupt change of topic between chapter 3 and chapter 4. Now Paul looks to the present and future of the church. He addresses himself to certain practical problems of Christian conduct; he turns from narrative to exhortation, from his apologia to his appeal. Paul turns to instructions regarding their behavior. This passage divides into three sections: (1) Paul urges the Thessalonians to please God (1,2), (2) to control themselves (3-8), and (3) to love one another (9-10), not least in the matter of earning their own living (11,12).
Pleasing God was one of Paul's objectives, and he admonished the Thessalonians to do the same. This guiding principle of Christian behavior strikes at the very root of our discipleship and challenges the reality of our profession. We cannot totally please God while in the flesh, but we should strive to please Him more and more.
The word 'furthermore' serves to mark a transition rather than a conclusion. In fact, the word might be translated 'as for the rest.' Paul uses the words translated 'how ye ought to walk...' "Ought" might mean compelled by duty. Christian living is not a desirable option; it is a compelling obligation. To please God is the true aim and end of the Christian's walk. Paul praises the Thessalonians wherever praise is due. "Only as they followed Paul's ethical advice and conducted themselves so as to please God, could they grow more and more in grace" (Yeager, Vol. XV, p. 195). Paul reminds the Thessalonians how he charged them in person to holy living in the midst of an evil and idolatrous world. These instructions or directives are not new; they were given by the command and authority of the Lord Jesus Christ. Those who reject the instructions or directives are rejecting Christ as well as Paul, Silas and Timothy.
All fornication and adultery Paul condemns. In I Corinthians 7:2-9 Paul develops this theme more thoroughly. Paul forbids heterosexual partners before marriage (fornication), or outside marriage (adultery) as in a homosexual relationship. Sex has a God-given context -- heterosexual marriage. Sex has a God-given style - holiness and honor without selfish demands manifested by aggression, violence, cruelty and even rape. Chastity is a matter that requires instruction and self-discipline. Moulton and Milligan suggest that in this verse the verb 'possess' probably has the meaning "gradually obtain the complete mastery of the body." "Sanctification indicates that this mastery over the body is to be achieved in the sphere of personal conservation, in the realization that the body must be set apart for the service of God" (Hiebert, p. 168,169). Yeager states however, "the translation is not 'possess' but 'acquire.' Paul is talking about courting, not sex life after marriage, although sex relations in marriage are also subject to the will of God and honorable; that is, not subject to the perversions to which the pagans in Thessalonica were addicted" (op.cit.pp. 197,198).
There is some question about the term 'vessel' whether it means 'the personal body' or 'one's wife.' Robertson says, "Perhaps Paul means, 'that the man shall acquire his own wife in sanctification and honor,' words that elevate the wife and make it plain that Paul demands sexual purity on the part of men (married as well as unmarried). There is no double standard here. When the husband comes to the marriage bed, he should come as chaste man to a chaste wife" (p. 29).
5 The heathen example of sexual impropriety is forbidden; no one should take an unfair advantage of his brother or sister. Jehovah God, who is holy, demands holiness and sanctification of His followers. "Paul is teaching that sex outside of marriage is wrong, but that marriage, if entered into between believers (both parties saved) or unbelievers (both parties lost) in accordance with the will of God and with dignity, is the proper outlet for sex drive. Unsaved sinners cannot marry in the Christian sense, but they can get society's formal and legal approval to live together. Once married, even though they are unsaved, they must avoid violation of the marriage vow if they want the society in which they live to be viable. Christians may not, in the will of God marry unsaved persons (II Corinthians 6:14)" (Yeager, op.cit. P. 199).
6 God sees activity in the bedroom as well as the boardroom; He hates every kind of human exploitation including what is sometimes called 'sexploitation' (Stott). Paul uses some interesting words here to 'drive home' his point. "To go beyond' is to 'transgress;' or 'crossing the line or boundary' that divides right from wrong. "To defraud" someone is 'to take advantage,' or 'to cheat' him. Paul uses the words 'the Lord is the avenger,' or 'one who exacts a penalty from a wrong-doer.
7 Since the children of God have received a divine call to salvation, there is involved also a call to cleanliness of living called 'sanctification.' If the Christian is to be Christ-like, he must be pure as Christ was pure. "If the heathen behave as they do because they do not know God (verse 5), Christians must behave in a completely different way because we do know God, because He is a holy God, because He is our God, and because we want to please Him" (Stott, p. 86). Married life should be lived in the same context as conversion.
"8 Rebellion in the matter of purity is essentially a rebellion against God. All sin is against God, however, there are sins against God and man. Fornication and adultery wrongs both God and man. Furthermore, to live impure lives is to grieve the Holy Spirit Who dwells within us. To continue to grieve the Spirit invites the sure judgment of God as the Avenger of sin (Hiebert). The person who rebels against God is like a person swimming against the tide or like a person who substitutes God's law with one of his own making. "Whoever wishes to reject God's claim upon his life, let him do so, but let him know that he is not disregarding the ethical code of a man only, - Paul or some other preacher. He is disregarding (spurning, rejecting, discounting) God Himself Who is the One Who has given the Holy Spirit to the believer" (Yeager, op.cit. P. 203).
10 - 12 Paul uses for the third time the verb 'abound.' He desires that the Thessalonian's love may be active and increasing to an overflowing measure. He wants their love to stretch out to a closer approximation to the divine standard of love in Christ. God's love is not bound or inhibited by distance; Christians are linked together. We have the same Father, and the same Teacher - God's Holy Spirit. Evidently there was good fellowship between the saints in Thessalonica and those of Berea and other Christians scattered throughout Macedonia. Paul congratulates them on their record and urges that their zeal for Christian ethics extend to something more than expressions of love, in verse 11 (Yeager, p. 205).
There is in verse 11 a threefold exhortation: (1) 'study to be quiet,' live a calm, restful life without mental excitement, (2) 'do your own business' or a warning against meddlesomeness; and (3) 'work with your hands,' or a warning against idleness. Manual labor is honorable, and certainly work is not beneath the dignity of a free man. Christianity finds no inconsistency between honest toil and personal holiness. The Greeks looked down upon manual labor which was fit for slaves only; however, Christianity viewed work honorably. Those not 'busy' were 'busybodies,' meddling in other people's business. Evidently some of the Thessalonians were so excited by the idea of Christ's coming that they had become disorderly, and several had neglected their ordinary business and had given themselves over to inactivity. Possibly the liberality of the richer members of the church was abused and perverted.
Paul wanted the Thessalonians in their daily life to win the respect of those outside the body and not to be dependent upon anybody. In short, he wanted them to command the respect of unbelievers and not to be a burden to their fellow-believers. They needed a good report of those outside the church as well as those inside. It is a sad commentary on Christianity when church members are parasites of the community or when they unduly live off fellow church members. Public relations is important. Ward comments of the 'others,' "they are outsiders but they are not 'shut out.' They have a gospel invitation to come 'inside' the fellowship" (p. 102).
Paul desires to comfort and enlighten the members concerning their deceased relatives. There is hope beyond the grave. It is significant that Paul does not condemn normal grief. Mourning is natural and human; our Savior grieved at the tomb of His friend, Lazarus (John 11:11). Christians, however, should not grieve as do pagans who have no lasting hope. Christian morticians comment on the behavior of non-Christians at funerals; they exhibit the absence of hope' (Ward, p. 103). What does Paul mean when he likens death to a sleep? The metaphor suggests a 'stillness of the body,' and a rest after labor. Old Testament saints were said to 'sleep with their fathers (see also: Revelation 14:13), and sleep and death are certainly temporary. As sleep is followed by an awakening so death is followed by resurrection (Stott, pp 95,96). Even our word 'cemetery' comes from a Greek word, a 'sleeping place.' Cemeteries are dormitories of the dead. At death the believer's 'earthly house' is dissolved (II Corinthians 5:11), and returns to the dust; however, the spiritual part of man, the soul, his self conscious personality, departs 'to be at home with the Lord' (II Corinthians 5:8).
15 Hendriksen translates a phrase of this verse thus, "those who remain alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, shall have no advantage at all over those who fell asleep" (p. 114). Neither the Christian dead nor the Christian living will be excluded or disadvantaged at Jesus' coming. Neither will take precedence over the other. Death nor the grave can destroy the solidarity of all of God's people. Oh, glad reunion day! Paul eagerly anticipated the Lord's return during his lifetime, as should all Christians. This seemed to be the thrust of the teaching of Jesus (Matthew 24:42; 25:13), calling the Christian to watchfulness. The living saints 'shall in no wise' get ahead of the dead saints. Paul uses a double negative here, 'by no means,' or 'not at all.' The word in the old King James Version translated 'prevent' has been rightly translated 'precede' in the new King James Version. To precede means 'to come before,' or 'get a head start.' Paul stated 'we who are alive' rather than they who are alive,' thus giving hope to the present generation that the Lord could come in his lifetime. He desired that each generation view the coming of the Lord as imminent. Augustine said, "The last day is hidden, that every day may be regarded."
The word 'descend' marking the coming of the Lord from heaven is the same word translated 'come down' with reference to the Lord's first coming to earth in John 3:13; 6:33,38,41,42,50,51,58. On this occasion the Lord does not as the babe of Bethlehem but as Conqueror; He has conquered, is conquering and is going to return as Conqueror. In connection with the resurrection the Apostle Paul wrote to the Corinthians later in I Corinthians 15:51,52, "Behold, I show you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump; for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed." Hendriksen makes an interesting observation in connection with this verse (16) when he wrote, "Once the Lord appears upon the cloud of heaven and begins to descend, there will be no opportunity for conversion. His coming is absolutely decisive. He comes not to convert but to judge" (p. 119).
17 Of course, the word 'rapture' is not in the Bible; however, the words 'caught up' come from a Latin word meaning 'to seize.' The Greek word expresses suddenness and violence. The living saints will be 'swept up' (JBP) or 'snatched up.' Each saint is already in the Father's hand and no man can snatch him out of His hand (John 10:28,29). The Father will 'snatch' him out of this world. In nonbiblical literature this 'snatching' is compared to the action of a magnet. "Without the Parousia the course of history will be like a road which ends in a wilderness, a river which degenerates into a swamp. And the wilderness and the swamp 'have no future'" (Ward, p. 108). There will be a joining 'in the air,' - the Lord, the dead saints and the living saints. There will be a Great Meeting. When a dignitary paid an official visit (parousia) to a city in Hellenistic times, the action of the leading citizens in going out to meet him and escort him back on the final stage of his journey was called 'a meeting.' The same word is used in Matthew 25:6 in the parable of the ten virgins when the message was given, "Behold the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him."
The clouds (an ethereal drapery) supply the curtain and canopy for this glorious meeting. The place of meeting (in the air) is not as important as the fact of the permanent union with the Lord. Wherever the Lord is, from then onward God's people will be with their Redeemer. Companionship will also mean an intimate union will result (Hiebert).
We shall now be with the Lord forever; there will be an everlasting fellowship. Someone has compared the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ to Jehovah's meeting with the children of Israel - Exodus 19:16-18, "And it came to pass on the third day in the morning, that there were thunders and lightnings, and thick cloud upon the mount, and the voice of a trumpet exceedingly loud, so that all the people that were in the camp trembled. And Moses brought forth the people out of the camp to meet with God; and they stood at the lower part of the mount. And Mount Sinai was altogether in a smoke, because the Lord descended upon it in fire; and the smoke thereof ascended as the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mount quaked greatly."
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There is much written the Bible about the Second Coming of Christ; men have sought to
rationalize about it, some have sought to spiritualize the fact, many have sought to minimize it -
all of them hoping it will never happen. CHRIST IS COMING - IT IS SURE. His coming
could be near, probably nearer than we think.