What does it mean to thank God for everything? A grateful heart shows trust in God
How often our spiritual life is a constant list of requests from God, even of the highest order, but in some sense with a consumerist attitude! It is as if we are trying to make God our debtor and do not notice how many mercies the Lord has already shown us and that it is we who are in unpaid debt to Him.
He has written a lot about the feat of prayer, and among the various types of mental work he singles out: “Thanksgiving to God is part of mental... work and consists in thanking and glorifying God for everything that happens - both pleasant and sorrowful.” Even sorrow sent down from God, since it has in mind some kind of spiritual benefit for a person, deserves thanksgiving.
This work is commanded by the Lord Himself through the Apostle: “In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (1 Thess. 5:18); “Be constant in prayer, watching in it with thanksgiving” (Col. 4:2).
“What does thanksgiving mean? This is the praise of God for His countless blessings poured out on all humanity and on every person. With such thanksgiving a wonderful calmness is introduced into the soul; joy is introduced, despite the fact that sorrow surrounds us everywhere, a living faith is introduced, because of which a person rejects all worries about himself, tramples on human and demonic fear, and casts himself entirely on the will of God.”
As St. Ignatius explains, the Lord “commanded us to carefully practice giving thanks to Him, to cultivate in ourselves a feeling of gratitude to God.” This must be precisely a feeling, a special inner disposition of the soul, created by doing thanksgiving. It is this feeling - uncomplaining gratitude to God for everything - that is an excellent preparation for prayer, because it teaches us to relate to God in the appropriate way. The feeling of thanksgiving enlivens prayer itself. The saint recalls the words of Scripture: “Rejoice in the Lord always; and again I say: rejoice... The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but always by prayer and petition with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 4:4-7).
The saint explains that true thanksgiving is not born from complacency, but from a vision of one’s own weaknesses and a vision of God’s mercies to a fallen creation. Thanking God out of contentment with one’s own life, as we learn from the parable of the publican and the Pharisee, can mean deep spiritual vanity, blinded by temporary comfort. Actually, the very illnesses that God allows us can only be correctly suffered by thanking God for them. And thanksgiving to the Lord is the only weapon capable of defeating any sorrow, any bitterness. “Wonderfully, the thought of thanksgiving to God comes to the righteous in the midst of their misfortunes. She plucks their hearts from sadness and darkness, lifts them to God, into the realm of light and consolation. God always saves those who resort to Him with simplicity and faith.”
“If your heart does not have thanksgiving, then force yourself to give thanks; along with it, peace will enter the soul.”
But what if there are no such grateful feelings in the soul, if the soul is shackled by cold and insensibility? “If your heart does not have thanksgiving, then force yourself to give thanks; along with him, peace will enter the soul.” This is how the saint describes such work in “Ascetic Experiences”: “Repeated words "Thank God for everything" or “God's will be done” act satisfactorily against very difficult grief. Strange affair! sometimes from the strong effect of grief all the strength of the soul will be lost; the soul, as it were, will go deaf, lose the ability to feel anything: at this time I will begin to say out loud, forcefully and mechanically, in one language: “Glory to God,” and the soul, having heard the praise of God, begins to little by little come to life in response to this praise, then will be encouraged, calmed down and consoled."
In one of his letters, Saint Ignatius offers the following advice to a person experiencing severe illness and sorrow: “I am writing to you because you are in a painful state. I know from experience the difficulty of this situation. The body's strength and abilities are taken away; together the strength and abilities of the soul are taken away; disorder of the nerves is communicated to the spirit, because the soul is connected with the body by an incomprehensible and intimate union, due to which the soul and body cannot help but influence each other. I am sending you a spiritual recipe, which I advise you to use the proposed medicine several times a day, especially in moments of intense suffering, both mental and physical. When used, the revelation of strength and healing will not slow down... When you are alone, say slowly, out loud to yourself, enclosing your mind in words (as Saint John of the Climacus advises) the following: “Glory to Thee, our God, for the sorrow sent; I accept what is worthy according to my deeds: remember me in Your Kingdom”... You will begin to feel that peace is entering your soul and destroying the confusion and bewilderment that tormented it. The reason for this is clear: the grace and power of God lies in praising God, and not in eloquence and verbosity. Doxology and thanksgiving are acts taught to us by God Himself—they are by no means a human invention. The Apostle commands this work on behalf of God (1 Thess. 5:16).”
By giving thanks to the Lord, a Christian gains a priceless treasure - a gracious joy that fills his heart and in the light of which the events of life are perceived completely differently. Instead of despondency, the soul is filled with joy, and instead of sadness and grief - consolation.
“Evil thoughts defile and destroy a person, but holy thoughts sanctify and give life to him.”
“Let us cultivate the invisible work of thanksgiving to God. This feat will remind us of the God we have forgotten; This feat will reveal to us the greatness of God that has been hidden from us, will reveal His ineffable and innumerable benefits to people in general and to each person in particular; This feat will instill in us a living faith in God; This feat will give us God, Whom we do not have, Whom our coldness towards Him, our inattention, took from us. Evil thoughts defile and destroy a person – holy thoughts sanctify and give life to him.”
Life in the Earth really difficult, but only if a person lives without God!
Gratitude... Gratitude to everything that surrounds us... Gratitude to everything that happens to us... Gratitude to the Creator...
How to use it?.. I’ll simply say: “If you want a miracle, give thanks!” This is confirmed by the phrase from the Prayer of Thanksgiving: “I thank you, Lord, for what I have and three times for what I don’t!” Gratitude allows us to break out of the shackles of everyday life.
I often get asked this question
I often get asked this question:“What should I be grateful for?” Tell me, how much would you value your life? At $10,000, maybe at $1,000,000, or maybe at $1,000,000,000,000,000. The most interesting thing is that your life was given to you from God completely free of charge. What about your body? How much are your arms, legs, head worth? How much would you rate your ability to see, hear, breathe, talk, walk? How much do you feel sorry for your family, loved ones, friends? So, do you still have nothing to be grateful for?
Give thanks for the most ordinary things
Thank you for the most ordinary things, at first glance, things and they will be transformed! Sometimes I physically feel how the space around me changes, when I feel a sense of gratitude with all my heart and every cell! The sounds around me are transformed, the light around me is transformed, my life is filled with the unearthly light of joy and love.
We don’t need anything from the outside, because... We are already rich. Before you move on to the next paragraph, stop for a second and think about what you already have to be grateful for. Thank...
And now the biggest secret. Be grateful for the problems and difficulties in your life, and they will solve themselves. Remember in the film “Water” it was about a monk who was imprisoned and fed only a piece of stale bread and rotten water collected from a puddle. But to the surprise of the guards, the monk only became stronger every day and his appearance changed.
Later he said that every time before eating what was given to him, he thanked the Lord for the torment and for what he sent him. After which the water became clear and the bread soft. Miracles, aren't they? I myself would not have believed it if it were not for the evidence of my own experience.
Here is one recent example
Here is one recent example. One day, a few hours before leaving for work in another city, my laptop stopped turning on. The computer simply produced an error that was completely incomprehensible to me, and all my actions to eliminate it did not bring any results. Because I really needed the laptop at work, then gradually negative emotions began to overwhelm me, ranging from irritation to anger. Suddenly I said to myself “Stop” and thought, maybe this is a test for me on how I can react to unforeseen situations.
And I thanked the Lord to myself for this situation and the opportunity to practice my skills in managing emotions. And exactly 2 minutes later my friend called me, who just wanted to ask how I was doing.
I told him about my situation, to which he offered me one solution that helped restore the functionality of my computer. Coincidence? Maybe. But they only happen very often, smoothly moving into the category of a pattern.
Why does this work?
Why does this work? P because in the Bible there are also the Words of Christ: “For whoever has, to him will be given, and he will have abundance; and whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.” In other words, when we give thanks, we are given even more. And when we complain and complain about life, what we have is taken away from us.
So let's give thanks every day, every minute, every second. Let us strive for a total state of gratitude. Living with gratitude means living with God.
Records of gratitude
I love to give thanks in the morning and in the evening. After all, at this moment the head is not occupied with anything, so why not use this time profitably. Sometimes I manage to say 80-100 thanks for what I don’t have, for nature, for life, failures, for the opportunity to communicate with people and enjoy life. I call it: “Records of Gratitude.” But I would really like that when you set your gratitude records, set them with your heart!
P.S. I dedicate this article entirely to my Mom. Mommy, I thank you for every word you say, for every look you have, for every second we spend together! Thank you for the seeds that you generously sowed and are sowing in my head!
“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in everything” (1 Thess. 5:16–18).
P.P.S. Friends, I suggest you start a snowball of gratitude in the comments (facebook). Send your message of gratitude to the Lord! Believe me, it will not go unnoticed!
It is important to note that the Bible tells us to give thanks in all things, not to give thanks and praise for everything. This makes a huge difference.
A few years ago, a lot was written on the topic of worship. As a result of this, Christians began to experience incredible results in answered prayers because they began to tap into God's power that was released through praise.
However, according to some teachings that arose at that time, we were to thank God for difficulties, problems, trials and temptations. This doctrine was based on a slight distortion of Scripture, due to which some Christians were led astray.
Understand that we should not thank God for unfavorable circumstances, for illnesses or for the problems, trials and temptations that Satan sends us. The Bible doesn't teach this. But the Bible teaches that we should praise God in the midst of every trial and difficulty we go through in our lives. In other words, 1 Thessalonians 5:18 tells us to keep our eyes on God, no matter the difficulty or trial. The Lord knows that by glorifying Him in the midst of fiery temptations, our eyes will be focused more on Him than on the problem. And He also knows that through praising God we release the power of God to work in our situation.
Again, worship is not something we do simply mechanically to try to manipulate God or circumstances. The Lord is moved only by heartfelt praise, and this can only come from a loving relationship with our Heavenly Father.
You need to learn to make glorifying God your way of life, no matter your circumstances. Praise leads you to receive the best from the Lord for your life. Praise releases God's power into your circumstances. Give thanks in everything, not for everything. In everything, come to God with a grateful heart and praise Him for who He is.
In the midst of any difficulties or problems, go to your Heavenly Father and praise God for His delivering power - and He will give you a way out! Praise the Lord that He is greater than any problem or trial you may face.
The Power of Continuous Praise
Psalm 33:2
I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise is continually in my mouth.
Often, when I'm driving in the car or working in my office, I just start praising the Lord. I don't stop to look around to see if anyone is near me (at the same time, I don't try to attract attention or make a spectacle of myself). I think it's time to stop being afraid of the world.
Worldly people do not hesitate to use obscene words and make vulgar jokes in our presence! They are not afraid to curse God in front of us! They are not afraid to do as they please in front of us! Therefore, we also need to learn not to be afraid to glorify God. If the world curses the Lord, we, thank God, will praise Him!
You can praise God while doing your daily work. You can glorify the Lord while you are working on your car, jogging on the basketball court, or driving your car. You can praise Him while you mow the lawn, wash the dishes, or sweep the floor. It doesn't matter what you do, you can continually praise God!
Praise be to the Lord God, our Father and our Creator. Our lips should continually express abundant joy from our spirit because the Lord has delivered us from so much evil.
Praising God from our lips must be continuous because praise is the answer to many of our problems. This in no way diminishes prayer. But some of our answers wait only for our praise to appear in the physical world.
Faith glorifies God for the answer before it is visible to natural man. Often praise is the key that opens the way to long-awaited answers.
We should learn to constantly express praise to God from a pure heart. Praising the Lord shows an attitude of an obedient and grateful heart. And how quickly God can respond to sincere praise from a grateful heart!
Let's start praising the Lord
Psalm 94:1,2
1 Come, let us sing to the Lord, let us shout aloud to the rock of our salvation;
Let us come before His face with praise, let us shout to Him in songs...
Psalm 31:11
Be glad in the Lord and rejoice, you righteous, rejoice, all you who are upright in heart.
1 Thessalonians 5:118
In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
Psalm 150:6
6 Let everything that has breath praise the Lord! Hallelujah.
Psalm 91:2
It is good to praise the Lord and sing to Your name, O Most High...
1 Peter 2:9
But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light...
Praise God for His wonderful works
We have yet to discover the unlimited source of God's power in praise.
Psalm 107:21, 22
21 Let them praise the Lord for His mercy and for His wonderful works for the sons of men!
22 Let them offer sacrifices of praise to Him and let them proclaim His deeds with singing!
Have you ever thought that one of the wonderful things God has done for the sons of men is our strong and healthy bodies functioning correctly! Let us glorify God with gratitude and gratitude for what He has given us! If we do not experience the fullness of these blessings, then, praise the Lord, we can receive them through faith in the Word of God.
There are so many things for which we can praise the Lord. In fact, if you think about it, in some sense we actually have a “debt” of praise to God for all that He has done for us! The very first reason for glorifying God comes from thanking Him for our salvation and redemption.
Because of our redemption in Christ, we have life and life more abundantly (John 10:10). However, we also need to learn to praise God for the health and healing that are part of our redemption. Too often we take our health for granted. However, people who have been healed from a deadly disease do not take their health and life for granted! People who experience healing are usually especially grateful for the blessing of good health.
In my life, I often thank God for my health, family, and the blessings He brings to my life. I have always been active in sports and I am grateful to the Lord that my body is healthy and not afflicted with disease and illness.
I also like to thank God for the little blessings that we as believers overlook and take for granted. We should praise God every day for all the many blessings He gives us.
Right in the midst of trials, you can give praise to God because you know he will bring you through. Give thanks to God always, even in the midst of trials and temptations - this is God's will for your life.
The Bible says that God's will for us is that we thank Him, do not murmur, do not grumble, do not complain. If you grumble and complain about your circumstances, you will be defeated, because it means that you are not in the faith; you are covered in darkness. But if you give thanks to God and count your blessings already received from the Loving God, you will move into the light and God can move on your side.
JAMES 1:2
Count it all joy, my brothers, when you fall into various temptations (various types of trials and temptations).
Notice that James does not tell us to rejoice when trials and temptations come into our lives. He says accept it with joy. And if you accept them with great joy, then in the midst of trials and temptations you will begin to rejoice with an attitude of thanksgiving to God.
When I was a young Baptist I had problems with this scripture. I did not know about the baptism of the Holy Spirit, but I was healed and raised from my deathbed. At that time I had just begun my ministry as a preacher and had to go through some tests of my faith. I was visiting my grandfather's farm at the time and remember going to the barn to pray. Then I did exactly what this verse of James says: I rejoiced with great joy. I knew I was standing on the Rock - on God's Word, so I looked the devil in the face and just started laughing.
Someone will ask: “Did you feel the urge to laugh?” No, I didn't feel like laughing. I wanted to cry. But I began to laugh in faith because I knew in my heart that, according to the word, victory was on my side.
At that time I had never seen anyone shout, jump or dance in the Holy Spirit. But that’s exactly what I did when I praised God behind my grandfather’s barn! I acted on James 1:2, acting as if the Word of God was the Truth, because it was. I rejoiced in faith, rejoicing with great joy and considering the victory to be won. While praising God, in my grandfather's barn, I said to the devil: “Go ahead, keep going, put all the pressure you can. But the harder it gets, the more I will shout and praise God.” And I continued to praise Him until the burden was gone and the pressure of the enemy was gone. Soon after, almost instantly, my situation changed for the better. But if I had remained on the negative side, whining and complaining about the trials I faced, I would not have come through them victoriously. I would not have experienced God's best under these circumstances.
You see, it's easy to laugh, scream, jump and dance in a Church service. But when you are truly filled with Christ the Holy Spirit, you are motivated by Him, and you are on fire in the spirit and on fire with God constantly. And you can thank God in any circumstances.
If a test or temptation comes to you, do not thank God for it. But give thanks for the fact that you have another opportunity to prove your faithfulness to Him, to apply and develop your faith. This is God's will for your life.
EPHESIANS 5:18,21,22
18 ...but be filled with the Spirit...
Submitting to one another in the fear of God.
Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord.
Another sign of a life filled with Christ the Spirit
- this is humility.
God wants us to be contrite, meek with those around us, not a rude personality that makes us stubborn in following our own path. Some people go through a difficult time when they need to submit to others. But when you're on fire with Christ, it's easy.
Please note: “Wives, submit to your own husbands as to the Lord” (Eph. 5:22). Paul uses the word “submit” when talking about husbands and wives, and he uses the same word in verse 21 about believers submitting to one another.
Sometimes people use Ephesians 5:22 out of context and say something that is not really meant. For example, a man said: “Blessed be God, I am the head of my house! I told my wife, “You will do what I tell you to do or not blow your head off!” Do this person's words sound like someone who is filled with the Holy Spirit? If this attitude is from God, then I am an astronaut!
One pastor once told me: “I never fast. I just can't do this. In fact, I always come home for lunch because I need to eat hot food three times a day. And if it turns out that my wife hasn’t cooked yet, all hell breaks loose.” I thought, “This man must accept salvation!” This pastor may have answered God's call on his life and probably; he was even in the ministry to which God had called him. But he did not follow God's plan with all his heart because he was not fervent in the Spirit and did not walk in love.
I said earlier that maintaining a life filled with Christ the Spirit will impact every area of your life: spirit, soul, and body. On the other hand, refusing to be filled with Christ the Spirit will also affect every area of your life, only negatively. For example, this pastor did not judge himself and died at an early age. This was not God's will for him, but he did not walk in the light of the Word and did not judge himself. The Bible says: “For if we judged ourselves, we would not be judged” (1 Cor. 11:31).
God's Word says that wives should submit to their husbands as to the Lord (Eph. 5:22). But believers are also told to submit to one another (v. 21). Does this mean that we should boss each other? No, and verse 22 of the 5th chapter of Ephesians does not mean that husbands should boss their wives, much less behave rudely towards them.
God wants us to be
Capable of learning
The word “submission” simply means to surrender to one another. From a human point of view, this is sometimes difficult to do. But if you are filled with Christ the Spirit and continue to be on fire, then it is easy, because the flaming spirit keeps the flesh under power. This is God's will for your life. And as you submit your flesh to your spirit, God's specific will and direction for your life become increasingly clear to you.
Some Christians cannot submit to one another and are easily offended. For example, some believer is offended by the way a minister preaches or teaches from the Word. Sometimes they get so offended that they leave the Church. But we must submit to each other and obey the Word! We must always be ready to learn.
Humility is a sign of a life filled with Christ the Spirit. Without humility and a spirit that can accept teaching, you will hinder yourself from fulfilling God's plan for your life.
I have been in ministry for over fifty-five years, and it is amazing to me how many Christians who speak in tongues are unable to learn. They boast that they speak in other tongues, and I'm glad they do, but too many of them, figuratively speaking, stopped at the door when they should have entered it and walked with God.
We may disagree with each other on some particular aspect of the Bible. But we must be in the right attitude—the right Spirit—toward one another and be submissive. Of course, when Christians go astray in doctrine and make a mistake, we must stand for the Truth with an attitude of Love. But we should not argue about insignificant subjects and secondary questions like: “Is it a sin to drink lemonade?” This may sound too ridiculous, but some people ask exactly these questions. Such questions are simply the result of doctrinal deviation. In other words, they do not affect a person's personal salvation.
I said earlier that to burn is to live a spiritual life. And the only way to have a strong spiritual life filled with Christ the Holy Spirit is to maintain a constant, close relationship with God through prayer.
ACTS 4:13-17, 23, 24, 29-31
Comments on Chapter 5
INTRODUCTION TO THE EPISTLES OF THE THESSALONIANS
PAUL COMES TO MACEDONIA
For anyone who can read between the lines, the story of Paul's arrival in Macedonia is one of the most dramatic in the Acts of the Apostles. Luke tells it in sparse words Acts 16.6-10. Although this narrative is very brief, it gives the impression of a chain of circumstances that must inevitably culminate into one great event. Paul passed through Phrygia and Galatia. In front of him lay the Hellespont (Dardanelles), to the left was the populous province of Asia, to the right lay the huge province of Bithynia, but the Holy Spirit did not allow him into either one. Something inexorably drove him towards the Aegean Sea. So he came to the Troas of Alexandria, not yet knowing where to go next, and then he had a night vision of a man calling: “Come to Macedonia and help us.” Paul set sail and the good news reached Europe for the first time.
ONE WORLD
At that moment, Paul probably saw before him much more than one continent that must be conquered for Christ. He landed in Macedonia, and Macedonia was the kingdom of Alexander the Great, who conquered the whole world and cried because there was nothing more to conquer. But Alexander was not only a military conqueror. He, one might say, was the first universalist. He was more of a missionary than a soldier, and he dreamed of a united world dominated by the enlightened culture of Greece. Even such a great thinker as Aristotle (who was once the teacher of Alexander the Great) said that it was absolutely necessary to treat the Greeks as free people, and the population of the east as slaves. However, Alexander the Great declared that he was sent by God “to unite, pacify and reconcile the whole world.” He consciously said that his task was to “combine East and West.” He dreamed of an empire in which there would be no Greek, no Jew, no barbarian or Scythian, slave or free. (Col. 3:11). It is difficult to imagine that Paul did not think about Alexander the Great during his trip to Macedonia, especially since he set off from the Troas of Alexandria, named after Alexander the Great. He arrived in Macedonia, the kingdom of Alexander, preached in Philippi, named after Philip, Alexander's father; went to Thessalonica, which was named after Alexander's half-sister. The whole area was full of memories associated with Alexander the Great and Paul was probably thinking not about the country or the continent, but about the world for Christ.
PAUL COMES TO THESSALONICA
This sense of the wide-open arms of Christianity must have been even more acute for him when Paul arrived in Thessalonica. It was a big city. Once upon a time it was called Termai, which means “Hot Springs” and it gave the name to the Termai Gulf, on the shores of which it stood. It has always been a large port and a famous harbour. For example, there was a naval base there for the Persian king Xerxes during his invasion of Europe, and even in the Roman era it housed the largest shipbuilding yards in the world at that time. In 315 BC, Cassander rebuilt the city again and gave it the name Thessalonica, in honor of his wife, daughter of Philip of Macedon and half-sister of Alexander the Great. It was a free city, meaning its honor was never diminished by the presence of a Roman garrison. It had its own popular assembly and its own magistrates; its population increased to 200 thousand people; and at one time the question was raised which city should be declared the capital of the world - Thessalonica or Constantinople. Even today, 346 thousand inhabitants live in the city of Thessaloniki (as it is now called).
But Thessalonica's special significance was due to the fact that it stood on the road Via Egnazia, connecting the coast of the Adriatic Sea with Constantinople on the Bosporus and further with Asia Minor and the east. West and east converged at Thessalonica; they said that it was “in the bosom of the Roman Empire.” Here the trade of the West and the East converged, so they said: “Until nature changes, Thessalonica will be rich and prosperous.”
The importance of Christianity's arrival in Thessalonica cannot be overstated. Once Christianity took root there, it was inevitable that it would spread throughout Via Egnazia to the east and conquer Asia Minor, and to the west and capture Rome. The arrival of Christianity in Thessalonica played a decisive role in its formation as a world religion.
PAUL'S STAY IN THESSALONICA
The story of Paul's stay in Thessalonica is told in Acts 17.1-10. For Paul, being in Thessalonica was extremely important. For three Sabbaths he preached in the synagon (Acts 17:2), so it is unlikely that he remained there much longer than three weeks. Paul had such amazing success there that the Jews became furious and caused him so much trouble that Paul had to be rushed to Berea under cover of darkness. The same thing happened in Veria (Acts 17:10-12) and then Paul had to, leaving Timothy and Silas, flee to Athens. This is what worried him. He was in Thessalonica only three weeks; Was he able to make such an impression there in these three weeks that Christianity could no longer be eradicated? Then the idea of conquering the Roman Empire for Christ will not be an empty thought at all. Or maybe you need to settle there for a long time and work for months and even years for it to bring the desired results? In this case, no one can even vaguely imagine when Christianity will penetrate into all corners of the world. Thessalonica was the first experiment, and Paul was very concerned about what the results would be.
NEWS FROM THESSALONIKA
Paul was so concerned about this that as soon as he met Timothy again in Athens, he sent him back to Thessalonica for information, without which he could not calm down (1 Thess. 3:1.2.5; 2:17). What news did Timofey bring? This was good news. The Thessalonians' feelings were as strong as ever, and they stood firm in their faith (1 Thess. 2.14; 3.4-6; 4.9.10). They truly were his "glory and joy" (1 Thess. 2:20). But there was also disturbing news.
1. The preaching of the Second Coming of Christ created an unhealthy situation in which people stopped working and left all everyday activities in some kind of hysterical anticipation of the Second Coming. And so Paul asks them to calm down and do their own thing. business (1 Thess. 4:11).
2. They were concerned about what would happen to those who died before the Second Coming. Paul explains that those who sleep in Jesus will not fall short of glory (1 Thess. 4:13-18).
3. There was a tendency to despise all legitimate authorities. The argumentative Greek was always in danger of gravitating towards democracy taken to the point of absurdity. (1 Thess. 5:12-14).
4. There was an eternal danger that they would fall into immorality. It was difficult to unlearn the moral principles that had been formed over many generations and avoid the infection of the pagan world (1 Thess. 4:3-8).
5. There was another group that slandered Paul. They implied that he preached the gospel for selfish reasons (1 Thess. 2:5.9), and that he was supposedly something of a dictator (1 Thess. 2.6. 7.11).
6. There were some disagreements and schisms in the church (1 Thess. 4:9; 5:13).
These are the problems that confronted Paul, and they show that human nature has not changed much since then.
WHY TWO MESSAGES?
We must ask the question, why are there two Thessalonians? They are very similar to each other and they must have been written within just a few weeks, maybe even days, of each other. The Second Epistle was written to clear up a misunderstanding about the doctrine of the Second Coming. The first message says that the Day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night (5,2.6). But this led to an unhealthy situation where people just waited, and in the second letter Paul explains what signs will precede this (2 Thess. 2:3-12). U The Thessalonians had an exaggerated idea of the Second Coming. As often happens to preachers, Paul's teaching was misunderstood; some phrases were taken out of context and given exaggerated meaning. In Paul's second letter he attempted to set the record straight and balance the thoughts of the agitated Thessalonians regarding the Second Coming. Of course, in the second letter Paul took the opportunity to repeat and emphasize many of the kind words and reproaches made in the first, but his main purpose was to point out those circumstances that would calm their hysteria and help them wait, not in excitement and idleness , and calmly performing everyday work. In these two letters we see Paul dealing with everyday problems that arose in a growing church.
LIKE A STEAL IN THE NIGHT (1 Thess. 5:1-11)
We cannot fully understand the New Testament idea of the Second Coming unless we know its Old Testament origins. The idea of the Day of the Lord is quite common in the Old Testament. Later, all images and pictures associated with the Day of the Lord were linked to the Second Coming. In the minds of the Jews, all time was divided into two centuries: the present age - irreparably bad, and the future age - the Golden Age of God. And between them - the Day of the Lord - terrible and terrible. On this day the existing world will be shattered and another world will be born.
There are many terrible pictures in the Old Testament describing the Day of the Lord (Isa. 22.5; 13.9; Jer. 30.7; Joel. 2.11.31; Am. 5.18; Zeph. 1.14-16; Mal. 4.1). Here are its most important features.
1. He will come suddenly and unexpectedly. 2. Cosmic catastrophes will be associated with it, during which the universe will be destroyed to its very foundations. 3. This will be the time of judgment.
The New Testament writers identified the Day of the Lord with the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. We must remember that they used, so to speak, ready-made pictures and images and they should not be understood in the literal sense. These are pictures of visions of what will happen when God intervenes in time and history.
Naturally, people really wanted to know when this day would come. Jesus Himself clearly stated that it is not given to any person to know when this will happen, that even He does not know this, but only God alone (Matthew 24:1 -26; Mark 13:32; Acts 1:7). But this did not stop people, and they continued to speculate about it, as they do today, although it is almost blasphemy to seek knowledge where even Jesus was denied it. Paul makes two points about this discussion.
He repeats that this day will come suddenly. He will come like a thief in the night. But he says at the same time that this is not at all a reason for a person to be taken by surprise. Only those who live in darkness and whose deeds are evil will be taken by surprise. The Christian lives in the light and, no matter when that day comes, if he is alert and calm, he will always be ready for its arrival. Whether a Christian walks or sleeps, he is always with Christ and, therefore, always ready.
No one knows when God will come for him and some things cannot be left to the last minute. It is too late to start preparing for the exam when the exam paper has already been pulled out. It is too late to strengthen the house when a storm begins. When Queen Mary of Orange was dying, her chaplain wanted to read her a prayer. She told him, “I didn’t leave it until the last hour.” In like manner answered a Scotchman, who was consoled as his end drew near: “I roofed my house when the weather was warm.” A sudden call does not necessarily have to find us unprepared. A person who has lived his entire life with Christ is always ready to enter into His immediate presence.
Paul ends his letter with a list of good advice. He presents them in the form of theses, but they are all such that every Christian should think about them.
Respect your leaders, says Paul, but not just like that, but for the work they do. This is not a matter of personal prestige; What makes a man great is the task he performs, and his service is a sign of honor to him.
Be at peace with each other. The gospel of love cannot be preached in an atmosphere of hatred. It is much better if a person leaves a community in which he feels unhappy and makes others unhappy, and then finds one in which he can be at peace with everyone.
IN 5,14 talks about those who need to pay special attention. The word translated as disorderly[y Barkley: lazy], originally denoted a warrior emerging from battle formation. In reality, this phrase means: “Warn against people who lack self-control and easily give up what they have started.” Cowardly - literally translated: people who have a small soul. In every community there is that cowardly, cowardly brother who fears the worst, but in every community there must be Christians who, being courageous, themselves encourage others. “Support the weak” is good advice. Instead of allowing a weak brother to become distant and eventually disappear altogether, the Christian community should make efforts to prevent him from disappearing. The community must develop bonds of friendship and a sense of need to support those who may fall away. The hardest thing is probably to be patient with everyone, because for many of us, patience requires a lot of effort.
Don't be vindictive, says Paul. Even when a person wishes us harm, we must conquer him with our desire for good. IN 5,16-18 Three signs of a real Church are given.
1. This joyful Church. It has an atmosphere of joy that makes its members feel as if they are bathing in sunshine. True Christianity encourages a person, not suppresses him.
2. This praying Church. Perhaps our church prayers would be more effective if we remembered that “those who pray alone pray best together.”
3. This grateful Church. There is always something to be grateful for; even on the darkest and darkest day there are blessings to be reckoned with. We must remember that when we stand facing the sun, the shadow falls behind us, and if we turn our backs to the sun, the entire shadow will be in front of us.
IN 5,19.20 Paul warns the Thessalonians not to despise spiritual gifts. The prophets were in reality the same as we have preachers today; they brought God's message to the community. Paul says, “If a man has something to say, don’t stop him from saying it.”
IN 5,21.22 Paul reminds Christians of their daily duty. Jesus should be our standard to test and test everything, and even when the going gets tough, we should do good and stay away from all evil.
The church that lives by Paul's counsel will truly shine as a light in the darkness; she will have joy and she will have the power to convince others.
THE GRACE OF JESUS CHRIST IS WITH YOU (1 Thess. 5:23-28)
At the end of the letter, Paul commits his friends to God body, soul and spirit, and there is one wonderful phrase here. “Brethren,” says Paul, “pray for us.” It is wonderful to know that the greatest of all missionaries received strength from the prayers of the simplest Christians. One day, friends asked to congratulate a major statesman on his election to the highest post of the country. He answered them: “You should not congratulate me, but pray for me.” In Paul's eyes, prayer was a golden chain: he prayed for others, and others prayed for him.
Commentary (introduction) to the entire book of 1 Thessalonians
Comments on Chapter 5
This Epistle, more than any other of the Apostle Paul's epistles, is characterized by simplicity, gentleness and love... and on this everyone agrees. W. Graham Scroggie
Introduction
I. A SPECIAL PLACE IN THE CANON
The first book of every great writer is usually highly praised, as evidence that he had good language from the beginning and that he had the gift of communicating his message to the people. It is quite possible that 1 Thessalonians is the first inspired letter written by Paul. The volume of Christian teaching in which the apostle instructed the community during his short stay in Thessalonica is astonishing, as is clearly demonstrated by the numerous doctrines which he discusses as already known to the Thessalonians.
Today many believe in the rapture and second coming of our Lord, and evangelical Christians are waiting for it. But it was not always so. The revival of interest in this doctrine, especially in the writings of the early Plymouth Brethren in Britain (1825-1850), was largely based on 1 Thessalonians. If it were not for this little Message, our understanding of the various aspects of Christ's return would be very poor.
In fact, no theologian disputes that 1 Thessalonians was actually written by Paul. There is quite a lot to support this; in the words of J. I. Frame, "unless one is prepared to assert that Paul never lived, or that none of his epistles survive." (James Everett Frame, A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Epistles of St. Paul to the Thessalonians, (ICC), p. 37.)
Internal evidence about Paul's authorship - this is the vocabulary and style of the apostle and the kind-hearted view of the spiritual father. The historical references in the Epistle correspond to the Acts of the Apostles. Moreover, in Thessalonians 1.1 and 2.18 the author calls himself Paul.
III. WRITING TIME
The first letter to the Thessalonians was written by Paul in Corinth during his eighteen-month stay there, shortly after Timothy came to him (1 Thess. 3:6; 2:17).
Since proconsul Gallio (Acts 18) is generally believed to have taken office in the early summer of 51 AD, Paul appears to have gone to Corinth in early 50 AD. and soon wrote 1 Thessalonians. Almost all theologians date the Epistle to the early 50s, and it would probably be correct to date it more precisely to 50 or 51 AD. - just twenty years after the ascension of our Lord.
IV. PURPOSE OF WRITING AND TOPIC
This happened during Paul's second missionary journey, when the light of the Good News broke through into the darkness of Thessalonica (Acts 17:1-10). After Paul and Silas were released from prison at Philippi, they traveled to Thessalonica via Amphipolis and Apollonia. At that time, Thessalonica was a strategic city in both a commercial and political sense. True to his system, Paul went to the synagogue and, citing the text of the Old Testament, showed that the Messiah had to suffer and rise from the dead.
Then he began to explain that Jesus of Nazareth was the promised Messiah. So Paul preached for three Sabbaths. Some of the Jews believed and sided with Paul and Silas as Christians. In addition, many Greek proselytes were converted, as well as a considerable number of women who occupied prominent positions in the city. But those Jews who Not They believed, gathered several hooligans in the market square, staged a riot and besieged the house of Jason, where Paul and Silas were staying.
Not finding any preachers in the house, they seized Jason and several others who believed and took them to the city leaders (governors), accusing them of disturbing the whole world. It was an unintentional compliment! Then they accused the Christians of plotting against the emperor by supporting their King, whose name was Jesus. City leaders were alarmed. They demanded that Jason and his companions stand surety for their guests, perhaps adding to this strict instructions that the latter leave the city. After this, Jason and all the others were released.
The Christian brothers in Thessalonica decided that it would be wiser if the preachers left the city, and sent them to Berea at night.
It is noteworthy that Paul and Silas, when they left the city, left behind a community of believers who were instructed in the doctrines of the faith and who were not shaken by the persecution that befell them. From Acts 17:2 one could easily conclude that Paul and his companions stayed in Thessalonica for only three Sabbaths. However, perhaps this is only the time when they preached in the synagogue. Paul and his companions could carry out in the city three whole months. The apostle's letters to the believers in Thessalonica indicate that the inhabitants of the city were well informed about Christian teaching, and they could hardly acquire this knowledge within three or four weeks.
From Berea Paul went to Athens (Acts 17:15), where he heard that the believers in Thessalonica were being persecuted. He made an attempt to visit them, but Satan thwarted his plans (1 Thess. 2:17-18), so he sent Timothy to them (3:1-2). Returning, Timothy brought generally encouraging information (3:6-8), which prompted the apostle to write this Epistle. In it, he defends his missionary activities from slanderous attacks, calls for the abandonment of the immorality that prevailed in society at that time, corrects the erroneous idea of those who died in Christ; he rebukes those who have abandoned their work in anticipation of the coming of Christ, and strongly advises the saints to honor their spiritual leaders.
One of the most important themes of 1 Thessalonians is the second coming of our Lord. It is mentioned at least once in each of the five chapters of the Epistle. J. R. Harding Wood put these remarks together and came to the following conclusion:
A Christian waiting for the return of our Lord Jesus has no room for: 1) idols in the heart (1:9-10); 2) carelessness and relaxation in service (2.9.19); 3) differences and barriers among brothers (3.12-13); despondency and depression in the soul (4:13-18) and sin in life (5:23)."(George Robert Harding Wood, St. Paul's First Letter, pp. 13-14.)
Plan
I. GREETING (1,1)
II. PERSONAL RELATIONS OF PAUL WITH THE THESSALONIANS (1.2 - 3.13)
A. Paul's praise of the Thessalonians (1:2-10)
B. Recollections of Paul's missionary activity, message and conduct in Thessalonica (2:1-12)
C. Memoirs of the Thessalonians' response to the Good News (2:13-16)
D. Why Paul could not return to Thessalonica (2:17-20)
D. Timothy's mission to Thessalonica (3:1-10)
E. Paul's special prayer (3:11-13)
III. PRACTICAL INSTRUCTIONS (4.1 - 5.22)
A. Sanctification as doing the will of God (4:1-8)
B. Love that cares for others (4.9-10)
C. A life that witnesses to others (4:11-12)
D. Hope that comforts those who believe (4:13-18)
D. Day of the Lord (5:1-11)
E. Various calls and exhortations to the saints (5:12-22)
IV. FINAL GREETINGS TO THE THESSALONIANS (5:23-28)
D. Day of the Lord (5:1-11)
5,1 Teachers of the law of God often complain that the Bible is divided into chapters and complain about breaks, explaining that the topic should continue without interruption. But in this case, a breakdown into chapters is quite appropriate. Pavel starts a new topic. He leaves the topic of the rapture and turns to the topic of the day of the Lord. Words translated as "Oh", "well", point to a new thought, as is often the case in 1 Corinthians.
For true believers, the rapture is a comforting hope, but what will it mean for those who are far from Christ? For them this is the beginning of the period which is described here as times and terms. This period is primarily Jewish in character. During this period, God will resume His relationship with the people of Israel and those events of the last times, which were pointed out by the Old Testament prophets, will take place. When the apostles asked when Jesus would establish His Kingdom, He replied that it was not their business to know the times and seasons (Acts 1:7). It seems that times and terms cover the period before the establishment of the Kingdom, as well as the period of the Kingdom itself.
Paul believed that no need to write the Thessalonians about times and terms. First of all, because they will not affect Christians; the saints will be taken to heaven before this age begins.
Besides, times and terms and the day of the Lord are themes found in the OT. And the rapture is a mystery (1 Cor. 15:51), which was never revealed before the era of the apostles.
5,2 The saints already knew about day of the Lord. They knew that the exact time of his arrival was unknown and that he would come when least expected. What does Paul mean by on the Lord's day? This is, of course, not a day consisting of 24 hours, but a period of time with certain characteristic features.
In the OT, this term denoted any period of judgment, desolation and darkness (Isa. 2:12; 13:9-16; Joel 2:1-2).
In their minds, this was the time when the Lord stands against the enemies of Israel and finally punishes them (Zeph. 3:8-12; Joel. 3:14-16; Abd. 15-17; Zech. 12:8-9). But this is also every case when the Lord punishes His people for their sins and apostasy from the faith (Joel 1:15-20; Am. 5:18; Zeph. 1:17-18). This is, first of all, a day of judgment for sin and a day of victory for those who are faithful to the Lord (Joel 2:31-32), and untold blessings to His faithful people.
In future Lord's day will take approximately the same period as times and deadlines. It will begin after the rapture and will include:
1. The time of great tribulation, that is, the time of Jacob's sorrows (Dan. 9.27; Jer. 30.7; Matt. 24.4-28; 2 Thess. 2.2; Rev. 6.1 - 19.16).
2. The coming of Christ with His saints (Mal. 4:1-3; 2 Thess. 1:7-9).
3. The Millennial Kingdom of Christ on earth (Joel 3:18 [cf. v. 14]; Zech. 14:8-9 [cf. v. 1]).
4. The final destruction of heaven and earth by fire (2 Pet. 3:7.10).
Lord's Day This is the time when Jehovah will openly intervene in human affairs. It will be characterized by the judgment of the enemies of Israel and the apostate part of the people of Israel, the deliverance of His people, the establishment of the Kingdom of peace and prosperity of Christ and His, Jehovah, glory.
The apostle reminds his readers, that the day of the Lord will come like a thief, that is, a thief, at night. It will strike completely unexpectedly and take people by surprise. The world will be completely unprepared.
5,3 Also, this day will come deceptively, suddenly, destructively, inevitably and unavoidably.
An atmosphere of confidence and security will reign in the world. Then God's judgment will suddenly fall with great destructive force. Blight- this is not deprivation of life or complete destruction; this is deprivation of well-being or complete collapse, loss of purpose and meaning of human existence. It will be as unexpected and inevitable as it is inevitable the pain of childbirth befalls pregnant woman. There will be no salvation for unbelievers from this judgment.
5,4 It is important to note the transition from the pronoun "them" in the previous verse to "You" and "we" in the following. The Day of the Lord will be a day of wrath for the unsaved world. But what will it mean for us? The answer is: we are not in danger because we not in the dark.
This day He will come like a thief in the night (v. 2). He will find all sorts of things like a thief, but he will capture only those who are in the night, that is, the unconverted. He will not capture the believers at all, because they not in the dark.
At first reading it may seem that the day of the Lord will find believers, but not like a thief. However, it is not. He won't catch them at all, because when the thief comes into the night of this world, the saints will abide in eternal light.
5,5 Christians - sons of light and sons of day; They not the sons of the night, nor of darkness. That is why they will be spared the judgment that God will pour out on the world that has rejected His Son. The judgments of the day of the Lord are directed exclusively against those who are in moral darkness and spiritual night, against those who are alienated from God. When it says here that Christians are sons of the day, this does not mean that we are talking about the day of the Lord. Be sons of the day- means to be a people belonging to the kingdom of moral integrity. The Day of the Lord is the time of judgment of the subjects of the kingdom of moral darkness.
5,6 In the next three verses, Paul encourages believers to live a lifestyle consistent with their unique situation. This implies vigilance and sobriety. We have to stay awake beware of temptations, laziness, lethargy and absent-mindedness. Of course we should stay awake awaiting the return of the Savior. Sobriety here means not only sobriety in conversations and in general in the manner of behaving, but also maintaining moderation in food and drink.
5,7 Usually dream associated with at night. Therefore, in the spiritual realm, careless indifference characterizes the sons of darkness, that is, the unconverted. People prefer to have their own drunken orgies at night. They love darkness more than light, because their deeds are evil (John 3:19). The very name “nightclub” is associated with drunkenness and late-night revelry.
5,8 Sons of light and sons of day must walk in the light, just as He is in the light (1 John 1:7). And this means: condemn sin, put an end to it and avoid all excesses and extremes. It is also necessary to put on Christian armor and not take it off. This armor consists of armor of faith and love And helmet of hope of salvation. In other words, this armor is faith, love And hope- three main qualities of Christian character. No need to take it literally armor And helmet. The apostle simply means that the sons of light should wear the protective covering of consistent godly living. What keeps us from the corruption that lust sows in the world?
Faith, or trust in God. Love to the Lord and to each other. Hope for the return of Christ. Important contrasts presented in chapter five:
| Believers | Non-believers |
| ("They") | ("You") |
| sleeping | awake |
| drunk | sober |
| in the dark | not in the dark |
| sons of the night | sons of the day |
| And darkness | and light |
| the day of the Lord will come | the day of the Lord will not come |
| suddenly, like a thief at night | suddenly, like a thief at night |
| sudden and inevitable death, like the pain of childbirth befalls a woman in labor | destined not to experience wrath, but to find salvation. |
5,9 Admiration has two aspects: the rescue And anger. For the believer it signifies the final completion of his salvation in heaven. For the unbeliever this is the entry into a period anger on the ground.
Because we are the sons of the day, God did not designate us for wrath, which He will pour out during the period of great tribulation, but, on the contrary, to salvation in the fullest sense - to eternal freedom from the presence of sin.
Some theologians understand by anger the punishment that non-believers will suffer in hell. Of course, it is true that God did not intend us for this, but there is no basis for such an idea. Paul is not talking about hell, but about the coming disasters on earth. Here we are talking about the day of the Lord - the greatest period anger in the history of mankind (Matthew 24:21). A meeting awaits us not with the executioner, but with the Savior.
Some theologians say that the period of great tribulation is the time of the wrath of Satan (Rev. 12:12), and not of God. They say that the Church will suffer the wrath of Satan, but will be delivered from the wrath of God at the second coming of Christ. However, the following verses speak of the wrath of God and the Lamb, and this is against the backdrop of the Great Tribulation period: Revelation 6:16-17; 14.9-10.19; 15.1.7; 16.1.19.
5,10 Verse 10 emphasizes the enormous price our Lord Jesus Christ paid to deliver us from wrath and secure our salvation: died for us, so that whether we wake or sleep, we might live together with Him.
There are two interpretations of the phrase "whether we are awake or asleep." Some theologians understand what it means: living or dead at the time of the rapture. They indicate that at that time there will be two categories of believers - those who have died in Christ and those who are alive. So the point is this: whether we are among the living or among the dead at Christ's return, we we will live together with Him.
Christians who die lose nothing. The Lord explained this to Martha: “I am the resurrection and the life; whoever believes in Me, even if he dies [that is, a Christian who died before the rapture], will live [will be raised from the dead]; and everyone who lives and believes in Me [a believer who at the time the rapture will be among the living] he will never die" (John 11:25-26).
Another point of view is that "Are we awake or asleep" implies vigilance or being caught up in the bustle of the world. In other words, Paul is supposedly saying that whether we are spiritually awake or indifferent to spiritual things, we will be caught up to meet the Lord. According to this view, eternal salvation does not depend on our spiritual zeal in our final moments on earth. If we are true converts, We we will live with Him when He comes again, regardless of whether we were waiting for Him with trepidation or were in a half-asleep state. Our spiritual condition will determine our rewards, but our salvation depends solely on faith in Christ.
Theologians who hold this view point out that the word translated as we are awake, the same as in verse 6. And the word translated as we sleep, in verses 6 and 7 means “indifference to the Divine and agreement with the worldly” (Vine).
But in verses 4,13,14,15 the meaning of "death" is used Not
this word. (In the original “we are awake” in 5.10 and 5.6 - gregoreo(in the original this means the male name Gregory, or “observer”). The word "sleep" in 5.6-7 is used instead katheudo, which can literally mean sleep or spiritual laziness and indifference.)
5,11 In anticipation of so great a salvation, out of love for so great a Savior, and in light of His soon return, we should exhort one another by doctrine, encouragement, and example, and strengthen one another with the Word of God and loving care. It is because we will be with Him that we must live in harmony with each other now.
E. Various calls and exhortations to the saints (5:12-22)
5,12 Apparently, the elders of the Thessalonian church rebuked those who left their jobs and began to live at the expense of others. And, of course, the parasites did not really listen to their reproaches! This explains the call addressed to both pastors and church members.
Calling respect your workers, Paul is referring to respecting and obeying spiritual leaders. It's clear from the words "who are your leaders in the Lord and admonish you." Elders are shepherds for God's sheep. They are charged with the responsibility of teaching, governing, and warning.
This is one of many NT verses that show that there was no unity of command in the apostolic church. Each community had a group of elders who performed pastoral duties. As Denny explains, “In Thessalonica there was no single leader, a priest, as we understand today, who would in some sense have exclusive responsibility; leadership was in the hands of a group of people.”(James Denney, The Epistles to Thessalonians, p. 205.)
However, the lack united the beginning does not mean at all that the boss is every. The meeting should not be democracy, A aristocracy when those who are most capable of it are in charge.
5,13 Elders act as representatives of the Lord. Their work is God's work. Therefore, they should be treated with great respect and love.(For more on elders, see commentary on 1 Timothy 3:1-7 and Titus 1:5-9.) Mandate be at peace in a relationship among themselves- not a random insertion. The most important problem for Christians is how to get along with each other. There is enough of the flesh in every Christian to divide and destroy any local church. Only when filled with the Spirit can we demonstrate and improve the love, humility, patience, restraint, mercy, gentleness and forgiveness that are inextricably linked with peace. Perhaps talking about world, Pavel warns against the danger of forming closed groups, cliques around leaders.
15,14 This verse appears to be addressed to the spiritual leaders of the community. It talks about how to deal with difficult brothers.
1. admonish the disorderly- those who do not want to keep up, and with their irresponsible behavior disturb the peace in the church. Here under disorderly means those who do not want to work. They are also described in 2 Thessalonians 3:6-12 as those who riot, doing nothing, but fussing.
2. Comfort the faint-hearted- those who need to be constantly exhorted to rise above their difficulties and firmly follow the Lord.
3. Support the weak that is, provide support to those who are spiritually, morally and physically weak. Perhaps above all it should be spiritual and moral support for those who are weak in faith, although we should not exclude financial assistance either.
4. Be patient with everyone- show gracious patience when others tend to become irritated and angry.
5,15 Now addressing all Christians, Paul forbids them any thought of revenge. A person’s natural reaction to a blow is to fight back, to respond with blow to blow. But a Christian must be so close to the Lord Jesus that he will react unnaturally. In other words, he will instinctively show kindness and love towards other believers as well as the unsaved.
5,16 A Christian can always feel joy, even in completely unfavorable circumstances, because the source and object of his joy is Christ, who directs all circumstances. By the way, "always rejoice" is the shortest verse in the Greek NT, while in the English Bible the shortest verse is John 11:35: “Jesus shed tears.”
5,17 Prayer should be a constant state of a Christian; no, he should not abandon all his daily activities and obligations and completely devote himself to prayer. He prays at fixed times and spontaneously when required, and enjoys constant communion with the Lord in prayer.
5,18 Thank God should be an inherent feeling of a Christian. If Romans 8:28 is true, we should be able to thank the Lord at all times, in all circumstances, and for All, unless we also excuse sin . These three good habits are called the standing mandates of the church. For us they represent the will of God in Christ Jesus. Words "in Christ Jesus" remind us that He taught us these things during His earthly ministry and that He was the living embodiment of what He taught. By His teaching and His example He revealed to us the will of God regarding joy, prayer and thanksgiving.
5,19 The next four verses seem to deal with behavior in the meeting.
Quench the Spirit- means to suppress His action in our environment, to limit Him and interfere with Him. Sin quenches the Spirit. Traditions quench the Spirit. Man-made human rules and regulations of public worship extinguish Him. Discord quenches Him.
Someone has said: “Cold glances, contemptuous words, silence, ostentatious disdain - all this greatly extinguishes the Spirit. So does the callous, antipathetic spirit of criticism.” Ryrie says that the Spirit is always quenched when His ministry in a person or in a church is hindered.
5,20 If we combine this verse with the previous one, we can come to the conclusion that we quench the Spirit when humiliate prophecy. When, for example, a young brother makes an insensitive remark during a public worship service, and we, through our criticism, make him feel ashamed of his testimony for Christ, we quench the Spirit.
As the term is used in the NT, to "prophesy" means to speak the Word of God.
The sayings of the prophets, inspired by the Spirit, are preserved for us in the Bible. In another sense, to prophesy is to explain God's truths as revealed in the Bible.
5,21 We must evaluate everything we hear and stay good genuine and true. The standard by which we must evaluate all preaching and all teaching is the Word of God. Where the Spirit exercises freedom from time to time to speak through various brethren, abuses will occur. But quenching the Spirit is not a means of combating such abuses.
As Dr. Denny wrote:
“The general meeting, the freedom to prophesy, the prayer meeting in which each one can speak as the Spirit prompts him, is one of the crying needs of the modern church.”(Denny, Thessalonians, p. 244.)
5,22 Command refrain from all kinds of evil, may refer to people pretending to speak in tongues, or may involve false prophecies, false teachings, or evil at all.
A. T. Pierson draws our attention to the fact that in verses 16-22 seven different dispositions of the human spirit are presented:
1. Praiseful disposition (v. 16) - to consider all the deeds of God unusually grandiose.
2. Prayerful disposition (v. 17). Prayer can never be inappropriate or inappropriate.
3. A grateful disposition (v. 18). Even in circumstances that are not very pleasant for the flesh.
4. Spiritual disposition (v. 19). The spirit must have complete freedom in us, we must not constrain it in anything.
5. A disposition of mind capable of receiving teaching (v. 20) any in the way that God chooses.
6. A reasonable, impartial disposition (v. 21) to test everyone with the Word of God. Wed. from 1 John 4.1.
7. Sanctifying disposition (v. 22).
If an evil thought creeps into your intentions, avoid it. (Arthur T. Pierson, no more complete data available.)
IV. FINAL GREETINGS TO THE THESSALONIANS (5:23-28)
5,23 Paul now prays for the sanctification of Christians. The source of this sanctification is God of peace. The scope and degree of sanctification are defined in words "in its entirety" which means "every part of your being." Some have adapted this verse to prove the doctrine of the "holiness" of all sanctification, holding that the believer can become sinlessly perfect In this life. But this is not at all what Paul had in mind when he prayed: "May the God of peace himself sanctify you completely." Paul's prayer is not for the complete eradication of the sinful nature, but for sanctification to extend to every part of the being of believers - to their spirit, soul and body.
SANCTIFICATION
The NT speaks of four phases of sanctification - pre-conversion, positional, practical or progressive, and perfect.
1. Even before a man is saved, he is set apart and placed in a purely external position of privilege. Thus, in 1 Corinthians 7:14 we read that an unbelieving husband is sanctified by his believing wife. This sanctification before conversion.
2. A person who is born again sanctified by position through union with Christ. This means that he is separated from the world for God. This is stated in passages such as Acts 26:18; 1 Corinthians 1,2; 6.11; 2 Thessalonians 2:13; Hebrews 10,10.14.
3. Followed by progressive sanctification. This is the separation of the believer for God from the world, from sin and from his own self. Progressive sanctification is the process by which a believer becomes more like Christ. It is this sanctification that Paul asks here for the Thessalonians. This is also discussed in 1 Thessalonians 4:3-4; 2 Timothy 2:21. It is accomplished by the Holy Spirit if we obey the Word of God (John 17:17; 2 Cor. 3:18). Practical sanctification is a process that must continue as long as the believer is on earth. He will never achieve perfection or a sinless state on earth, but he must always strive towards this goal. 4. Perfect Sanctification concerns the believer's final state in heaven. When he comes there to be with the Lord, he, like the Lord, will be completely and finally separated from sin (1 John 3:1-3).
The apostle also prays for the preservation of the Thessalonians. This preservation must include the whole person - his spirit, his soul and his body. Pay attention to the sequence. People usually say: body, soul, spirit.
God always says: spirit, soul and body. In the history of creation, the spirit initially occupied the very first place in importance, the body - the last. Sin disrupted this order; man lives for the body and neglects the spirit. When we pray for one another, we must follow the biblical order of putting spiritual good before physical needs.
From this and other verses it is clear that our nature is composed of three parts. Our spirit- the part that gives us the opportunity to communicate with God. Our soul associated with our emotions, desires, feelings and passions (John 12:27). Is our body is the house in which our personality dwells (2 Cor. 5:1).
1. The spirit from everything that: a) can corrupt and defile it (2 Cor. 7:1); b) prevents the Holy Spirit from witnessing to the relationship of the saints with God (Rom. 8:16); c) prevents us from worshiping God the way He seeks (John 4:23; Phil. 3:3).
2. Soul from: a) evil thoughts (Matt. 15:18-19; Eph. 2:3); b) carnal desires that fight against it (1 Pet. 2:11); c) disputes and strife (Heb. 12:15).
3. Body from: a) defilement (1 Thess. 4:3-8); b) abuse of their members (Rom. 6:19). Some deny that the unsaved have a spirit. Perhaps they are based on the fact that the unsaved are spiritually dead (Eph. 2:1). However, the fact that the unsaved are spiritually dead does not mean that they have No spirit. They are dead as far as communication with God is concerned. Their spirit can be very alive when it comes to, for example, contacts with occult world but they're dead for God.
Lenski warns:
"Many are content with partial Christianity, some areas of their life are still of a worldly nature. The apostolic instructions deeply touch every corner of our nature, so that no one can escape purification."(R.C.H. Lenski, The Interpretation of St. Paul's Epistles to the Colossians, to the Thessalonians, to Timothy, to Titus, and Philemon, p. 364.)
Paul further prays that God's sanctification and protection would so encompass every part of the identity of the Thessalonian believers that they would be without blemish until the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. This is obviously a reference to the judgment seat of Christ that will follow the rapture. Then the life, service and testimony of every Christian will be tested, and he will be rewarded or damaged.
5,24 As we learned in 4:3, our sanctification is the will of God. He has called us to ultimately stand before Him blameless. God began this work in us, and He will bring it to completion (Phil. 1:6). Summoner us true To your promise.
5,25 As Paul ends his letter, he asks the saints to pray for him. He never felt like he didn't need the prayers of others, and we do too. Not pray for fellow believers - sin.
5,26 Next Paul asks greet all brothers with a holy kiss. 20 At that time, kissing was a common form of greeting. In some countries it is still customary for men to kiss men and women to kiss women. And in other cultures, men kiss women and vice versa. But this often led to abuse and had to be abandoned.
The Lord did not decree that a kiss was an obligatory form of greeting, and the apostles did not teach that it was obligatory. The Bible wisely allows for other forms of greeting in cultures where kissing may lead to sexual immorality. The Spirit of God seeks to preserve people from immorality by insisting that kiss was saints
5,27 The Apostle solemnly commands read this message to all the holy brothers.(The word “holy” is omitted from the critical text.) Two points should be noted here:
2. The Bible belongs to all Christians, not to a small circle or privileged class. All its truths are intended for all saints.
Denny wisely insists that:
"there is no achievement in wisdom or virtue which the Gospel makes inaccessible to any man. And there is no stronger proof of unbelief and treachery in a church than this: if it constantly keeps its members in the position of immature disciples, discouraging the free use of the Sacred Scripture and making sure that everything that is written in it is not read to all the brothers.”(Denny, Thessalonians, pp. 263-264.)
Notice that verses 25-27 give three keys to a successful Christian life: 1) prayer (v. 25); 2) love for believing brothers, indicating a sense of brotherhood (v. 26); and 3) reading and studying the Word (v. 27).
5,28 And finally, a typical conclusion for Paul. He began his First Epistle to the Thessalonians with grace and ends it with the same theme. For the Apostle Paul, Christianity is by grace from the beginning to the end. Amen.
