A Christian’s Conduct
We have now reached the end of our look at 1 Thessalonians. Just as Paul sought to encourage the reader at the beginning, we see that in his concluding remarks he is seeking to encourage and remind the reader of behavior fitting for those who follow Jesus Christ.
“11 Therefore comfort each other and edify one another, just as you also are doing.12 And we urge you, brethren, to recognize those who labor among you, and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, 13 and to esteem them very highly in love for their work’s sake. Be at peace among yourselves. 14 Now we exhort you, brethren, warn those who are unruly, comfort the fainthearted, uphold the weak, be patient with all. 15 See that no one renders evil for evil to anyone, but always pursue what is good both for yourselves and for all. 16 Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 19 Do not quench the Spirit. 20 Do not despise prophecies. 21 Test all things; hold fast what is good. 22 Abstain from every form of evil. 23 Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24 He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it. 25 Brethren, pray for us. 26 Greet all the brethren with a holy kiss. 27 I charge you by the Lord that this epistle be read to all the holy brethren. 28 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.”
1 Thessalonians 5:11-28
Since Paul wrote this book to encourage the believers to remain steadfast in the faith, I am not surprised that he ends it with a call to comfort one another. The believers that Paul was originally writing to would have seen fellow Jews be kicked out of the synagogue, be imprisoned, be beaten, among other things, all in the name of Jesus Christ. For those weak in the faith, it would have been easy to backslide into comfort to escape persecution. To prevent this, Paul reminds readers to comfort and edify one another, to provide comfort in their trials, and to help one another grow in faith. This still holds true for believers today. While in America we do not have people being beaten or imprisoned for their faith, this does not mean that it is not happening to our brothers and sisters in Jesus Christ around the world. This is part of why we started Mill House Ministries, and it is why we, as believers, need to pray for our brothers and sisters around the world. We need to be looking for ways to provide comfort and edification for each other.
However, Paul offers more than encouragement. In verse 14, you see that he begins with an exhortation to believers. We must not remain idle in these days; we need to warn those who are following the path of folly and straying from God. We need to uphold those who are weak in the faith, something we cannot do if we ourselves are not strong in our faith. We need to be patient with the believers and non-believers around us and to seek the Biblical good for all. This is not what the world would say is good for someone, but a good that is based on knowing Jesus Christ and actively seeking and following His will for each individual. This is why Paul calls us to rejoice; as the world grows darker, we need to show the joy that comes from following Jesus Christ. We need to be seeking His will through prayer and reflection on His word, not based on our own sinful desires but based on a knowledge of God’s word
Finally, Paul ends this letter with a challenge for the believers, but one that I believe is more relevant today. Paul calls the believers not to quench the Spirit. This literally means not to extinguish the Spirit. Meaning we are not to actively and intentionally follow our sinful desires to the point that we no longer feel the Holy Spirit convicting us of sin. We are not to despise prophecies. Many people hear the word prophecy and immediately picture someone with a sorrowful face, hands raised to the sky, speaking in a tone lower than their normal voice. However, if you followed our study of the spiritual gifts, you will remember that prophecy is the one spiritual gift Paul says all believers should possess. To prophesy means to declare God’s word; it means that we should listen when someone tells us that what we are doing goes against Scripture, and we should know Scripture well enough to point out to others when they are not following God’s word. That is why Paul moves on to the next point. We must test all things. This means that if someone comes to us and says something like “God told me to tell you…” or “the Bible says this…,” we need to take it back to the word of God and see whether it is accurate. This includes messages from the pastors that we listen to. When we hold fast to what is good, this protects our sanctification process. I couldn’t think of a more fitting end to this book than a call to hold fast to God and allow Him to work in your life. And yet, Paul has one more reminder for us. If God calls us to something, He is faithful to fulfill it. We simply need the courage to step out in faith, cling to Him, and continually seek His will.
Seek the truth and encourage one another,
Alex