FINALLY, BROTHERS. He says this to call their attention to what he is about to say. HOW YOU SHOULD LIVE. The Gentile world was very wicked (see 1 Peter 4:1-5). One who lived a "Christian life" contrasted sharply with the world in which he lived. This is still true today.... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR YOU KNOW THE INSTRUCTIONS WE GAVE YOU. Faith and actions cannot be divorced one from another (_see_ James 2:14-26). After making people disciples of Christ, we are to teach them to obey everything Jesus has commanded.... [ Continue Reading ]
THIS IS GOD'S WILL FOR YOU. Now he gives an example. "Immorality" was the _normal_ way of life in the Gentile world. [Immorality means any sex act outside the marriage relationship: adultery, homosexual acts, etc.] The Gentiles did not consider immorality a sin.... [ Continue Reading ]
EACH OF YOU MEN SHOULD KNOW HOW TO TAKE. "To take" = KTASTHAI "which can only mean _to acquire,'_ not _to possess_.'" [Alford (Greek Testament)] Paul is advising marriage, as he does in 1 Corinthians 7:2. The Gentiles went either to the extreme of celibacy or else unrestrained lust. Women were treat... [ Continue Reading ]
NO MAN SHOULD DO WRONG TO HIS BROTHER. Paul is talking about adultery, and about stealing another man's wife. THE LORD WILL PUNISH. This shows the seriousness of this sin.... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT IN HOLINESS. God sets standards of purity for his people, and calls them to live transformed lives (Romans 12:1-2).... [ Continue Reading ]
WHOEVER REJECTS THIS TEACHING. These are God's commands. God calls us to holy living. WHO GIVES YOU HIS HOLY SPIRIT. Read what Paul says in 1 Corinthians 6:15-20. We insult God when we defile our bodies with sin.... [ Continue Reading ]
HAVE BEEN TAUGHT BY GOD. God teaches us to love our fellow believers. If we love them, we will not sin against them, or do things to destroy their faith. Read 1 John 4:19-21.... [ Continue Reading ]
AND YOU HAVE BEHAVED IN THIS WAY. Their lives showed this love for their fellow believers.... [ Continue Reading ]
MAKE IT YOUR AIM TO LIVE A QUIET LIFE. Don't be a "busybody." It is implied that some at Thessalonica expected Jesus to come immediately, and so had quit working, and become loafers and troublemakers.... [ Continue Reading ]
YOU WILL WIN THE RESPECT. It would be an insult to God if the unbelievers could say: "This new religion makes loafers and beggars out of men." AND WILL NOT HAVE TO DEPEND. There is a strong "work ethic" in Christianity. Paul wrote: _"The man who used to rob must stop robbing and start working, to ea... [ Continue Reading ]
WE WANT YOU TO KNOW THE TRUTH. What the apostle has said about "a life that pleases God" in the first part of the chapter, likely has something to do with their misunderstanding of Christ's Coming. Some part of the preaching of the Good News had been twisted into a "reason" why they should _not_ liv... [ Continue Reading ]
WE BELIEVE. His argument is: We believe that Jesus raised from death; _therefore,_ we believe the dead will be raised through Christ when he Comes.... [ Continue Reading ]
THIS IS THE LORD'S TEACHING. He shows the authority of what he is saying. WILL NOT GO AHEAD OF. Those who are living when our Lord Comes will not go into his presence before the dead are raised. [We also see that Paul (speaking by inspiration) says there will be Christians living when Jesus returns!... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE LORD HIMSELF WILL COME DOWN. The signal for all this will be the archangel's shout of command, and the sound of God's trumpet blowing a blast. The Thessalonians must have believed the living Christians would rush to meet Jesus, but the dead would be unable to follow, and so would be left beh... [ Continue Reading ]
WILL ALL BE GATHERED UP. All of God's people since the beginning of time will be gathered up, as the dead rise to life and the living are changed (1 Corinthians 15:51-52). TO MEET THE LORD IN THE AIR. Nothing says Jesus will ever set foot on earth again. His people will rise to meet him! [Judgment w... [ Continue Reading ]
CHEER EACH OTHER UP WITH THESE WORDS. Tell those who are sad about their fellow believers having died, that when they are called to meet the Lord, they will find their own dead raised to life and in that happy crowd of the Redeemed!... [ Continue Reading ]