1 Thessalonians 4:1

“Finally then, brethren, we beseech and exhort you in the Lord Jesus, that, as ye received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God, even as ye do walk, that ye abound more and more”

“Finally”: Marking not the end of the letter, but. transition to. new topic. The first major division of this letter dealt with his rejoicing in them and. defense of his character. For the most part the remainder of the letter will deal with exhortations and admonitions to live the Christian life in all situations and in all our dealings with others. “Beseech and exhort”: “Paul's exhortation to the Thessalonians is meant very seriously. He underlines it with the double injunction, ‘we beseech and exhort you'. The combination gives emphasis to the Apostle's request” (Morris p. 117). “In the Lord Jesus”: Paul knew that he was speaking for the Lord (1 Thessalonians 2:13; 2 Thessalonians 3:6 ff). He was always self-conscious about the true author behind his exhortations. “As ye received of us how ye ought to walk”: This and 1 Thessalonians 4:2 emphasize that truth that Paul is not giving any new instructions. He had taught them these truths while with them. Hence, nothing new was being sprung on them. The real cost of being. Christian is not being disclosed after they become Christians. “We exhort you that, just as you learned how to live, so you may live” (Marshall p. 104). “Ought”: Consider how Paul dealt with brethren. He urged them, entreated them, and he did his best to persuade them. At the same time, he plainly stated that what he was ‘begging' of them was mandatory. We can use tact in our teaching, we can present. doctrine in. very positive light, and yet at the end of the day, we still have to remind people, “this is something one is morally obligated to perform”.

“Walk”: “To live. This may connect with the fact that. favorite designation of Christianity in the earliest days was ‘the Way' (Acts 9:2; Acts 19:23; Acts 24:22). Or it may be that the metaphor suggested itself from the idea of continual, if unspectacular, advance” (Morris p. 118). “And to please God”: “So as to satisfy God” (Mof). “How to behave in. way that pleases God” (Ber). It is possible for the Christian to "walk with God" (Genesis 5:22; Micah 6:8). “Pleasing God as the foundation of which Christian ethical behavior is built. Several points may be made in favor of ‘pleasing God' as. guiding principle of Christian behavior. How can we claim to know and to love God is we do not seek to please Him? Disobedience is ruled out. our incentive will be not so much to obey the law as thereby to please the Law-giver. If our goal is to be perfectly pleasing to God, we shall never be able to claim that we have arrived. Instead, we are summoned to please Him more and more (2)” (Stott pp. 78, 79). “The whole Christian life is God-centered. The Christian does not ‘walk' with. view to obtaining the maximum amount of satisfaction for himself, but in order to please his Lord” (Morris p. 118). The above comment should really make us think about "the preaching that we like to hear". The primarily purpose of teaching, is not to make the listener feel better about themselves, or to make life easier for them, rather it is to inform. man or woman how to life. live that is pleasing to God. The main question that the Christian is confronted with on. daily basis, should not be “am. happy?” Rather, “is God pleased with my life?” (2 Corinthians 5:9; Colossians 1:10).

“Even as ye do walk”: They were having success at pleasing God! “That ye abound more and more”: “But you are to excel in it still further” (Mof). “Continue to live this life better and better” (Wms). “That you live more and more closely to that ideal” (Tay). “Paul lets them know that he is not unmindful of their achievement. But the Christian can never rest satisfied” (Morris p. 119). "Abounding more and more" is God's answer to those who are looking for. bare minimum or. quota that they can meet (1 Corinthians 15:58; 1 Thessalonians 3:12; 1 Thessalonians 4:10; 1 Peter 1:9).