TOMS: 1 Thessalonians 5

For an introduction to this series, click here.

October 10, 2007

Here we have the conclusion of this book. The first part of this chapter continues the thought of the previous chapter concerning the Rapture: 
"Now concerning the times and the seasons, brothers, you have no need to have anything written to you. For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. While people are saying, 'There is peace and security,' then sudden destruction will come upon them as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. But you are not in darkness, brothers, for that day to surprise you like a thief." (5:1-4)

The Rapture is not something we should be worried about. The Lord will come when the time is right and we will know it when He comes. He is not going to hide somewhere.

"So then let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober. For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, are drunk at night. But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation. For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with him." (5:6-10)

In virtually every epistle, Paul includes this warning: to be sober. He gives different reasons, but the admonishment is still the same. Life is serious. Of course it is fine to have a good time and we need to relax and refresh ourselves from time to time, but overall, Christians should not be characterized by an attitude of pursuing fun all the time and not taking life seriously.

As a side note, some people say that the phrase "God has not destined us for wrath" is a proof text for the "pre-tribulational" rapture. I think if you read it in context, it becomes obvious that this passage is talking about us as believers not being condemned to hell.

"We ask you, brothers, to respect those who labor among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, and to esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Be at peace among yourselves. And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all. See that no one repays anyone evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to everyone. Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise prophecies, but test everything; hold fast what is good. Abstain from every form of evil. Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it." (5:12-24, ESV)

These are some general things that are very hard to actually live out in our daily lives. If we could obey just one of these commands completely, the way the Lord wants us to, our lives would be so different. Now that isn't an excuse, but I know for me particularly, it is hard for me to "rejoice always." Because there are things in life that don't cause me to rejoice.

I think if you look at it in context (isn't it amazing how much simpler things are when you read more than one verse at a time) it becomes obvious that "Abstain from every form of evil" is one of the most abused verses in the Bible. I have heard that verse used to justify all sorts of ideas, from saying that you shouldn't eat in a restaurant that serves alcohol to not going to a movie rental store. (My, how the world has changed in 8 years!) In context, Paul is talking about true and false doctrine. We are told not to despise prophecies. In other words, don't reject any teaching out of hand just because of who is teaching or whatever. Then we are told to prove all things, hold fast to the good and reject what is bad. Simple. The Bible speaks for itself, and we would do well to follow the clear teaching in the passage above and forget the opinions of man piled onto one particular phrase.

TOMS: I Thessalonians 4

For an introduction to this series, click here.

October 9, 2007

These Thessalonians must have been right where they ought to have been, because after a very long greeting, Paul says, "Finally, then, brothers, we ask and urge you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God, just as you are doing, that you do so more and more." (4:1) In other words, just keep doing what you have been doing. This is different from most of Paul's other letters.

But Paul does have a few words of advice, beginning with this: 
"For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality; that each one of you know how to control his own body in holiness and honor, not in the passion of lust like the Gentiles who do not know God; that no one transgress and wrong his brother in this matter, because the Lord is an avenger in all these things, as we told you beforehand and solemnly warned you. For God has not called us for impurity, but in holiness. Therefore whoever disregards this, disregards not man but God, who gives his Holy Spirit to you." (4:3-8)

Sexual temptation has always been a problem throughout history. Immorality was considered normal and natural by many in the Roman world. We know from archeology that large portions of the culture were obsessed with sex and were more out in the open with it than we are today, if you can imagine.

"Now concerning brotherly love you have no need for anyone to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love one another, for that indeed is what you are doing to all the brothers throughout Macedonia. But we urge you, brothers, to do this more and more, and to aspire to live quietly, and to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands, as we instructed you, so that you may walk properly before outsiders and be dependent on no one." (4:9-12)

This passage is pretty self-explanatory, as Paul encourages the believers to continue in what they are doing. 

Paul then leads us into the most detailed discussion of the Rapture to be found in the Bible: 
"But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. Therefore encourage one another with these words." (4:13-18, ESV)

This is of course something that has yet to happen in history. The Rapture is only mentioned in a couple of other places in the New Testament. There are many theologians who discount the doctrine of the Rapture. While I agree that it is not as essential that we agree on this doctrine as it is that we agree on the deity of Christ, this passage is very clear that something is going to happen.

The obvious question is when will this happen. Most of the debate revolves around when the Rapture will occur with relation to the Tribulation. I am not sure the Bible gives us a 100 percent clear answer. I have always been taught a "pre-trib" rapture, and I still hold to that, just because I haven't seen any indisputable proof to the contrary, but I have some friends who hold to a "mid-trib" view. I must admit, the "mid-trib" arguments actually make more sense to me than the "pre-trib" arguments. 

I really don't know for sure, and it's not something I'm honestly very interested in debating. I know that whether I see this happen in my lifetime or if I die here on earth that I will be in heaven with the Lord. That's the important thing. He could come any time as far as I am concerned, but I know that He will come at the right time, whether or not He comes in my time frame.