TOMS: 2 Thessalonians 3

For an introduction to this series, click here.

October 13, 2007

Paul begins this chapter with a word of encouragement, and then gives them a warning about laziness: 
"Now we command you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you keep away from any brother who is walking in idleness and not in accord with the tradition that you received from us. For you yourselves know how you ought to imitate us, because we were not idle when we were with you, nor did we eat anyone's bread without paying for it, but with toil and labor we worked night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you. It was not because we do not have that right, but to give you in ourselves an example to imitate. For even when we were with you, we would give you this command: If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat. For we hear that some among you walk in idleness, not busy at work, but busybodies. Now such persons we command and encourage in the Lord Jesus Christ to do their work quietly and to earn their own living." (3:6-12)

As is common for Paul, he starts his admonishment by telling them to live like they saw him live. This is a powerful statement in and of itself, and tells us a lot about Paul. The fact that he could confidently say that his people should live like he lived is proof that Paul was more than an evangelist who swoops in and no one sees him during the day, besides maybe the pastor, and then swoops out after a few days. Paul lived among these people, in some cases for years.

Laziness is an easy temptation for most people; I know it is for me. Our flesh tells us that it is fine if we don't do anything, that someone else will take care of things. This is not God's plan. God wants us to earn our keep. More than that, he wants us to be faithful to Him. The old saying that "idle hands are the devil's workshop" applies here, in fact Paul almost says as much. When we aren't doing constructive things, we look for things to do, and those things we find to do usually aren't good things. Paul talks specifically about people who sit at home and gossip and worry about what everyone else is doing instead of minding their own business. The problem is, in most cases, they don't have any business of their own to mind. If we are busy taking care of our own affairs, we won't have the time to worry about others'.

"As for you, brothers, do not grow weary in doing good. If anyone does not obey what we say in this letter, take note of that person, and have nothing to do with him, that he may be ashamed. Do not regard him as an enemy, but warn him as a brother." (3:13-15, ESV)

Paul has a lot to say about fellowship. In many of his epistles he includes a similar warning to this one: that we are not to eat or have fellowship with someone in the church who is living in sin. Most of us spend absolutely zero time in church talking about spiritual things. We may teach a Sunday School class or we may do all sorts of things when we are supposed to, but when was the last time you had a spontaneous conversation at church with a fellow believer about a spiritual topic? 99 percent of the conversations you hear at church are the same conversations you would hear at a barber shop, in the break room at work, or anywhere else in the world.

This is mostly what Paul is aiming at here. We are to confront someone who is in sin, and, if necessary, do it publicly. It is easy to be silent and talk about someone's sin behind their back and yet act like they are still beloved members of the assembly when they are around. But this is not what Paul wants us to do here. Instead we are to personally address the issue, offer to help, and continue to pray for the person.

TOMS: 2 Thessalonians 2

For an introduction to this series, click here.

October 12, 2007

Paul gets down to business quickly here, explaining what will happen leading up to the Rapture: 
"Now concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered together to him, we ask you, brothers, not to be quickly shaken in mind or alarmed, either by a spirit or a spoken word, or a letter seeming to be from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come. Let no one deceive you in any way. For that day will not come, unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, who opposes and exalts himself against every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God." (2:1-4)

Paul mentions in this passage that the Thessalonians received a false letter from Paul saying the end had already come. Paul says specifically that there will be a "rebellion" first. Now there are several explanations for what the "rebellion" means. Some view it as a political rebellion, but I agree with most that it is a reference to a spiritual rebellion. There is always a spirit of apostasy in the last days, but this will be the great apostasy. Whether we are seeing the beginning of it now or not, I really don't know. I do know that there are things that were never seriously debated in church history that are debated now, such as homosexual marriage. The fact that church leaders cannot understand the clear condemnation of the sin of homosexual acts in the Bible is certainly a sign of something.

Now this scripture seems to indicate that the church will know who the man of sin, or the Antichrist, is before the Rapture. I don't think this necessarily indicates a "mid-trib" Rapture, but it does seem more reasonable based on this passage.

"And you know what is restraining him now so that he may be revealed in his time. For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work. Only he who now restrains it will do so until he is out of the way. And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will kill with the breath of his mouth and bring to nothing by the appearance of his coming. The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders, and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. " (2:6-10)

The wording is a little bit confusing, but if you sit down and analyze it, it becomes clear that the Holy Spirit is restraining evil now during the church age. Who knows how bad things would be today were it not for the work of the Holy Spirit? 

"Therefore God sends them a strong delusion, so that they may believe what is false, in order that all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness. But we ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers beloved by the Lord, because God chose you as the firstfruits to be saved, through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth. To this he called you through our gospel, so that you may obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the traditions that you were taught by us, either by our spoken word or by our letter." (2:11-15, ESV)

The worst punishment God can inflict upon this earth is to allow people to follow their own way to destruction. Mankind is predisposed to evil anyway, and if God does not intervene, he will always find himself in a cesspool of his own making. Not everybody stoops to the absolute lowest level, whatever that is, but mankind always becomes worse and worse. This is what it means when it says God will send them "a strong delusion." God does not have to do anything special for man to deceive himself. It comes naturally. It is just that God will choose not to intervene for most people. Now we know that there will be many thousands of people who are saved during the time of the Antichrist, but as a general rule God will not be working to counteract the work of Satan through the Antichrist, and so mankind will suffer like in no other time in history.

TOMS: 2 Thessalonians 1

For an introduction to this series, click here.

October 11, 2007

This second letter to the Thessalonians seems more urgent than the first letter. Apparently someone had written a letter to the church saying that they had missed the Rapture, and that judgment was coming. Paul wanted to make sure these folks were reassured that this was not the case. He gives them a lot of insight into what will actually happen during the Tribulation.

This particular chapter is once again mostly greeting: 

"We ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers, as is right, because your faith is growing abundantly, and the love of every one of you for one another is increasing. Therefore we ourselves boast about you in the churches of God for your steadfastness and faith in all your persecutions and in the afflictions that you are enduring. This is evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are also suffering— since indeed God considers it just to repay with affliction those who afflict you, and to grant relief to you who are afflicted as well as to us, when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might, when he comes on that day to be glorified in his saints, and to be marveled at among all who have believed, because our testimony to you was believed." (1:3-10, ESV)

Notice that Paul mentions the judgment of God as a comfort and reassurance for those who were suffering. We are usually afraid of the judgment, or if we are not afraid for ourselves we are afraid for others. This is not a bad way to approach it, but Paul notes that the judgment is coming for those who persecute them. God certainly views judgment differently than we do. We tend to view the bad aspects of judgment, but God looks at it as a good thing. God looks at the judgment as the ultimate righting of all the wrongs. We are dreading it, but God is looking forward to it.

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. 

TOMS: 1 Thessalonians 3

For an introduction to this series, click here.

October 8, 2007

Paul continues his personal greeting in this chapter, telling them about what he was thinking while he was in Athens: 
"Therefore when we could bear it no longer, we were willing to be left behind at Athens alone, and we sent Timothy, our brother and God's coworker in the gospel of Christ, to establish and exhort you in your faith, that no one be moved by these afflictions. For you yourselves know that we are destined for this." (3:1-3)

Paul's troubles were a concern for the folks in Thessalonica. And even Paul was concerned that they were troubled by his circumstances. What a unique relationship Paul must have had with this church. He could not personally go, but he sent Timothy to encourage them.

Paul next gives Timothy's report: 
"But now that Timothy has come to us from you, and has brought us the good news of your faith and love and reported that you always remember us kindly and long to see us, as we long to see you— for this reason, brothers, in all our distress and affliction we have been comforted about you through your faith. For now we live, if you are standing fast in the Lord. For what thanksgiving can we return to God for you, for all the joy that we feel for your sake before our God, as we pray most earnestly night and day that we may see you face to face and supply what is lacking in your faith? Now may our God and Father himself, and our Lord Jesus, direct our way to you, and may the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, as we do for you, so that he may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints." (3:6-13, ESV)

This passage gives us a glimpse of Paul's heart. He is thrilled that the folks in Thessalonica have overcome all the opposition and are hanging in there. Paul had a lot on his plate, and one thing he surely didn't need was to hear about how the church had fallen on hard times. This is an encouragement for us to keep the faith, if only to be a blessing to those who have labored to bring us along, whether it be parents or a pastor or teacher. 

This also shows us how interconnected the body of Christ really is. We pay lip service to that a lot of times, but when we really see it, it makes a statement that all of the world can see.

TOMS: 1 Thessalonians 2

For an introduction to this series, click here.

October 7, 2007

I honestly wasn't prepared for this book to be this way. Thessalonians is quite the strange epistle. Practically half the book is a long, extended greeting. Anyway, let's get into it and see what we find.

"For you yourselves know, brothers, that our coming to you was not in vain. But though we had already suffered and been shamefully treated at Philippi, as you know, we had boldness in our God to declare to you the gospel of God in the midst of much conflict. For our appeal does not spring from error or impurity or any attempt to deceive, but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not to please man, but to please God who tests our hearts." (2:1-4)

One thing you can certainly say about Paul is that he was more concerned with spreading the gospel than he was about anything else. He was not going to be intimidated by anybody, not the Jews, not the Romans, and not false teachers in the church.

"For we never came with words of flattery, as you know, nor with a pretext for greed—God is witness. Nor did we seek glory from people, whether from you or from others, though we could have made demands as apostles of Christ. But we were gentle among you, like a nursing mother taking care of her own children. So, being affectionately desirous of you, we were ready to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own selves, because you had become very dear to us. For you remember, brothers, our labor and toil: we worked night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you, while we proclaimed to you the gospel of God. You are witnesses, and God also, how holy and righteous and blameless was our conduct toward you believers. For you know how, like a father with his children, we exhorted each one of you and encouraged you and charged you to walk in a manner worthy of God, who calls you into his own kingdom and glory." (2:5-12)

Paul did not care for money. It was nowhere near a top priority in his life. He did not care whether people gave or not. He was appreciative when they did give, and many of his letters include thanks for gifts they sent him. But if the Lord led him to a place, he stayed there. And if that meant making tents or doing something else to make ends meet, that's what he did. If you know me very well, you have probably heard me talking about Joseph, one of my mentors in college. He was from Singapore, and had experiences with a lot of missionaries working there. He was strongly convinced that if possible, a missionary who needed funds ought to find a job in his new country. This would not only provide some money but also gain him new contacts in the community. 

I don't know if I agree completely with everything he had to say about that, but I do know that it is easy for those in full-time ministry to become too focused on money. I have been in a few services (thankfully not too many) where the offering was the longest part of the service. The preacher or evangelist would get up and talk in endless spiritual platitudes about the blessings that come with giving, when it was obvious that all they were interested in was embarrassing people into giving a big offering. 

I have had the privilege of seeing my longtime pastor, Elmo Parker, be the exact opposite of this. I have known him all my life, and I know that he still supplements his income from his cattle farm. (8 years later, I'm not sure how much he does or is capable of doing on his farm.) If you have ever been around cattle, you know that it is hard work. He also worked in a factory in town for years while still pastoring, in some cases in churches nearly an hour away. He is not focused on money in the least. There have been times when he has forgotten to take up an offering, and there are more times when he almost apologized for taking one. He is probably more sensitive about it than he needs to be, but I admire him for that.

"And we also thank God constantly for this, that when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men but as what it really is, the word of God, which is at work in you believers. For you, brothers, became imitators of the churches of God in Christ Jesus that are in Judea. For you suffered the same things from your own countrymen as they did from the Jews, who killed both the Lord Jesus and the prophets, and drove us out, and displease God and oppose all mankind by hindering us from speaking to the Gentiles that they might be saved—so as always to fill up the measure of their sins. But wrath has come upon them at last!" (2:13-16, ESV)

This passage is one clue that this epistle was written fairly early in Paul's ministry. The Romans did not care about Christianity until the early 60s AD. The primary source of persecution and opposition in the first couple of decades of church history was the Jews, and Paul writes about them here.

TOMS: 1 Thessalonians 1

For an introduction to this series, click here.

October 6, 2007

This epistle was probably written by Paul a couple of years after Galatians, his first epistle, or at least the first one that is part of the Bible. Certainly it was written early in Paul's writing ministry. Among those who study these things there is no doubt on that point. This is a really short chapter, and so this will probably be short, too.

"We give thanks to God always for all of you, constantly mentioning you in our prayers, remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ." (1:2-3)

These people were obviously very special to Paul. The authorities and the Jews in Thessalonica were not very nice to Paul, but the believers there must have been wonderful people. Paul goes on to compliment them further:

"For we know, brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you, because our gospel came to you not only in word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction. You know what kind of men we proved to be among you for your sake. And you became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you received the word in much affliction, with the joy of the Holy Spirit, so that you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia. For not only has the word of the Lord sounded forth from you in Macedonia and Achaia, but your faith in God has gone forth everywhere, so that we need not say anything. For they themselves report concerning us the kind of reception we had among you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come." (1:4-10, ESV)

This is of course a typical greeting from Paul, but unfortunately (for my purpose) that's all there is to this chapter. I guess the people who divided these chapters didn't have me in mind. 

It is an amazing thing that God can do in the lives of His people. These Thessalonians were idol-worshipping heathens until they heard the gospel of the Lord Jesus. Paul says that they were such a testimony of God's grace that the work of spreading the gospel in the rest of Achaia (what is now Greece) was helped by their example. 

The end of this chapter mentions "the wrath to come" which is one of the main themes of this entire epistle. We will get to that in the next few days.