The Thessalonian Epistles
The Duties of Believers II
Lesson XV
1 Thessalonians 5:14-28
Written: September 18, 2004
1 Thessalonians 5:14-28
(14) Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are
unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all
[men].
(15) See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but
ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all [men].
(16) Rejoice evermore.
(17) Pray without ceasing.
(18) In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of
God in Christ Jesus concerning you.
(19) Quench not the Spirit.
(20) Despise not prophesyings.
(21) Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.
(22) Abstain from all appearance of evil.
(23) And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and
[I pray God] your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto
the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
(24) Faithful [is] he that calleth you, who also will do
[it].
(25) Brethren, pray for us.
(26) Greet all the brethren with an holy kiss.
(27) I charge you by the Lord that this epistle be read
unto all the holy brethren.
(28) The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ [be] with you.
Amen.
In
concluding his first letter to the Thessalonians, Paul lists a number of exhortations
to them and thus to all believers. We
note that there are four of these in verse 14.
The
first, “warn the unruly”. In our last
paper we considered these words.
Now
the second exhortation in the verse is “comfort the feebleminded.” That is, encourage the timid, it does not
mean ‘simple minded.’
1 Corinthians 1:3
(3) Grace [be] unto you, and peace, from God our Father,
and [from] the Lord Jesus Christ.
2 Corinthians 1:11
(11) Ye also helping together by prayer for us, that for
the gift [bestowed] upon us by the means of many persons thanks may be given by
many on our behalf.
God
is the source of all comfort (1 Corinthians 1:3) and that includes
encouragement. As we write, 2
Corinthians 1:11 comes to mind. “Ye also
helping together by prayer for us…”. What better way to encourage others than by
prayer for them. What better way to
comfort others than by prayer for them.
We often think of a dear soul who had a son in the front of the battle
in the Second World War. What comfort
she received from a brief prayer. Our
prayers with her were not great in themselves, and we were not conscious of any
great anointing, but they always were a comfort to her.
The
third exhortation, “support the weak.”
Romans 14:1
(1) Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, [but] not
to doubtful disputations.
Romans
14:1 says “Him that is weak in the faith receive ye but not to doubtful disputations.”
The R.S.V. says, “… but not for disputes over opinions.” The T.C.N.T. “…but not for the purpose of
passing judgment on their scruples.” We
gather that the Spirit would have us support others with the right motives.
The
last exhortation in verse 14, “be patient toward all …”
Ephesians 4:2
(2) With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering,
forbearing one another in love;
In
Ephesians 4:2 we read: walk worthy “with all lowliness and meekness, with
longsuffering, forbearing one another in love;”
We
all understand the words ‘short-tempered.’
Patience and longsuffering are the opposite or ‘long-tempered.” Putting up with things that bother us.
Then
in 1 Thessalonians 5:15 two words stand out:
“evil” and “good.”
Hebrews 5:14
(14) But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full
age, [even] those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern
both good and evil.
Romans 12:19
(19) Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but [rather]
give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance [is] mine; I will repay,
saith the Lord.
Romans 12:21
(21) Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with
good.
Romans 13:3-4
(3) For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the
evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and
thou shalt have praise of the same:
(4) For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But
if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain:
for he is the minister of God, a revenger to [execute] wrath upon him that
doeth evil.
Proverbs 15:3
(3) The eyes of the LORD [are] in every place, beholding
the evil and the good.
Isaiah 5:20
(20) Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil;
that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet,
and sweet for bitter!
Hebrews 5:14 “strong meat belongeth
to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses
exercised to discern both good and
evil.”
Romans 12:19 “ …I would have you wise unto that which is
good and simple concerning evil.”
Romans 12:21 “Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.”
Romans 13:3 “For rulers are not a terror to good works
,but to the evil.”
Romans 13:4 of rulers, “For he is a minister of God to
thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid…”
Proverbs 15:3 “The eyes of the Lord are in every place,
beholding the evil and the good.”
Isaiah 5:20 “Woe unto them that call evil good and good
evil…”
Reading
the Bible does make us see the conditions of today in a different light. We face the same conditions as in the days of
the prophets. Abortion is accepted as
being good and capital punishment as being evil. We slay the innocent and think it is good
while we let the guilty go free. We
accept homosexuality as being good and marriage of man and woman as being out
of date. We live in a mixed-up
world. But as Christians we are to
follow that which is good.
1
Thessalonians 5:16. “Rejoice evermore.”
The
exhortation seems almost misplaced. How can one rejoice in the midst of a
crooked and perverse nation? Brother
Walter Smith said, “If we followed this exhortation we would not have time to
complain.” The thought came to mind as I
was writing, we can rejoice always in the fact that this world is not our home
we will not have to live in such conditions in our eternity.
1
Thessalonians 5:17 “Pray without
ceasing.”
How
can we do that? Live in an attitude of
prayer, it does not mean we are to always be on our knees, but always drawing on
the mercy and grace of God.
Hebrews 4:16
(16) Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of
grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.
1
Thessalonians
Ephesians 5:20
(20) Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the
Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;
Ephesians 5:20 “Giving thanks always for all things.” We can only do that if we believe Romans 8:28
that God is working all things together for our good.
Romans 8:28
(28) And we know that all things work together for good
to them that love God, to them who are the called according to [his] purpose.
1
Thessalonians 5:19. “Quench not the
Spirit.”
Ephesians
4:29-32 gives us the list of those things that do quench the Spirit.
1
Thessalonians 5:20-21 “Despise not prophesyings. Prove all things; hold fast that which is
good.”
1 Corinthians 14:3
(3) But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men [to]
edification, and exhortation, and comfort.
Prophecy
is speaking unto men (1 Corinthians 14:3).
If what is spoken does not edify, reject it. Prove what is spoken to be right or wrong by
Scripture alone.
Remember
“They who are filled with the Spirit are most occupied with the Son.” (F.B.
Meyer)
1
Thessalonians 5:22 “Abstain from all
appearance of evil.” Knox translation: “Reject
all that has a look of evil about it.”
The
conclusion of the Epistles is in verses 23-28.
Paul prays for the Thessalonians that they may be preserved blameless
until the Coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
The lesson: we cannot keep ourselves, we have to be kept by the power of
God; that prayer will be answered because God is faithful (verse 24).
Then
Paul asks that they pray for him. Again
we look at the words in 2 Corinthians 1:11, “helping together by prayer….” Do we always remember that we help others
most by our prayers for them? And when
we pray for people our greetings will be with a “holy kiss”.
Verse
27 has too often been over-looked. “I
charge you by the Lord that this epistle be read unto all the holy
brethren.” Such words are not found in
Paul’s other epistles.
Paul
by the Spirit charged Timothy “to preach the Word.”(2 Timothy 4:1-2) Here he charges the Thessalonians to read,
and keep reading this letter.
2 Timothy 4:1-2
(1) I charge [thee] therefore before God, and the Lord
Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his
kingdom;
(2) Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season;
reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.
What
a different history of the Church could have been written if this charge had been
taken seriously. There would be no
believers denying the Rapture if that charge had been followed.
The
grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.