1 Thess - Chapter 4

The Apostle Paul is teaching the believers in Thessalonica how to live the Christian life in the face of persecution that surrounds them. This gives believers of today a solid teaching on how to live the Christian life as well.

1 Thessalonians - Chapter 4

How to Walk and Please God

When the Apostle Paul was in Thessalonica for three weeks the many months prior, he instructed the new believers in the basic matters of the Christian life.  He knew it was important that they grow in their faith.  In this letter, he continues to give them instruction on how to grow deeper in their walk with God.  They needed to understand that growth in the Lord was a progressive walk as they grew closer to the Lord and emulate the life of Jesus within.



1 Finally then, brethren, we urge and exhort in the Lord Jesus that you should abound more and more, just as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God; for you know what commandments we gave you through the Lord Jesus.

Paul begins this closing section of this letter, which we know of as chapter 4, with the word "finally."  The rest of his letter is reserved for practical instruction on how God wants His people to live in preparation for the Lord's return.  Paul is rejoicing and is thankful for the growth in the Thessalonian believers; however, he is still looking for them to grow even more in their walk with God.  Christian maturity is progressive and ongoing; even though we will not reach full maturity until we see Jesus face-to-face.  At that point, we will become fully mature - because  we will then be like Him.

See the source image

Another word for walk is "live" 
Walking with the Lord is a progressive spiritual journey where we grow in the ways of the Lord.  While we will never reach perfection in this life, even though we strive to do so, our full maturity will come at the end of our earthly journey as we enter into the presence of the Lord.  For when we do, we will be like Christ.

When growing as a Christian, new believers need a manual on how to live the Christian life.  Fortunately today, we have the Bible.  The new Jewish believers of the 1st century Thessalonica had the Torah, which are the first five books of the Old Testament; however, the Gentile new believers only had the verbal instructions given by the Apostle Paul in his short visit with them.  This letter then became their first letter of instruction on how to live their Christian lives and vital to their Christian growth.  This same letter is also instruction to us today as believers in our walk with God.  

For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you should abstain from sexual immorality; that each of you should know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor, not in passion of lust, like the Gentiles who do not know God; that no one should take advantage of and defraud his brother in this matter, because the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also forewarned you and testified. 

Whenever we read "for this is the will of God," we can be certain it is a command of God, not a suggestion.  These words were not from the Apostle Paul, but from God through the pen of the apostle.  God is simply using the apostle to convey his commands to His people.  Again, the word "sanctification" means we are set apart by God - for Him to do a work of holiness within us.

Which God?

God created within the heart of all mankind the inner knowledge that there is a god.  When mankind gives into his own sinful lust, however, he looks for a god of appeasement to fulfill that inward knowledge.  As such, the multiplication of gods are many.  The pagan Gentiles of the 1st century  worshipped many idols or gods.  They were very superstious, and as such, kept worshipping more and more gods to ease their conscience.  They had a god for every malady known to mankind.  That way, they thought they were covering their bases on sin. 

A commonality of pagan Gentilism was distinguished by sexual immorality.  Sexual orgies in the temple was an act of worship to their gods.  The ancient writer Demosthenes said this of the generally amoral view of sex in the ancient Roman Empire: “We keep prostitutes for pleasure; we keep mistresses for the day-to-day needs of the body, and we keep wives for the faithful guardianship of our homes.”  Chastity and sexual purity were almost unheard of virtues among the pagan Gentiles. 

Living the Sanctified Life

God, on the other hand, is calling His believers - Jew and Gentile alike - out from this world - set apart - to be separate from the patterns of this world.  God is commanding His believers to be sexually pure, taking their standards of sexual morality from God and not the culture of the land. 

  • While the Jewish believers were well acquainted with the command from God on sexual immorality from the teachings of the Torah, sexual purity was a whole new way of life for the Gentile believers. 
  • The Gentile world knew nothing of the holiness of the one true God, but chose to believe in their pagan gods which supported their sinful nature, the lusts of the flesh and whatever pleased their lower nature.  Those who did not restrain their sexual desires acted more like animals than humans, following every impulse without restraint.  Without them even realizing it, their sexual immorality was a sin against their own body (1 Corinthians 6:18).

The Gentiles certainly did not understand that believers in Jesus Christ had the indwelling Holy Spirit to help them walk purely before God.  When God gives a command, then it becomes a requirement for believers to obey God.  For those who refuse, they will continue to act upon the natural desires and walk a very carnal life until one day they return to their old life of unbelief in Jesus.  It happened back 2000 years ago and it is still happening today.

It does not matter what generation a believer lives in.  The patterns of the world has always looked at sex outside of marriage as a part of life. 
Whereas some generations are more loose than others, we live in a world today where sex outside of marriage, along with homosexuality, is an acceptive part of society. 

Christians are commanded by God to live differently than those who do not know God.   For if the did, they would know that Christians are equipped to walk the pure life because the Holy Spirit gives strength to do everything that God has commanded of them.  

It is not that God is against sex.  By far, no!  Within the confines of the marriage bed, sex is a beautiful act of love.  It bonds a husband and wife together more than any other act.  Sex is the expression of giving of one self to his or her spouse, and it is the design that God set up for the pro-creation of the next generation..  Christians live differently than the world when they possess their bodies in sanctification and in honor. 

Sexual immorality is the opposite of honor because it degrades and debases the self.

A Call to Holiness

See the source image

For God did not call us to uncleanness, but in holiness. Therefore he who rejects this does not reject man, but God, who has also given us His Holy Spirit.

Another meaning for the word uncleanness is sexual impurity.  Therefore, God did not call any believer to sexual impurity, but to live holy lives.  That is the beginning of holiness.  Any kind of sex outside of marriage is not only forbidden, but God has commanded His people to live holy lives.  Because we have the indwelling Holy Spirit, God makes it easy to be obedient to this command.  For the disobedient, God will punish those who refuse to obey God. 

God is telling us that if we reject and disobey this command, we are not rejecting man, we are rejecting and being disobedient to God.

1 Cor 6:18-20  Flee sexual immorality. Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body. 
19 Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? 
20 For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body 7and in your spirit, which are God’s.

When we came to Christ, we not only believed in Him with our head, but in our hearts that Jesus is truly God/Son of God Who shed his blood on the cross for our sins.  God rose Him from the dead and one day we too will rise from the dead.  We now belong to Christ.  As such, God know owns us and is asking to glorify Him with our spirit/soul and body.  Sexual immorality is a sin outside the body and against our body. 

Image result for we belong to Christ

We have been given the Holy Spirit, who empowers the willing, trusting Christian to overcome sexual sin.  By His Spirit, God has given us the resources for victory; we are then responsible to use those resources.

An Orderly Life of Brotherly Love

But concerning brotherly love you have no need that I should write to you, for you yourselves are taught by God to love one another; 10 and indeed you do so toward all the brethren who are in all Macedonia. But we urge you, brethren, that you increase more and more; 

The Apostle Paul received such a good report of the brotherly love these new believers were showing not only to the believers within their church, but to everyone they met.  Their reputation followed them to where believers from all over Macedonia knew who they were.   The apostle was so happy to hear about the love they expressed to those around them. 

While their love walk was very commentable, the apostle was asking them to increase their love walk, because love for God and love for others is a progression as we purpose to grow in our faith.  

11 that you also aspire to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you, 12 that you may walk properly toward those who are outside, and that you may lack nothing.

Manual labor was despised by the ancient Greek culture.  Many of the rich had slaves to do their menial tasks.  The Greek belief was the better a man was, the less he should work.  This is one of the reasons that Christianity was more widely accepted by the poorer class of Gentiles, including the slaves, but not accepted by a lot of wealthy Gentiles.  The more wealthy and elitist Gentiles aspired to be even more rich, be involved in the public eye, which included entertainment and the night life, and of course being involved in politics.  Is it any different today?  The addiction of self gratification damages a person spiritually and definitely harms the culture of the people. 

Most people eventually tire of the busy lifestyle of self and ends up looking for something better to bring fulfillment in life. 
Often, that does not happen to later on in life.

Again, the Christian life was polorized from that of the Gentiles.  The apostle commanded that believers "aspire," which means to strive toward, to lead a quiet, peaceful life, don't meddle in other people's affairs, but center on you and your family.  The apostle also commands that believer work with their own hands - not take on slaves, but do your own work.  In addition, there is an honor and pride in doing your own work.  This so went against the greediness of the Gentiles.  We need to live the quiet life so that we can have time and attention to listening to God.  When we do, we open up the opportunity to get to know God in a deeper way. 

When we combine the love of our brothers with work, this is pleasing to God. People who are not yet believers will see our example and hopefully be influenced to become followers of Jesus.  Christians live in a looking glass, always on display.  As such, we need to set the example of Christ to others.   A Christian will never have reason to regret what he or she has done, because the Christian life is the real life to aspire to.  

Concerning Believers Who Have Died

13 But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope.

The Apostle Paul now addresses the main concern of the Thessalonian believers - what about those who have already died.  Where are they now?

Back in the 1st century, sleep was a common expression for death.  For Jews and believers alike, the word sleep emphasized the idea of rest while it awaits the coming of the Messiah to bring the body back to God.  For Jews, they rest in the hope of their coming Messiah's 1st coming.  For a Christian, however, they knew that Christ's first coming already occurred when He came to earth and died for the sins of the world 2000 years ago.  As such, these early Christians await for Christ to come again in the clouds and gather His Body in the Rapture of the Church.  Two different events.

The Jewish View on Burial

Under the Mosaic Law, the Jews have always treated the bodies that died with respect, knowing that the body belongs to God and it must be treated with respect as it lays in the grave awaiting the Messiah to bring the body back to Him.  Christians, from the beginning have followed the same law believing the body would join Christ at the Rapture of the Church when Christ will gather those who sleep in Him and resurrect them into heaven.  At that time, the bodies of those asleep would receive their glorified bodies for all eternity. 

The Early Christian View on Burial

According to the 1st century Christians, the body of a believer has been the temple of the Holy Spirit, and as such, must always be treated with respect even after death as the body awaits Christ's return.  As such, underground graves or catacombs have been used to store the bodies. 

  • The body was prepared immediately for burial and buried within a day or two. 
  • In no way would any autopsy be allowed because that would desecrate the body. 

Absent From the Body - Present With the Lord

We must understand that those asleep refers to the dead bodies of believers in Christ.  The Word of God tells us that the spirit/soul of the person who died goes immediately to heaven to be with Christ until the time of the Rapture of the Church when the earthy bodies will arise to join their spirit/soul into a glorified body (2 Cor 5:8).  Their spirits remain fully alive.  

 
There is an erroneous idea of soul sleep with some Christians where the spirit/soul of the departed remains in a state of suspended animation, waiting for the time when Christ will wake them at the time of the rapture.  That is false. 

Burial Versus Cremation

Its interesting to note that the early Christians began to call their burial places cemeteries, which meant, dormitories or sleeping places.  It was considered to  be a waiting place of rest, peace or comfort for the sleeper. (1) 

For Gentile pagans the word sleep meant eternal sleep, never to awaken, and it was never meant to be a place of rest, peace or comfort. 

  • The Gentiles showed little respect for the body, and as such, believing in eternal sleep, generally disposed the body by burning.  Cremation (or fire) was the primary way of disposing a body believing the dead carcasss polluted the earth. 

Today, many Christian have chosen and will continue to choose cremation over burial.  Comfort yourself in knowing that God certainly knows how to gather His body to Himself who have been cremated, buried, or wherever their remains are located.   

In the few weeks the Apostle Paul was with the Thessalonians, he emphasized the soon return of Jesus, and the Thessalonians earnestly believed it. This was part of the reason that they were the kind of church Paul complimented so highly. Yet after Paul left, they wondered about those Christians who died before Jesus came back. They were troubled by the idea that these Christians might miss out on that great future event and that they might miss the victory and blessing of Jesus’ coming.

As Christians, we may mourn the death of other Christians; but not as others who have no hope. Our sorrow is like the sadness of seeing someone off on a long trip, knowing you will see them again, but not for a long time.

14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus.

The Dead in Christ Shall Arise

God has given us such a wonderful promise.  If we believe that Jesus died and rose again, so will we arise from the dead.  Jesus' life and death has been our example of what will happen to His followers.  We have more than a wishful hope of resurrection.  We have God's promise on it.  For the Thessalonian Christians, this was comforting to them for those who have already died.  Their death did not mean they missed their opportunity.  This is why we do not sorrow as those who have no hope. 

When a sinner dies, we mourn for them. When a believer dies, we only mourn for ourselves, because they are with the Lord. 

15 For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. 16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 

The Apostle Paul is assuring the Thessalonian believers that what he is saying here IS the word of the Lord.  It is not his opinion, but God speaking forth His Truth.  Jesus will descend from heaven and with the voice of an archangel sounding forth the trumpet of God, Jesus will shout with a loud authoritative command for the dead in Christ to arise from the grave.  We have here the last trump signaling the close of the life of the church on earth.  From all over the earth, the graves of the believers will instantly open and their bodies will arise.  The sea will give up its dead, and all those bodies that have turned to scattered ashes will come together to meet Christ in the air.  Some bodies have been asleep for 2000 years, while others have been in the grave only a short period of time.  Regardless, all the dead in Christ will arise to meet Jesus first in the clouds to receive their glorified bodies.  The apostle wanted the Thessalonian believers to know that because the believers who have previously died are not at a disadvantage of meeting Christ at the resurrection.  They will arise first.  This we know - by the word of the Lord!

  • Many wonder how and why the dead in Christ are raised first.  Questions among believers are asking:  Are the spirit/souls living presently in Paradise in heaven disembodied spirits who have been waiting for this final resurrection to receive their glorified bodies? 
  • Other may insist that in Paradise believers do have a form of body while they await this resurrection, relying on what others who have had out-of-body experiences of going to heaven and coming back claim that they have recognize loved ones there.  Those who have had visions of heaven say the same thing.
    • I have had numerous visions of heaven, and I have most definitely have recognized my loved ones in heaven.  As such, I suppport this view.
  • Still others conjecture that the dead in Christ experience their resurrection immediately. 
    • That, however, would negate any reason why the dead bodies of believers would need to rise from the grave. 
    • We know the Word of God says that we will be resurrected to receive our glorified body in the same way Jesus was resurrected and received His.

      Jesus died and His body was buried.  His Spirit/Soul went to Paradise.  On the 3rd day, God arose His dead body and His Spirit/Soul to join together into His glorified body.

The Apostle Paul made it clear in other scripture that to be absent from the body means to be present with the Lord (2 Corinthians 5:8).  In other words, immediately upon death, all believers go right into the presence of God.  Their spirit/souls will be joined to Christ in Paradise.  In the meantime, their dead bodies are not in some kind of soul sleep or suspended animation, but asleep in the grave awaiting the shout of the Lord to come forth to be joined to their spirits to receive their glorified bodies.  

17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.

Those alive and remaining until this coming of Jesus are caught up to meet Jesus in the air, or the clouds, together with the dead in Jesus who rose just ahead of those alive on the earth.  The verb "caught up" means to seize, or to carry off by force.  In the ancient Greek, the phrase "to meet" was used as a technical term to describe the official welcoming of honored guests. 

This scripture then explains the doctrine of the Rapture of the Church, which is the catching away of believers to meet Jesus in the clouds.  As we meet Him, He will welcome us as honored guests and escort us into the Holy City in heaven - the place He has been preparing for us as our new home (John 14:1-3).  If Paul believed Christians would go through the great tribulation, he would count the dead in Christ as more fortunate than those living Christians who might very well have to endure the great tribulation.  That is not the case.

The word "rapture" is not a Greek word, but comes from the Latin Vulgate word "rapturus," which means to be caught up." 
Translating that in English means "rapture."

When Jesus comes, He will come personally.  With a shout of authority and urgency, the believers on the earth will look up and rise to join those who were asleep to meet Christ in the air.  The rapture will not be silent or secret to believers; however, the vast majority of people on the earth will have no idea that the greatest event of the Church has just taken place.  

While believers may have disagreements as to when this event will happen, by the study of all end-time scripture, it becomes very clear that it will happen right before the seven-year Tribulation Period upon the earth, followed by the 2nd return of Christ at the Battle of Armageddon.  If the Apostle Paul believed the Christians left alive on the earth would be going through the seven-year Tribulation Period, he would have warned them about worse trials and suffering ahead, rather than hold the promise of a rest and comfort.  More will be discussed in the Study of the Epistle of 2 Thessalonians.

18 Therefore comfort one another with these words

Paul did not tell them to take comfort, because we already have the Comforter living within us through the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit to give us comfort whenever we need it.  The apostle is saying here that we are to give out comfort to one another.  We do that by allowing the Holy Spirit to work in and through us to give whatever is necessary to comfort those in need.

End Notes

(1)  History of Catholic Cemeteries - Catholic Cemeteries of the Archdiocese of Washington - Washington, DC (ccaw.org)

Written by Pastor Joyce A. Erickson

Believers Bible School, Founder https://believersbibleschool.com/