Sanctification (1 Thessalonians 5:23-24)

Paul’s expectation for his readers was based on God’s goal for them. God’s intention is to present all of them faultless before the presence of his glory. The occasion of complete sanctification will be the day of Jesus’ second coming.

Verse 23 has been at the centre of theological discussions regarding the nature of each human. Paul seems to indicate that each person has three parts – a spirit, a soul and a body. We can understand the distinction between one’s body and one’s inner life, but we find it difficult to distinguish between aspects of one’s inner life. Perhaps the following will help.

First, this threefold description of human nature is not the only description that God gives in his Word. Elsewhere he describes humans as having a mind, affections and a will. At other times, each of them are included in the general term ‘heart’. So it is possible to speak about human life in more than one way.

Second, the writer to the Hebrews (4:16) says that ‘the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.’ In other words, the Bible can distinguish between the soul and the spirit, and since the Lord knows how to do so we don’t need to worry overmuch about how it happens.

Third, sometimes the Bible uses the terms spirit and soul interchangeably, as in the well-known response of Mary, the mother of Jesus, when she said in Luke 1:46- 47: ‘My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour.’ So whereas the above-mentioned distinction may be true at times, on other occasions the terms mean the same.

Whatever is meant by soul and spirit, it is clear that Paul wanted the entirety of each believer to be sanctified, both in this life and on the day when Jesus returns. Sanctification involves the whole person. It is a big biblical theme. So here are some thoughts about it. 

In thinking about sanctification, we can observe that it is produced by God’s power, that it progresses in God’s realm of peace, and that it involves the entire person. 

Sanctification from one point of view takes place in a hostile environment influenced by the world, the flesh and the devil. Yet from another point of view it takes place in a peaceful environment: it is performed in and by those who are at peace with God and is achieved in those who experience the limitless range of God’s resources. Justification is the base of our sanctification and it is achieved in those who have been adopted into God’s family and who have a right to all the privileges of the sons of God.

Further, sanctification always produces a balanced person. Healthy physical growth is in proportion. If one leg grows six inches less than the other we know there is something wrong. We also grow suitably in the spiritual life. For example, we cannot claim to be growing in love if we are argumentative all the time. The best example of balanced growth is the list of graces mentioned by Paul as the fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22-23). Balance also involves the body as well as the soul – we should not allow the body to become a means of sinful behaviour.

We should note how Paul speaks about the coming of Jesus The apostle looks forward to that great occasion because it will be the time when his body will be glorified (he speaks about this in Philippians 3:20-21 also). He is longing for it to come.

Paul’s confidence in the certainty of this great future event is not found in the intentions of Christians to live holy lives. Rather he bases his confidence in the faithfulness of God. He is faithful to his character, to his Word, to his promises, and to his people. God cannot deny himself, nor can he contradict his Word or fail to keep his promises to his people. They will be sanctified.

Benediction (1 Thessalonians 5:23-24)

Both the Old and New Testaments contain several benedictions, which indicates that flexibility is allowed in what is said through them. A benediction is not the same as a doxology – a doxology is a statement of praise. Most people, I think, regard a benediction as a form of prayer. Such a view is not wrong, but we need to be more specific when working out what it is. It is more a pronouncement than a petition, although it is composed of petitions. Further they are words that contain definite promises from God. 

What does Paul say in this benediction? The focus of a benediction is on God, sometimes on a particular attribute, at other times on God as the Trinity. Here Paul describes the Lord as the God of peace. What does that mean?

Here, Paul is speaking about the Heavenly Father. In calling him the God of peace, Paul includes the ideas of the Father being at peace with the Thessalonians and the Father providing peace for the Thessalonians. So the apostle wants his readers to think about their relationship with God and the resources they have in God.

At one time, the Father was not in a relationship of peace with them. Instead there was hostility and disagreement. They were opposed to God and under his wrath, facing punishment for their sins. The way they came into peace with him was by believing in Jesus and trusting in him for mercy. This state of peace is unchangeable, even by their subsequent sins. Of course, they will be chastised for such sins, but the chastisement is a family experience.

The resources that the Father has for his people are covered by the term ‘peace’. When two equal countries are in a state of peace they can contribute equally to one another’s requirements. If one country is very poor and the other is very rich, then the poor country receives help according to the resources of the wealthy country. In the spiritual world believers have nothing in themselves and everything they need is found in God. Under the umbrella of peace, we can place all that God does for them – pardon, providence working for their good, progress in the life of grace, promises kept, and the prospect of heaven.

It is good to mention divine peace in a benediction. But Paul mentions the matter of sanctification in his benediction, and we can think about it tomorrow. Meanwhile, thank God for his peace.

Leadership, the congregation and the Spirit (1 Thessalonians 5:12-21)

What does it mean to live as children of light in a community that is in spiritual darkness? Paul gives answers to this question in the passage beginning at verse 12. The first matter that he deals with is leadership issues in verse 12 and 13.

At one level, we are surprised to find mention made of leaders in the congregation. After all, Paul and his colleagues had not been there very long when they had to leave the city because of opposition. Yet Timothy, when he returned from his visit to the church, was able to report to Paul that the congregation had suitable leaders. These leaders may have been converts from the synagogue who had places of authority in it, or they have been individuals whom God raised up quickly within the congregation because of the current need to have them. In any case, they were there.

What kind of leaders were these men? It is important to note the order Paul gives of their practice: they functioned together (unity), they laboured among the congregation (they realised they were servants), they recognised their position was a spiritual one (in the Lord), and they admonished when necessary (gave advice and correction). When that order is followed, problems can be avoided. Very simple and straightforward. Of course, they have to be done in a spirit of brotherly love.

Since they had this kind of elders, Paul informs the Thessalonians of the attitude they should have towards the leadership – a combination of respect and love, or admiration and affection. What Paul means is that the way to show respect is by love. Paul here is giving a general principle for church life: love between the leadership and the congregation.

Having dealt briefly with attitudes between the leaders and the members of the church in Thessalonica, Paul now turns to how the congregation should relate to one another. He mentions an overriding concern (live in peace) and then lists possible causes of trouble that would cause disharmony. 

In verse 14, he mentions three causes of trouble: the first are those classified as disturbers (they are individuals who are discontented, not getting involved); the second group are the discouraged (they become fainthearted because of the pressures of the Christian life); the third group are the delicate (those unable to do anything).

Paul expects three responses from the church: one is that it is the responsibility of Christians to deal with such matters, the second is that he does not expect each group to be treated the same, and the third is that each group requires patience and dedication from others. The discontented need ongoing advice, the discouraged need ongoing encouragement, and the delicate (probably those unable to discern what is right and wrong) need ongoing support (the word translated ‘help’ means ‘hold fast’).

In verse 15, Paul highlights the inappropriateness of revenge, of getting one’s own back on another person who has done something wrong (this instruction was pertinent in a situation where persecution was taking place, although its application is not limited to hostile environments). Instead of revenge, the response is to search out for ways by which good can be done for the offending person, whether he is a Christian or not. Indeed the term translated ‘seek’ means ‘to pursue, to persecute’, which suggests that Paul expected his readers to show us much energy in doing good as their opponents did in attacking them. Such a response is more than forgiveness, and it is difficult; yet it is Christlike – Jesus went about doing good.

Paul is informing the Thessalonians of mutual responsibilities that, when practised, results in a healthy church. For them to remain one in heart required ongoing attitudes to one another. But they were not the only ongoing attitudes that were necessary for a healthy church. In addition to having right relationships with the leadership and with the laity, they had to have right relationships with the Lord (vv. 16-21). 

In these verses Paul deals with matters connected to practices that are more focussed on fellowship with God. First, he mentions three responses that he links to the revealed will of God. The three are joy, prayer and gratitude. Each of them is ongoing (rejoice always, pray without ceasing, thankful in all circumstances), each of them is a command, and each of them is directed towards God. They are connected. Therefore, if a Christian has to deal with any of the problems mentioned in the previous verses, he should do so joyfully, prayerfully and thankfully. The input of God, obtained by prayer, means that efforts to bring about harmony will be successful.

The greatest disaster that can come upon a church is the quenching of the Spirit. Behind this illustration is the idea of a fire being saturated with water and dying out. In the context, the Thessalonians would quench the Spirit by indifference to one another’s problems, by prayerlessness when dealing with one another, and by ignoring messages that came to them from God (prophesying). We should imagine the Thessalonian church as set on fire by the Spirit. The church is marked by burning love, burning eagerness, burning ambitions for God’s glory, burning desire for knowing more about him. 

Can that fire be put out? Yes, warns Paul, if relationships are not right with the leadership, with the congregation and with the Lord. Therefore, he says, they should test everything, even claims said to be from God, and cling to what is good and avoid all that is wrong.

Wearing the breastplate and helmet (1 Thessalonians 5:8-10)

Paul uses a familiar illustration when he mentions two items of a soldier’s armour (he wrote this illustration several years before his more famous and longer description of the Christian’s armour found in Ephesians 6). The first is the breastplate, which he says is connected to faith and love, and the second is the helmet, which he says is connected to hope. 

Here is another example of the common trilogy of faith, love and hope, and this trilogy is the prerequisite for sober living because of the return of Jesus. So we cannot wait appropriately for the second coming if faith, love and hope are absent from our spiritual lives.

The breastplate covered the soldier’s chest and protected his heart and lungs. It is not difficult to see that the heart can depict the affections – the use of a person’s physical heart in this way is common throughout the world. What are the predominant affections in a believer’s heart? There is a difference between affections and emotions, so a different answer would be given if my question was, ‘What are the predominant emotions in a believer’s heart?’ For example, peace and joy are emotions, but they are not affections. They are often the outcome of affections, of course.

According to Paul here, a believer with healthy affections is marked by love and faith. In everyday life, love for a person is usually accompanied by dependence on that person. A husband should love his wife and trust her, and vice versa. With regard to Jesus, we love him for his person and for his work. He is God and man and we see beauty in each of his natures, and in the way each of them contributed to our salvation. And the various features that make him beautiful and desirable also make him worthy of our trust.

Paul mentions elsewhere that faith works by love (Gal. 5:6). Sometimes we wonder how we can increase our faith in Jesus. I suppose the answer to that concern is that we should increase our love for Jesus and then our faith will become more strong and active. The reality is that they should exist together, and help protect us in our spiritual warfare as God empowers us to have them.

The other piece of armour that Paul mentions is the helmet which protected a soldier’s head and eyes. The application is obvious – we need to have informed minds and clear vision. 

The particular doctrine that Paul says will protect their thinking and their vision is the hope of salvation, and he explains this aspect of salvation in verses 9 and 10. We can break down this phrase in order to understand what Paul means. 

The word ‘hope’ is a common one among us, but often it is not used with its proper meaning. We usually use it with a measure of uncertainty when speaking about personal salvation. Yet the New Testament meaning is an expression of assurance, of anticipating a guaranteed experience. Here Paul says that what protects our mind is not a vague outlook but a strong confidence that something will happen.

The something that will happen is salvation. Here again is a word that needs to be clarified. Usually we give it one meaning whereas it has three. We usually use it with the meaning of past salvation, which a sinner obtains by asking God for pardon. In addition there is a present expression of salvation in that God delivers his people from the power of sin and from their enemies; and there is a future expression of salvation when God eventually delivers his people from the presence of their sins at the resurrection when Jesus returns. The particular aspect Paul has in mind is future salvation.

This aspect was of relevance to his readers because some of their Christian friends had died. If Jesus did not return soon, then they too would die as well. They needed assurance that should they die they would still experience salvation for their bodies as well as their souls. The way to get assurance was not to make up a new doctrine but to think about the doctrines they already knew.

What about the second coming? (1 Thessalonians 5:1-7)

The way in which Paul begins verse 1 suggests that he is answering a question raised by the Thessalonians with Timothy when he had revisited the congregation. If that is the case, then we should be grateful for the answers given by Paul because they give information that we also need to know.

The first detail to observe is the title that Paul uses for the second coming – he calls it ‘the day of the Lord’. While it is possible that Paul only means a significant day for Jesus, it is more likely that the apostle has in mind a common Old Testament description for God’s divine activity at the end of human history as we know it. It does not describe a twenty-four day, but an occasion in which God will judge his enemies and bless his people. 

The Old Testament closes anticipating this day, and Malachi 4 mentions that the wicked will be punished and the righteous will be exalted. Paul is exhorting the Thessalonians to recall what they had been told by Paul and his colleagues and listen to what the scriptures (in this case, the Old Testament) have to say on the topic rather than listen to speculations and surmisings.

The second aspect that Paul stresses is that the second coming will be sudden, that it will happen when many will not expect it. Indeed he seems to indicate that it will occur during a period of prosperity when many will feel secure and enjoy peace (they will be asleep, as it were). So there is no need to imagine that the second coming will be preceded by a time of trouble and difficulty in economics or politics. The fact is that no-one knows when the second coming will take place.

For what it is worth, it seems to me that the New Testament gives three signs that have to be fulfilled before Jesus will return. One is that the gospel will be preached throughout the world (Matt. 24:14); the second is that the Jewish race will experience a spiritual revival (Rom. 11:12); and the third is that the antichrist will be revealed (2 Thess. 2:1-12). The first has happened, the second could occur suddenly and may not last long, and the third will not take place until just before Jesus comes. Therefore, it is not possible for us to say that Jesus will come today, but neither is it possible to say that Jesus will not come for a long time.

Third, Paul mentions that the second coming will be solemn because it will mean destruction for those who don’t trust in Jesus. The apostle stresses that none will escape this awful experience, the consequence of living in opposition to God throughout their lives. In passing, we can note that Paul’s uses very vivid illustrations as he expresses the suddenness and awfulness of this future day. A thief suggests loss and the pain of a pregnant woman suggests agony.

Fourth, Paul highlights how Christians are to live as they wait for the coming of this great day. Their basic attitude is to be one of soberness. A sober person is one who is in control of his faculties, especially his mind, unlike a drunk person whose mind is not functioning properly. Paul uses another illustration, that of a sentry on duty or of a soldier in battle, to depict sober living. Such a soldier was self-controlled, always alert for the arrival of a visitor.

The experience of the church (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18)

So the King is on his way. What happens to his people who have died? Paul informs us that ‘the dead in Christ will rise first’, that is before all believers are caught up to meet him. So a resurrection of Christians will take place and then all believers will ascend to meet the coming Lord. 

We should keep in mind the allusion Paul is making to the visit of an emperor. When such a person drew near the city, a delegation of important people went out to meet him and then escorted him into the city. Believers shall ascend to greet the returning Christ and then join him as he is revealed to other inhabitants.

The reference to clouds is not likely connected to clouds in the sky. Two possible meanings are that clouds refer to large numbers (the great cloud of witnesses in Hebrews 11) or to the glory that came down when God was present (the cloud on the Mount of Transfiguration). Both meanings would true here, but I suspect the second is in view.

Paul does not mean that Christians are confined to the atmosphere for ever. Instead he has been using apocalyptic imagery to describe an awesome event that is unexplainable by the normal use of words. Yet despite its mysterious features, the core elements are very clear. When Jesus returns, those of his followers who have died will not miss out on spiritual blessings. Instead they will be resurrected and then participate with the living believers in all that the Lord has for them.

Paul does not want us to investigate this great future event in order to satisfy our curiosity. Instead we should use it to derive comfort regarding the departed saints. They are resting, they will be resurrected and they will be reunited with all God’s people in the company of the Lord. They will then participate in his endless reign and share with him his rich inheritance. There is plenty to comfort our souls now from our future glory.

The appearance of Jesus (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18)

In verse 16 Paul uses the visit of an emperor to a city to depict the return of Jesus. Such an occasion would be an important one for a city and we can imagine the excitement and concern that would be felt. The emperor would be accompanied by his entourage and would give a display that revealed his authority and power. In a far higher manner Jesus will return with his entourage and with a display that will reveal his authority and power.

When an emperor visited a city, he would descend to that location from Rome, the capital city. Jesus will come from the place of government, from heaven itself. We don’t know where heaven is. From one perspective, heaven is a great distance away because we cannot locate it; from another perspective, it is very near because it takes less than a second to journey from here to heaven (‘absent from the body, present with the Lord’).

Paul mentions three accompanying features about the arrival of Jesus: the cry of command, the voice of the archangel, and the sound of the trumpet of God. The cry of command is probably a reference to the resurrection of the dead. In John 5:25-29, Jesus predicted this event: ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, an hour is coming, and is now here, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself. And he has given him authority to execute judgment, because he is the Son of Man. Do not marvel at this, for an hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice and come out, those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment.’ This cry is a cry of authority.

The voice of the archangel is a reference to the army of Jesus. An emperor would have been accompanied by select soldiers and Jesus will be accompanied by angelic hosts under the leadership of an archangel (only one is mentioned in the Bible, Michael). Jesus had predicted that, when he returned, he ‘will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other’ (Matt. 24:31). 

The sound of the trumpet of God refers to the fulfilment of Old Testament passages which signalled the ingathering of God’s people to their home. At the time when Paul lived, a trumpet was sounded on special occasions or when special announcements were about to be made. Here it is announced that the King is coming and that he is about to gather his people to himself.

What a wonderful Day!

The Morning Will Come (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18)

Sometimes, before we go to bed we will make plans for the morning. It is good to do so in a spiritual sense as well. So we can ask ourselves, ‘What are our plans for the day that Jesus returns?’ The obvious factor of that day is that we shall see Jesus. 

But who is the Jesus that we shall see? Paul answers that question in verse 14. Jesus is the one who died and rose again, who has already experienced resurrection victory. Paul is reminding his readers that God had a purpose for his church in everything that Jesus has done or will yet do.

On that morning, those who have died in Christ and have been in heaven with God will have a special experience of fellowship with God. This is the second detail that Paul wants the living to know about what will happen to their dead friends. The first was that they are asleep, the second is that their heavenly Father, who will be sending Jesus back to earth, will bring his adopted family members along with their Elder Brother. They will not be left behind in heaven. This will be an event that they will never have gone through during their time in heaven. It will be something new, and it will be marvellous for them. We should be filled with joy as we anticipate this wonderful prospect.

Paul informs his readers that he has divine authority for this confident statement. He explains his source of knowledge as a word from the Lord. I suspect this is information that was given to Paul and his friends by special revelation suitable to his role as an apostle and Silas’ role as a prophet (such persons in the New Testament period received such knowledge in an infallible way). Perhaps they had been praying for insight to help the Thessalonians or perhaps they had known this particular detail for a long time.

Paul mentions the obvious point that a generation will be alive when Jesus returns. From a natural point of view, those who would see this event would be the ones still alive. Paul says that we are not to think of this event from that perspective. Instead he states that those still living will not have priority over the ones who have died. How will this be? Those who have died will be raised first and then together they will see the Lord.

We will think about what that will be like tomorrow.

The second coming of Jesus (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18)

It looks as if some members of the Thessalonian church had died during the few weeks since Paul and his friends had been with them. In this passage Paul’s main concern is that his readers will understand the future experiences of those who have died. It seems that Paul had not been able to complete his intended teaching before he was forced to leave the city. There were aspects of the second coming about which the Thessalonians were uninformed, so Paul now makes up that lack.

In passing we can observe that the troubles that affected the Thessalonians have worked out for our benefit. If Paul had been able to complete his full teaching, then he would not have had to include the details of this section in his letter. But since he was prevented, every Christian church since then has had the benefit of his teachings because they are now included in the Bible. So even in their troubles, God was working these events for our good centuries later.

In this passage, we also get insight into the pastoral heart of Paul. Timothy has told him that his Thessalonian friends are grieving the loss of loved ones. Paul realises that even in the experience of loss Christians are to be different from others. So he addresses them with an affectionate term (brothers) that reveals he feels for them in their loss. Then he uses a beautiful picture to describe the Christians who have died – he says that they are asleep, and this is the first detail that he wants the living to realise about the dead. It is important that we don’t take the wrong meaning from this imagery. Paul does not mean that they are unconscious or in a state of unreality. Instead he means that their bodies are resting.

The imagery of sleeping suggests several ideas, but let me mention three. First, sleep is a temporary experience. We take our rest with the intention of rising. Many Christians are sleeping, but they will not sleep for ever. The morning will yet come, and they will arise. 

Second, sleep usually occurs in a comfortable bed. Can we say that death is a comfortable bed for a Christian? Yes, because Jesus had gone there ahead of each of his people. On a cold night we like to warm our beds. Jesus has warmed the bed of death and removed from it its cold sting. 

Third, sleep usually occurs in a place of safety. Is death a safe place for Christians? After all, it is often described as an enemy. But believers are still united to Jesus, although their bodies are dead. They are quite safe, whatever will happen to them between now and his return. 

So we can see why Paul urged the Thessalonians not to sorrow as others who have no hope. Christians have a hope – Jesus will return. Those who have died in Jesus are like persons having a good sleep.

In what areas of life should Christians be sanctified? (1 Thessalonians 4:1-12)

Paul mentions three areas in this passage. First, they will avoid all kinds of immorality. They will mortify the desires for wrong things and ensure they will not cause offence to another Christian by causing them even to think about such matters.

Second, sanctification is best expressed by brotherly love. Living in such a way brings assurance to their hearts. Such love is all-embracive and does not omit any Christian from its affections.

Third, sanctification shows itself in contentment. I think this is the point of Paul’s admonition in verses 11 and 12: ‘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.’ The opposite of these qualities are usually expressions of discontent, but a person making progress in sanctification will show that there is true beauty in holy living.

Three important areas of life, but there are others. But these three show us the extent and depth of sanctification.  

Why should Christian be sanctified? (1 Thessalonians 4:1-12)

Paul gives a straightforward answer to this question in verse 1 – we are to please God. This detail contains two obvious points: first, it is possible to please him and, second, it is possible to displease him. It is an amazing concept to think that we can please God by our lives. 

This is the goal of sanctification as described by the author of Hebrews in his doxology in 13:20-21: ‘Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.’

A second reason why they should be sanctified is that it is a reason why Jesus died for them on the cross: he ‘gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good’ (Titus 2:14). It is inevitable that they will want to be sanctified if they spend time thinking about the purpose of his death.

A third reason for sanctification is the possession of assurance of salvation. At times, providences can shake our assurance, but usually the reason for declining assurance is a failure to make progress in sanctification.

A fourth reason for desiring sanctification is that without holiness no one will see the Lord (Heb. 12:14). This is a reference to being with him in heaven at the end of the journey. Heaven is a holy place for holy people.

How are Christians sanctified? (1 Thessalonians 4:1-12)

In 1 Thessalonians 4:8, Paul reminds the Thessalonians that they receive the Holy Spirit from God (note the present tense – it is an ongoing supply). One of the consequences of adoption is that God’s people are given the Holy Spirit. ‘And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!”’ (Gal. 4:6). The Spirit comes for many reasons, but one of the most important of them is to sanctify his people.

This means that sanctification is by grace. When this is said, people imagine that it does not involve us. That is not the case, as we will see shortly. Yet those being sanctified are dependent on the faithfulness of the Holy Spirit to renew them inwardly.

Sanctification is always gradual. There used to be a rather silly notion held by some that they could attain sinless perfection. That claim could easily be tested by pouring a glass of water over them and in 100% of the cases it was revealed that they were not sinless. Obviously a situation where a glass of water does a world of good. Throughout life, the process of sanctification goes on.

Since sanctification is gradual, there will be growth. John uses stages in a human life to illustrate this growth – first a child, then a young man, then a father (1 John 2:12-14), with each stage having its own spiritual features. Paul uses another image in Galatians 5:22-23, that of fruit which ripens throughout life in balance and proportion.

The tool that the Holy Spirit uses is God’s Word and there is a reference to it in verse 2 when Paul says that he gave the Thessalonians instructions from the Lord Jesus. Of course, the reference indicates that Paul has in mind divine instructions clearly taught, and sometimes solemnly so (v. 6). In the Bible we find instructions on a wide range of issues connected to sanctification, including prayer, family situations, workplaces, and church attendance.

The point of mentioning God’s Word is because it contains all the information we need for sanctification. In Jesus’ time, the Pharisees imagined they had found a path of sanctification by devising additional commandments not authorised by God. Such suggestions have no value in sanctification, and we should ignore them. Instead we should focus on the instructions God has given.

Who can be sanctified? (1 Thessalonians 4:1-12)

Since sanctification involves being set apart for God, it is easy to deduce that it is sinners who will go through this process. But what kind of sinner can be sanctified? The answer to this question is that a saved sinner is the type of sinner who experiences sanctification. This means that such a sinner has to go through certain stages before he can be sanctified and these stages can be viewed from his experience or from his blessings.

From the point of view of his experience, before he can be sanctified, he has to repent of his sins and trust in Jesus Christ. It is impossible for a sinner to experience sanctification before he becomes a person marked by penitence and trust in Jesus. From a human point of view, these responses are the beginning of sanctification and they are present throughout the process of sanctification. At the beginning, a sinner sorry for his sin turns to God through faith in Christ. Throughout his spiritual journey he will continue to have these attitudes – always repenting of his sins and failures, always depending on Jesus for forgiveness and cleansing and fellowship.

With regard to the blessings he receives, sanctification is preceded by two of them – justification and adoption. Both these blessings follow faith: justification includes forgiveness of sins and the imputation of the righteousness of Christ as the sinner’s standing in God’s presence, which means that it is justified sinners who are sanctified. Their sanctification does not procure this standing; instead it is based on it. 

Adoption means that the penitent, believing sinner becomes a permanent member of the family of God, with a right to all the privileges of the sons of God. As with justification, adoption is not procured by sanctification – we do not become children because we are holy, but we become holy because we are children. 

This leads us to another question: how can they be sanctified, and we will think about it in tomorrow’s reading.

Call to holiness (1 Thessalonians 4:1-12)

One of the demands commonly made in many walks of life is for authenticity. We live in a world of shallow imitations, where pretence is the order of the day. Someone has said that if it was possible to invent a machine that would give a regular check-up on the level of our authenticity a lot of people would want it banned.

Paul wanted the Thessalonian church to have ongoing authenticity. True, they had made a good start and they were marked by love and eagerness to spread the gospel. Yet Paul knew that a good start was not sufficient. Many an athlete has made a good start but never finished the race. Therefore he urged the Thessalonians to continue making progress. 

The theme that Paul deals with in this passage is summarised in verse 3: ‘for this is the will of God, your sanctification.’ From the passage we can see that sanctification is progressive (likened to a walk), pure (incompatible with sexual immorality), practical (how one lives day by day, v. 11) and public (outsiders, v. 12). It is both inward and outward, involving how we think as well as how we behave.

The word ‘sanctification’ is the noun derived from the verb ‘to sanctify’, which has the basic meaning of being set apart from others by God. The first use of the idea is found in Genesis 2:3 when God set apart the seventh day of the week for himself. Sometimes the word is used of places and objects, especially in the Old Testament description of the tabernacle and temple. These objects and places belong to God and he can do with them what he wishes. It is also used of food in 1 Timothy 4:5, which is said to be sanctified by the word of God and prayer, perhaps a reason for reading the Bible at mealtimes as well as giving thanks. A fourth example is when Paul says that a converted spouse sanctifies his or her partner and children (1 Cor. 7:15).

The word is also used of Jesus. In John 10:36, Jesus says that he was set apart by the Father and sent into the world, describing what happened between the persons of the Trinity. In his prayer in John 17, Jesus says that he sanctifies himself, consecrates himself to the role of sanctifying his disciples, which will involve his work on the cross and his subsequent work on their behalf once he ascended into heaven.

We will think further about sanctification tomorrow.

Prayer has a future focus (1 Thessalonians 3:11-13)

Paul, as he prayed for his friends in Thessalonica, looked ahead to the second coming of Jesus. Why did he do this? Because thinking about their future helped him to pray for them in the present.

First, there is a connection between our current spiritual state and our future spiritual state. Paul prayed that the Thessalonians should live a life of love in the present in order that they would be presented blameless by Jesus to his Father. While it is true that our sanctification does not merit heaven for us, it is also true that heaven is only for those who being sanctified, who are living lives of love.

Second, since this is the case, we must take this future appearance in God’s presence into every aspect of life now. How do we do this? Paul says that we prepare by living lives marked by love, ensuring that our motives for all that we do is correct. He does not mean that we merit a place in heaven by our behaviour. But there will be degrees of glory in heaven, and all Christians will not be the same in that sense. Those degrees will be connected to how we served Jesus, often in little ways, and we cannot serve him if love is not the motive of our service.

Third, when Jesus returns, accompanied by the holy angels, his people will be made perfect. They will be blameless in the sight of God. Jesus will present them to his Father and say, ‘Behold I and the children which God has given me’ (Heb. 2:13). One day we will be established in holiness for ever. This is a comfort for us to know that one day we will be conformed to the likeness of Jesus, glorified in his presence, experiencing the fullness of eternal life, always in the presence of God and his people, world without end. And that should be a motivation in our prayers for one another!

Prayer is practical (1 Thessalonians 3:11-13)

Yesterday, we thought about the doctrines Paul mentioned in his prayer. Today we can think about some practical emphases he mentioned.

As Paul thought about the church in Thessalonica, he noted their various strengths. How would these strengths be maintained and developed? Paul’s answer is for the Thessalonians to increase in love for one another, and that love should be expressed for each one individually and corporately. Of course, if a person loves each member he will love the whole church, and it is impossible to love the whole church without loving all the members. In addition, they are to love those outside the congregation, and this love would include even their persecutors.

We should not be surprised that Paul focuses on love. After all, he has just mentioned two relationships that are dominated by love. The family of God is marked by love and the kingdom of Jesus is a domain of love. In fact, the whole Christian life is a world of love. Yet Paul was aware that it was possible for love of Christians to decrease, and if that happened to the Thessalonians they would cease to be a model church.

The presence of love is the guarantee of inward holiness. There is not such a creature as a holy person who does not love. The first aspect of the fruit of the Spirit is love, and without love, as Paul reminds us in 1 Corinthians 13, we are unholy. What was the problem in Corinth? We can identify some of its consequences – party spirit, toleration of sinful practices, lack of respect for the Lord’s Supper, accepting false teachings about the resurrection, misuse of spiritual gifts. But what was the cause? Lack of love towards God and other Christians.

The presence of love is essential for effective evangelism. Jesus told his disciples that the world would know that they were his disciples by the strength of love they had for one another. We should note that he did not say they would know we were his disciples by how much we did for the world. Of course, Jesus expects us to do things for the world, but he is also saying that anything we do for them is ineffective if they cannot see that we love one another. I cannot witness for Jesus if I am out of love with another Christian in the congregation.

Paul wanted the Christians in Thessalonica to retain their love for one another because he knew the disaster that would occur if love declined. Inevitably they would descend into unholy behaviour and their evangelism would lose all credibility.

Prayer is doctrinal (1 Thessalonians 3:11-13)

What kind of prayer did Paul and his friends make for the Thessalonians. No doubt, there are different ways to describe it, but we can say that it was doctrinal, practical and future-orientated. We can think about the doctrinal aspect today.

In verse 11 and in verse 13, Paul clearly identifies God the Father and the Lord Jesus. But who is intended by the title ‘Lord’ in verse 12? It would be an unusual way of writing if Paul meant either the first person (the Father) and the second person (the Son), given that he uses additional descriptions of them in verses 11 and 13. So I would suggest that in verse 12 Paul refers to the Holy Spirit, although many commentators say Paul is referring to Jesus. As far as the outworking is concerned, the result is the same because it is by the Spirit that Jesus works. Nevertheless, it seems to me that Paul is referring to the Trinity in his prayer in verses 11 and 12.

Paul’s petitions are also expressed theologically. He mentions particular relationships when he addresses the first person as the Father and the second as the Lord. The two doctrines Paul has in mind here are adoption of believers and the pre-eminence of Jesus. Adoption describes the greatest privilege that God bestows on the sinners that he saves through his grace – they become members of his family, with a God-given right to all the privileges this status brings. The pre-eminence of Jesus is acknowledged when he is called Lord by Paul. Jesus received this position when he ascended to heaven and was exalted to the throne of God. This was not when he became God, but as the Mediator (the God-man) he took his human nature there.

What lessons can we learn from Paul in his use of doctrine in his prayers? First, using appropriate doctrines when praying to the Father and the Son is a way of reminding ourselves of who they are and how they can respond to our prayers. Prayer should involve thinking as we make our petitions. 

Second, the use of appropriate doctrines reveals that we are rejoicing in the relationships we have with these divine persons. Paul was glad that he was a member of God’s family and the exaltation of Jesus was wonderful in the sight of the apostle.

Third, Paul was revealing to the Thessalonians a good way to pray. In prayer we should glorify God by highlighting his greatness. This is a challenge to those who engage in public prayer. Sometimes when listening to a prayer, I have been given more information about the individual’s relative than about the God who can help her with her problem. So I think, ‘She has a big problem for God to deal with.’ It would be better if I was led to think, ‘She has a big God to deal with her problem,’ and one way we do this is by mentioning the relationships God has with us.

An encouraging church (1 Thessalonians 3:6-8)

In this section of his letter, Paul again details the spiritual pleasure Silas and himself had after receiving Timothy’s report of the spiritual progress of the young church in Thessalonica. Their focus on evangelism (1:6-10), their fortitude in persecution (2:13-16) and their love for the team that had brought the gospel to them (3:6) greatly encouraged Paul and his colleagues. His account here reminds us of several important features of Christian living, which we can mention briefly.

First, a church making progress is a great source of encouragement to other Christians; in this case a new church that brought spiritual comfort to those who founded it. A sad sight in the business world is a company that fails to develop despite the input of hard work by those who commenced it. Their energy and enthusiasm was not duplicated in others who joined the company. A similar scenario can happen with a church. It can have a good onset, but for various reasons fail to grow. Instead it can become stagnant and sometimes even disappear. Since news of growing churches brings encouragement, we should read about them.

Second, when a church makes progress, we should ensure that we give God all the glory. Paul and his colleagues were sort of frustrated in that they could not thank God enough for what he had done in the Thessalonians. Paul had shown in 2:1-11 that his team had behaved in a very devout way when they brought the gospel to the city. He was confident that no-one could accuse them of insincerity and indifference. Yet he does not credit the outcome to their dedicated service. Instead he stresses that all the glory must go to God. 

Third, when a church makes progress, the initial founders may find that they are not necessary for its ongoing development, especially regarding their physical presence. Paul and Silas had wanted desperately to return to Thessalonica, but had been prevented by various circumstances. Their desire was good, and indeed Paul expresses it again in 3:10. Yet God did not let them return at this time. Instead he sent them evidence that he could protect his own work without their help. 

Fourth, when a church is making progress, it does not mean that others should not offer intelligent prayer for it. It is important to remember that prayer is a crucial part of Christian service. And this is what we see Paul and his colleagues doing for the Thessalonians in 3:12-13. We can think about their prayer tomorrow.

Influence of the second coming of Jesus (1 Thessalonians 2:19–20)

Paul’s motive for returning to Thessalonica was based on his understanding of the day when Jesus returns. The apostle thought about what the Thessalonians would be like on that very important day and he states his thoughts in three ways: first, his hope connected to them; second, his joy in them; and third, his crown of boasting. 

First, Paul has confidence in them. I think that he means that the Thessalonians had given him hope that when his ministry was reviewed by Christ, the Thessalonians would not be the equivalent of wood, hay and stubble (1 Cor. 3). Instead they would authenticate his ministry when his work for Jesus was examined.

Second, Paul anticipates the great joy that they will experience together at the coming of Christ. As far as we know, Paul did not get to visit Thessalonica again (although he may have done on his journey from Corinth to Troas as he made his way to Jerusalem on his next missionary journey). Nevertheless we can see how their joy of meeting at the return of Christ was something that he looked forward to. Part of the joy of heaven is reunion, and what can be more joyful than the meeting there between a soulwinner and his converts in the presence of Jesus?

Third, Paul looked ahead to when he would experience the equivalent of having the Thessalonians as his crown of boasting. Sometimes the term ‘boasting’ has negative connotations. What he seems to intend here is that he would be boasting then that he knew the Thessalonians rather than that they knew him. Perhaps he has in mind the prospect of meeting all the people in Greece who came to know Jesus through the witness of the Thessalonians – these converts would say, ‘You are the ones who brought the gospel to them in order for them to bring it to us.’ And he and these converts together would boast about the work of grace in the lives of these Thessalonians.

But his motive is not limited to future experiences. In verse 20, Paul informs the Thessalonians that at the moment they were the glory and joy of Paul’s team. The term translated glory has at times the idea of renown or fame. What makes a person glorious is what they are famous for. An inventor has fame because of his invention; a general has renown because of his victories. Paul’s team had a reputation in Greece because of the effect of the Thessalonians. And they did not mind – in fact they were delighted about it and rejoiced over that church.

The mystery of providence (1 Thessalonians 2:18)

Yesterday, we noted that Paul was hindered from returning to Thessalonica to help in the work of God. But was the work of God hindered by Paul’s absence? The answer to that question is no. Paul’s desire was correct, but his involvement was not necessary because his God had other intentions for the Thessalonians. The Lord knew that the Thessalonian church had made sufficient progress in the spiritual life and were able to evangelise other communities in a very effective way.

Here we have the mystery of divine providence working out God’s plan in a specific situation. We don’t have any difficulty as a rule when God over-rules a wrong action. But we can be puzzled when he persists in not allowing us to engage in a good action. How should we react when he does this to us?

First, we should acknowledge that if God had wanted to open the door for Paul, he would have done so. Paul is not saying that God is weaker than Satan because he prevented the apostle achieving his goal. All he is saying is that Satan was allowed to hinder his involvement.

Second, we should acknowledge that although our work for the church is frustrated, God’s work in the church continues. It was the case that Paul could help the church; what was not the case was that the church was dependent on Paul. This was a good lesson for Paul to experience, and recalling it would be immense encouragement for him in the future when he was prevented in other ways from getting involved in serving a group of Christians.

Third, divine providence is not the means of estimating spiritual grace. It was right for Paul to have such strong spiritual concerns about the new converts, even although he did not get to see them. We don’t develop spiritual characters by attempting to read providence, we develop them by using the means of grace that God has given. We are to live according to his word, not by attempting to interpret what we cannot know. Paul continued to serve even although his plan was not fulfilled.