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| Chapter 5 |
| Bible Text | Notes and Thoughts |
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1 ¶ But as to the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you. 2 For you yourselves know perfectly that the Day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. 3 For when they are saying, "Peace and safety," then sudden destruction cometh upon them as travail upon a woman with child, and they shall not escape. 4 But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that Day should overtake you as a thief. 5 Ye are all the children of light and the children of the day; we are not of the night, nor of darkness. 6 ¶ Therefore let us not sleep, as do others, but let us watch and be sober. 7 For those who sleep, sleep in the night; and those who are drunken are drunken in the night. 8 But let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet, the hope of salvation. 9 For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ 10 who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with Him. 11 ¶ Therefore comfort yourselves together and edify one another, even as also ye do. 12 And we beseech you, brethren, that you come to know those who labor among you, and are over you and admonish you in the Lord, 13 and to esteem them very highly in love for their work’s sake. And be at peace among yourselves. 14 Now we exhort you, brethren, warn those who 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 with 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 prophesying’s. 21 Test all things; hold fast to 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; He also will do it. 25 Brethren, pray for us. 26 Greet all the brethren with a 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. |
v1-11 The Day of the Lord. 1 Cor 1:8; 1 Cor 5:5; 2 Cor 1:14; Phil 1:6,10; 1 Thess 4:13-17; 2 Thess 2:1-12; 2 Peter 3:10-13; Jude v6; Rev 6:12-17. The Apostle Paul has just described what will happen on the return of Jesus for the believer, This event is the start of the Day of the Lord, with the glorification of Jesus and the believers taken up into heaven for judgement and reward. v1-3 Paul now writes a little more about the event, it was not a new revelation, but the event will happen suddenly, without warning. The world will think they have managed to reach peace on the earth when it will happen. v4-11 The Believer and Day of the Lord. v4-6 The judgements and pouring out of the anger of God on the earth will not affect the believer because they "are all the children of light and the children of the day," Eph 5:8; 2 Cor 6:14; Col 1:12,13; John 3:19,20. Even so, we must be prepared for the event, not asleep but watching and ready for the call, Mark 13:36; Consider James 1:17. v6 "Be sober" not necessarily talking about not being drunk but control of your life, compare 2 Tim 4:5; 1 Peter 1:13. v7,8 Do not go through life asleep, people sleep at night and get drunk at night, but we do not since we are children of light, take up our spiritual protection, faith, love and hope. Note and consider Eph 6:14ff. v9-10 God has never intended the believer to feel His anger because the blood of Christ has already dealt with that anger. This applies whether we are awake with the living or asleep with the dead, we are all alive with Jesus. v11 So we must make our lives an encouragement for each other, build up our hope and faith, 1 Cor 3:8,9; Eph 2:20-22; Rom 8:1ff. v12,13 Brothers and sisters look after those who are your leaders, they have been given the responsibility of guiding you in your spiritual life, honour them, love them, be thankful for them, do this all in love and may peace be with you. v14 You must encourage each other, warn any who are not doing their share of the work, help those who are feebleminded, physically and / or spiritually weak. Be patient with each person, any who are exhausted, then pull them up and encourage them, Eph 4:2; Matt 5:39-44 v15,16 Make sure you do not upset each other, doing things which are evil or wrong, encourage the best in each other, with the fellowship and unbelievers, Rom 14:1ff; 1 Cor 8:1ff; Rom 5:3-5. Keep on rejoicing. v17 Go on praying, whenever you have the chance, talk to God in prayer, Phil 4:6,7. v18 It has always been the will of God that believers will be full of thanks for what has been done through Jesus. v19 We may be able to hurt the Holy Spirit by our un-confessed sin, Eph 4:30. We can prevent the Holy Spirit working by disobeying the commands of God, not seeking His will. v20-22 Examine everything carefully, do not reject or have contempt for any truths about God made through His prophets. Avoid anything which has even the appearance of evil, keep away from any evil. v23-24 Make sure you are set aside( sanctified) for God only, the action does not come as a result of human activity, we are unable to make ourselves holy, it is the work of God Himself. This action involves the whole nature of man. The body, the vessel which contains man. 2 Cor 5:1-8. The soul, the area where we have desires, affections, emotions and our will, Matt 11:29; Matt 26:38. The spirit, the part of man which can know and communicate with God, 1 Cor 2:11. Sanctification has three stages. The Past, the believer was sanctified through the regeneration of Christ, 1 Cor 1:2. The present, each believer is being set apart by God each day 2 Thess 2:13. The future, one day we will become like Christ in His Glory. 1 John 3:1-3. v24 God will never fail in His promise. He has already made our future in Christ a time of Glory 1 Cor 10:13; 2 Thess 3:3; Gal 5:16 v25-28 Requests for prayer, greeting each other with a holy kiss. This greeting was often the greeting by early believers, especially due to the spiritual love which was apparent in these early churches. v27 Paul requests that the letter is read in all the Thessalonians churches. v28 A common closing greetings by Paul. |
Easy English Translation
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