I THESSALONIANS Chapter 4

I THESSALONIANS
Chapter 4

As we continue our study, in the fourth chapter of the I Thessalonian letter, Paul sounds like a spiritual father instructing God's children. God the Father's purpose in my life and yours is for us to grow and develop those qualities that mirror the image of His dear Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, in our lives. The longer we have been members of the"Ecclesia," the Body of Christ, the brighter and clearer that reflection should be. Our purpose is to please God and to live a life that others can see Christ in us. That life will show stability under trial and purpose in development.

Some Christians seem to get so heavenly minded they are no earthly good. They are up one minute and down the next. They go to church five or six times a week, say they pray and read their Bibles regularly. The next moment they do an about face and break all the principles of God's Word. Paul says in I Thessalonians 4:1-4 that Christians ought to behave themselves and not be driven about by every wind of change.

The truth is that it is possible to acknowledge Christ in all our ways, all of the time. Proverbs 3:5,6 declares, "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart, and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct thy paths." As we yield to the Holy Spirit who lives within every true Christian, we can so live as to please Christ. They are reminded of the teaching they had received from Paul. Do you remember the teaching of a parent or grandparent? What about that Sunday school teacher or Christian leader who faithfully taught you the Word of God. Some seem to forget easily what they have been taught. Not so much do we need teaching as we need to practice what we know. We are challenged in Hebrews 5;11-14 in this manner. "Of whom we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered, seeing we are dull of hearing. For when for the time we ought to be teachers, we have need that one teach us again the first principles of the oracles of God, and are become such as have need of milk, and not of solid food. For everyone that useth milk is unskillful in the Word of righteousness for he is a babe. But solid food belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both food and evil."

One of the things that should be true in the life of the Child of God is to be set apart unto God for pure and holy living explained in I Thessalonians 4-3. This does not imply that we will be sinless and do no wrong. The Epistle of I John is a family letter written to Christians. He says in I John 1:8, "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us." Our goal is to grow in Christ that we may be better or fully equipped to serve the Lord Jesus.

Part of being fully equipped is a life that is pure and holy in the presence of God. One thought being expressed is that we should abstain and shrink from all sexual vices. This is not a popular thought in our day but one that is needed. Paul in I Thessalonians 4:5-8 directly states there are some things that should not be found in the life of a true Christian, such as lust of sensuality or evil desires. The Amplified New Testament calls it "passion of lust," and God says this should have no place in the life of His family. We live in an age governed by passion and lust. The Bible teaches we are not to allow ourselves to be controlled by this tool of Satan. God will deliver you, but you must allow His power and holiness to work through your life to live victoriously even surrounded as we are by these demons of hell. In addition, we are not to take advantage or cheat our brothers in anything. As one studies the Old Testament and the Gospels, it is clear this is addressed again and again; and God is always against this type of behavior. Finally, with so many pressures from so many directions, it is difficult for the child of God to know where to give his/her money; however, Christians are to give with a willing heart. Because there are so many people asking for money in the family of God, it takes the wisdom of Solomon to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit. If your local church preaches the Word of God and is faithful in winning people to Christ, start there; and then as God leads you, reach out with your giving to other Biblically sound ministries. In I Thessalonians 4:7 we are called to holiness which should be the desire and purpose of all of God's children. To those who laugh at or shrug off the warning, Paul reminds us in I Thessalonians 4:8 we are disregarding God. The end of those who pay no attention to God is indicated in I Peter 4:17-19, "For the time is coming that judgment must begin at the house of God; and if it first begins with us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the Gospel of God? And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?"

Paul now offers some good advice for the child of God in I Thessalonians 4:9-12. Love is to be one of the earmarks of the Christian life. In I John 2:9-11 we read, "He that says he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now. He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is no occasion of stumbling in him. But he that hateth his brother is in darkness, and walketh in darkness, and knoweth not where he goeth, because darkness hath blinded his eyes." God directs that love between members of His family is to grow deeper the longer we live and are a part of His universal family. As parents of seven with thirty-four in our extended family, what joy we feel as we see love expressed between individuals. From time to time things happen to derail that love, and as parents we step in to encourage love and understanding which brings unity and a wholesome atmosphere within the whole family. This virtue of love in I Thessalonians 4:10 is to grow our entire time here on earth. It reaches out to the lost to bring them to Christ. It enables the children of God to live together in peace and harmony. Another earmark of the personal life of the Christian is to be quiet. This is the opposite of stirring up trouble and of keeping the pot boiling with trouble and controversy. As we do our own business and this becomes our focus, we will not be interfering in affairs of others to the point of being disruptive. Child of God, Satan does not need your help in causing turmoil in the local Church or between fellow Christians. Work with your own hands, for honest toil or labor is good for people and is commanded of God. In addition, God's people should earn an honest living and not be lazy. There are some lame excuses in God's family today with people expecting the family of God to care for their needs. The work ethic of our day could stand a good dose of sound doctrine as taught by Paul in this portion of the Word of God In I Thessalonians 4:12, the result of this wholesome walk commands our attention. First of all, it gets respect from those outside of Christ to see this type of attitude. The Amplified New Testament carries the thought of being self-supporting and depending on no one and needing of nothing. Christians are not to be lazy people who go around depending on someone else to pay their way. Sometimes, Christian workers fall into this trap very easily by expecting someone to always pick up their tab. Does this mean we turn our backs on legitimate needs? Absolutely not, to the person who is truly in need we are to reach out and help. It is a little bit like our children today who seem to have needs and wants all mixed up, due to a wealthy society.

The section before us, I Thessalonians 4:13-18 is one of the outstanding prophetic passages of the New Testament. God the Holy Spirit has revealed to us the events and truth concerning the return of Christ for the Ecclesia, the body of Christ. On the evening of His crucifixion, Christ promised to return and set before us the hope of living with Him. In John 14:1-3, He says, "Let not your heart be troubled; ye believe in God, believe also in me; in my Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself, that where I am, there ye may be also." Throughout the Old Testament, however, the coming of Messiah was viewed as one event. Because the apostles at that point did not understand the coming of Christ for and with His saints, the Crucifixion caused despair to set in upon Christ's followers. They were looking forward to Jesus setting up His Kingdom and throwing off Roman rule. To show that the Jewish people are still looking for their Messiah, the January 17 2003, Jerusalem Post ends its article on Judaism with these words, "May we soon sing our song of Redemption."

Paul now writes to set in order the resurrection of Christians with the order of events outlined. These Christians at Thessalonica were concerned about those who had died and wondered what would happen to them. The word sleep in the Bible refers to "death." When you refer to someone sleeping the thought of awakening is inferred. No where in the Bible is the Christian told to fear death. In fact, I Thessalonians 4:13 makes it clear, "We are not to sorrow, even as others who have no hope." Paul is not condemning them for sorrow, for John 11:35 says, "Jesus wept" at the death of Lazarus, who a short while later he brought back to life in one of His miracles. We are not to sorrow as those who have no hope. In John 5:28,29 we read, "Marvel not at this, for the hour is coming, in which all that are in the grave shall hear His voice, and shall come forth: they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life: and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation." There will be no reunion or drunken wild party for those who die outside of Christ. In Revelation 20:11-15 the resurrection of those who die outside of Christ is recorded, "And I saw a great White Throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and heaven fled away and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God, and the Books were opened; and another Book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the Books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades delivered up the dead that were in them; and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and Hades were cast into the Lake of Fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the Lake of Fire."

The only way to have your name in the Book of Life is to believe in the death, burial and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. This is the gospel, the good news as recorded in I Corinthians 15:3,4 which states, "For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures." This message transforms lives!

The time of the resurrection is answered as Paul faces the question, "What is going to happen to our loved ones who have gone on before us in death?" First of all, this should remind us how uncertain life is as James declares in chapter 4:14,15, "Whereas ye know not what shall be on the next day. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. For we ought to say, If the Lord wills, we shall live, and do this or that." Those who are living will not precede those who have died. The dead in Christ will be raised first, then we who are alive. When this event takes place, we will be transported into His presence. Those who have died and those who are yet living will together meet the Lord in the air.

The order of events are now clearly outlined. The shout of command in I Thessalonians 4:16 is that of a military order much like an officer would shout, "forward march." This reveals the sovereignty and authority of Christ. The voice of the Archangel is none other than Michael, the Chief of Angels. The Bible does not say why he shouts; but as we study its message, we do learn of many great battles that started in the Garden of Eden over sin. This could be the shout of victory because with the Rapture of the Church, victory over the forces of evil comes into focus. This ultimate victory is viewed also in I Corinthians 15:54-57, "So, when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, death is swallowed up in victory. 0 death, where is thy sting? 0 grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." Next we have the Trump of God, and in the scriptures the trumpet is used of the beginning of something new. The trumpet is used through out the Bible. In the Old Testament there were trumpets at the beginning of each month. In Revelations we have the famous seven trumpets. These three things happen all together here in I Thessalonians 4:16 much like a band taking the field in marching competition. The dead in Christ will come forth from the grave, and we who are alive will meet with them the Lord Jesus Christ in the air. There will be Christians on the earth who will not experience death as Elijah did not die but was caught up to heaven without experiencing death. This will all happen so quickly as in the time to blink your eye. I Corinthians 15:51-53 teaches, "Behold, I show you a mystery: we shall not all sleep, (or die), but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump; for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality." It is important to note that we will meet CHRIST IN THE AIR. This is Christ coming for His saints. This is not the start of His Kingdom but signals the soon start of the Tribulation often called the time of Jacob's troubles. It begins the 70th week of years of Daniel's prophecy which will bring to conclusion "The times of the Gentiles." The Scriptures must be carefully studied under the guidelines of II Timothy 2:15, "Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of Truth." As we have stated, this is His coming for His Saints, and in Zechariah 14:4 we have, "Christ coming with His Saints, "And His feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the Mount of Olives shall cleave in its midst toward the east and toward the west." And Zechariah 14:9 declares, "The Lord shall be King over all the earth; in that day shall there be one Lord, and His name one." This is the Messiah of Israel, and this event will signal the Messianic reign on earth for a thousand years of the Lord Jesus Christ, the Messiah of Israel.

Where will we go who are members of the Ecclesia, the body of Christ? We will go to the mansion He has prepared for us; we will finally reach our true homes in heaven. What a beautiful world our God created in six days, but think of what is in store for us as He has had two thousand years to prepare the homes we will live in for eternity. The journey will be worth it, and the prize that lies before us should ever be the focus as we keep our eyes on the goal. This is why I Thessalonians 4 ends "wherefore with comfort one another with these words," which is the hope of the child of God. In the midst of all that life throws at us, we must keep focused on the goal of victory and the joy of living in His presence for all eternity.