Live in Love and Holiness

KEY VERSE: “May the LORD cause [you] to abound and excel in your love one toward another and toward all, even as we do toward you: to the end he may confirm your hearts faultless in holiness before our God and Father, in the presence of our Lord Jesus with all his saints.” —I Thessalonians 3:11,12, Rotherham Translation

SELECTED SCRIPTURE: I Theasalonians 3:12 – 4:12

THIS FIRST LETTER written to the Thessalonians was prompted by the Apostle Paul’s concern that the difficult experiences they were having might weaken their faith and stunt their Christian growth. The apostle was forced to leave them before he had been able to observe the new followers’ growth in faith and love, and before he had the opportunity to guide them in their Christian walk. He wanted so very much to be with them, but circumstances had forced him to leave.

When Timothy, who had been left with this new congregation, joined Paul in Corinth and brought the good news of their steadfastness and faith, Paul said, “Brethren, we were comforted over you in all our affliction and distress by your faith: for now we [really] live, if ye stand fast in the Lord.” (I Thess. 3:7,8) So the apostle’s first concern was their faith, and it was strong. He was hoping to see them again when circumstances permitted. But if this would not be possible, he expressed a prayer that they would grow in love toward one another and all men to the same degree that he loved them, and that their Christian growth would enable them to be together with God, the Father, and his Son, Jesus. In our Key Verse, the Greek word parousia is translated “coming” in almost all versions, whereas it should be “presence,” as correctly translated by Rotherham.

This new ‘flock’ of brethren was composed of some Jews that believed as a result of the synagogue meetings. But mainly its members were Gentile Greeks who had “turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God.” (I Thess. 1:9) As Gentiles, they had many bad habits, not having had the benefit of the Law of Israel to guide them. As followers of Christ, they now would have to walk to “please God.”—I Thess. 4: 1

This required suppressing many improper desires. So, in this letter, Paul encouraged them to walk circumspectly after Christ. He encouraged them onward, or, as he said concerning his past advice to them, “We instructed you how to live in order to please God, as in fact you are living. Now we ask you and urge you in the Lord Jesus to do this more and more. You know what instructions we gave you by the authority of the Lord Jesus.

“It is God’s will that you should be holy [set apart from the rest of the world]: that you should avoid sexual immorality; that each of you should learn to control his own body in a way that is holy and honorable, not in passionate lust like the heathen, who do not know God.”—I Thess. 4:15, NIV

When it came to expressing brotherly love, the Thessalonian brethren were doing well. In fact they were indeed demonstrating this love toward their brethren in Macedonia, and Paul encouraged them “to do so more and more.” (vss. 9,10) His final advice in this list of instructions is given in verses 11 and 12.

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