“He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it“
In verse 23, Paul prays for the Thessalonians that God would sanctify them. In this verse, he asserts that God will faithfully do this.
He who calls you
God brings certain people to Himself in salvation by His call. This is God’s first work in us […]
Archive for September, 1999
“He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it“
who also will do it
Grace means that God does the doing. Legalism means that we do the doing. If God does the work, He will sanctify the believer initially, progressively and ultimately. God will preserve us and present us blameless at the coming of Christ […]
“Brethren, pray for us“
This verse brings us to the conclusion of First Thessalonians (5:25-28). Paul advises three concluding recommendations upon the congregation and then gives a final blessing.
Brethren,
The word “brethren” is emphatic in the Greek. Paul strongly pleads for the Thessalonians to pray for him. Paul clearly understood the pitfalls of ministry. He knew […]
“Greet all the brethren with a holy kiss“
Greet all the brethren
Paul gives one final expression of his love for the Thessalonians. He wanted to extend a greeting with a “holy kiss.”
The word “all” indicates that Paul extended his love even to the “disorderly” brethren. He excludes no one in his love.
with a holy kiss
The […]
“I charge you by the Lord that this epistle be read to all the holy brethren“
Paul’s final exhortation of the three in the conclusion is that the leaders of the Thessalonian church read First Thessalonians publicly to the congregation.
I charge you by the Lord
The word “charge” literally means to put under (or bind by) […]
“The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen“
First Thessalonians does not fade away insignificantly. Paul invokes the matchless, amazing grace of the Lord Jesus Christ upon the Thessalonians.
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ
There is nothing the Thessalonians need more than the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ. They needed sanctifying […]
“Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy, To the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:“
We come now to Paul’s shortest epistle.
The first two verses make up the salutation. This greeting is essentially the same as in 1 Thessalonians.
Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy,
These are the same three names found in 1 […]
“Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ“
Now we come to Paul’s standard “Hello” in his epistles: “grace and peace.”Grace to you
Grace is God’s provision for the believer without any strings attached. God’s provision comes from two persons of the Trinity, the Father and Son.
and peace
Peace also […]
“We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is fitting, because your faith grows exceedingly, and the love of every one of you all abounds toward each other…“
Now we turn to the commendation section of 2nd Thessalonians (1:3-12). If Paul could find a reason to thank God for a local church, […]
“We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is fitting, because your faith grows exceedingly, and the love of every one of you all abounds toward each other…“
as it is fitting,
The word “fitting” carries the ideas of weight, value, worth, befitting, becoming, right on the ground of fitness. Thanking God for […]