“Therefore comfort each other and edify one another, just as you also are doing“
Therefore
Paul appeals to the Thessalonians to comfort and edify one another because of the truths in verses one through eleven.
comfort each other
Christians are to care for the pain of other Christians (1 Thessalonians 4:18). God comforts us so that we might comfort others. This is a clear responsibility for every Christian.
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God” (2 Corinthians 1:3-4).
As Christians see the rapture coming, they are to exhort one another even more.
“…not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching” (Hebrews 10:25).
Principle:
A responsibility of every Christian is to encourage other Christians.
Application:
Many Christians come to church discouraged, and defeated. Some come disenchanted about life. Our warm encouragement might be just what they need that day. When the pastor announces the benediction, do you charge for the nearest door, or do you head for people who need encouragement?
The blessing of the Rapture is for every believer. This is a common blessing that all can share. This is a basis for mutual edification. Because of this hope, Christians will develop a strong sense of comfort.
what a blessed and a glorious day that will be to meet my blessed and glorious savior! Come Lord Jesus Come/
Hi there would you mind letting me know which webhost you’re utilizing? I’ve loaded your blog in 3 completely different internet browsers and I must say this blog loads a lot quicker then most.
Can you recommend a good hosting provider at a reasonable price?
Thanks a lot, I appreciate it!
Joni, I use a service provided by a man named Kirk Smith:Kirk Smith (ksmith@invertedcube.com). Invertedcube is the service.
I don't wish to be critical, but what you wrote as an application assumes that our western "church" experience to be the norm. From what I can find historically, the early believers didn't "go to church", but were a small, out of the mainstream group in a pagan land, and they needed each other for support and encouragement. The paid local leader, building, laity/clergy divide was not to come for centuries. As western society becomes more pagan, and less of a forced socially-"Christian" cloak of hypocrisy among unbelievers, how do we who are believers grow closer to the God's directions, without the encumbrance of the unscriptural religious trappings that various unbelievers, institutions, and governments have forced on us over the centuries. It seems that the church functions most scripturally (even if the believers don't have trained leaders or Bibles) where there is the most overt persecution.
Tom, your information is not accurate. All you have to do is study church history. Archeology has revealed physical churches in the early centuries.
It’s in fact very complicated in this busy life to listen news on Television,
therefore I just use world wide web for that purpose,
and obtain the most up-to-date information.