1 Thessalonians 3:11 - Now God himself and our Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, direct our way unto you.
Now God himself and our Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, may He direct our way unto you. That's what is called the Optative Mood. It's a wish, a hope. Now may God bring us in your direction.
1 Thessalonians 3:12 - And the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward another, and toward all men, even as we do toward you:
The word love in the bible, again is the word AGAPE. It is a word that is from the biblical standpoint specifically attached to God. The verb form is found even in society back then, to love the world. In fact, 1 John 2:15 says love not the world, neither the things in the world. That's the verb form AGAPAO.
But the noun AGAPE is only designated for God. God is love. That's our definition of AGAPE. And we see later on that Paul is going to commend them for being God-taught to love, that God teaches them from within. But AGAPE love is a concern about people's spiritual welfare, and willing to sacrifice and lay down your life, whatever it takes for that person's welfare.
So, he prays the scope, the dimension of their love would increase and abound towards one another and towards all men.
1 Thessalonians 3:13 - To the end he may stablish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints.
The word holiness is the word sanctification which means to be set apart and we see that in Chapter 4. In setting apart before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all of His saints.
Again, Paul is looking forward. When Paul ministered to people, he was always concerned about a believer's faith, that they lived by faith and didn't need the human resources and the feelings and all the different things in order to make it through life. And secondly, that they would be mature and complete at the coming of Christ.
1 Thessalonians 4:13 - But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.
The word sorrow is the word grieve. Even as others which have no hope. So that was the question. In this text, Paul deals with answering what happens to the people who have died before Christ comes back. That's the issue. 1 Corinthians 15:50-54, he deals with the people who are on the earth when the Lord comes back.
But Paul's emphasis here is not the people who are remaining on the earth when the Lord comes back, but those who have died because these people are grieving, thinking that their friends and loved ones who have died are going to miss the Lord's coming because they're dead.
So here he deals with those in the grave. In 1 Corinthians 15:50-54 he deals with those who are on the face of the earth when the Lord comes back. We have two groups of people. But here he says I would not have you to be ignorant, concerning them which are asleep, that you grieve not, even as non-believers that don't have hope. And that's what they were grieving over.
Sleep in reference to death in the bible is a reference to physical death. The reason for this is because the word death sounds too permanent. The believers always said that the physical body was sleeping, and that it was just temporary.
But then there are groups that began to spread the doctrine of soul sleep. They said that when you die, your body and your soul sleep. And they put you into the ground and you sleep there until God comes back. Well, the problem with that is that the word sleep in reference to death is never a reference to the soul. It's always a reference to the physical body. Also, in 2 Corinthians 5:8, he says we are confident I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord. Paul says he would rather go be with the Lord, but for them he would stay.
1 Thessalonians 4:11 - And that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you;
And that you study to be quiet. Interesting, the Old English word (study) is the word for ambition or set a goal. Your goal should be to be quiet. James, in James Chapter 1 said be quick to hear and slow to speak and slow to anger. You have to be careful with the people that always want to talk, even though they don't have anything to say. The bible says that we should be quick to listen but slow to speak, and slow to anger. So, he says make it your goal to be quiet.
And then it says to do your own business. The word do is the word PRASSO. This word means to practice. Practice your own business.
1 Thessalonians 4:12 - That ye may walk honestly toward them that are without, and that ye may have lack of nothing.
That you may walk honestly toward them that are without (non-believers), that you would be representative of responsible people who are studying and learning to increase more and more in the love of Christ, who are turning more toward being quiet than being loud, who are minding their own business, who are working with their own hands, so that those non-believers we work with and live around can see the proper representation of a believer's life.
Secondly: and that you may have lack of nothing. The word lack is the word need. Work with your own hands. Make sure that you have no need. One of the most embarrassing moments for believers is to find themselves spending their money irresponsibly and then becoming discouraged and lazy about going to work because their debts are so deep and then have to turn to the non-believing relatives for help.
At the same time, they're telling the non-believing relatives that they are lost. But the non-believing relatives are looking and saying "Well, I'm lost but I can take care of my own household. You're coming to me." And it's a false representation!
1 Thessalonians 4:5 - Not in the lust of concupiscence, even as the Gentiles which know not God:
Not with the lust of concupiscence, which is literally the passion of lust in the Greek. Not in the passion of lust, even as the Gentiles who do not know God:
1 Thessalonians 4:7 - For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness.
And again, the word holiness is the word for sanctification. God has called us out of uncleanness and into sanctification. Sanctification is not a performance. It's a position. That's very important. By holiness, this word is positional. I have been set apart. And now I'm to learn how to possess my vessel in sanctification and honor because it is the temple of God.
1 Thessalonians 4:9 - But as touching brotherly love ye need not that I write unto you: for ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another.
But as touching, or concerning brotherly love, and that's the word PHILADELPHIA. It's the word for family love. Now concerning brotherly love, you need not that I write unto you: for you yourselves are taught of God to love one another.
The term taught of God is one Greek word that means God-taught. That's literally how it's translated. What Paul is making reference to is that man doesn't learn to love by other people teaching them. That's not in the scriptures. Galatians 5:22 tells us that Agape love is a fruit of God's Spirit. God Himself is love.
1 Thessalonians 4:10 - And indeed ye do it toward all the brethren which are in all Macedonia: but we beseech you, brethren, that ye increase more and more;
The emphasis in the Greek text is not all of Macedonia, but the whole region of Macedonia.
1 Thessalonians 4:3 - For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication:
First of all, he says, for this is the will of God, even your sanctification. The word sanctification means to be set apart, to be taken out of a group and be put over on the side. That happens when God's Spirit comes into a person's spirit. That person is now set apart and belongs to Christ.
It's kind of interesting because all these words, the holy in Holy Spirit, and the word sanctification are all from the same word. The Holy Spirit comes into my life and sets my life apart for Christ. I now belong to Christ. 1 Corinthians 6:19 says that not only did Jesus die for my sins, but He purchased me, and I am not my own, and that my body is the temple of the Holy Spirit. I've been purchased!
It is God's will that I be sanctified and I am. Now he's saying learn how to walk in that sanctification. You can't walk in and out of sanctification.
You see, our problem is that we don't understand sanctification. We don't understand that God now owns us, and He has set us apart for His purposes, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, because as soon as we get out of church, we go out and do what we want to do. We want to live life like everybody else does. And God's word says it doesn't work that way. God's will is your sanctification, your setting apart for Him.
The word fornication is the Greek word PORNEA. It's where we get the word pornography from. Also, it's where the word prostitution comes from. It is sexual immorality. Abstain from sexual immorality. Again, in 1 Corinthians Chapter 6, Paul explains about that and says that your body is now the temple of the Holy Spirit. How do you take the temple of God and join it to a harlot? You can't. You'll be destroying yourself. You're sanctified, set apart!
1 Thessalonians 3:11 - Now God himself and our Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, direct our way unto you.
Now God himself and our Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, may He direct our way unto you. That's what is called the Optative Mood. It's a wish, a hope. Now may God bring us in your direction.
1 Thessalonians 3:12 - And the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward another, and toward all men, even as we do toward you:
The word love in the bible, again is the word AGAPE. It is a word that is from the biblical standpoint specifically attached to God. The verb form is found even in society back then, to love the world. In fact, 1 John 2:15 says love not the world, neither the things in the world. That's the verb form AGAPAO.
But the noun AGAPE is only designated for God. God is love. That's our definition of AGAPE. And we see later on that Paul is going to commend them for being God-taught to love, that God teaches them from within. But AGAPE love is a concern about people's spiritual welfare, and willing to sacrifice and lay down your life, whatever it takes for that person's welfare.
So, he prays the scope, the dimension of their love would increase and abound towards one another and towards all men.
1 Thessalonians 3:13 - To the end he may stablish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints.
The word holiness is the word sanctification which means to be set apart and we see that in Chapter 4. In setting apart before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all of His saints.
Again, Paul is looking forward. When Paul ministered to people, he was always concerned about a believer's faith, that they lived by faith and didn't need the human resources and the feelings and all the different things in order to make it through life. And secondly, that they would be mature and complete at the coming of Christ.
1 Thessalonians 4:13 - But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.
The word sorrow is the word grieve. Even as others which have no hope. So that was the question. In this text, Paul deals with answering what happens to the people who have died before Christ comes back. That's the issue. 1 Corinthians 15:50-54, he deals with the people who are on the earth when the Lord comes back.
But Paul's emphasis here is not the people who are remaining on the earth when the Lord comes back, but those who have died because these people are grieving, thinking that their friends and loved ones who have died are going to miss the Lord's coming because they're dead.
So here he deals with those in the grave. In 1 Corinthians 15:50-54 he deals with those who are on the face of the earth when the Lord comes back. We have two groups of people. But here he says I would not have you to be ignorant, concerning them which are asleep, that you grieve not, even as non-believers that don't have hope. And that's what they were grieving over.
Sleep in reference to death in the bible is a reference to physical death. The reason for this is because the word death sounds too permanent. The believers always said that the physical body was sleeping, and that it was just temporary.
But then there are groups that began to spread the doctrine of soul sleep. They said that when you die, your body and your soul sleep. And they put you into the ground and you sleep there until God comes back. Well, the problem with that is that the word sleep in reference to death is never a reference to the soul. It's always a reference to the physical body. Also, in 2 Corinthians 5:8, he says we are confident I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord. Paul says he would rather go be with the Lord, but for them he would stay.
1 Thessalonians 4:11 - And that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you;
And that you study to be quiet. Interesting, the Old English word (study) is the word for ambition or set a goal. Your goal should be to be quiet. James, in James Chapter 1 said be quick to hear and slow to speak and slow to anger. You have to be careful with the people that always want to talk, even though they don't have anything to say. The bible says that we should be quick to listen but slow to speak, and slow to anger. So, he says make it your goal to be quiet.
And then it says to do your own business. The word do is the word PRASSO. This word means to practice. Practice your own business.
1 Thessalonians 4:12 - That ye may walk honestly toward them that are without, and that ye may have lack of nothing.
That you may walk honestly toward them that are without (non-believers), that you would be representative of responsible people who are studying and learning to increase more and more in the love of Christ, who are turning more toward being quiet than being loud, who are minding their own business, who are working with their own hands, so that those non-believers we work with and live around can see the proper representation of a believer's life.
Secondly: and that you may have lack of nothing. The word lack is the word need. Work with your own hands. Make sure that you have no need. One of the most embarrassing moments for believers is to find themselves spending their money irresponsibly and then becoming discouraged and lazy about going to work because their debts are so deep and then have to turn to the non-believing relatives for help.
At the same time, they're telling the non-believing relatives that they are lost. But the non-believing relatives are looking and saying "Well, I'm lost but I can take care of my own household. You're coming to me." And it's a false representation!
1 Thessalonians 4:5 - Not in the lust of concupiscence, even as the Gentiles which know not God:
Not with the lust of concupiscence, which is literally the passion of lust in the Greek. Not in the passion of lust, even as the Gentiles who do not know God:
1 Thessalonians 4:7 - For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness.
And again, the word holiness is the word for sanctification. God has called us out of uncleanness and into sanctification. Sanctification is not a performance. It's a position. That's very important. By holiness, this word is positional. I have been set apart. And now I'm to learn how to possess my vessel in sanctification and honor because it is the temple of God.
1 Thessalonians 4:9 - But as touching brotherly love ye need not that I write unto you: for ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another.
But as touching, or concerning brotherly love, and that's the word PHILADELPHIA. It's the word for family love. Now concerning brotherly love, you need not that I write unto you: for you yourselves are taught of God to love one another.
The term taught of God is one Greek word that means God-taught. That's literally how it's translated. What Paul is making reference to is that man doesn't learn to love by other people teaching them. That's not in the scriptures. Galatians 5:22 tells us that Agape love is a fruit of God's Spirit. God Himself is love.
1 Thessalonians 4:10 - And indeed ye do it toward all the brethren which are in all Macedonia: but we beseech you, brethren, that ye increase more and more;
The emphasis in the Greek text is not all of Macedonia, but the whole region of Macedonia.
1 Thessalonians 4:3 - For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication:
First of all, he says, for this is the will of God, even your sanctification. The word sanctification means to be set apart, to be taken out of a group and be put over on the side. That happens when God's Spirit comes into a person's spirit. That person is now set apart and belongs to Christ.
It's kind of interesting because all these words, the holy in Holy Spirit, and the word sanctification are all from the same word. The Holy Spirit comes into my life and sets my life apart for Christ. I now belong to Christ. 1 Corinthians 6:19 says that not only did Jesus die for my sins, but He purchased me, and I am not my own, and that my body is the temple of the Holy Spirit. I've been purchased!
It is God's will that I be sanctified and I am. Now he's saying learn how to walk in that sanctification. You can't walk in and out of sanctification.
You see, our problem is that we don't understand sanctification. We don't understand that God now owns us, and He has set us apart for His purposes, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, because as soon as we get out of church, we go out and do what we want to do. We want to live life like everybody else does. And God's word says it doesn't work that way. God's will is your sanctification, your setting apart for Him.
The word fornication is the Greek word PORNEA. It's where we get the word pornography from. Also, it's where the word prostitution comes from. It is sexual immorality. Abstain from sexual immorality. Again, in 1 Corinthians Chapter 6, Paul explains about that and says that your body is now the temple of the Holy Spirit. How do you take the temple of God and join it to a harlot? You can't. You'll be destroying yourself. You're sanctified, set apart!
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