1 Thessalonians 4

In this chapter, Paul continues to offer practical guidance for Christian living, emphasizing sanctification, love for one another, and hope in the resurrection. He calls believers to live holy lives that please God, reminding them of their unique calling. Additionally, he provides comfort to those concerned about deceased believers, explaining the return of Christ and the resurrection of the dead.

1 Thessalonians 4:1-2 (NKJV) Finally then, brethren, we urge and exhort in the Lord Jesus that you should abound more and more, just as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God; for you know what commandments we gave you through the Lord Jesus.

Paul begins by urging the Thessalonians to continue growing in their walk with God. He reminds them that they already know how they should live because of the instructions given through Christ. Their aim should be to please God in their actions, and they are encouraged to increase in this more and more. Paul's tone reflects both encouragement and a challenge for continual spiritual growth.

1 Thessalonians 4:3-5 (NKJV) For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you should abstain from sexual immorality; that each of you should know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor, not in passion of lust, like the Gentiles who do not know God.

Paul clarifies that God’s will for their lives is sanctification, a process of becoming holy. He specifically highlights the importance of avoiding sexual immorality, as this was a common issue in the pagan culture around them. Believers are to control their bodies in a way that is honorable, different from the lust-driven lifestyle of those who do not know God. This reflects the contrast between a life devoted to God and one led by worldly desires.

1 Thessalonians 4:6-8 (NKJV) That no one should take advantage of and defraud his brother in this matter, because the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also forewarned you and testified. For God did not call us to uncleanness, but in holiness. Therefore he who rejects this does not reject man, but God, who has also given us His Holy Spirit.

Paul warns against wronging others, especially in sexual matters. He emphasizes that God Himself will judge those who commit such sins. God’s call for believers is a call to holiness, not impurity, and rejecting these instructions is not merely disregarding human advice, but rejecting God’s will. Furthermore, the presence of the Holy Spirit is a reminder of their divine calling to live in purity and holiness.

1 Thessalonians 4:9-10 (NKJV) But concerning brotherly love you have no need that I should write to you, for you yourselves are taught by God to love one another; and indeed you do so toward all the brethren who are in all Macedonia. But we urge you, brethren, that you increase more and more.

Paul commends the Thessalonians for their love toward fellow believers, a love that God Himself has taught them. This love extends beyond their immediate community to the broader region of Macedonia. Yet, Paul encourages them not to be complacent, but to continue growing in this love. Even in areas where they excel, there is always room for more progress in the Christian life.

1 Thessalonians 4:11-12 (NKJV) That you also aspire to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you, that you may walk properly toward those who are outside, and that you may lack nothing.

Paul encourages believers to live quietly, focusing on their own affairs and working diligently. This approach ensures that they conduct themselves in a respectable manner before non-believers and remain self-sufficient. Such a lifestyle reflects integrity and avoids unnecessary conflicts, earning respect from outsiders and ensuring that their needs are met through honest labor.

1 Thessalonians 4:13-14 (NKJV) But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus.

Paul addresses a concern about believers who had died, often referred to as “fallen asleep.” He assures the Thessalonians that they should not grieve like those without hope. Since Jesus died and was resurrected, they can be confident that God will bring the deceased believers back with Him. The resurrection of Jesus serves as the foundation for the hope of eternal life.

1 Thessalonians 4:15-16 (NKJV) For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.

Paul reveals that those who are alive when Christ returns will not have any advantage over those who have died. In fact, the dead in Christ will rise first. This is a glorious event, marked by the descent of Christ, accompanied by the voice of an archangel and the sound of the trumpet. The resurrection of the dead is the first part of this climactic moment in salvation history.

1 Thessalonians 4:17-18 (NKJV) Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words.

After the resurrection of the dead, those who are still alive will be caught up with them to meet the Lord in the air. This passage presents the Christian hope of eternal union with Christ, as believers will forever be in His presence. Paul concludes by encouraging the Thessalonians to comfort one another with this promise, reinforcing the hope and assurance of Christ’s return.