Stay Faithful and True to God’s Word

Transcript

GR 1128
11/24/1985
Stay Faithful and True to God’s Word
1 Thessalonians 5:19-28
Gil Rugh

So turn in your bibles to I Thessalonians chapter 5. I Thessalonians and in the 5th chapter. As happens in a number of Paul’s letters as he draws to a close he has series of brief instruction or commands or comments similar to what we might do as we draw a letter to a close. We developed what we want to say and it’s time to close and so we’ll often make a series of brief comments of statements and then conclude the letter. And that is what Paul is doing to his letter to the Thessalonians. Remember a church that was founded by Paul shortly before. A church that he had to leave soon after it had been established, because of persecution. The persecution had continued even after Paul had left. And the opposition to the Gospel also involved an attempt to discredit Paul and his ministry. So Paul has challenged the Thessalonians, encouraged them, as well as defended his own ministry among them.

Then as the letter drew to a close, beginning with verse 12 of chapter 5, he gave them some instruction concerning their relationship with one another. How they are to relate with one another within the body. The respect that they owe. The concern they are to have for one another in verse 14--a sensitivity to the needs of various believers. And then in an attempt to minister to those believers according to their needs. And so some you would admonish; some you encourage; some you reach out and help. And you have to be patient with everyone. You see this isn't just a onetime thing. 'Well, I encouraged you. But you didn't come along.' There's going to have to be patience, because we're all in the process of developing. And that process won't be brought to completion in this day until we're brought into the presence of Christ. So you can expect, and I can expect, as much we're involved in one another's lives, there's still going to be more to be done and that means that we have to be patient with one another.

A warning trying to repay evil with evil. Vindication, when you're under persecution that's a special danger. When people are abusing you and mistreating you for no good reason, it is easy for you to develop feelings of animosity; a desire for revenge. There's a warning given to them to repay no one evil for evil. Now you don't have to weight what they've done or how bad it's been, you repay no one evil for evil, but you look to do good for all men.

Then the will of God for us as believers involves rejoicing always, praying without ceasing, and in everything giving thanks. If I want to know what God's will is for me as a believer? Well, here is an indicator of that will. You rejoice and be praying and be giving thanks.

Then with verse 19, he gives a series of instructions to them that are related even though they seem like isolated instructions. ''Do not quench the Spirit, do not despise prophetic utterances, but examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good; abstain from every form of evil.'' And it seems that this section is built around the idea of being discerning. Exercising discernment as believers.

He starts out by command them not to quench the Spirit. And the Spirit is often symbolizes by fire. That’s the most familiar reference in Acts chapter 2, where he is made visible by the tongue of fire. Here you have the picture of quenching. That work to 'quench' means to extinguish or to put out. So figuratively it means to suppress or to stifle something. This section here is don’t stifle or suppress the Spirit's ministry. And he says it rather quickly and abruptly. Don't quench the Spirit. Don't stifle the Spirit it His ministry. The only other passage that we have that would be similar in nature to this, would Ephesians chapter 4:30, where we were told not to grieve the Spirit. Don't grieve Spirit. Here don't quench the Spirit. The ideas may well be related. By what we do, by how we respond to the word of God and the ministry of the Spirit, we can stifle Him. And that's important for me to recognize. I can be involved in hindering, suppressing the ministry of the Spirit of God. And here as believers, they are told not to quench the Spirit. Not to suppress His ministry. A danger there. Now in the immediate area that Paul's concerns seems to be in verse 20, ''do not despise prophetic utterances.'' This connection may indicate the area where the quenching was going on. A failure to recognize and appreciate the importance of the prophetic ministry. The resistance to the prophetic ministry which would end up stifling of hindering the Spirit's ministry. Now we might apply this broadly and say that in area where we resist the Spirit’s ministry we are quenching it. When we are suppressing what God wants to accomplish we are suppressing here. But the context seems to point to the area of prophetic ministry. And in verse 20, he says, 'do not despise prophetic utterances.’ And this word 'to despise’ means to set down as of no account; to treat with contempt. So take lightly; don’t disregard, don’t think with contempt prophetic utterances.

Now the gift of prophecy in the New Testament church, you have to understand what it was. It involved receiving a message from God and communicating it to people. Turn over to I Corinthians chapter 14, I Corinthians 14:29, ''And let two or three prophets speak and let the others pass judgment.’’ So the prophets could speak two or three, each in order, when one was speaking the others would evaluate what he was saying and its genuineness. But note, verse 30, ''But if a revelation is made to another who is seated, let the first keep silent.** You see what was involved in that prophetic ministry is revelation from God. And they are to give weight to one another in their speaking as God would give a revelation. From my understanding of the gift of prophecy in the New Testament was that material was given, revelation was given from God to an individual who then in turn communicated that revelation to God’s people. Because remember the New Testament wasn’t complete! So God is adding to the revelation of the Old Testament Scriptures and that would happen through the prophetic ministry along with that would be the apostolic ministry. Apostle that are called also received direct revelation from God. So we're told in Ephesians 2:20, that the foundation for the church is the apostles and the prophets. Because the prophets and the apostles received their information concerning the church upon which the church is founded. And we do that today. What do we do? We study the New Testament. The New Testament is the record of the revelation given to the apostles and the prophets. So that's in I Thessalonians chapter 5, when Paul says, 'don't quench the spirit.' He's telling them not to despise the prophetic utterances. Not to suppress the Spirit's ministry by treating lightly or with contempt the message that God has given through the Spirit and through these prophets. That attitude may be why Paul will speak so severely to them in verse 27, %%I adjure you by the Lord to have this letter read to all the brethren.'' Something of a resistance and closed attitude toward the message from God. Perhaps under the influence of those who were opposing the ministry of Paul--might have been the defense he gives in chapter two. Be careful about your attitude toward the word of God. And I take it for us today in application, the prophetic utterances that we have preserved for us or what is recorded as our New Testament. So for us we don't get additional revelation because the scriptures are completed. And perhaps it would be a matter of not treating lightly or contemptuously the word of God. Don't disregard--the message that we have from God. These prophetic utterances that are now recorded for us our the scriptures. Be careful about suppressing the Spirit's ministry by treating God's word lightly in effect of what is being said as it applies to you and I today.

Note how he goes on in verse 21. I think he's continuing the same theme. ''But'' (it shows here in a contrast rather than despising them), ''but examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good, and abstain from every form of evil. ' '

When Paul says don't suppress the Spirit's ministry, and don't despise prophetic utterances, he doesn't mean therefore accept everything that anyone says. Anyone who comes along and says, 'I have a message from God.' That doesn't mean you're supposed to sit down and say, 'Okay, tell me! Very good, I accept that.' Believers are to be discerning. We are to examine everything. The danger is that we reject too much but we accept too much. I reject even part of what is from God or I accept too much accepting some of which is not from God. I am to examine! And that word 'examine' carries the idea of putting something to the test. It's used of metal that are tried and proved they are genuine.

Look over in I Peter chapter 1 for just one use of this word. I Peter chapter 1, verse 6. ''In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials,'' (note), ''that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire.’’ our word. It examines, is tested by fire just like gold is tested and refined so its purity and so our faith here is being tested and refined that we may be found results in honor and glory in the Coming of Christ.

So back in I Thessalonians 5:21 we are to examine everything. Now note that, there is to be thoroughness about us as believers. We are to put everything to the test. And in this context, everything that claims to be true from God is to be sifted carefully and examined carefully. Now in the New Testament when they didn’t have the scriptures complete. We saw one test when we read I Corinthians 14. When a person claimed to have a prophetic message other prophets present, those who had the gift of prophecy would analyze that message; pass judgment on them as Paul says, discerning its correctness. Because they couldn’t turn over and say, well look in I Thessalonians and see what God had said there. Because it hadn’t been written yet. But there were some test. The ultimate test always would be to be consistent with the revelation God has given. Now for us today we have the completed revelation of God. And in light of that we are to be testing everything in light of the word of God.

Over in I John chapter 4 and in verse 1. The apostle John writes concerning tests and testing. He says, I John 4:1, ''Beloved, do not believer every spirit, but test the sprits to see whether they are from God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world.’’ Note the same issue at hand. Don’t believe every Spirit. In other words everyone who comes and claims they have a message from God; don’t believe it. Why? There are many false prophets. So you must examine carefully what they claim and what they have to say.

Now back In I Thessalonians 5 as you examine them, you hold fast to what is good and you abstain from what is evil. And it is a contrast here that miss a little bit. Hold fast and abstain are closely related words. What it is good as the result of the test, what you recognize to be good, you hold fast to it. You cling to it. And what is evil you hold yourself away from it, literally. So on one side you hold fast to something; on the other side you holds yourself away from it. If it is good you hold on to it. You cling to it. If it is not good, you reject it. You hold yourself away from it. So you note there’s not a little ground here. You don’t find a dabbling place for believers. You’re either holding fast or your holding away and if you’re not doing either then you have to back up and sift it through the word of God in this area to determine for sure what is right and what is not. Evil would be anything that would conflict with the word of God. It’s easier for us today, since the revelation is complete, we can come to the word of God Old and New Testament alike and evaluate what comes to us. And evaluate it carefully. The principal was set down by Isaiah the prophet, in Isaiah chapter 8 and in verse 20, ''He said according to the law and the prophets if they don’t speak according to the law and the prophets, it’s because they have no dawn.’ They have no light. They have no revelation. So everything is to be sifted in light of what God has revealed.

Now the application of this for us today, ought to be very obvious. I think one of the major areas of problems for the church and for believers today is a failure is obey I Thessalonians chapter 5 verse 21. To examine everything. Believers tend to be very gullible and the reason is we don't carefully sift things through the word of God. One of the reasons we don't do that is we haven't been careful enough in our study of the word of God. The less you know about the word of God, the less discerning you can be in the test. The more you know about the word of God, the more carefully you can test the teaching, the doctrines and the practices you're confronted with to determine their validity. My emotional response is not reliable. I have to test it.

It's just like in the realm of metal. We can have a piece of gold that looks so good, but it's just imitation because in time it turns your finger green and it can look pretty much like true gold. Well how do you know? You know if someone stopped you on the street when you went out after the service and said, 'Here's a solid gold ring. I sell it to you for only 500 dollars. It's got to be worth 5,000 or 10,000 dollars at the least.' And you say, 'Oh, thanks, I'll take it.' You say that would be stupid! First I want to know if it's stolen.

Secondly, let's have it tested. If it's genuine I'll buy it.' But somehow when we come to spiritual things we sit down and set by various men who present something, we say, 'Wow! That’s probably right.’ We forget, 'I got to take it back here now and put it to the test. I’ve got to examine in carefully. And if it’s true and genuine, I’m going to embrace it. And if it is not, I’m going to hold myself off from it. I need to be careful here. I want to find a middle ground and say, 'well, it doesn't measure up to the word....but I think it has good intentions and there’s some good that comes of it but I see it having a good impact in some places.' That’s not what it tells you here, is it. If it doesn't agree; if it doesn't pass the test then I’m to hold myself off from it and not be involved in it.

Paul goes on in I Thessalonians 5, verse 23, ''Now may the God of peach Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Faithful is He who calls you, and He also will bring it to pass.’’ Ultimately, the work of sanctification is the work of God. And that’s what we’ve been talking about in verse 21 and 22. As I told on to the good and hold back from evil that’s the process of becoming more of God wants me to be. You call that process sanctification. Ultimately that’s God’s work in setting us apart from evil for Himself. I hear about that work of sanctification that goes on and will find it’s consummation in the presence of Christ. He says, may the God of peace Himself, stressed here on the work of God, and the stress here on the God of peace. Common expression in Paul's writings. May have to do for us with the peace that God
brings within and also the peace that God will produce within the body of Thessalonica as they examine things carefully.

As they examine things carefully and allow God to do his sanctifying works through their rejection of evil with holding on to the good, peace will characterize the body. You know what will happen if part of the body does its discerning work and the other part doesn't. There will be division. You know why? Those who are discerning will be saying, 'There being discerning, they don't examine the word we can hold on to it. Those who aren't discerning will be saying, 'you're too fussy!' They always want to pass judgment on everything. What happens? The body begins to divide. But God brings peace in His sanctifying work in our life in this context. ''Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely...'' so there is a completeness here. But this won't ultimately be realized until we brought into the presence of Christ.

And he goes on to say, and what he is saying in a different way and that brings in a multitude of questions on this verse, ''may your spirit and your soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.'' What's involved here is: may you submit to this work of God, holding back to rejecting what is evil and clinging to the good so that God's work of sanctification can bring you before the presence of God Himself without blame. The completing of that sanctifying process. Now the question comes up here: spirit, soul and body.
It’s been the subject of theological discussions over the centuries. Is man a dichotomy, or a tri-codamy. Is he composed of two parts or three parts? Are you body and soul, or are you body, soul and spirit. Is there a distinction between the soul and the spirit? Yes there is a distinction between the soul and the spirit. What is that distinction? Well, I'm going to solve that for you tonight. Too bad for the theologians who have gone on and have missed it.

It’s not an easy answer. Let me share with you some of the issues. There are occasions where man is spoken of a dichotomy, having two parts: body and soul or body and spirit. Look over in James chapter 2. James chapter 2 in verse 26. James 2:26, ''For just as the body without the spirit is dead,’’ I believe the King James Version may have soul there, but the word here is spirit. You have it in the New American Standard Bible. ''The body without the spirit is dead. 'So there man is dealt as just having two parts: the physical body and the spirit and when the spirit leaves the body the material part of man lose his body, that body is physically dead. That’s as close as you get to a definition of death in the bible. When the person has left his body, his body is physically dead. But there it is two parts: a body and a spirit.

Look over in II Corinthians chapter 7, verse 1. There again we have a body and a spirit. II Corinthians chapter 1-- did I say I Corinthians? II Corinthians chapter 7 verse 1. ''Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.’’ All defilement of flesh, the physical body and spirit that part of me which is not physical, the immaterial part of a person. I don’t want to be defiled either in my physical body or in my spirit, my nonphysical body. Again, only indication there is that there is two parts: the physical and the nonphysical.

But sometimes it’s not body and spirit, but body and soul. Just look at one passage. Matthew chapter 10. Matthew chapter 10 verse 28. Matthew 10:28, Jesus says, ''And do not fear those who kill the body, but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.’’ There is seems like its only two parts. Right? Body and soul. Fear the one who is able to destroy both body and soul in hell. Now men can kill the body, but they can’t kill the soul. Someone can kill me physically, but they can’t kill my soul. That’s immaterial and they can’t touch that. Now you note here that there seems to be an overlap. James 2:26 said, the body without the spirit is dead. Here we’re told that God can cast body and soul into hell. So it seems here you have the body and huh, soul and spirit used interchangeably. The spirit leaves the body and the body is dead. God can cast both body and soul in hell. So the soul has to be the immaterial part which is called the spirit in James 2:26. So it seems to be an overlap there where soul and spirit are used interchangeably.

Now there are two passages in the New Testament where we have the reference to the body, the soul and the spirit. One of them is the passage we’re reading in I Thessalonians chapter 5. The other is memorized because of its power on the scriptures. Hebrews chapter 4 and verse 12. Hebrews 4:12. ''For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far (or to) as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.'' The word of God, here, is able to pierce to the dividing of soul and spirit. I say, may your whole body, soul and spirit preserved blameless. Well the word of God is able to pierce to dividing of soul and spirit. So sometimes soul and spirit are used interchangeably, in these two passages: I Thessalonians 5 and Hebrews 4 it seems like there is a distinction made that there is difference between the soul and the spirit. Part of the problem is that the only two passages that refer to soul and spirit together give no explanation of any difference. I take it, that the two passage that were used that both soul and spirit are used together to find out how I would define a difference. So I’m left to come back and say, 'Well what would the difference be?' And while you're in Hebrews 4, it may indicate in Hebrews 4 that is very difficult if not impossible to make a distinction. The New American Standard has translated it: ''piercing as far as the dividing of the soul and spirit.' Indicating that the soul and spirit can't be divided. That also can be translated even to the dividing, meaning the word of God can even go so far as to make a distinction between soul and spirit. But if it does that, it never tells us what that distinction is. So the New American Standard has it, ''it goes that far.' At any rate, it would indicate that it very difficult, if it is possible at all, to make a distinction between soul and spirit. Because only the word of God which is alive and powerful can draw that line and know where it could draw it in a way that we can clearly say, 'this is what the bible say the spirit is. This is what the bible says the soul is.

Those who do make it a distinction, usually do it along these lines: The spirit is the highest part of man. This is the part of man that was made to communicate with God. Now it's been affected by the fall, we are spiritually dead and that communication is not going on, but it is the spirit part of the man that marks him off as different than other beings. A relationship with God because I have spirit whereas the soul has to do with that self-conscious part of my personality. That's where my personality is rooted in the soul. Now that's the distinction made. And I'm not sure how I follow it to be quite honest with clarity. When man is made in the image of God, it seems that God has personality which is emotion, intellect and will along with His self-consciousness and because we are personal beings we are able to communicate with God who is a personal being. But to say that my soul is where my personality is rooted, but my spirit is where communion with God would take place and to disassociate that from my personality. If that's the difference, I can understand why only the word of God pierce into that, because I don't understand it. It seems to me that my ability for me to communicate with God is part of my personality. That human beings along with angels are personal created beings. As personal beings we can commune with God. Now to make that different than my spirit becomes very confusing.

One other passage on that is often used in this. It's over in I Corinthians chapter 2. There are some other passages but these are some basic ones. I Corinthians and maybe you do get the idea by now that I'm not going to be able to resolve this for you, but I'll tell you what I think when I'm done here. I Corinthians chapter 2 in verse 14. ''But the natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God; for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised. But he who is spiritual appraised all things, yet he himself is appraised by all things....'' This is a contrast between the natural man and the spiritual man. And if that's are discussion because the word translated 'natural' is the word 'soulish' The 'soulish' man would seem to indicate there that the soulish man who lives only in the realm of the soul and not in the realm of the spiritual. A little bit of the difficulty here is the spiritual man is the man who is empowered by the Spirit and enlightened by the Spirit. Now verse 12, ''Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things freely given to us by God. So the spiritual man is the man who has the Holy Spirit. So there we find that there talking about the Spirit as a person in distinction from his soul. Because we have to be careful for this. Because you can't say, well the natural man doesn’t have a spirit. Because James 2:26 says, when the spirit leaves the body and unsaved people die, so their spirit leaves the body so they did have spirit. So I don’t know that I Corinthians 2:14 and 15 really has any bearing on the issue, since spiritual there is in the context of the Holy Spirit in the life in contrast to the person who does not have the Holy Spirit in the life.

All I can say, if there is a difference between soul and spirit there's not enough information given in scripture to enable us to discern what that difference is. They all become rather arbitrary. Because the bible doesn't tell us what the difference is. It does use the three terms in those two passages. Now may it’s just an encompassing way to say everything and a little bit redundant or it may be indicating there is a difference between the soul and the spirit but exactly what that difference is, the bible never unfolds. And I think we can go to a lot needless labor, such as I have done, To try to determine what that difference is. But I haven’t been able to find it in scripture. And the debate over the years among theologians indicate somewhat the lack of information from scripture and so we are left to try to postulate what that difference might be.

Come back to I Thessalonians and you'll note the prayer that Paul offers in verse 23 of chapter 5 has basically the same thing he said over in chapter 3 verses 11 to 13. Look at I Thessalonians 3:11-13 where he says, %%Now may our God and Father himself and Jesus our Lord direct our way to you; and may the Lord cause you to increase and abound in love for one another, and for all men, just as we also do for you;* ' note, ''so that He may establish your hearts unblamable in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all His saints.’’ That's the same thing he said in 23. ''be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of the Lord.'' In verse 13 of chapter 3, “establish your hearts unblamable....'' There again, the word 'heart' encompasses everything he intends with soul and spirit in verse 23. So Paul may be saying in every part of your being: your body, your physical part, your soul and spirit, you immaterial part, without trying to draw any distinctive line. Keep yourself blameless. I forget to say the word heart in chapter 3:13 encompasses whatever is in view with soul and spirit of verse 23 of chapter 5. And then you back up and say, 'well is there a difference between heart and spirit and soul.' And it seems, perhaps, these are just interchangeably references to what we are in our immaterial man.

Having clarified that for you, look at verse 24 of chapter 5. ''Faithful is He who calls you, and He also will bring it to pass.'' And what that verse does in this context, you see a development. There's instructions given to the believers in verses 19, 20, 21 and 22 about obedience to the spirit and not stifling His ministry, being open to the word of God and in light of the word of God, discerning between the good and the evil and holding on the good and rejecting the evil recognizing that it is God as we do this that will bring about the process of sanctification. to bring us into His presence blameless and even though He starts out by instructions to us in this process he recognizes that all ultimately it is God's work who accomplishes this and it will be a accomplished in the life of every single believer. ''Faithful is He who calls you,’' and the call of God is used by Paul is the effectual call that results in salvation. ''Faithful is He who has called you, and He also will bring it to pass.’' Similar idea in Philippians chapter 1 verse 6. 'He who has begun a good work in you, will bring it to completion. He guarantees the success of that work, bringing us into the presence of Christ and the maturity of blamelessness in His presence. And so that’s the point here. I have responsibility in it. Not to stifle the spirit but to be open to the word of God and to be discerning to the word of God, but recognize that the work of sanctification is God’s work and it will be effectively accomplished for everyone that God call-- which means every believer. So praise God for that.

Am I going to make it into His presence and stand there blameless? Yes I am, because of my faithfulness, No. Because He is faithful, the doctrine of the security of the believer. They get to caught up with their own faithfulness or lack of it. And if it depended upon your faithfulness or my faithfulness, nobody would make it. It wouldn't matter, if God said, I'll save you a thousand times, we would all be going to hell anyway. You know why? We are so unfaithful. Even the most faithful of us are unfaithful. But you know what? My ultimate sanctification in His presence doesn't depend upon my faithfulness--it depends on His. Does that mean I don’t have responsibility? I’m not to quench the spirit. I'm not to despise his word. I am to discern between the good and evil, but in all that, recognize that the work of sanctification and establishing me in the presence of God, blameless is the work of the one who called me. And that guarantees the effectiveness and finishing of that work. Paul is moving to close now, ''Brethren, pray for us.’’
And this is a good study for you. Now repeatedly, Paul in his epistles asks believers to pray for him. He recognized that the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. And he was concerned that people would pray for him and his ministry. So just briefly and quickly 'Brethren, pray for us.’’ Greet all the brethren with a holy kiss.’’ And interesting all the discussion you can have on a 'holy kiss,’ I’m Interested in church history how much discussion there was on the 'holy kiss.’ And you even had to have an account or some discussion in the councils to try and correct the problem with the holy kiss because it got to mean not so holy. (The congregation is laughing in the background.) I tell you it just a form of reading. It was the greeting practice among friends in the orient. We still see it. Some countries you see on the news in that part of the world that even when political leaders will greet one another, they'll embrace and kiss one another on the cheek. So here is that expression of Christian love within the framework of holiness. Verse 27, ''I adjure you by the Lord to have this letter read to all the brethren.'' This is a remarkable statement.

You almost say passed on at the end. It's not passed on, but you get here and we're almost done and he says, ''I adjure you...That's a word that means to put someone under an oath or bind them with an oath. Seems an overly strong word to use at this point. Yet he's using it under the direction of the Spirit of God which perhaps indicates something of the problem is rumbling in the church at Thessalonica. He's warned them about stifling the spirit and being contemptuous with prophetic utterances. Now perhaps he's afraid of the influence of these who opposed his ministry. And as they opposed Paul's ministry and Paul's word, they're really holding in contempt the word of God that is given to Paul. So he say, I put you under an oath, I bind you with an oath, to have this letter read to all the brethren. Unless any of us would try to put it aside and say, 'it's not important. Paul has just said some general things there, we don't need to be bothered with it.; Paul say, I'm putting you under an oath and binding you to have all the believers exposed to this message. Have it read to everyone. And that practice of reading it audibly, the practice of that, obviously not everyone would have a copy. So when the believers would get together, then it would be read at the public meeting.

''The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.'' All the New Testament letters begin and end on the note of grace. What a reminder that all we are, and all that we'll ever be, the power and enablement to be what God wants us to be, is a result of His grace. We need to be reminded at the beginning and at the end that we don't deserve it. Praise God I don't have to be taken up with how much I don't deserve it, and how unworthy I am. That's clearly established. But It's God's grace working in our lives that will bring this to reality. God's grace, His enablement that will enable you to be all that God want you to be, be with you and Paul leaves them on that note.

I think it would be hard to write to the Thessalonians in what they were going through. Encourage them to be faithful and true to the word of God. Be reminded that God will see them through. God will accomplish His work of sanctification.

We today, two thousand years later, study letter, the message is the same. Be faithful to the word of God. Be discerning to the word of God and remember that as you do that the spirit of God is working and it's God's purpose and plan that everyone of His children be brought to glorification in His presence. Let's pray together.

Father how we praise you for your faithfulness. That You the one who has called us His faithful. What an encouragement that is to us. Lord that you will accomplish His purposes in our lives. We are so weak; Father we are so unfaithful. There is no excuse for it. Father we praise you for your grace that Your provision for us as the Redeemed guaranteed that we will be established blameless in your presence. Father, may that be a motivation and an encouragement for us to function as you intend for us to function. Lord that we may not be guilty in any way, in any area of stifling the ministry of the Spirit of God in our lives personally and in the lives of other believers. Lord give us an openness to the Spirit's ministry. Pray Father that we will hold in high regard the truth that has been revealed to us that's contained now as our scripture. May we discern carefully all the teaching, the teachers that are around us. Lord that you could carefully test that we might hold on and cling to that which is good and abhor and reject and stand away from that which is evil. That your work of sanctification might be accomplished according to Your will as you prepare us for that time when we shall be presented in Your presence as the redeemed, holy and blameless and without spot. For the week before us, Father make us faithful that we be a people who live in light of the coming of Jesus Christ. Give us an earnestness, a diligence, a zeal, a genuine enthusiasm in serving Jesus Christ wherever we are that You might be honored by our lives and receive the glory for it. We pray in Jesus name. Amen.