Week 15, Day 4: The End of Time
Today’s Reading: 1 Thessalonians 5:1-2 Thessalonians 1:12
Some thoughts from yesterday’s reading…
Recently, we have been studying the book of Revelation in our adult Bible studies on Sunday morning. As we have been talking about chapter 20, the doctrines of pre-millennialism and the end of time have been discussed frequently. Paul’s writing in 1 Thessalonians 4 make it pretty clear that the doctrines devised from Revelation chapter 20 are unsubstantiated by scripture. When we have a difficult passage to understand, like Revelation 20, we cannot violate passages that are much easier to understand, like 1 Thessalonians 4. Paul does not write about a 1000 year reign at the end of time, but tells us very clearly what will happen at the end of time. Here, he is not using figurative or symbolic language like John is in Revelation 20.
Paul provides for us a time line concerning the resurrection. He tells us in 1 Thessalonians 4:16 that the Lord will descend from Heaven with a shout, and with the sound of trumpets and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, those who are alive and faithful will be called to meet Him in the air. Notice that Paul did not mention those who were not faithful to Christ–only the faithful. Was Paul saying that the unrighteous would not be raised, or that they would be raised at a different time? No. In this passage, Paul’s purpose is to encourage those who are faithful (1 Thessalonians 4:18), and his attention is not focused on the wicked at all!
We can see, however, by looking at another clear passage that the wicked and the righteous dead will be raised in the same day. In John 5:28-29, Jesus tells us that the hour is coming when all of the dead would be raised from the dead. At the same time, the righteous would be raised to their reward of eternal life, while the wicked would be raised to their eternal destruction. This is the final judgment that Paul writes about in 1 Corinthians 15:21-24, after which comes “the end”. There is nothing that follows that. There is no 1000 year reign. There is no battle of Armageddon. There is only the judgment, and then the end for the souls–punishment or reward.
This passage in 1 Thessalonians 4 should be encouraging to saints. It is not very encouraging however to those that are not faithful to God. We as Christians have something to look forward to when this life is over. The unfaithful have nothing but fear. This thought should comfort the faithful and frighten the unfaithful! It should be easy to decide which camp we want to be in.
Week 15, Day 3: Attitude Toward God’s Word
Today’s Reading: 1 Thessalonians 3:1-4:18
Some thoughts from yesterday’s reading…
Paul praised the Thessalonian brethren for having the proper attitude toward the word of God. He told them in 1 Thessalonians 2:13 that he thanked God for them because they received the word of God as just that–His word. They did not think of it as the word of men, or the traditions of men. Understanding that it was the word of God caused them to be obedient to what it said. Having this proper attitude allowed the word to work effectively in them, transforming them into the kind of people that they should be.
It was through that word of God that the people in Thessalonica were able to become imitators of the churches of God that were in Judea (the place where the church had first been established, 1 Thessalonians 2:14). It is interesting that Paul was praising the church in Thessalonica for being imitators of the first churches established. In essence, the point seems to be that the word of God will make churches that are very much alike. In function, and in practice, the churches of the first century were the same. Having the same set of rules certainly would make the churches the same. Think of how every football game is played the same way. It is because it has the same rule book. The church also has only one “rule book” and that is the word of God.
Today, there are many who believe that the word of God is just a set of recommendations, and general instructions, rather than a book of requirements. However, if that were the case, then how could the churches in Thessalonica be imitators of those in other places? Paul, as he wrote to the Corinthians, stated that he taught the same things to all the churches (1 Corinthians 4:17). If we realize that the instructions for every single church were the same, then it should not be surprising that churches function the same ways.
Churches today have the same teachings as the church in Corinth, the church in Thessalonica and the churches of Judea. God’s word reveals to us what He wants us to do, and how He wants us to do it. If we follow the word revealed by God, then we too will be imitators of the churches of Judea. But, we have to have the right attitude toward the word of God. It is the authority for all that we believe and practice. If we stray beyond the revealed word, we can have no way of knowing that our practice is acceptable to God. So, we must get rid of all the teachings of men, and listen to only the word of God. If we accept it as authoritative (as the word of God) then we will not argue with it, and we will submit to every bit of instruction that we find.
We, as Christians today, can also thank God without ceasing for our brethren that have the proper attitude toward the word of God, causing them to be faithful and develop churches that are in accordance with His will.