Bible Version: New International Version (NIV)
Application Notes: Life Application Study Bible (NIV)
1 THESSALONIANS 4
Living to Please God
1 As for other matters, brothers and sisters, we instructed you how to live in order to please God, as in fact you are living. Now we ask you and urge you in the Lord Jesus to do this more and more. 2 For you know what instructions we gave you by the authority of the Lord Jesus.
3 It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; 4 that each of you should learn to control your own body in a way that is holy and honorable, 5 not in passionate lust like the pagans, who do not know God; 6 and that in this matter no one should wrong or take advantage of a brother or sister. The Lord will punish all those who commit such sins, as we told you and warned you before. 7 For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life. 8 Therefore, anyone who rejects this instruction does not reject a human being but God, the very God who gives you his Holy Spirit.
9 Now about your love for one another we do not need to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love each other. 10 And in fact, you do love all of God’s family throughout Macedonia. Yet we urge you, brothers and sisters, to do so more and more, 11 and to make it your ambition to lead a quiet life: You should mind your own business and work with your hands, just as we told you, 12 so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody.
Believers Who Have Died
13 Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. 14 For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. 15 According to the Lord’s word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. 18 Therefore encourage one another with these words.
Application Notes
4:1-8 Sexual standards were very low in the Roman Empire, and rn many societies today they are not any higher. The temptation to engage in sex outside of marriage has always been powerful. Giving in to that temptation can have disastrous results. Sexual sins always hurt someone: individuals, families, businesses, churches, and more. Sexual desires and activities must be placed under Christ's control. God created sex for procreation and pleasure and as an expression of love between a husband and wife. The sexual experience, therefore, must be limited to marriage. Besides the physical consequences of sexual sin, there are also spiritual consequences. (For more on why sexual sin is so harmful, see the note on 1 Corinthians 6:18.)
4:3 It is God's will for us to be holy, but how can we go about doing that? The Bible teaches that holiness is not a state of perfection that comes with hard work, severe discipline, or good deeds. Instead, if you have accepted Christ's sacrifice on your behalf and given your life to him, then God already sees you as holy and complete in his eyes, as if you have never sinned. Jesus' death and resurrection have cleansed you from the ravaging effects of sin, but that doesn't release you from the call to good conduct as a follower of Jesus. As one of his disciples, you will want to continue to learn, grow, and mature in your faith and life during your time on earth. This is a lifelong process (called sanctification) as the Holy Spirit works in you, conforming you to the image of Jesus Christ (Romans 8:29). The goal is to be more and more like him every day.
4:4-5 Paul said that lustful passions should not control God's people. Some argue that if they've already sinned by having lustful thoughts, they might as well go ahead with lustful actions, too. But acting out sinful desires is harmful in several ways: (1) It causes people to excuse sin rather than to stop sinning; (2) in marriages, it violates a covenant made with God and destroys trust; (3) it is done in deliberate rebellion against God's Word; and (4) it always hurts someone else in addition to the sinner. Sinful actions are more dangerous than sinful desires, so these desires should not be acted out. Nevertheless, sinful desires are just as damaging to righteousness. Left unchecked, unholy desires will result in unholy actions and will turn people away from God.
4:8 We live in a culture focused on fulfilling individual desires that teaches, "If it feels good, it's right for me." But Paul clearly states that premarital sex, adultery, and anything that qualifies as lust is a rejection of God himself. If we engage in these things, we are not simply disobeying rules set by people, but are acting as though we know more than our almighty God. As followers of Christ, we have the benefit of the guidance of the Holy Spirit; when you are tempted, ask him to strengthen you and show you what to do next.
4:11-12 Christian living is more than simply loving other Christians. We must be responsible in all areas of life. Some of the Thessalonian Christians had adopted lives of idleness, depending on others for handouts. So Paul told the Thessalonians to work hard and live quiet lives. You can't be effective in sharing your faith with others if they don't respect you. Whatever you do, do it faithfully, work hard, and be a positive influence in your community.
4:13-18 The Thessalonians were wondering why many of their fellow believers had fallen asleep (died) and what would happen to them when Christ returned. Paul wanted the Thessalonians to understand that death is not the end of the story. The great hope for all believers is in resurrection. Because Jesus Christ came back to life, so will all believers, including those who have already died. We need not despair, therefore, when loved ones die or world events take a tragic turn. God turn tragedy to triumph, poverty to riches, pain to glory and defeat to victory. All believers throughout history will ultimately stand reunited in God's very presence, safe and secure. As Paul confronted the Thessalonians with the promise of Resurrection, we should comfort and reassure each other with this great hope. When Christ returns, all believers--dead or alive--will be reunited, never to suffer or die again.
4:15-18 Knowing exactly when the dead will be raised in relation to the other events at the Second Coming is not as important as knowing why Paul wrote these words: to challenge believers to comfort and encourage one another when loved ones die with the hope of Jesus' second coming. This passage can be a great comfort when any believer dies. The same love that should unite believers in this life (4:9) will unite believers when Christ returns and reigns for eternity.
4:15 What did Paul mean when he wrote, "according to the Lord's word"? Either this was something that the Lord had revealed directly to Paul, or it was a teaching of Jesus that had been passed along orally by the apostles and other Christians.
4:16 An archangel is an angel with a position of authority and leadership appointed to a special task. Only the angel Michael is identified as an archangel in the New Testament (Jude 1:9; also see Daniel 10:13; 12:1). The Angel Gabriel, though not called an archangel, is also an angel with special authority (Luke 1:19; also see Daniel 8:15-21).
Taken from Life Application Study Bible - Third Edition - (NIV)