Bible Version: New International Version (NIV)
Application Notes: Life Application Study Bible (NIV)
1 THESSALONIANS 5
The Day of the Lord
1 Now, brothers and sisters, about times and dates we do not need to write to you, 2 for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. 3 While people are saying, “Peace and safety,” destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.
4 But you, brothers and sisters, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief. 5 You are all children of the light and children of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness. 6 So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be awake and sober. 7 For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, get drunk at night. 8 But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet. 9 For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. 10 He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him. 11 Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.
Final Instructions
12 Now we ask you, brothers and sisters, to acknowledge those who work hard among you, who care for you in the Lord and who admonish you. 13 Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work. Live in peace with each other. 14 And we urge you, brothers and sisters, warn those who are idle and disruptive, encourage the disheartened, help the weak, be patient with everyone. 15 Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always strive to do what is good for each other and for everyone else.
16 Rejoice always, 17 pray continually, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
19 Do not quench the Spirit. 20 Do not treat prophecies with contempt 21 but test them all; hold on to what is good, 22 reject every kind of evil.
23 May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24 The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it.
25 Brothers and sisters, pray for us. 26 Greet all God’s people with a holy kiss. 27 I charge you before the Lord to have this letter read to all the brothers and sisters.
28 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.
Application Notes
5:1-3 "Times and dates" refers to the knowledge of what will occur in the future, specifically at the return of Christ. Efforts to determine the date of Christ's return are foolish. Don't be misled by anyone who claims to know what it is. Here we are told that no one knows and that even believers will be surprised. The Lord will return suddenly and unexpectedly, warns Paul, so be prepared! Because no one knows when Jesus will come back to earth, we should be ready at all times. Suppose he were to return today. How would he find you living? Are you ready to meet him? Live each day prepared to welcome Christ.
5:2 "The day of the Lord" refers to a future time when God will intervene directly and dramatically in world affairs. Predicted and discussed often in the Old Testament (Isaiah 13:6-12; Joel 2:28-32; Zephaniah 1:14-18), the Day of the Lord will include both punishment and blessing. At this time, Christ will judge sin and set up his eternal kingdom.
5:4-5 God has determined that we cannot know exactly when Christ will return. If we knew the precise date, we might be tempted to be lazy in our work for Christ. Worse yet, we might plan to keep sinning and then turn to God right at the end. Heaven should not be our only goal; we have work to do here, including sharing the Good News of salvation with as many people as we can and strengthening current believers to remain faithful until the end (1 Timothy 6:12). Christians must keep on doing God's work until death or until we see the unmistakable return of our Savior.
5:8 For more on the Christian's armour, see Ephesians 6:13-17.
5:9-11 As you near the end of a long race, your legs ache, your chest burns, and your whole body cries out for you to stop. This is the moment when friends and fans are most valuable. Their encouragement helps you push through the pain to the finish line. In the same way, Christians are to encourage one another. A word of encouragement offered at the right moment can be the difference between finishing well and collapsing along the way. Look around you. Be sensitive to others' needs for encouragement, and offer supportive words or acts of service.
5:12-13 "Those who work hard among you, who care for you in the Lord" probably refers to elders and deacons in the church. How can you show respect to and hold in the "highest regard" your pastor and other church leaders? Express your appreciation for them, tell them how you have been helped by their leadership and teaching, and thank them for their ministry in your life. If you say nothing, how will they know? Remember, they need and will cherish your support and love.
5:14 Lovingly warn those who are idle, remembering to model a good work ethic yourself. Many people dismiss or overlook people who are timid and weak, but Paul urges us to encourage and care for them. At times, distinguishing between idleness and timidity can be difficult. Two people may be doing nothing--one out of laziness and the other out of shyness or fear of doing something wrong. Ministry involves sensitivity: sensing the condition of each person and offering the appropriate remedy for each situation. Paul reminds believers to be patient with everyone. You can't effectively help until you know the problem; you can't apply the medicine until you know where the wound is.
5:16-18 Our joy, prayers, and thankfulness should not fluctuate with our circumstances or feelings. Obeying these three commands--rejoice always, pray continually, and give thanks--often goes against our natural inclinations. When we make a conscious decision to do what God says, however, we will begin to see people in a new perspective, and we will have an easier time being joyful and thankful.
5:17 God commands us to never stop praying. To spend all our time on our knees would be impossible, but we can have a prayerful attitude at all times, regardless of our posture or the place. Such an attitude is built upon acknowledging our dependence on God, realising his presence within us, and determining to obey him fully. Then we will find it natural to pray frequent, spontaneous, short prayers. Regular times of prayer will lead to God's transforming power in our lives. A prayerful attitude is not a substitute for regular times of prayer but should be an outgrowth of those times.
5:17 God commands us to never stop praying. To spend all our time on our knees would be impossible, but we can have a prayerful attitude at all times, regardless of our posture or the place. Such an attitude is built upon acknowledging our dependence on God, realising his presence within us, and determining to obey him fully. Then we will find it natural to pray frequent, spontaneous, short prayers. Regular times of prayer will lead to God's transforming power in our lives. A prayerful attitude is not a substitute for regular times of prayer but should be an outgrowth of those times.
5:17 Have you ever grown tired of praying for something or someone? Paul said that believers should never stop praying. God always hears us and always answers. He is sovereign and has a plan. Sometimes he answers us with a yes or no, but often he tells us to wait. Praying and waiting humble us before God and teach us to rely on his plan instead of our own. (See Jesus' teaching on persistence in prayer in Luke 18:1-8.)
5:18 Paul was not teaching that we should thank God for everything that happens to us but in everything that happens to us. Evil does not come from God, so we should not thank him for it. But when evil strikes, we can still be thankful for God's presence and for the good that he will accomplish through the distress.
5:19 By warning us not to "quench the Spirit" Paul means that we should not ignore or toss aside the gifts the Holy Spirit gives. Here, he mentions prophecy (5:20); in 1 Corinthians 14:39, he mentions speaking in tongues. Sometimes spiritual gifts are controversial, and they may cause division in a church. Rather than trying to talk about the issues, some Christians prefer to smother the gifts. This impoverishes the church. We should not stifle the Holy Spirit's work in anyone's life but encourage the full expression of his gifts to benefit the whole body of Christ. The Holy Spirit speaks to us by convicting us to do what God wants, warning us to flee temptation, and helping us to discern the truth. Ignoring these inner promptings stifles, or quenches, the Holy Spirit's work in our lives. Not acting on these spiritual gifts in your life or keeping someone else from exercising their gifts can hinder God's work at a particular place and time. Trust the Lord, discern your spiritual gifts, and use them to build up the body of believers around you.
5:20-21 We shouldn't make fun of those who don't agree with what we believe ("treat prophecies with contempt"), but we should always "test them all", checking people's words against the Bible. We are on dangerous ground if we laugh at a person who speaks the truth. God has often spoken through prophets, inspiring them with specific messages for particular times and places .. The gift of prophecy is less about predicting future events than about bringing messages from God under the direction of the Holy Spirit to the body of believers. This gift provides insight, warning, correction, and encouragement to God's people {Acts 15:32), edifying the believers (1 Corinthians 14:5, 10-12). More Christians should seek this gift today. On one hand, prophecies spoken should not be ignored or treated with contempt because the words are from God; on the other hand, Paul advocates comparing what people say with what the Bible says. A true prophecy will never contradict what the Bible says.
5:22-24 Christians cannot completely avoid every kind of evil, because we live in a sinful world. We can, however, make sure that we don't give evil a foothold by avoiding tempting situations and concentrating on obeying God.
5:23 This reference to the spirit, soul, and body is not so much about the distinct parts of a person as about the entire being of a person. This expression is Paul's way of saying that God must be involved in every aspect of life. It is wrong to think that we can separate our spiritual lives from everything else, obeying God only in some ethereal sense or living for him only one day each week. The Lord loves us and cares about our whole person--soul, mind, spirit, and body. Paul prays this blessing as an encouragement and a request to God to give us the supernatural ability to stay blameless and holy.
5:27 For all the Christians to hear this letter, it had to be read in a public meeting--not enough copies were available to circulate. Paul wanted to make sure that everyone had the opportunity to hear his message because he was answering important questions and offering needed encouragement.
5:28 The Thessalonian church was young, and they needed help and encouragement. Both the persecution they faced and the temptations of their pagan culture were potential problems for these new Christians. Paul wrote to strengthen their faith and bolster their resistance to persecution and temptation. We, too, have a responsibility to help new believers--to make sure that they continue in their faith and don't become sidetracked by wrong beliefs or practices. This letter encourages us in holiness and sexual purity, love and service for others, and hope. Remember that you have the blessing of grace; undeserved kindness and love are yours because you are a child of God.
Taken from Life Application Study Bible - Third Edition - (NIV)