The Practical Paul First Thessalonians 5:12-22 12 But we request of you, brethren, that you appreciate those who diligently labor among you, and have charge over you in the Lord and give you instruction, 13 and that you esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Live in peace with one another. 14 We urge you, brethren, admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with everyone. 15 See that no one repays another with evil for evil, but always seek after that which is good for one another and for all people. 16 Rejoice always ; 17 pray without ceasing ; 18 in everything give thanks ; for this is Gods will for you in Christ Jesus. 19 Do not quench the Spirit ; 20 do not despise prophetic utterances. 21 But examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good ; 22 abstain from every form of evil. The Apostle Paul’s writings form a large part of the theological thinking of the New Testament. Some of the revelations given to him by the Holy Spirit are the foundation of Christian belief. But Paul was also guided by the Holy Spirit to share very practical things with the followers of Jesus. And this last portion of the First Thessalonians 5 is no exception. It is noteworthy that Paul includes in his practical advice the need to honor and esteem those who teach the family of God, who exercise care over them. Paul’s passionate heart was ever the heart of a shepherd. He would have modeled Jeremiah 3:15 Then I will give you shepherds after My own heart, who will feed you on knowledge and understanding.” He genuinely loved and cared for those whom he ministered to and deeply believed that this feeling should be reciprocal. Paul like Jesus was the consummate realist. He knew that within the body of Christ there would be the unruly, the fainthearted and the weak. Yes even within a church as healthy and vibrant as the Thessalonians. Yet Paul’s advice here is not condemnation, but just recognizing that all Christians are not at the same level of growth and maturity. Then he takes some time to give some practical advice about spiritual matters. The construction of the language here is in the “present tense, and imperative mood”. Thus indicating that Paul is in a very real sense “commanding the believers to care for each other, and also to make caring a continual practice. And notice again how often a “trinity” of things occurs; 16 Rejoice always ; 17 pray without ceasing ; 18 in everything give thanks ; for this is Gods will for you in Christ Jesus. Every time I observe this in scripture, I hear in my mind my Mother’s voice saying, “Never a second, without a third!” And I love the way that Paul has linked these three things together. We are to be continually rejoicing, continually praying, and continually be giving thanks. Paul and knew and wants his readers to know that this “trinity” of actions produce wholeness not only in the individual believer, but also creates a wholesome and healthy atmosphere among all. Now this next remark is meant to be an observation, not a criticism. During the past few months, Suzanne and I have attended a variety of worship services. For us one of the criteria that we believe will strengthen our Christian life, is to be a part of a worship service that has a sense of God’s presence, and also some life and energy. Sometimes we have been somewhat disappointed in what we have observed, and I honestly believe that is related to either presence or the absence of this “trinity” that Paul writes about. So let me speak to myself and also to you. May the Lord help us to be a part of this “trinity”. May we observe it in our personal lives and pray fervently that it will occur in places of worship. Tomorrow I want to comment further on some other verses in this chapter, so please pray for me for insight and wisdom.
Posted on: Mon, 28 Oct 2013 14:15:41 +0000
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