Commentary on 1 Thessalonians

1Th 5:21  Instead, test everything. Hold on to what is good.  1Th 5:22  Keep away from every kind of evil.  .................................................................................................... Test everything :   That means prove or approve; subject everything that has been submitted to you to be believed, eg. prophecies; to the proper test.  test :  [dokimazete] applied to metals is the art of an assayer by which the true nature or value of a metal is tested. 123RF.com Physician and assayer during research isolated on white Stock Photo - 19692838 1Co 3:13  The day will make what each one does clearly visible because fire will reveal it. That fire will determine what kind of work each person has done.  1Co 3:14  If what a person has built survives, he will receive a reward.  1Co 3:15  If his work is burned up, he will suffer the loss. However, he will be saved, though it will be like going through a fire.  The day of Christ is soon to come where

1Th 5:20  Do not despise prophecies. ISV;   1Th 5:20  Don't despise what God has revealed. GW  Do not think meanly of utterances of prophecy; WNT   Do not treat prophecies with contempt NIV. To despise  means you treat of little esteem or importance, you set at nought. Stop counting as nothing. PROPHESYING means Inspired Utterances or Revelations of the Mind and Will of God. According to Thayer's Greek Definitions [ propheteia]  means a discourse emanating from Divine inspiration which declares the Purposes of God whether reproving, admonishing, the wicked, revealing the hidden things or Foretelling future events especially about Christ's kingdom. 1Co 12:28  And by God's appointment there are in the Church--first Apostles, secondly Prophets, thirdly teachers. Then come miraculous powers, and then ability to cure diseases or render loving service, or powers of organization, or varieties of the gift of 'tongues.'  1Co 12:29  Are all Apostle

1Th 5:19  Do not quench the Spirit. My daughter tells the story of the Parable of Mum's Old Wood Combustion Stove,   which we had at our old Toowoomba home in Warwick Street. Esther and I were going away for the weekend and because she was going to have a sleep over with some of her friends, I said to her before leaving, You'll have to keep the fire burning. That is, "you'll have to stack it up before bed otherwise you will not have a hot shower in the morning",which in Winter can be very cold in Toowoomba. Old Slow Combustion stove This Scripture is a command not to extinguish or let the fire of the Holy Spirit go out in your life or you will become cold in heart and life.  The Holy Spirit brings the fire on the altar of your heart. He enlightens, He quickens, He anoints, He convicts and convinces and He directs. He is the Spirit of Christ who forms Christ- likeness in our personalities. He is the Spirit of Truth showing us what is real, right and holy. D

1Th 5:15  See to it that no one ever repays another with evil for evil; but always seek opportunities of doing good both to one another and to all the world.  1Th 5:16  Be always joyful.  1Th 5:17  Be unceasing in prayer.  1Th 5:18  In every circumstance of life be thankful; for this is God's will in Christ Jesus respecting you.   WNT Notes : V.15  See to it that no one ever repays another with evil for evil; Make sure no one pays back wrong for wrong. D. Barnes Notes :  The meaning here is, that we are not to take vengeance ; compare notes on Rom_12:17, Rom_12:19. This law is positive, and is universally binding. The moment we feel ourselves acting from a desire to “return evil for evil,” that moment we are acting wrong. It may be right to defend our lives and the lives of our friends; to seek the protection of the law for our persons, reputation, or property, against those who would wrong us; to repel the assaults of calumniators and slanderers, but in no case should

1Th 5:14  And we exhort you, brethren, admonish the unruly, comfort the timid, sustain the weak, and be patient towards all.  Notes : And we exhort you, Brothers and Sisters ( or we entreat you Brothers) Shogren. Now Paul addresses those who are responsible to ' admonish' other believers. Vvs 12 -22 could be addressed to all believers because all are expected to help their fellow Christians and companions in the faith. (4:18; and 5;11). Shogren prefers to address the Leaders (the Elders) admonish = warn those who are idle or disruptive, or are disorderly ASV (the correct translation) or are undisciplined NJB. 2Th 3:6   But, by the authority of the Lord, we command you, brethren, to stand aloof from every brother whose life is disorderly and not in accordance with the teaching which all received from us.  2Th 3:7  For you yourselves know that it is your duty to follow our example. There was no disorder in our lives among you,  2Th 3:8  nor did we eat any one&

RESPECT AND LOVE CHRISTIAN LEADERS 1Th 5:12  Now we beg you, brethren, to show respect for those who labour among you and are your leaders in Christian work, and are your advisers;  1Th 5:13  and to esteem them very highly in love for their work's sake. Be at peace among yourselves.   to show respect for those who labour among you    OR WORK HARD AMONG YOU. respect : show due honour, [KJV], Pay attention to and acknowledge eg. Bishops (Overseers) and deacons at Philippi 1:1 Barnes Notes : Seek to be personally acquainted with the Ministers and their needs. maintain proper Contact. Those who labour among you or work hard among you . in preaching the Gospel.  Joh 4:38  I sent you to reap a harvest which is not the result of your own labours. Others have laboured, and you are getting benefit from their labours." 1Co 15:10  But what I am I am by the grace of God, and His grace bestowed upon me did not prove ineffectual. But I laboured more strenuously than all the r

1Th 5:9  For God has not pre-destined us to meet His anger, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ;  1Th 5:10  who died on our behalf, so that whether we are awake or are sleeping we may share His Life. ................................................................................................................................................................ Notes: In the previous verse we saw that we are in a battle with a real Enemy. Despite that we have a sure and certain Expectation of our Salvation which keeps us sain in the midst of the Battle. Faith and Love inspire us to Enterprising Courage despite the difficulties. For God has not pre-destined us to meet His anger,   Some were appointed (predestined) or marked out for PUNISHMENT. This is all marked out according to the Sovereignty of God and His everlasting Purpose of Love. 1Th 3:3  that none of you might be unnerved by your present trials: for you yourselves know that they are our appointed lot. 1T

1Th 5:7  For those sleeping sleep in the night, and those being drunken are drunken in the night.  and those being drunken are drunken in the night. 1Th 5:8  But let us, who are of the day, be calm, having put on the breastplate of faith and love and the hope of salvation for a helmet.  -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The previous verse said Watch = Keep awake and Vigilant; and be Sober = Refrain from all indulgence of the Flesh both mental and sensual . cp. 1Pe 5:8  Be sensible and vigilant, because your adversary the Devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking someone he may devour;  1Pe 5:9  whom firmly resist in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions in the world are being completed in your brotherhood.  sleeping through the Day v.7.   For those sleeping,  sleep in the night,  Night is the time for sleeping. Daytime is the time for action. Christians don't be s

1Th 5:5  You are all the sons of light and the sons of the day. We are not of the night, or of darkness.  Th 5:6  Therefore let us not sleep as the rest do, but let us watch and be calm.  ____________________________________________________________________________ Notes  You are all the sons of light and the sons of the day .  This is definitely connected to the previous verse 4. But you, brothers, are not in darkness, that the Day should overtake you like a thief.  You have no reason to fear the Coming Day of the Lord, for you are all Sons of the Light and Sons of the Day. You have been 'Born Again'. There has been a spiritual transformation in your life whereby the Spirit of God has transformed your life, and therefore now you resemble your Father in character (intellectually, morally, and spiritually illuminated. Joh 12:36  While you have the Light, believe in the Light so that you may become sons of Light. Jesus spoke these things and departed and was hidde