1Th 5:23-24 | KingComments | STEP | . The rejoicing, praying and giving thanks applies to all believers, but it should be or become the practice in each individual life. Now some exhortations follow that concern the believers collectively and whereby the emphasis is on not to do something. In the first place the call is: “Do not quench the Spirit.” The word ‘quench’ makes you automatically think of fire ( ; ). In Acts 2 the coming of the Holy Spirit is related to fire ( ). The Holy Spirit dwells in each believer. But it is also the purpose that the Holy Spirit can use each believer. The believer may be the means through whom the Holy Spirit expresses Himself, through whom He reveals Himself. Each believer has received a gift of grace from the Spirit ( ). Those gifts of grace were not given for not to be used. They should be used to the blessing of the fellow believers. The Spirit is being quenched if the gifts get no room. That can happen when during the meeting of a church everything depends on one person, the reverend or pastor. That also happens if, due to tradition, only certain brothers participate in the service or if the course of the service is being planned. Another effective ‘fire-fighting agent’ is the cold criticizing of the practice of a gift. There are some more expressions that say something about a certain attitude toward the Holy Spirit. You read about ‘ grieving the Holy Spirit’ ( ), which refers to your own attitude, if you sin; ‘ resisting the Holy Spirit’, which unbelief does if it resists the work of the Holy Spirit ( ); ‘ blaspheming the Spirit’ ( ), which the apostate does, who against his own better judgment ascribes the work of the Lord Jesus to satan. . The second word of admonition for the church is: “Do not despise the prophetic utterances.” With ‘prophetic utterances’ is not meant the foretelling or statements about the future. It is about telling things that a man cannot find out by natural means (cf. ). ‘Prophetic utterances’ is about the speaking of God’s Word through which the hearer becomes aware of being in the presence of God. It has happened more often that a person after hearing God’s Word, said: ‘It looks like the preacher knows me, for he says exactly who I am and what I have done.’ However, the preacher didn’t know that person at all, but that is the effect of God’s Word on the conscience of a person who hears God’s Word ( ). Therefore it certainly is a serious thing when prophetic utterances are being despised, for it is actually despising God and His Word. Despising also happens when believers give more attention to the way things are said than to the content of what is said. That is also a way of despising. They do not care about the message of God. I hope that this is not the attitude that you have in the meeting. . Besides, you are not there as a consumer. Instead of despising you should examine what is being said, as it is written: “Let the others pass judgment” ( ). Your standard to do so is not your feelings, but the Word of God. That implies that you must pay close attention and that you should know how to separate the wheat from the chaff. You can leave the chaff behind; you should take the wheat (“the good”) with you and keep it. Take Ruth as an example. She gleaned in the field of Boaz, beat out what she had gleaned and brought the barley to her mother in law ( ). You may apply this to a speech you have heard. Take out what has appealed to you and share it with others instead of talking negatively about everything you did not like. That often regards things that have to do with weaknesses in the speech. It is another thing if people bring wrong doctrines. Then the application is not to be taking out the good things and leaving behind the wrong things. You are to speak about it. First with the person himself, and if he doesn’t want to listen, then also with others ( ). . Also keep a great distance between yourself and the evil. This evil may be in certain ways of acting, but also in teachings. It can happen in many secret forms. Make sure that you stay far away from it. Don’t be a fellow worker of the evil in any way. Do not spoil your testimony by for instance going to occasions where you do not belong as a Christian, or by saying things that are not supposed to be said by a Christian. . The great purpose of all previous admonitions and appeals is ‘sanctification’. God is working on it as “the God of peace” and gives you the power for it. He wants that each part of your being, which means “spirit and soul and body”, is “entirely” committed to Him. By your body you express who you are. That is what people see of you. That’s how you make clear to them what your soul and spirit are occupied with. Your soul has to do with your feelings, your emotions, your way of experiencing the things that you hear and see. By your spirit you are able to have a relationship with God and by which you stand above the animals that have no spirit and therefore have no consciousness of God. Each of the three ‘parts’ of your human being is a target for the attacks of satan. Paul desires that the God of peace will preserve you from coming under the influence of satan. The attacks of satan on your spirit are meant to interrupt your worship and prayer life. His attacks on your soul respond to your desires and emotions. With his attacks on your body he wants to succeed to make you do the wrong thing with your body. Satan has been up to that from Eden ( ). These attacks are still going on. Thereby the world is his firm ally ( ). But there comes an end to his cursed activities at the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. Then there will be no more attacks from satan and the sanctification will be complete. . Up to that moment we can count on the unwavering faithfulness of God. He has called us to this life in fellowship with Him. He will stand beside us in His faithfulness in bringing into practice what is previously said and bring us safely to the end. He will do what He has promised. What an assurance! . The faithfulness of God is also shown in the support that we can give to one another as brothers and sisters. The most powerful support is that we pray for one another. Paul is asking the Thessalonians to do that for him. He trusted God, but that did not make him independent of his brothers and sisters. He and his companions do not consider themselves as super Christians who can do everything alone and consider the help in prayers of such newly converts to be without meaning. He experienced the bond of love and affection and appreciated their prayers highly. . After his request for their prayers he asked them to pass on his greetings to all the brethren. Greetings are expressions of connection. A kiss was the common greeting in that time. It is not a prescription to express connection only in this way. The main point is showing love to those who have received an equally precious faith. Partiality must not happen there – therefore it is said “all” the brethren. The boundaries between the genders should not be crossed with the ‘kiss’ – therefore it says “holy” kiss. Christian love and relationship can also be expressed by a gentle word or a warm handshake. . Not only his greetings go to all believers, also his letter is for all the believers. Each believer in Thessalonica, and each believer now, has to hear the contents of the letter. There should not be any distinction. God’s Word is not for a select group, but for each believer. The letter – and that goes for God’s Word in its whole – contains no friendly advice or commendations of a travelling preacher, but you hear the voice of God in it that addresses the heart and the conscience. . Paul closes his letter with a wish. It is his wish that you may become aware of the Divine grace that has been shown to you. Then you will undoubtedly live with your eyes fixed on the coming of the Lord Jesus, the main theme of this letter (cf. ). Now read 1 Thessalonians 5:19-28 again. Reflection: How do you think to respond to all the admonitions mentioned?

‏ 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24

Final Admonitions

1Thes 5:19. The rejoicing, praying and giving thanks applies to all believers, but it should be or become the practice in each individual life. Now some exhortations follow that concern the believers collectively and whereby the emphasis is on not to do something. In the first place the call is: “Do not quench the Spirit.” The word ‘quench’ makes you automatically think of fire (Mt 12:20; Heb 11:34). In Acts 2 the coming of the Holy Spirit is related to fire (Acts 2:3).

The Holy Spirit dwells in each believer. But it is also the purpose that the Holy Spirit can use each believer. The believer may be the means through whom the Holy Spirit expresses Himself, through whom He reveals Himself. Each believer has received a gift of grace from the Spirit (1Cor 12:4-11). Those gifts of grace were not given for not to be used. They should be used to the blessing of the fellow believers.

The Spirit is being quenched if the gifts get no room. That can happen when during the meeting of a church everything depends on one person, the reverend or pastor. That also happens if, due to tradition, only certain brothers participate in the service or if the course of the service is being planned. Another effective ‘fire-fighting agent’ is the cold criticizing of the practice of a gift.

There are some more expressions that say something about a certain attitude toward the Holy Spirit. You read about ‘grieving the Holy Spirit’ (Eph 4:30), which refers to your own attitude, if you sin; ‘resisting the Holy Spirit’, which unbelief does if it resists the work of the Holy Spirit (Acts 7:51); ‘blaspheming the Spirit’ (Mt 12:24-32), which the apostate does, who against his own better judgment ascribes the work of the Lord Jesus to satan.

1Thes 5:20. The second word of admonition for the church is: “Do not despise the prophetic utterances.” With ‘prophetic utterances’ is not meant the foretelling or statements about the future. It is about telling things that a man cannot find out by natural means (cf. Mt 26:68). ‘Prophetic utterances’ is about the speaking of God’s Word through which the hearer becomes aware of being in the presence of God.

It has happened more often that a person after hearing God’s Word, said: ‘It looks like the preacher knows me, for he says exactly who I am and what I have done.’ However, the preacher didn’t know that person at all, but that is the effect of God’s Word on the conscience of a person who hears God’s Word (1Cor 14:3 ; 24-25).

Therefore it certainly is a serious thing when prophetic utterances are being despised, for it is actually despising God and His Word. Despising also happens when believers give more attention to the way things are said than to the content of what is said. That is also a way of despising. They do not care about the message of God. I hope that this is not the attitude that you have in the meeting.

1Thes 5:21. Besides, you are not there as a consumer. Instead of despising you should examine what is being said, as it is written: “Let the others pass judgment” (1Cor 14:29). Your standard to do so is not your feelings, but the Word of God. That implies that you must pay close attention and that you should know how to separate the wheat from the chaff. You can leave the chaff behind; you should take the wheat (“the good”) with you and keep it.

Take Ruth as an example. She gleaned in the field of Boaz, beat out what she had gleaned and brought the barley to her mother in law (Rth 2:17-18). You may apply this to a speech you have heard. Take out what has appealed to you and share it with others instead of talking negatively about everything you did not like. That often regards things that have to do with weaknesses in the speech.

It is another thing if people bring wrong doctrines. Then the application is not to be taking out the good things and leaving behind the wrong things. You are to speak about it. First with the person himself, and if he doesn’t want to listen, then also with others (Mt 18:15-20).

1Thes 5:22. Also keep a great distance between yourself and the evil. This evil may be in certain ways of acting, but also in teachings. It can happen in many secret forms. Make sure that you stay far away from it. Don’t be a fellow worker of the evil in any way. Do not spoil your testimony by for instance going to occasions where you do not belong as a Christian, or by saying things that are not supposed to be said by a Christian.

1Thes 5:23. The great purpose of all previous admonitions and appeals is ‘sanctification’. God is working on it as “the God of peace” and gives you the power for it. He wants that each part of your being, which means “spirit and soul and body”, is “entirely” committed to Him. By your body you express who you are. That is what people see of you. That’s how you make clear to them what your soul and spirit are occupied with. Your soul has to do with your feelings, your emotions, your way of experiencing the things that you hear and see. By your spirit you are able to have a relationship with God and by which you stand above the animals that have no spirit and therefore have no consciousness of God.

Each of the three ‘parts’ of your human being is a target for the attacks of satan. Paul desires that the God of peace will preserve you from coming under the influence of satan. The attacks of satan on your spirit are meant to interrupt your worship and prayer life. His attacks on your soul respond to your desires and emotions. With his attacks on your body he wants to succeed to make you do the wrong thing with your body.

Satan has been up to that from Eden (Gen 3:6). These attacks are still going on. Thereby the world is his firm ally (1Jn 2:16). But there comes an end to his cursed activities at the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. Then there will be no more attacks from satan and the sanctification will be complete.

1Thes 5:24. Up to that moment we can count on the unwavering faithfulness of God. He has called us to this life in fellowship with Him. He will stand beside us in His faithfulness in bringing into practice what is previously said and bring us safely to the end. He will do what He has promised. What an assurance!

1Thes 5:25. The faithfulness of God is also shown in the support that we can give to one another as brothers and sisters. The most powerful support is that we pray for one another. Paul is asking the Thessalonians to do that for him. He trusted God, but that did not make him independent of his brothers and sisters. He and his companions do not consider themselves as super Christians who can do everything alone and consider the help in prayers of such newly converts to be without meaning. He experienced the bond of love and affection and appreciated their prayers highly.

1Thes 5:26. After his request for their prayers he asked them to pass on his greetings to all the brethren. Greetings are expressions of connection. A kiss was the common greeting in that time. It is not a prescription to express connection only in this way. The main point is showing love to those who have received an equally precious faith. Partiality must not happen there – therefore it is said “all” the brethren. The boundaries between the genders should not be crossed with the ‘kiss’ – therefore it says “holy” kiss. Christian love and relationship can also be expressed by a gentle word or a warm handshake.

1Thes 5:27. Not only his greetings go to all believers, also his letter is for all the believers. Each believer in Thessalonica, and each believer now, has to hear the contents of the letter. There should not be any distinction. God’s Word is not for a select group, but for each believer. The letter – and that goes for God’s Word in its whole – contains no friendly advice or commendations of a travelling preacher, but you hear the voice of God in it that addresses the heart and the conscience.

1Thes 5:28. Paul closes his letter with a wish. It is his wish that you may become aware of the Divine grace that has been shown to you. Then you will undoubtedly live with your eyes fixed on the coming of the Lord Jesus, the main theme of this letter (cf. 1Pet 1:13).

Now read 1 Thessalonians 5:19-28 again.

Reflection: How do you think to respond to all the admonitions mentioned?