1Th 5:18 | KingComments | STEP | . Do you know the temptation to repay the evil that has been done to you, with evil? In that case you are no exception. It is in our blood to respond like that. Therefore it is not for no reason that we must see to it that this does not happen. It means that you should be alert that you would not unexpectedly still do any harm to another, because he or she has done harm to you. It could easily happen in a reflex, an almost automatic response. If you used to live under the law, people could sympathize with you. It is even written in the law as a regulation that the other has to be repaid with the same coin, although you are not allowed to do it by yourself, but it has to be done by the judge ( ). But you now belong to Christ and such a way of acting does not fit with Him as He now is ( ). In that case it doesn’t matter whether the other is a believer or an unbeliever. The Thessalonians were suffering under the persecution by faithless compatriots and experienced a lot of harm from them. But they were not to strike back out of vengeance and retaliation ( ; ). Responding in that way would reveal the spirit of Lamech ( ). After the instruction of what you ought not do, you now hear what you ought to: seek after that which is good. And always do so, not for just once, but in all cases. And not just a weak attempt, but to seek after it with the input of all the strength you have. To seek after has something to do with perseverance. A lot of problems could have been prevented or overcome if we always would have sought after that which is good. Then you do not seek to harm anyone spiritually or wound him physically, but you on the contrary would want to be of use. You want to be of profit to the other person, so that the contact with you delivers something of permanent value. The other refers again to both the believer – which is enclosed in “for one another” – and the unbeliever – which is enclosed in “for all people”. It is God’s desire for His children that each contact that they have with another person, will be a blessing to that other person concerning his spirit, soul and body. A gentle word or gesture and a helping hand may soften the sorrow of the other, may give courage and strength and work feelings of gratitude. This attitude requires self-denial, but in that way you then look like the Lord Jesus. . After Paul has addressed their attitude, care and effort toward others, he tells them what personally should characterize them. The characteristics are joy ( ), prayer ( ) and giving thanks ( ). “Rejoice always.” ‘Always’ means at any time and whatever the circumstances. There is always a reason to rejoice. Even tribulation and tests are a cause to rejoice ( ). You do not rejoice in miserable circumstances, but while you are in it, you rejoice in the Lord ( ; ). If you look up to the Lord and think of Him, there comes joy. He stands above the circumstances. He absolutely knows what to do if you sometimes don’t know how to continue life. Joy belongs to the fruit of the Spirit ( ). The Lord Jesus speaks about “My joy”, which He wants to be in you, so that you may know full joy ( ). That joy is your part if you abide in His commandments, which is if you do what He says in His Word. Therefore joy is not a feeling of ecstasy, but happens by having fellowship with Him. I know of Christians who say that you should silence sorrowful and hurtful experiences by praise. The Bible does not know that kind of joy. What Paul says would be more helpful to you: “As sorrowful yet always rejoicing” ( ). Sorrow finds its cause in temporary things, joy finds its cause in eternal things and is therefore not to be muted. . The fact that a Christian is not insensitive to misery and need, appears from the second characteristic, prayer. Because of the ever present need, the command is: “Pray without ceasing.” The Lord Jesus strongly encourages us to do that ( ). You can pray for your own needs and you can pray for what others need. You can pray to the Father ( ) and you can pray to the Son ( ). You read nowhere about a prayer to the Holy Spirit. You are allowed to pray everywhere. There are no special buildings for the Christian where he should go to be able to pray. If you are in a place where you do not feel free to pray, you should ask yourself whether you are in the right place. You are allowed to pray during all your activities, like Nehemiah did ( ). If you are busy with things that make you feel hindered to pray, it could be that you are busy with wrong things. From God’s side the access to the throne of grace is never closed. You may freely go there ( ). He is always ready to listen to you. Do you see how many exhortations there are for you to pray without ceasing? Praying should be like breathing, you do it without realizing it, but you notice it immediately when you stop breathing for a moment. The point is that you as a child of God, live by a conduct of prayer. The Lord Jesus is also in this feature the perfect Model ( ). He always lived in conscious fellowship with God when on earth, wherever He was and whatever the circumstances He found Himself in. In this you may imitate Him. . You were called to rejoice always and to pray without ceasing. Now you hear the exhortation: “In everything give thanks.” If you just for a while think about everything that God has given you, then you will see more and more reasons to give thanks. Can you mention something that you have not received from Him? You will not find it with the people of the world. They will, in case they are polite, indeed say ‘thank you’ when they receive something. But there is no gratitude with them toward God. Everything that the modern, autonomous man possesses is gained by him by working hard for it or by his thought of being entitled to it. It is possible that he has worked hard for it, but he does not consider Him to Whom he owes the power and capacity. The appeal is to give thanks “in everything” (cf. ). Thereby you can think of ‘in all circumstances’. If you have to face a trial by sickness or by losing your job or having a financial need, you can still fix your eyes on the Lord in those circumstances and give thanks to Him for knowing your difficulties. You will even experience that He comes to you in your difficulties. You will experience His nearness in a way that you otherwise would not have known. You will even automatically give thanks for that. Yet, it is still not about the circumstances working giving thanks, but that you will actively give thanks in those circumstances, for instance that He will never allow that things get out of control. The Lord wants to teach you to give thanks. You can make it your own by concentrating yourself on it. Just like need teaches us to pray, need also teaches us to give thanks. Only, praying is easier for us to do in that situation than giving thanks. The Lord Jesus is also the great Example in this. When His whole ministry looked to be in vain, when the cities, in which most of His works of power were done, rejected Him, we hear Him say: “I thank You, Father” ( ). Nevertheless, the importance of these three typical expressions of the Christian is again underlined by the addition that this is “the will of God”. It is therefore not an advice without obligation. It is the will of God “in Christ Jesus”, which may probably mean: as you see in Christ Jesus how God’s will is to be done. The Lord Jesus is your life. Therefore it is possible that in your life God’s will becomes visible, as it also became visible in the life of the Lord Jesus when He was on earth. Also at this moment that He is in heaven, He is engaged in doing the will of God. You may also look at Him as He is in heaven. He is there for your sake and He is tirelessly making efforts for you there. By looking at Him you will be transformed into His image ( ). Then His power will become visible in your life because you will live as a joyful, praying and thanksgiving Christian. Now read 1 Thessalonians 5:15-18 again. Reflection: What could you be more joyful about? For what and when could you be praying and giving thanks more?

‏ 1 Thessalonians 5:18

Rejoice, Pray, Give Thanks

1Thes 5:15. Do you know the temptation to repay the evil that has been done to you, with evil? In that case you are no exception. It is in our blood to respond like that. Therefore it is not for no reason that we must see to it that this does not happen. It means that you should be alert that you would not unexpectedly still do any harm to another, because he or she has done harm to you. It could easily happen in a reflex, an almost automatic response.

If you used to live under the law, people could sympathize with you. It is even written in the law as a regulation that the other has to be repaid with the same coin, although you are not allowed to do it by yourself, but it has to be done by the judge (Exo 21:24). But you now belong to Christ and such a way of acting does not fit with Him as He now is (Mt 5:38-39). In that case it doesn’t matter whether the other is a believer or an unbeliever. The Thessalonians were suffering under the persecution by faithless compatriots and experienced a lot of harm from them. But they were not to strike back out of vengeance and retaliation (Rom 12:19-21; 1Pet 3:9). Responding in that way would reveal the spirit of Lamech (Gen 4:23-24).

After the instruction of what you ought not do, you now hear what you ought to: seek after that which is good. And always do so, not for just once, but in all cases. And not just a weak attempt, but to seek after it with the input of all the strength you have. To seek after has something to do with perseverance. A lot of problems could have been prevented or overcome if we always would have sought after that which is good. Then you do not seek to harm anyone spiritually or wound him physically, but you on the contrary would want to be of use.

You want to be of profit to the other person, so that the contact with you delivers something of permanent value. The other refers again to both the believer – which is enclosed in “for one another” – and the unbeliever – which is enclosed in “for all people”. It is God’s desire for His children that each contact that they have with another person, will be a blessing to that other person concerning his spirit, soul and body. A gentle word or gesture and a helping hand may soften the sorrow of the other, may give courage and strength and work feelings of gratitude. This attitude requires self-denial, but in that way you then look like the Lord Jesus.

1Thes 5:16. After Paul has addressed their attitude, care and effort toward others, he tells them what personally should characterize them. The characteristics are joy (1Thes 5:16), prayer (1Thes 5:17) and giving thanks (1Thes 5:18).

“Rejoice always.” ‘Always’ means at any time and whatever the circumstances. There is always a reason to rejoice. Even tribulation and tests are a cause to rejoice (Jam 1:2). You do not rejoice in miserable circumstances, but while you are in it, you rejoice in the Lord (Psa 34:1; Phil 4:4). If you look up to the Lord and think of Him, there comes joy. He stands above the circumstances. He absolutely knows what to do if you sometimes don’t know how to continue life.

Joy belongs to the fruit of the Spirit (Gal 5:22-23). The Lord Jesus speaks about “My joy”, which He wants to be in you, so that you may know full joy (Jn 15:11). That joy is your part if you abide in His commandments, which is if you do what He says in His Word.

Therefore joy is not a feeling of ecstasy, but happens by having fellowship with Him. I know of Christians who say that you should silence sorrowful and hurtful experiences by praise. The Bible does not know that kind of joy. What Paul says would be more helpful to you: “As sorrowful yet always rejoicing” (2Cor 6:10). Sorrow finds its cause in temporary things, joy finds its cause in eternal things and is therefore not to be muted.

1Thes 5:17. The fact that a Christian is not insensitive to misery and need, appears from the second characteristic, prayer. Because of the ever present need, the command is: “Pray without ceasing.” The Lord Jesus strongly encourages us to do that (Lk 18:1-7). You can pray for your own needs and you can pray for what others need. You can pray to the Father (Eph 3:14) and you can pray to the Son (Acts 7:59). You read nowhere about a prayer to the Holy Spirit.

You are allowed to pray everywhere. There are no special buildings for the Christian where he should go to be able to pray. If you are in a place where you do not feel free to pray, you should ask yourself whether you are in the right place. You are allowed to pray during all your activities, like Nehemiah did (Neh 2:4). If you are busy with things that make you feel hindered to pray, it could be that you are busy with wrong things. From God’s side the access to the throne of grace is never closed. You may freely go there (Heb 4:16). He is always ready to listen to you.

Do you see how many exhortations there are for you to pray without ceasing? Praying should be like breathing, you do it without realizing it, but you notice it immediately when you stop breathing for a moment. The point is that you as a child of God, live by a conduct of prayer. The Lord Jesus is also in this feature the perfect Model (Psa 109:4b). He always lived in conscious fellowship with God when on earth, wherever He was and whatever the circumstances He found Himself in. In this you may imitate Him.

1Thes 5:18. You were called to rejoice always and to pray without ceasing. Now you hear the exhortation: “In everything give thanks.” If you just for a while think about everything that God has given you, then you will see more and more reasons to give thanks. Can you mention something that you have not received from Him? You will not find it with the people of the world. They will, in case they are polite, indeed say ‘thank you’ when they receive something. But there is no gratitude with them toward God.

Everything that the modern, autonomous man possesses is gained by him by working hard for it or by his thought of being entitled to it. It is possible that he has worked hard for it, but he does not consider Him to Whom he owes the power and capacity.

The appeal is to give thanks “in everything” (cf. Eph 5:20). Thereby you can think of ‘in all circumstances’. If you have to face a trial by sickness or by losing your job or having a financial need, you can still fix your eyes on the Lord in those circumstances and give thanks to Him for knowing your difficulties. You will even experience that He comes to you in your difficulties. You will experience His nearness in a way that you otherwise would not have known. You will even automatically give thanks for that. Yet, it is still not about the circumstances working giving thanks, but that you will actively give thanks in those circumstances, for instance that He will never allow that things get out of control.

The Lord wants to teach you to give thanks. You can make it your own by concentrating yourself on it. Just like need teaches us to pray, need also teaches us to give thanks. Only, praying is easier for us to do in that situation than giving thanks.

The Lord Jesus is also the great Example in this. When His whole ministry looked to be in vain, when the cities, in which most of His works of power were done, rejected Him, we hear Him say: “I thank You, Father” (Mt 11:20-26).

Nevertheless, the importance of these three typical expressions of the Christian is again underlined by the addition that this is “the will of God”. It is therefore not an advice without obligation. It is the will of God “in Christ Jesus”, which may probably mean: as you see in Christ Jesus how God’s will is to be done. The Lord Jesus is your life. Therefore it is possible that in your life God’s will becomes visible, as it also became visible in the life of the Lord Jesus when He was on earth.

Also at this moment that He is in heaven, He is engaged in doing the will of God. You may also look at Him as He is in heaven. He is there for your sake and He is tirelessly making efforts for you there. By looking at Him you will be transformed into His image (2Cor 3:18). Then His power will become visible in your life because you will live as a joyful, praying and thanksgiving Christian.

Now read 1 Thessalonians 5:15-18 again.

Reflection: What could you be more joyful about? For what and when could you be praying and giving thanks more?