Wednesday Bible Study: The end of all things- 1 Thessalonians

 

The main of Paul's ending of this letter was a series of instructions, which I could have just broke down verbatim to see another fine set of tools to live by.  But I wanted it to mean a bit more, so I looked to see if that ol' stairstep analysis gave something more.  And it did.

The two bottom rungs are the most direct warnings to us:  Stay sober and awake (v8) and abstain from all evil (v22).  Makes sense that if we are going to climb this pyramid, we have to start there. We can't make a journey to God- which is what this is- without preparing for the climb.

The next set have us encouraging each other (v11) and testing everything, keeping what is good (v21).  As the mission spreads out from ourselves, we have two jobs- encouraging others to come along on the journey, and making sure WE are going the right way.  Both of these first two steps make it clear, you aren't journeying if you just sit in the pew nodding.

Third steps call on us to keep the peace by respecting the authority of our teachers in the Lord (vv12, 13) and to make sure we listen to what they tell us (v20).  So check this out:  The first steps got us climbing; the second steps concerned those behind us; the third concerns those before us!

Fourth set gradually moves us toward the "God" end of things.  We have to both make sure those following us are doing right before God, working with them on their weaknesses IN PATIENCE (v14), while making sure we are listening to the Spirit of God to work on OUR faults (v19), not quenching the Spirit to do the things that are making the others idle, fainthearted, or weak.

Fifth gets us close to God, and it is beginning to show: we begin to abandon the eye-for-eye attitude of men, and actively seek out how to do our enemies a good turn instead (v15), and giving thanks in all circumstances (v18).  Note that this covers our actions with ALL people at ALL times.

This is even better than I thought it would be when I started!  "Use your tools", the Lord says, and you'll be blessed!

Final step is you before God:  Rejoice always (v16) and pray without ceasing (v17).  And now we have made the climb from ourselves to God.  I don't know if Paul ever had it in his mind to see this ending like this, but I can sure see the Spirit's hand on it!