1 Thessalonians 4:1-12

September 7, 2008

 

Every Church situation occasioning one of Paul’s letters is different. So it is necessary for us to take the time to understand his first century culture, the situation in the church to which he is writing, and why he is writing. Remember, what we call the epistles of Paul are letters written to specific people he knew and loved. If we first take the time to understand what these people would have heard Paul saying, we will do a better job of applying what Paul is actually saying to a first century church to the situations in which we live today. In so doing, we can also determine what applies to all people of all times and situations and what is directed specifically to one group of people in one time and place.

 

Acts 17:1-9 tells us that the Thessalonican church began with Paul and Silas teaching in the Jewish synagogue for three weeks before they left the synagogue for a wider audience. Verse 4 tells us the results of Paul’s teachings in the synagogue: “Some of the Jews were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, as did a large number of God-fearing Greeks and not a few prominent women.” Paul and Silas’ success eventually prompted a riot in the city and some of these new converts were brought before the city officials who first imprisoned them and then let them go. The rapid growth of the church also included a vast group of Gentiles who had no background whatsoever with the Jewish faith.

 

Paul commends all of these believers at the beginning of this letter by saying, “in spite of severe suffering, you welcomed the message with the joy given by the Holy Spirit. And so you became a model to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia (1 Thessalonians 1:6-7).  But the predominantly pagan upbringing of the majority of the congregation and their influence also brought problems. Being Greek (specifically Macedonian) in culture and living in the affluent capital city of a Roman province, their sexual practices were diametrically opposed to those of the Jewish converts.  While pagan converts readily accepted the message of a risen Christ, breaking from their culture proved difficult. Many of them may even have felt such changes unnecessary especially regarding sexual practices. F.F. Bruce writes in his commentary on 1 Thessalonians (Word Biblical Commentary #45, Thomas Nelson, 1982, p.82):

 

“There was a strange notion in the pagan society to which the gospel was first brought; there various forms of extra-marital sexual union were tolerated and some were even encouraged.  A man might have a mistress who could provide him also with intellectual companionship; the institution of slavery made it easy for him to have a concubine, while casual gratification was readily available from a harlot.  The function of his wife was to manage his household and be the mother of his legitimate children and heirs.  There was no body of public opinion to discourage porneia (translated “sexual immorality” in 4:3), although someone who indulged in it to excess might be satirized on the same level as a notorious glutton or drunkard.”

 

Paul wanted the Thessalonians to know that in coming to Christ they had to accept a new culture as well as a new Savior. The wording of verse 3 is important: “It is God's will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality…” By stating that sanctification is God’s will for all believers and that part of the sanctification process involves “learning to control his own body in a way that is holy and honorable, not in passionate lust like the heathen, who do not know God” (4:4-5), Paul places this demand outside of any one culture.

 

“Beverly Roberts Gaventa observes, in contemporary discussions of ethics, behavior is often analyzed in terms of a psychological model (i.e., whether a certain behavior is psychologically “healthy” or “unhealthy”), or in terms of its social impact or consequences.  Paul, however, works from a different starting point: He bases his ethical instructions on his understanding of God.  This theological basis gives a high level of authority to his instructions, because, as he points out in 4:8, anyone who rejects them is not rejecting Paul, but God.  It also means that his instructions are transcultural, since they are not rooted or grounded in any particular culture or historical circumstances” (The NIV Application Commentary on 1 & 2 Thessalonians, Michael W. Holmes, Zondervan, 1998, p.128).

 

This means that Paul’s teaching on sexual relationships and practices applies to all believers in all places.  Positively put, Christians are to learn to control all actions regarding their bodies through the power of the Holy Spirit. Any sexual relationship taking place outside of marriage is a form of “wronging his brother or taking advantage of him” (4:6). Negatively, Paul also says, “The Lord will punish men for all such sins” (4:6). Paul even gives us a reason for this command: “For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life” (4:7).

 

Holiness, the chief characteristic of our Heavenly Father, is the goal of our relationship with Him.  When we need to make a decision about whether some activity is right or wrong, we need to ask ourselves, “Is this action making me more or less like my Heavenly Father?”  If the changes in our lives as a result of the things we do make us more holy, if our character will become more like the character of our Heavenly Father, then we should do those kinds of activities.  If the result of what we do leads us away from God, away from the church, and to have secrets or feelings of guilt because of the impact of our actions on another, we should run from those activities.

 

How do we know what kinds of choices in life lead to sanctification, or holiness? What standard should we use when the principle upon which our ethics are grounded is not the clear and stated will of God? Things become a little more unclear here; this is where the cultural situation of Paul’s audience enters in.

 

Remember, Paul and Silas left Thessalonica in the middle of the night to allow the church to grow without the opposition Paul had aroused previously in Philippi and now in Thessalonica. The Thessalonican church was persecuted from the beginning and faced incredible social and political opposition.

 

Paul tells them, “Now about brotherly love we do not need to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love each other. And in fact, you do love all the brothers throughout Macedonia. Yet we urge you, brothers, to do so more and more. Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands, just as we told you, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody” (4:9-12).

 

In context, Paul is saying that “brotherly love” is the key principle in determining social relationships inside and outside of the church.  The particular problem Paul will address later in this book and more pointedly in 2 Thessalonians regards the implications of how we should live knowing Christ is coming again.  Remember, 1 Thessalonians is one of the very first New Testament books written and that John had to add a section at the end of his gospel to dispel the rumor that Jesus would come again before the Apostle John died (see John 21:17-23). 

 

One solution to the persecution the early Christians faced was for Christ to come again and remove them from their problems and set up a kingdom where they were on top and everything was to their liking. This is what a large group believed would happen when Christ returned. So many of these believers quit working and let other people in the church support them since money wouldn’t do anyone any good for long anyway.

 

Paul wanted them to apply the principle of brotherly love to their problems. His solution to the persecution they faced was for them to lead a quiet life and win the respect of outsiders. He knew persecution gains momentum when people are hated because of what they are doing or who they are.  Letting the believers’ lives speak in positive ways could eventually win them friends and reduce the persecution fervor. 

 

“Work with your hands” does not mean Christians must do physical labor and no other kinds of work.  Rather it is an Old Testament idiom (see Deuteronomy 2:7-8; Job 1:10; Psalm 89:17; Jeremiah 1:16 where this phrase occurs in the Greek translation of the Old Testament called the LXX after the 70 Jewish men who did the translation) meaning “work” in general as opposed to not working. Paul is telling all of the believers they cannot opt out of life. They have a responsibility to provide for their families and for the broader Christian community (Holmes, p. 138). Brotherly love means doing your fair share of all the work and not letting 20 percent of the people do 80 percent of the work. Christians do not have the option of just attending a church; we have an obligation to use our talents, our finances, and our spiritual gifts to betterment of the entire church family.  To do less is to not be a loving person.  Paul does not define love in terms of feelings, but in terms of action. This principle applies to all people in all situations. This is Paul’s definition of Christian. In 1 Corinthians 6:19-20, where Paul is addressing a similar Greek church with similar problems, Paul says, “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.”  We no longer have the freedom to make our own choices.  Being a Christian requires accepting the entire package.  We do not get a line-item veto over requirements we do not like.

 

We do not face religious persecution in America.  Still, I do not believe Christians should play “power politics” and demand others behave the way we do.  Christians can only live a Christian life because of the presence of the Holy Spirit living within us.  This does not mean, however, that truth is not truth if you don’t know it is true.  Since sexual immorality, defined as any sexual union outside of marriage and hurtful sexual unions inside of marriage, is stated as being against the will of God, any form of sexual immorality by anyone will be punished by God.  This punishment may take forms that modern society accepts—broken marriages and homes, children born and raised without the loving support of two caring parents, pornography and its impact upon individuals inside and outside of the “business,” television shows glorifying this lifestyle, and children and teens entering into impactful and psychologically devastating relationships long before they are aware of the consequences of their actions.  This punishment may also take the form of God removing His presence from the day-to-day affairs of a church, a community, or a nation. It may also take the form of God’s direct judgment and destruction of a group of people or individuals.

 

Many people are still looking for easy solutions to difficult problems; it simplifies things. One such solution people inside and outside the church are choosing is to let others carry the burden of supplying them with food and shelter by refusing to work.  People give up and quit looking to God for the solutions to their problems and live without the presence or guidance of the Holy Spirit in their lives. We take the easy way out. Brotherly love demands Christians set an example.  We are required to work.  We are required to care and to love.  We are required to be involved. We are required to give everything we have to the cause of advancing the gospel of Jesus.

 

Still, each church and life situation is different.  How we choose to be involved or make a difference for the cause the Christ will be uniquely ours and must be wrestled through with the guidance of the Holy Spirit.  Paul says it must be loving and attractive to those outside the church.  Beyond that the possibilities are as endless as the talents, finances, and spiritual gifts every one of us possess.  We can be selfish and sinful with what we have been given or we can be Christian with all the term demands.

 

 

 

For your information:

 

John 21:17-23

“Jesus said, "Feed my sheep. 18 I tell you the truth, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go." 19Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. Then he said to him, "Follow me!"

 20Peter turned and saw that the disciple whom Jesus loved was following them. (This was the one who had leaned back against Jesus at the supper and had said, "Lord, who is going to betray you?") 21When Peter saw him, he asked, "Lord, what about him?"

 22Jesus answered, "If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? You must follow me." 23Because of this, the rumor spread among the brothers that this disciple would not die. But Jesus did not say that he would not die; he only said, "If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you?"