Notes from Jack Abeelen:
Context
Paul's ministry in Europe began towards the end of his second missionary journey when the Lord called him with his team to go there. And to be honest, it didn't go well early on. He landed in Philippi. There were some folks that did get saved, but it ended up in false imprisonment and beating. Then Paul went down the road and ended up in this town. He spent only three weeks in Thessalonica. He did see fruit of the gospel being taught, but then crowds came, and there was a riot. He ended up in Berea and they followed him there, did the same thing. Months later he would be in Corinth when we would send Timothy from Athens, but he heard from him when he was in Corinth, and he sent Timothy back to Thessalonica. Paul didn't expect much. But when Timothy did come back, he had tremendously good news. The church was doing more than well--it was excelling. All of Macedonia had heard of the Lord through this fellowship. And Paul couldn't be happier; it was such a boost to his discouragement. So he sends this first letter to thank Lord for what He did and to encourage these saints in their walk with the Lord.
This was a tough place, a place where it was okay to kill Christians. Despite this, God was doing a work. Paul talks a lot about the Lord coming back amid his words of encouragement to them. Every chapter ends with that.
"One final word, friends. We ask you—urge is more like it—that you keep on doing what we told you to do to please God, not in a dogged religious plod, but in a living, spirited dance." 1 Th 4:1 MSG
These last few chapters are about literally about sanctification.
Sanctification---to be holy. It means to be dedicated to one use. Example: If you go to a picnic and you pick a cup and put your name on it--set aside. It's yours, specifically. Positional sanctification--done deal once you believe. God opened his heart and He received the thief on the cross. Bu if you live beyond your salvation date, you need to be practically sanctified---only means that you start to become who you are--your are God's child, He lives in you. He begins to make the changes He wants to make. You increase in holiness. God has more of you day by day. These chapters are interested in this.
First eight verses were about immorality--temple prostitutes were a part of life and these folks were used to it. The world changes its views and morality oftentimes is found on a sliding scale. But God's ways don't change. So Paul talked about how they could overcome in Christ the immortality around them.
In 9-12, Paul focuses on their example. The more mundane things. You may think this doesn't sound very spiritual but the Lord puts get emphasis on it. There is tremendous power in being a practical witness in this life to the unbeliever.
Walking in love yes, but also in the consistent behavior in the life of a believer. We can be a stumbling block or a help, just in the way that we live our lives. One of the results of being saved is that your life becomes a living example of His presence, of His will. Especially when you look at Christians behaviors in terms of relationships, or honesty, or compassion, or dependability. The world is watching, and they want to see what you claim to have.
What do the people around you think of the Lord because of you and your behavior? What impression are you leaving? Behavior is a witness. Old saying: what you are doing is speaking so loud, I can't hear what you are saying. What influence do we have? God's desire that your spiritual relationship with Him can adorn your daily behavior. You can't leave God out of the life He's wanting you to involve Him with.
Our daily witness is our daily life.
God wants balance in our life spiritually. Not all about prophecy and the future--today matters too. Sometimes our relationships are just with the church, but you can't ignore the world. Most of the extremes miss God's best. Satan's plan is always to drive you to the edges because that's where you are least effective. Jesus in John 17, asks God to sanctify us--not take us out of the world, in it but not of it, but sanctify them, set apart in Your truth. This is the same message. We are in it, not of it. Salt and light. When Paul wrote to the Corinthians in 1 Corinthians 5:9--when God told you to stay away from the sexually immoral, he was talking about believers, not the world.
His love in our lives is the hallmark of His work in us. Creation is moved by nature. Dogs don't have to be taught to bark. Nature most often determines behavior. When you get saved, the Holy Spirit comes into your life and you begin to take on the nature of God. 2 Peter--God makes us partakers of His divine nature by which we've escaped the corruption of the world. He begins to show Himself in your life. There's no way to separate God from HIs presence from you--He's going to make himself known. Hope will never disappoint you because His love has been poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit."
The world knows selfish love...what you can get out of it for yourself, also reciprocal love, but the unconditional love, that comes from the cross. Only the Lord can produce this.
The longer you know God, the more you will love Him.
Romans 5 "God demonstrates his love to us while we were yet sinners."
"Let brotherly love continue..." Aspire to live a quiet life, mind your own business, live properly toward those on the outside...Aspire---make it a goal, sanctification. You'll reach the lost, you will lack nothing (provide for your own needs).
Aspire to live a quiet--without strife, don't draw attention to yourself. Don't be "the loud guy." We are never called to be involved in disorder or riot. With the kind of weirdness of action that draws attention to us and not to the Lord. The kind of radicalism we sometimes thing is effective doesn't necessarily add to our testimony but can ruin it. As our lives are changed, it will be seen by others. Faith is radical enough. You don't have to practice your faith in a way that begins to push people away.
When Timothy took over the church in Ephesus. It's the practical kinds of things---it's all kinds of spiritual. Because it affects the vessel God is using.
Live an unobtrusive life. We can do some pretty strange things and call it useful to the Lord. Just don't be a weirdo. Jesus saves weirdos, but He doesn't use them. The gospel is offensive enough, don't you add to it. Faith can make you stupid in that regard.
Mind your own business. Don't be a busy body. No one ever gets in trouble minding their own business. Trouble comes when you step outside that restraint, and you put your nose where it doesn't belong. Look, that's a pretty good trait of an unbeliever. The world is all about self and opinions. It is certainly the impetus behind the whole blogging and social media world is about now...putting your two two cents in.
Christian tale-bearing is tale bearing still. We love carrying the story. Athenians loved to tell something new, their whole life comprised of hearing and telling something new. But the Lord is looking for a quietness and an integrity in His people. The world is looking for this in us too, but when they don't see it in us...they keep going.
Go to work. Haggai, Zephaniah, Amos, Paul---they all worked hard while maintaining ministry to the Lord. Today Christians often have an ethic of doing the least possible and getting the most in return. There are few worse witnesses than a job poorly done claiming to know the Lord. God made you to work. Whatever You do, do it heartily unto the Lord and not to men.
If someone doesn't provide for his own, your own household, you are worse than an unbeliever.---Paul
If you don't work, you don't eat. Any action of your faith that makes me have to pay for your faith is not faith. If you are going to walk out in faith, then stand in faith.
v. 12 Walk in such a way that you would have a proper way toward the unbeliever. Live in a honest, decent way to the lost. By so doing, the lost will see Jesus in you.
If you'll adopt these things in a sanctified kind of way, you'll lack nothing. God will provide then--it's His will and His way. How does God feed the birds? He gives them strong wings, good eyes, ability to swoop in and capture prey.
Walk in wisdom to those outside, that you redeem the time. Non-believers are watching--what does that God that you say you love do for you?
Sanctification has to be practical, it has to be seen.
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