Paul begins this section with the word finally.  We might be tempted to think that this means he is about to complete his letter.  But Paul is using pastor lingo here.  He means he has finally finished his introductory remarks and is now beginning the main part of his message.  Chapter 4 does mark a new section, a new theme.  Up to now, in a sense Paul has been in the mode of making personal remarks to his friends, his spiritual family in Thessalonica.  Now he begins a new section, and this section is really about sanctification. I have said

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Perhaps due to the fact that this was a very early epistle of the Apostle Paul, we see that this letter is much more personal than doctrinal. At least in the first three chapters we haven’t seen any deep doctrinal dissertations.  Rather than presenting doctrine he has been bringing them up to speed regarding his own affairs during his absence, thanking God for their progress in the faith, and now in this chapter, responding to Timothy’s report after having visited them.   But even though we have not seen in depth discussions of doctrine up to this point, we have

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In the opening chapter of Paul’s letter to the Thessalonians, we saw in his introductory remarks many characterizations of a godly church, as exemplified by the church of Thessalonica. Paul expressed his gratitude for their response to the gospel that he and his missionary team had delivered to them. Now as we come to the second chapter, Paul gives a defense of his ministry of the gospel to this church.  We can surmise by the tone and content of this letter that some people were critical of Paul and Silas and Timothy’s ministry and sought to undermine the work that

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After finishing up our study of the book of Colossians last week, we are beginning a new study in the first letter to the church at Thessalonica.  I felt led to look at this book primarily because of it’s heavy emphasis on eschatology.  As we finished up our study of Daniel in our bonfire Bible studies on Wednesday nights, I have referred to 1 Thessalonians a number of times. And so I wanted to study this book to get a more in depth look at Paul’s perspective on the second coming of Christ as some of our people expressed a

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Last week I remarked about how Paul in his imprisonment is believed to have had a Roman guard chained to him at all times.  And I made note of the fact that the scripture says that as a result of being in close proximity to Paul for many hours every day, every day of the week, for two years, many of the Roman Praetorian guard became believers in Christ.  And I posed the question to you, that those who are in close proximity to you in work or in some endeavor that you are a part of, would they end

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Our speech reveals what we believe. Jesus said in Matt. 15:18 “But the things that proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and those defile the man.” Your heart is revealed by your speech.  That’s why Paul said in Romans 10:9 that salvation is through our speech.  He said if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead you shall be saved.  And what Paul is indicating here in this passage before us is that which is in the heart comes out of the mouth. 

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In his letter to the Colossians, Paul has said that now that we are made new, since we have new birth, since we have new spiritual life, we need to put away the old and put on the new.   There should be a new resolve to live differently now that we are Christians.  Our life is not the same and so our behavior should not be the same.  Furthermore, Paul says that in this new life we should emulate Christ in our attitudes, in our actions, and our behavior. So as Christians who have a new life in Christ, 

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Today we continue in our study of the epistle to the Colossians.  And as a matter of context, I would remind you that Paul, in chapter three, began by speaking to those who have been saved, to those who have received new life in Christ, saying “since you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth.” So from that we learned that since we have a new life in Christ, then our

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In chapters one and two, Paul has expressed a litany of doctrinal principles of our salvation that are true in Christ.  He then expressed warnings about false doctrines that were permeating the church.  But now in chapter three we see a change in his approach.  His concern now is not so much doctrinal as it is practical.  Not that doctrine isn’t practical. It is very much so.  But  the application of doctrine  is what we mean by practical.   Now as we look at this first verse, we notice that it begins with the word “if.”  In this case that

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Last week in the previous passage we looked at what Paul describes as the fullness of our salvation.  We said that in Christ we have all the benefits of our salvation complete.  There is no need to seek some sort of higher knowledge, or add some philosophy or secondary experience in order to have all that need.  We are  completely saved in Christ. This week, we’re looking at the remainder of this chapter in which Paul continues with that line of thought, but he now is going to counter specific false doctrines which were being circulated in the church of

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