1 Thessalonians 5
So many people are concerned about when the end of the world will present itself. True blood washed CHRISTians should be free from this concern because we have been informed that when the LORD comes; HE will come as a thief in the night. For the past thirty or so years mankind has done all he knows to do to keep the thief from taking what does not belong to him. We have installed alarms and bars on our possessions just to keep the thief out. However, when the LORD comes what can mankind use to keep HIS return from happening? For the blood washed; forgiven former sinners we are alarmed with awareness that prepares us for the LORD JESUS soon return. For the un-forgiven sinners there is no protection from the impending doom that they have chosen to accept all because of disbelief. Apostle Paul refers to the body of CHRIST as the sons of light and day; we are able to command self-control in our lives and we are ever watchful. Do I mean that we are walking around looking upward for that crack in the sky to see if JESUS is coming? No. I mean that we are careful as to what we allow our eyes and ears to witness; we think about what we want to say and we do not allow our flesh to dictate to us what it wants to do but we obey the Word of GOD. We are dressed for battle with our breastplate of faith and love so that the fiery darts of the enemy will not hit and penetrate our vital organs. We are wearing our helmet of hope in salvation because we know that our true and living GOD is a never changing GOD. HE is the same yesterday, today and forever. HIS promises are true; HE is faithful even when we are faithless. The LORD GOD did not save us from sin through HIS beloved SON so that we can be angry and belligerent. Though I’ve witnessed my share of angry christians; they need deliverance as I’ve received deliverance from anger. We obtained salvation through CHRIST JESUS who is our LORD by HIS dying for each and every human born before, born today and born tomorrow. We all will be gathered to HIM when HE returns. This is a comfort point that we should remind each other with. We should recognize anyone who labors with us and those who are over us in the LORD who instruct and warns us. We should esteem them very highly in love for their obedience in work through CHRIST JESUS. Now Apostle Paul gave us nine commandments that will help edify each of us; also they are 9 commandments of life and not death as the original Ten Commandments were. Let’s take a look.
1. Warn those who are unruly; comfort the fainthearted; uphold the weak and be patient with all. [a]Faintheart: lacks courage. Uphold: support, defend.
2. See that no one renders evil for evil to anyone, pursue what is good for yourself and for others.
3. Rejoice always.
4. Pray without ceasing. [b]Cease: stop
5. In everything give thanks; this is the will of the LORD GOD in CHRIST JESUS for us.
6. Do not quench the Holy Spirit. [c] Quench: extinguish
7. Do not despise prophecies. [d]despise: hate, disgust.
8. Test all things; hold fast what is good. [e]test: examine for quality, genuine, authentic. Holdfast: secure grip.
9. Abstain from every form of evil. [f]abstain: voluntarily hold yourself back, stop.
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