Category: 1 Thessalonians 5

1 Thessalonians 5:27 – Read God’s Letters

Posted on by Will

I charge you by the Lord that this epistle be read to all the holy brothers.

Truth to Learn

Reading God’s Word is essential for all Christians.

 

Behind the Words

The Greek word translated “charge” is horkidzō, which is based on horkos, meaning “a solemn oath.” The verb horkidzō means “to put someone to an oath” or “to ask someone to swear an oath.” In a more common English expression we might say, “Promise me that you will …”

“Epistle” is transliterated (a word of one language brought directly into another) from epistolē, which simply means “a written correspondence” or “a letter.”

The verb “read” is from anaginōskō, which is made up of ana, meaning “again” and ginōskō, meaning “to know.” The word anaginōskō originally meant “to know again” or “to perceive accurately.” Later, it came to mean “to recognize” and then “to read.” By the time of the New Testament anaginōskō always meant “to gain knowledge by reading” or simply “to read.”

Hagios is the word translated “holy.” It is based on hagos, meaning “that which inspires awe.” The meaning of hagios is “that which is set apart from common use to be used in the service of God.” All Christians have been set-apart from the world and set-apart to God. Therefore, all Christians are holy.

 

Meaning Explained

During the first century of the Christian church, the only Scripture (written teaching for mankind from God) that existed was what we today call the Old Testament. Originally written in Hebrew and Aramaic, it was translated into Greek a little more than 200 years before the birth of Jesus. When the Messiah (Jesus) came, He brought new teaching, emphasizing the intent of the law rather than the letter of the law. This new way of living (by faith, not by sight) was taught by His apostles to those who believed that Jesus is the Son of God and that He gave His life on the cross to pay for their sins.

As we know, word of mouth teaching can get easily perverted, either intentionally or unintentionally; therefore, the apostles wrote letters to the established churches explaining the teachings of Christ, applying these teachings to problems that had begun to spring up in the churches. Many of these letters were addressed to a specific church, but they contained doctrinal teaching that applied to all Christians. For this reason, these letters were copied and carried to other churches so that all Christians could benefit from the teaching.

This practice of copying apostolic letters may have originated from today’s verse. Since 1 Thessalonians was one of the first of these letters written (the letter written by James was probably the first), this practice of reading the letter to all Christians became a common practice.

Since the invention of the printing press, the contents of the entire Bible have been made available to all people, and this admonition of the Apostle Paul applies equally to all Christians. But, it applies to the entire Bible, not just this letter.

 

Application

How often do you read your Bible? Is it a daily practice that has become an important part of your life? If not, it should be. Reading God’s Word is essential for all Christians. How can God speak to you if you aren’t reading His letters to you?

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2016 Will Krause. All rights reserved

1 Thessalonians 5:28 – Our Lord and Master

Posted on by Will

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.

Truth to Learn

Jesus Christ is our gracious Lord and Master. He owns us.

 

Behind the Words

“Grace” is translated from the Greek noun charis, which is from the verb chairō, meaning “to rejoice.” Therefore, we see that charis is “that which causes joy, pleasure, gratification, or acceptance as a result of a kindness granted.” It is often translated as grace, thanks, or gratitude.

The word “Lord” is from kurios, which is based on kuros, meaning “might, power, or control.” Kurios refers to someone who has supreme authority or control over someone else.

Christos is the word transliterated “Christ,” which is based on the verb chriō, meaning “to anoint.” Thus, christos literally means “the anointed one.” It is equivalent to the Hebrew word mashiach, or Messiah.

The word “amen” is transliterated from the Hebrew word ‘āmēn, meaning “to be trustworthy, steady, or firm.” It is often translated as “truth,” “verily,” or “it is so.” It is usually appended to the end of a prayer or a hymn.

 

Meaning Explained

Paul closes this letter with his typical salutation of grace. Probably more than any other characteristic of God, Paul is ever mindful of God’s grace toward us. Every single letter of Paul’s ends with a reminder of God’s grace (Romans 16:24; 1 Corinthians 16:23; 2 Corinthians 13:14; Galatians 6:18; Ephesians 6:24; Philippians 4:23; Colossians 4:18; 1 Thessalonians 5:28; 2 Thessalonians 3:18; 1 Timothy 6:21; 2 Timothy 4:22; Titus 3:15; Philemon 1:25). In fact, the only other writings of the New Testament that end with a mention of God’s grace are Hebrews (which some people believe was written by Paul), 2 Peter, and Revelation.

God’s grace, as shown in our salvation and the many blessings that result from it, should serve as a constant reminder to us that without it we are dead in our sins (Ephesians 2:1) and destined to receive the wrath of God. It is only by God’s grace that we who deserve eternity in hell, separated from the love of God, should receive His merciful and priceless salvation, fellowship with Him while on this earth, and the promise of eternity in His presence, bathed in His love. A thorough understanding of God’s grace should cause every Christian to humbly fall before our Lord with gratitude and thanksgiving.

But, Paul tells us something else here about God’s grace. It is “the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.” This could also be translated as “the grace from our Lord Jesus Christ.” Grace comes, not simply from the godhead (all three persons), but specifically from the second person of the godhead, our Lord Jesus Christ. And Paul tells us that Jesus Christ is not just our God, but our Lord. Jesus Christ has purchased us with his blood (Revelation 5:9). We do not own ourselves, we were bought by, and now are owned by, Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 6:19, 20). He is our owner, our Lord, and our Master.

 

Application

By the grace of God, we will not get what we deserve (eternity in hell); instead, we will get what we don’t deserve (eternal salvation). Let us all fall on our faces with humble thanksgiving and gratitude, and let us strive to do the will of Him who owns us – our Lord Jesus Christ.

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2016 Will Krause. All rights reserved

1 Thessalonians 5:26 – A Holy Kiss?

Posted on by Will

Greet all the brothers with a holy kiss.

Truth to Learn

The early church employed a kiss as a customary greeting.

 

Behind the Words

“Greet” is from aspadzomai, meaning “to enfold in the arms” or as we would say, “to hug.” But, it can also mean “to salute,” “to welcome,” or “to greet.” It is expressed here in the imperative mood, indicating a command.

The word translated “kiss” is philēma, which is based on the verb phileō, meaning “to love as brothers or best friends.” The word philēma refers specifically to a kiss as a token of friendship or love.

 

Meaning Explained

One of Paul’s final commands to the Christians in Thessalonica is to greet one another with a holy kiss. Many of us in the Western churches would respond with, “A what?!” Some of us are real huggers, while others will only give or accept a hug from a close friend. But a kiss? To most of us, a kiss is a sign of affection that goes beyond just being friends and we wouldn’t even think of kissing those who occupy the pews or chairs around us on Sunday morning. Not so in the early church. They often greeted each other with a kiss, lip to lip.

To us, a kiss on the lips carries the idea of a romantic relationship between a man and a woman. We might consider a kiss on the cheek, but only for someone with whom we have a close familial relationship. Those of us used to a small intimate church family might consider such a kiss on the cheek as acceptable, but those of us in large congregations would never even think of it.

In the Jewish faith at the time of Christ there was a very strict separation of men and women in both temple observances and synagogue services. It was very common for men to kiss men and for women to kiss women as a sign of friendship and brotherly (sisterly) love. This custom carried over into the Christian church even though men and women worshipped together. Christian commentaries over the past two to three centuries, however, have been very careful and very explicit in their description of this type of holy kissing as being only a kiss on the cheek. But, there is sufficient evidence to believe that the holy kiss that Paul was referring to within the church was a kiss on the lips, male to male, female to female, or male to female.

Also, to the first century Christians there was a difference between a brotherly kiss and a romantic kiss. One ancient source even goes so far as to declare, “No erotic kissing in church; instead, one must kiss with a closed and chaste mouth.” Another writer warns against “those who kiss a second time because they enjoyed the first kiss so much.”

Does that mean that we have to adopt lip to lip kissing as a greeting in church in order to be a completely scriptural church? No! It means that a customary church greeting in Paul’s day was a kiss on the lips, whereas today it is our custom to give a hug or perhaps just a handshake.

 

Application

It is important to greet brothers and sisters in Christ as fellow members of the family of God. It is a sign of acceptance and fellowship. A firm handshake or a familiar embrace can lift the spirits of both parties involved. So, next Sunday morning, greet one another with a holy hug!

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2016 Will Krause. All rights reserved

1 Thessalonians 5:25 – Humble Prayer Request

Posted on by Will

Brothers, pray for us.

Truth to Learn

We all need prayer so that we can bring glory to God.

 

Behind the Words

The word “brothers” is translated from adelphos, which is made up of a connective particle, a and a form of the noun delphus, meaning “the womb.” Thus, adelphos literally means “from the same womb.” In the New Testament this word is used to refer to people who are of the same family, including cousins and other more distant relatives. It is used frequently by Paul to refer to fellow Christians since we are all children of our Heavenly Father.

“Pray” is translated from the Greek verb proseuchomai. This word is made up of pros, meaning “to or toward” and euchomai, which literally means “to speak out” or “to express a wish.” Therefore, proseuchomai means “to express a wish to someone” or “to speak out to someone.”

 

Meaning Explained

In the first century of the church, there is no one who did more for the growth of the church and the spread of the Gospel than the Apostle Paul. From the time of his conversion until the day of his death, he worked tirelessly to proclaim the good news and build up Christians throughout the known world. And yet, in all of his writings there is never even a hint of selfish pride in what he accomplished. Paul realized that it was God working through him who accomplished great things for the church. He realized he was a sinner; in fact, he thought of himself as the worst sinner of all. Here’s what he said:

Faithful is the Word and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief. (1 Timothy 1:15)

Because he knew that anything he might accomplish was the result of God working through him, Paul prayed a lot and asked others to pray for him. He was not afraid to ask for prayer, even from the very people to whom he was ministering. We see this in today’s verse as well as the following verses:

As to the rest, brothers, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may run swiftly and be glorified … (2 Thessalonians 3:1)

Continue earnestly in prayer, keeping alert in it with thanksgiving; praying at the same time for us, that God might open to us a door for the word, that we may speak forth the mystery of Christ … (Colossians 4:2-3)

with all prayer and supplication pray at all times in the Spirit, … pray also for me, that utterance may be given to me, in the opening of my mouth to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel, (Ephesians 6:18-19)

Now I urge you, brothers, through our Lord Jesus Christ, and through the love of the Spirit, to strive together with me in prayers to God on my behalf, (Romans 15:30)

 

Application

Given all that Paul accomplished, it is amazing that he was so humble and so frequently asked others to pray for him. Notice that he did not make selfish prayer requests. The focus of his prayer requests was the glory of God. When you ask others to pray for you, is it for your benefit and glory, or God’s?

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2016 Will Krause. All rights reserved

1 Thessalonians 5:24 – The Promise Keeper

Posted on by Will

He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it.

Truth to Learn

God will keep His promise regarding your salvation.

 

Behind the Words

“He who calls” is translated from ho kalōn. The word ho is the third person singular personal pronoun (he) and kalōn is the present participle form of the verb kaleō, meaning “to call” or “to call forth.” A literal translation of these two words could be “the one calling” or “he who is calling.” The emphasis is on the one doing the calling rather than the act itself.

The word “faithful” is from the Greek noun pistos. It is based on the verb pistis, meaning “to convince, to believe, or to have faith.” Pistos refers to someone who is faithful or trustworthy, that is, someone who will do what he said he will do.

The Greek verb poieō is translated as “will … do it.” Poieō means “to make” or “to do” in a wide variety of applications. It is expressed here in the future tense, indicating something that will happen in the future.

 

Meaning Explained

In the previous verse, the Apostle Paul expressed a prayer concerning the Christians in Thessalonica. He asked that God would set them apart completely from sin and the consequences of that sin. He also asked that God would guard them to keep them blameless until Christ comes to claim His own (at the rapture).

Now he reminds them (and us) about a couple of very significant facts regarding our God. The first is that God is the one who called each of us. That’s another way of saying that God is the one who chose us. Let’s look at Jesus’ disciples for an example of this. In Matthew 4:18-21 we see that Jesus called Peter, Andres, James, and John to come and follow Him. And in the upper room after they had completed the last supper, Jesus told all of His disciples:

You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you. (John 15:16)

We don’t know what God’s criteria were when He decided whom to call, and Paul does not take any time in any of his writings trying to figure out those criteria. Paul’s point in today’s verse is not to prove anything, he is simply stating that God is the one who calls us, and He is completely faithful in performing what He said He will do.

The question we have to ask ourselves here is What is it that He said He would do? The answer is in the previous verse, God will completely set us apart from sin and its consequences, and He will preserve us blameless until the day He comes to take us home with Him. In other words, our Salvation is completely a work of God. We didn’t deserve it, we don’t deserve it, and we won’t deserve it. This should cause every Christian to humbly bow at the feet of our Savior in thanksgiving for the greatest gift that anyone could ever receive: our Salvation.

 

Application

If you are a Christian, then you are one of the called ones according to God’s purpose (Romans 8:28). And, he will preserve you until the end. You will not be lost because you are His forever. Praise be to God!

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2016 Will Krause. All rights reserved

1 Thessalonians 5:23 – Sanctification and Preservation

Posted on by Will

Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Truth to Learn

God is the one who makes us holy and keeps us to the end.

 

Behind the Words

“Completely” is from holotelēs, made up of holos, meaning “all, or the whole” and telos, meaning “the end point.” Thus, holotelēs means “completely to the very last part.”

“Spirit” is translated from pneuma, meaning “a breath of air.” It is that part of man which gives life to all animal life (see Genesis 2:7; 7:15, 22).

The word “soul” is translated from psuchē (or psyche). This word refers to the affections, desires, and emotions, which distinguish mankind from the rest of the animal world.

“Body” is from the Greek word soma, which refers to the physical part of man.

The word translated “kept” is from tēreō, which means “to guard and keep from loss or injury.”

Amemtōs is the Greek word translated “blameless.” It is made up of the negative particle a, meaning “not” or “without” and a form of memphomai, meaning “to find fault.”

 

Meaning Explained

Having finished his teaching to the Christians in Thessalonica, Paul now expresses a prayer for them (and us). He prays for complete sanctification for the saints. As we have noted a number of times, sanctification refers to the state of “being set apart from sin and its consequences.” This is not, as some churches teach, a condition in which we have so completely turned from sin in our life that we become completely sinless. Notice that we are not the ones who set ourselves apart; that is God’s doing alone. Also see that this complete sanctification occurs when our Lord comes for us.

Almost since the day Paul wrote this letter, there has been an ongoing debate among Christians as to whether man is made up of two parts (soul and body) or three parts (spirit, soul, and body). The main argument for the two-part theory is the fact that soul and body are contrasted a number of times in the Bible (Job 7:15; Psalms 31:9, 44:25; Isaiah 10:18; Micah 6:7; and Matthew 10:28), whereas this is the only verse where all three are listed. Notice, however, that in 1 Corinthians 15:44, Paul refers to our earthly body as a natural body (literally soul body) and our resurrected body as a spirit body. If the soul and the spirit are the same, then so will our heavenly body be the same as our earthly body. Also note that the writer of Hebrews indicates that the Word of God can divide the soul and spirit. Given these two facts alone, it is reasonable to conclude that man is made up of spirit, soul, and body.

Finally, notice that Paul tells us that it is God who preserves us blameless. He is the one who has declared us to be righteous (without sin), and He is the only one who can prevent the loss of that righteousness until the coming of the Lord.

 

Application

As we study who and what God is, and as we continue to submit ourselves to Him, we come to realize more fully how powerful and righteous He is and how weak and sinful we are. We also become more and more aware of how undeserving we are of the legal righteousness and the salvation that has been given to us.

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2016 Will Krause. All rights reserved

1 Thessalonians 5:22 – Avoid All Evil

Posted on by Will

Abstain from every form of evil.

Truth to Learn

Live life in God’s presence and in obedience to Him.

 

Behind the Words

“Abstain” is translated from the Greek verb apechomai, which is made up of apo, meaning “from” or “away from” and a form of echō, meaning “to have” or “to hold.” Thus, this word literally means “to hold away from.” It is expressed in the middle voice (action done by the subject, to the subject), so it means “to hold oneself away from.” It is most often translated as “abstain from” or “refrain from.” In the current verse, this word is emphasized by the addition of the preposition apo, meaning “from” or “away from.” So, the sense is “keep yourselves far away from any form of evil.”

The word “form” is from a variation of the Greek word eidos, meaning “to see.” It specifically refers to “that which is seen” or “the appearance of something.” In most of the Greek writing of Paul’s time, however, this word is not used to mean “appearance as opposed to reality,” but to “any kind” or “any form” of something. This seems to be Paul’s intent here.

“Evil” is from ponēros, which specifically refers to “that which is inherently evil in a moral or spiritual sense.”

 

Meaning Explained

Grammatically, this verse is connected to the previous verse. These two verses should be translated as three commands separated by commas: “Test all things, hold fast what is good, abstain from every form of evil.”

There are two different interpretations of this verse among Biblical scholars. The first is that we are to keep ourselves from the appearance of evil. The problem with this interpretation is that it forces us to be more focused on what other people think about our actions than what God thinks about our actions. Yes, we are to love our brothers and sisters in Christ, and we are not to do anything that would cause a brother of sister to stumble. But, if we go through life worrying about what others think of what we are doing, then we are denying God’s lordship over us. For instance, if Abraham was concerned with the appearance of his actions, then he would never have offered Isaac on the altar. He was more focused on being obedient to God than on what others might think about his actions.

The other interpretation of this verse is that we are to keep ourselves from every kind of evil, or every form of evil. Doing this causes our focus to be on God and what He thinks about the things that we allow ourselves to do. Living in this manner is even more restrictive than being concerned about what others think of our actions. After all, in our sin-sick minds, we could conceive of things to do that don’t appear to others to be evil, but because of our motives they may, in fact, be evil. This is a form of evil. Let’s take Cain as our example here. He brought an offering to God from what he harvested from the ground, but God apparently had instructed both him and his brother, Able, to offer an animal sacrifice. Cain’s offering doesn’t appear to be evil, but because of his motives it was.

 

Application

As we walk our life-path, let this be our guiding principle: “Do what pleases God and don’t worry what others might think.” If we love God and are submitted and obedient to Him, we will be a testimony of His love for others.

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2016 Will Krause. All rights reserved

1 Thessalonians 5:21 – Find Good and Hold On

Posted on by Will

Test all things; hold fast what is good.

Truth to Learn

We are to look for good and hold on to it when we find it.

 

Behind the Words

Dokimadzō is the Greek verb translated “test” in today’s verse. This Greek word means “to test something to determine its worth.” It is the word used of testing gold or other precious metals to determine its value. There is another Greek word often translated “test.” It is peiradzō, which is often translated “tempt.” It is distinguished from dokimadzō in that it is a test or a temptation to try to induce sinfulness.

The word translated “hold fast” is katechō, which is made up of kata, used as an intensifier and echō, meaning “to have” or “to hold.” Katechō means “to hold firmly” or “keep hold of.”

“Good” is from the Greek noun kalos, which refers to that which is good in quality or character. In other words, it refers to “something that is beautiful or that is morally or constitutionally good.” A different Greek noun, agathos refers to “some deed that is useful or beneficial to others.”

 

Meaning Explained

Paul is in the middle of a series of short statements about a fruitful Christian walk. He started off with three attitudes: rejoicing, praying, and giving thanks. He follows these up with five actions that demonstrate a life submitted to God.

In both of the previous two verses Paul used a grammatical form that indicates that we are to stop doing certain things. It is common in Paul’s teaching to follow up negative commands (things we are not to do, or that we are to stop doing) with a positive replacement (what we are to do instead). In today’s verse he commands us to do two things to replace the actions we are to stop doing. The first thing is to test all things with the purpose of finding good. Instead of suppressing the working of the Holy Spirit and treating prophecies with scorn, we are to test all things. Since verses nineteen and twenty were focused on workings of the Spirit through spiritually gifted men, it is reasonable to assume that he is still talking about the use of spiritual gifts. Instead of taking a negative position against workings of the Spirit, we should test them to see if they are truly of the Spirit of God or simply manifestations of the will of man.

In 1 Corinthians 12:10 Paul talks about the use of the gifts in the church, and immediately after the gift of prophecy, he mentions the discerning of spirits, that is, a spiritual gift of determining whether the prophecy is truly from the Spirit of God. Also, immediately after mentioning the gift of tongues, he cites the interpretation of tongues. Discerning of spirits and interpreting tongues are both gifts that test the use of spiritual gifts.

Finally, in today’s verse Paul commands us to cling to whatever is inherently good. In order to do that, we have to be constantly on the look-out for good things. When we see good things or encounter good people, we are to emulate them and make such things part of our own Christian walk.

 

Application

Instead of being negative about everything that takes place in our churches, we need to be positive and look for the good things and good people who demonstrate actions born out of love for our Savior and other people.

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2016 Will Krause. All rights reserved

1 Thessalonians 5:20 – Foretelling or Forth-telling?

Posted on by Will

Do not despise prophecies.

Truth to Learn

Christians should only believe a preacher or teacher if their message is completely supported by what the Bible says.

 

Behind the Words

The word “despise” is translated from the Greek verb exoutheneō. It is made up of ek, used as an intensifier and the verb outheneō, meaning “to treat as nothing.” In general usage exoutheneō means “to despise” or “to treat something as if it has no value.” As in the previous verse, in the Greek text the word mē (not) precedes the verb which is in the present tense and the imperative mood. Therefore, the text means “stop despising prophecies” or “stop treating prophecies as if they have no value.”

“Prophecies” is transliterated (brought straight over from Greek to English) from the noun prophēteia. It is made up of pro, meaning “before, in time or position” and a form of the verb phēmi, meaning “to tell.” The verb form of this word can refer either to foretelling (telling something before it happens) or forth-telling (declaring a message to others). In Hebrew, the word translated prophecy is based on the word stem nābā, which simply means “to speak by divine inspiration, either in prediction or simple discourse.” Likewise, the word transliterated “prophecy” in the New Testament means “to speak by divine inspiration.”

 

Meaning Explained

There is much confusion in the Church today regarding the gift of prophecy. Many people believe that prophecy only refers to telling something before it happens. However, even in the Old Testament, the messages of the prophets contained as much, if not more, about the present than they did about the future.

The Old Testament prophets were delivering messages that came from God to the people. Similarly, in the New Testament church the value of a prophetic message is that it is inspired by God. In the Old Testament, many of the messages of the prophets became part of the written word of God. Today, however, we have a completed Word of God (the Bible) and do not need any new revelation by prophets (such as predicting the future). For that reason, a New Testament prophet today is not a foreteller, only a forth-teller.

In the Old Testament, the messages of the prophets had to always be true. If their forth-telling was contrary to the written Word of God or if their foretelling was not 100% accurate 100% of the time, they were declared to be a false prophet and they were to be stoned to death. Likewise, in the church age, if the message of a prophet does not agree completely with the Bible, that prophet is a false prophet and none of his messages are to be believed.

In today’s verse Paul declares that we are to stop considering prophecies to be of no value. Certainly, if someone claiming to have the gift of prophecy contradicts the Bible, he is not to be believed. But someone who truly has the gift of prophecy today is declaring God’s word and should be listened to, not ignored.

 

Application

Whenever we are listening to a message from a preacher or learning something from a Bible teacher, we need to search the Scriptures to validate whether what they are saying is true or not. Don’t believe any message from a preacher or teacher unless it is fully supported by the Bible. Be like the Christians of Berea of whom it was said:

These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so. (Acts 17:11)

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2016 Will Krause. All rights reserved

1 Thessalonians 5:19 – Let The Spirit Breathe

Posted on by Will

Do not quench the Spirit.

Truth to Learn

It is wrong for Christians to suppress the working of the Spirit.

 

Behind the Words

The word “quench” is translated from sbennumi, which means “to extinguish” or “to quench.” When used metaphorically, it means “to suppress” or “to hinder.” The verb is expressed here in the imperative mood, indicating a command.

“Spirit” is from the Greek noun pneuma, from which we get our English words pneumatic (meaning “air filled”). Pneuma is based on the verb pneō, meaning “to breath.” Thus, pneuma refers to “a breath of air” or “air in motion.” This is the word used to describe the vital spirit of life or the breath breathed by God into man which gives him life. It is also used to refer to that part of man which is independent of the body. When used of God, it is a reference to the third person of the godhead, the Holy Spirit.

 

Meaning Explained

As we mentioned earlier, Paul is in the midst of teaching how we are to conduct ourselves in our own personal lives. In the previous three verses, although he talked about actions, Paul was primarily referring to actions that spring from our inner attitudes. In this verse and the three that follow, he talks about actions that demonstrate our submission and commitment to God.

In today’s verse we are commanded not to quench the Spirit. In the Greek text the word mē (not) precedes the verb. As it is written here it means to stop quenching the Spirit or to break the habit of quenching the Spirit. Apparently, the Thessalonians were trying to suppress the manifestation of the Spirit of God and the use of spiritual gifts given to them.

If you compare this church and the church in Corinth, where there was an excessive display of spiritual gifts, you can see that they weren’t much different from churches today. There are some modern day churches that make a big display of the gifts of the spirit like the church in Corinth was doing. But, there are other churches where the gifts of the Spirit are suppressed and looked down upon. Paul does not approve of either of these extremes. Some churches today even teach that some of the spiritual gifts are no longer in effect today, but their basis for this claim is tenuous at best.

What we need to recognize is that God gave Christians these spiritual gifts for the building up of the body of Christ. This is what he told the Corinthians:

So also you, since you are zealous of spiritual gifts, seek to build up the church that you may abound. (1 Corinthians 14:12)

Therefore, whether we would seek a particular spiritual gift for personal benefit, or suppress the manifestation of genuine gifts of the Spirit, we are not pleasing to God. However, if we are completely submitted to the will of God, we will use the gift or gifts He has given us to build up the body of Christ and in doing so bring glory to God and God alone.

 

Application

If you know what your spiritual gift is, then seek to use it to build up other members of the body of Christ. If you don’t know what your gift is, then submit yourself wholly to God and seek His face. If you do so, He will reveal to you what your gift is and how to use it for His glory and honor. However, like all prayers to God, do not expect an immediate answer. It may take years before your gift is revealed to you. In the meantime, be active in serving him. Try on different responsibilities within the body until you find the one that fits you and your gift.

In God's service, for His glory,

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