This week we are enjoying some of the crucial points in 1 and 2 Thessalonians, and the first one is, Expecting the Savior’s Return and Living a Sanctified Life. Here are some of the verses we can enjoy and prayerfully read, together with the footnotes in the Recovery Version Bible:
1 Thes. 1:10 And await His Son from the heavens, whom He raised from the dead, Jesus, who delivers us from the wrath which is coming.
1 Thes. 2:19-20 For what is our hope or joy or crown of boasting before our Lord Jesus at His coming? Are not even you? For you are our glory and joy.
1 Thes. 3:13 So that He may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all His saints
1 Thes. 4:3-4, 7
3 For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from fornication;
4 That each one of you know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor,
7 For God has not called us for uncleanness but in sanctification.
1 Thes. 5:23 And the God of peace Himself sanctify you wholly, and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
This point is clear from reading the concluding verses of each of the first three chapters in 1 Thessalonians. The last verse of chapter one, verse 10, says … that the early Christians were waiting for the Lord’s coming back, for the Savior’s return. First Thessalonians 2:19 says, … The Thessalonians were all expecting the return of the Savior, and the apostle who served them was also expecting that they could be his joy and crown at the Lord’s coming back. Then the last verse of chapter two, verse 20, says … At His coming the saints would be Paul’s glory and joy. First Thessalonians 3:13, the last verse of chapter three, is quite crucial … The ending of the first three chapters of 1 Thessalonians clearly indicates that those early believers were expecting the Savior’s coming back by living a sanctified life.
Relating to living a sanctified life, 1 Thessalonians 4:3-4 … Verse 7 … Finally, the entire book of 1 Thessalonians ends with a wonderful word. First Thessalonians 5:23 … In this first crucial point we have to realize that the proper church life depends on a life of expecting the Savior’s return and living a sanctified life. Even though we are not the early believers, we still have to keep the principle that the church life depends on us living a sanctified life always with the expectation that our dear Lord is coming. You have to develop this crucial point according to the many footnotes in the Recovery Version and the appropriate Life-study Messages, stressing what a sanctified life is. (Elders Training Book 6: The Crucial Points of Truth in Paul’s Epistles, p.92-93).
Recommended footnotes and cross references for 1 Thes. 1:10; 2:19-20; 3:13; 4:3-4, 7; 5:23.
1 Thes. 1:10 And 1aawait His Son from the bheavens, whom He craised from the dead, Jesus, who ddelivers us from the 2ewrath which is coming.
1 Thes. 2:19-20 For what is our ahope or bjoy or crown of cboasting before our Lord Jesus at His 1dcoming? Are not even you? For you are our 1glory and joy.
1 Thes. 3:13 1So that He may aestablish your 2hearts bblameless in 3choliness before our God and Father at the 4dcoming of our Lord Jesus ewith all His 5saints.
1 Thes. 4:3-4, 7 For this is the awill of God, your 1bsanctification: that you cabstain from 2dfornication; That each one of you know how to 1possess his aown 2vessel in 3sanctification and bhonor, … For God has not acalled us 1for 2buncleanness but 3in 4csanctification.
1 Thes. 5:23 1And the 2God of apeace Himself 3bsanctify you 4wholly, and may your 5cspirit and dsoul and ebody be fpreserved 6complete, gwithout blame, 7at the 8hcoming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Further Ministry reading:
- The Conclusion of the New Testament:
– Msg 359. Experiencing and Enjoying Christ in the Epistles (65)
– Msg 360. Experiencing and Enjoying Christ in the Epistles (66)
– Msg 361. Experiencing and Enjoying Christ in the Epistles (67) - Life-study of 1 Thessalonians:
– Msg 20. Our Heart to be Established Blameless in Holiness (1) (with Radio Broadcast 18),
– Msg 21. Our Heart to be Established Blameless in Holiness (2) (with Radio Broadcast 19),
– Msg 22. Our Heart to be Established Blameless in Holiness and our Body to be Preserved Clean in Sanctification (with Radio Broadcast 20).
