Epistles of Paul 09

In previous studies of 1 Thessalonians, we saw how Paul began his epistle by encouraging and exhorting the brethren in Thessalonika, and from the fourth chapter onwards he began to gently address some points of correction. In verses 1 through 8 of chapter 4 of 1 Thessalonians, Paul talked about the importance of sexual purity, and from then he addresses three other additional areas of additional information, or should I say, general correction, and those are concerning brotherly love, as we can see in 4 verse 9, concerning brotherly love, and then in 4 verse 13, concerning those who have fallen asleep, and in chapter 5 verse 1 is concerning the times and the seasons. So those are the three other three areas we intend to cover today, those three sections. So let's now, therefore, start reading chapter 4 verse 9. But concerning brotherly love, you have no need that I should write to you, for you yourselves are taught by God to love one another, and indeed you do so toward all the brethren who are in Thessadonia. So Yah is, again, Paul is very tactful and is saying, indeed, they are showing a lot of brotherly love. It's interesting, brethren, that when we look at the scriptures in Revelation, in the seven letters to the churches, Christ in Revelation chapter 2 talks about that they had this very special love, but then later they lost this love. So Yah, we have Paul mentioning how they have that love for one another. But he says, but we urge you, brethren, that you increase more and more. So don't let that go. Let that keep growing. So, so Yah, we see that he is saying, well done, but continue to do more. This is very similar to what he said in 1 Thessalonians chapter 3 verse 12. In 3 verse 12, in the prayer that I referred to in previous studies, which is an introductory prayer to this fourth chapter, Yah, in chapter 3 verse 12, he says, may the Lord make you increase and a bounding love to one another and to all, just as we do to you. So Paul is encouraging them in this brotherly love. And after he talking to them concerning purity in sexual matters, or talking to them about sexual immorality, he now addresses brotherly love. And he says, continue growing more and more. And then let's read verse 11. But so that you also aspire to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you. So he is talking about, yes, growing this brotherly love, so that you work with your own hands.

So what do we have here? What do we have? What is the situation happening in Thessalonians that he said, continue growing in love, so that you work with your own hands.

The John Foster Brown commentary, JFB, states, the Thessalonians converts where it thus seems chiefly of the working classes. Their expectation of the immediate coming of Christ led some enthusiasts among them to neglect their daily work and be dependent on the bounty of others.

The expectation was right. In so far as the Church should be always looking for him.

So that expectation was right. JFB comments here on this section on verse 11. But then JFB commentary continues, but they were wrong in making it a ground for neglecting their daily work.

So end of the section I'm quoting. So the Thessalonians were saying, well, Christ's coming soon. Therefore, I've got enough money. I can just not, I don't have to work. And there are other people that have money. We are sharing things with one another. So people share it to me, so I don't have to work.

And then he says, yeah, at the end of verse 11, you see, I will inspire you to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business, and to work. So in other words, don't be busybodies, because yeah, if you're not working, you've got a lot of time to start rumors and start little things. So mind your own business and work with your own hands as we commanded you. So it appears that it wasn't really a problem when he was there initially.

So this is a subject that is touched again in chapter 5 verse 14.

And then he touched in chapter 4, verse 11 and 12.

He touches it again in chapter 5 verse 14. And then because it still remained a problem, he asked to address it in more specific detail and in greater strength in 2 Thessalonians chapter 3, verses 6 through 14. So there was a problem out there that people using maybe the excuse, the crisis coming soon, then we don't have to work. We can just, you know, we all need to share and others have more and we don't have to work. Whether that was exactly the attitude or not, or the spirit or not, we don't know, but it appears that that was it and other commentaries seem to agree with that position. Now in verse 12 he says, that you, so that you may walk properly toward those who are outside and that you may lack nothing. The King James Version translates that you may work, work honestly, be honest with the people, but the New King James Version says that you walk properly in a becoming manner towards those that are outside. So the general treatment when you walk honestly or properly with other people, it's in a general approach that you are addressing people in a becoming manner, particularly those that are outside. You're cautious, you're faithful, you're respectful, you're doing good, you're giving, and as such you're not bringing discredit to the church, to the faith, to those not in the faith.

And it says, and that you may lack nothing. So if you lack nothing, you don't have to be asking or begging for manners. And so it means that there is a freedom, a certain freedom, from financial embarrassment, which is something to be desired from Christians. Christians need to have this position as much as possible that you're not in financial bind. Now, we all end up in financial binds that happens with life, one way or another. But we should be aiming and striving not to be in financial embarrassment's medicine situation. So it requires wisdom, requires as dealing with people in the right way, and things like that. So that's what we read here. And if we just take note of Ephesians chapter four, just a few pages back, Ephesians chapter four, verse 28, Ephesians chapter four, verse 28, let him who stalls still no longer, but rather let in labor, let him work, working with his hands, what is good that he may have something to give him who has need. So we need to be working so that we have something to give to other people that have needs. So let's continue then with this section. So it appears that the problem was that they were thinking that Christ was coming soon. And so that is the very next point that Paul addresses in verses 13 through 18 of the same chapter, chapter four. He says, but I do not want you to be ignorant, rather, concerning those who have fallen asleep. So he starts addressing the issue about Christ's coming. And so he's addressing the resurrection. And because he says, well, they are sleeping. But then he says in verse 15, for this we say to you, by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means proceed those who are asleep. Those who are dead. For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of our candle, and from trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. And then we'll be caught together, and he says, they will comfort one another. So he's actually addressing this issue of Christ's coming. Now, verse 17 is one that is misapplied by religion in general today. Religion in general today misapplied this, verse 17, and talks about that we caught together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. They tie this to the rapture, or to a what they call a secret rapture.

Now, the rapture theory teaches, it's based on a series of books called Lift Behind, teaches a situation in which a cataclysmic, at the cataclysmic moment or instant, millions of people disappear from the earth. Suddenly, you get vehicles out of control, because people were in the cars, and they were raptured, and there was no one to drive them, so they were in the streets, thereby just going. Whatever it is, just there's this people just disappearing all over the place. And then the situation is that the other people that remain behind are terrified, seeing their friends, relative loved ones disappear right before their own eyes. So those that are left behind, those that so-called known Christians, are left behind because Christ secretly and suddenly takes them from the earth before He's coming.

And most of the understanding of a number of people is that it will be over a period of about seven years before. So that's what this misunderstanding is, what people have, that's where they get these seven years, they get that because there's this idea that people have that, whatever. So those that have been taken are now taken to heaven. That's the secret rapture concept, and they wait for what they call a seven-year tribulation on earth. Now we know that the tribulation is not seven years, it's three and a half years, so even that seven years thing is incorrect. But anyway, they have little to no scriptural background, they just have a lot of misinterpretations of different scriptures like verse 17 here of 1st Thessalonians chapter 4, and for instance other parables like for instance Matthew 24 verse 36 to 42. So let's look at Matthew 24, 36 to 42. By the way, you might want to keep a marker on Matthew 24 because we will be going to it a few times today. But anyway, Matthew 24 verse 36 through 42, we have this section here that it says, no one knows the day or the hour, and it says, as it was in the days of Noah, so it would be in the days of the coming of the man, of man, of the son of man, and the key scripture there that they use is, and they did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will be the coming of the son of man. Then two men will be in the field, one will be taken in the other left, and two women will be in the grindstone to move, one will be taken in the other left, and so they say, well, there's a rapture, they're taken. Now, verse 39 is particularly important for us to pay attention to, because in verse 39 says, and did not know until the flood came and took them all away. Now, think about it. Noah went into the ark about seven days before the flood, and the people in the society did not know until the flood came and took them all away. So when the flood came, they died. You see, so they did not know when this was coming, because when it suddenly came, they were caught and away, and they died. So this taking away in verse 39, they took this taking away is when the flood came, the rain came, and they died. They took them away. They died. So verse 40 and 41, could it be that two are working on the flood, working in the field, and some are not aware of it, and when this tribulation comes, they're not prepared for it, and they die. It could well be interpreted as that. So this parable can be seen, obviously, in different ways. I'm not saying this is the only way to look at it. It could be interpreted as the time when some people are protected in the place of safety. It could be interpreted as that, but by reading verse 39, it does put the focus as those that are being taken away, is when the flood comes and they actually die. But the purpose of the rapture theory, that people use, Christians use, so-called Christians use in our society, is to kind of motivate people to give their heart to the Lord, to quote-unquote save more souls today.

The concept that a lot of people have today is that they need to save more souls because maybe, with the interpretation, God is not saving enough souls. And so we've got to do that for God, because God is struggling in this so-called battle against Christ. Obviously, there's no battle, a big part of battle against Satan. There's no battle between God and Satan, right? There's no battle. So it is a battle that doesn't exist. There's no battle between God and Satan. No battle. So what is happening? Well, it's because people don't understand God's plan of salvation, don't understand that people are called. They don't understand the soul wisdom that God has in the soul plan. So what do we have?

This secret rapture is basically a forgery. The forgery of different things. A forgery of 1st Thessalonians 4 verse 17, a forgery of the sparrowable of Matthew 24, and clearly is a deception from Satan, distorting a number of truths from God. Now, one of the things that the secret rapture wants to emphasize is there's going to be some sort of protection.

Now, of course, there's going to be some sort of protection. There will be protection. If we look at Revelation chapter 3 verse 10, Revelation chapter 3 verse 10, that's the letters to the churches, and this is in the letter to Philadelphia. It says, because you kept my command to persevere, I will keep you from the hour which will come upon the whole earth to test those who dwell on the earth. So I'll keep you from that hour of testing.

So, the secret rapture is a deception of that statement, keeping us from the hour of trial, which will come upon the whole earth, for the whole world. We also know that in Revelation 12 verse 14, Revelation 12 verse 14, we see that Satan is going to be chased out of heaven, and in verse 14, he is going to pursue the woman. He's going to be persecuting the woman. We read that in verse 13, and in verse 14, the woman was given two wings of a great eagle that she might fly into the wilderness to a place where she's nourished for the time, end times, and half a time. It was three and a half years. So we have this period in which the woman, which is the church, and as we're reading, it's just part of the church because it will let it say that the rest of the church will be he will chase the rest of the offspring. We see that in verse 17. But a portion of the church will be protected. Now, this is something that we have discussed in our series on the book of Revelation. But if we look at this screen that I'm sharing with you now, there's going to be a time when God's people will be protected before the Great Tribulation. So, yes, so there will be a protection of God's people, and then it will be the three and a half years of the Great Tribulation that happens from the Obama National Dissolation to Christ's coming. So there's those three and a half years. So that's a point that we have discussed in in reasonably good detail during the series of studies on the book of Revelation. So there will be a protection for God's church, for God's people. Now, the point here is in Revelation chapter 12 verse 14 says that the woman was given two wings of a great eagle that she might fly into the wilderness.

Doesn't say to heaven. You see, so this protection is not a rapture to heaven, and it's not seven years, it's three and a half years. So this point of 1 Thessalonians chapter 4 verse 17 is one which has been interpreted by Christianity in general. But let's now analyze this section from verse 13 through verse 18 in a little bit more detail. 1 Thessalonians chapter 4 verse 13. But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest your sorrow as others who have no hope. So now we are here, Paul is writing to the Thessalonians a number of years, about 20 years after Christ had died. And in that process of 20 years, some true Christians did die.

So he was saying, I don't want you to be ignorant about those that have already died.

Lest you your sorrow as others who have no hope. You see, we have a hope of the resurrection.

We really have a hope of resurrection. Let's turn with me to 1 Peter chapter 1 verse 3. 1 Peter chapter 1 verse 3.

It reads, Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. So the resurrection from the dead is a great hope. Christ was resurrected, and Paul is saying in Thessalonians that concerning those that have died, that have fallen asleep, I don't want you to be ignorant of an important point about the resurrection and Christ's coming.

Lest you sorrow as others who have no hope, because our hope is a resurrection. Let's read again 1 Peter chapter 1 verse 3. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again. Do we understand what it means that we have been begotten again? The word ebb in the now will be begotten again, because you and I were begotten first when our physical father made our mother, physical mother, pregnant, and then we were begotten in the womb of our physical mother, and after a period of nine months, then we were born.

But during that initial time of in which the mother's egg was fertilized, we were begotten. That was the first time we were begotten. But now we're begotten again to a living hope, because we've been begotten as a son and daughter of God. How? Read a little later in verse 23.

First Peter chapter 1 verse 23. Having been born again, or it's the same Greek word, ganal, having been begotten, not of corruptible seed. You see, you and I were begotten for the first time from our physical father when the ovum in our physical mother was fertilized by a seed that came from our physical father, which was corruptible. In other words, that after a certain amount of time, it would be basically be dead, but it had a certain short window of maybe a few days, maybe a few hours, that it was living. And so we have been begotten again a second time now, not of corruptible seed from our physical father, but of incorruptible seed that came, which proceeded from our spiritual father through the word of God.

It was according to God's promise that this would happen. We are begotten. We receive the promise of God through his word, his promise, which lives and abides forever. God's word stands forever, and it can't be proved false. So at baptism, after we were baptized, and after the laying on our hands, the minister prayed and asked for the Father, for God, to honor his promise, to give us his spirit.

And then through Christ, because Christ is the one that gives us God's spirit through Christ, so the Father's seed delegated to Christ, and Christ gives his spirit to us, that is God's spirit to us. And so we then are begotten again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible. So that's what happens. If you just look at 1 John chapter 3 verse 9, 1 John chapter 3 verse 9, it says, whoever has been born of God, again the word is ganal, which means begotten of God, does not sin.

If you and I have God's only spirit, you and I don't want to sin. We are striving to overcome, to love, to not sin. It doesn't say that we are perfect, but we strive to not sin. In other words, not to live in the practice of sin, not to live that way. If you look in verse 7, it says, little children have no one to see, if you practice righteous, it's righteous. Just as righteous.

We are in the way of practicing righteousness, of practicing a life of righteousness. And so we are striving not to sin. That's our goal. Look at verse 10, whoever does not practice righteous is not of God. So you see, so it's talking about practicing a way of life that is not a way of life of sin.

We want to practice a way of life which is of righteousness. And so he says in verse 9, whoever has been begotten of God does not sin. He does not live in a way of sin. He lives in a righteous way. Why? For peace, that's God's seed, not corruptible seed, but incorruptible seed, as we read a little earlier in John, I think, upon 1st Peter chapter 1 verse 23. So his seed, God's seed, incorruptible, reminds in us. It's interesting to read the word for his seed in 1st John 3 verse 9.

The word for seed in 1st John 3 verse 9 is the Greek word 4690, which is in Greek, sperma, from where we get the English word sperma. So it is an incorruptible seed from the Father. It's his seed is in us and has, quote unquote, fertilized the egg in our body, the spiritual egg, which is the spirit of man and man. And so the spirit of God fertilizes the, by an analogy, the egg, the spiritual egg, which is the spirit of man and man, and we become a new spiritual embryo growing in the mother's womb, which is the church.

And so we have been begotten. And then, as we are reading, we are in begotten, and we're going to be growing, overcoming, over time, till we reach a point that we are ready to be changed to spirit beings if we are alive at the time that Christ comes, or if we die, we've matured, and or rather, when we die, we've matured, and then when Christ comes, we will then be resurrected as spirit beings.

And so our resurrection is our hope. Our resurrection to being the family of God, in the kingdom of God, as is true sons and daughters, is our living hope.

And so in 1 Corinthians chapter 15, 1 Corinthians chapter 15, verse 12 through 19, it says, if Christ is preached that he has been raised from the dead, how do some of you say there's no resurrection of the dead? Because Christ resurrected. But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ is not risen. And if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty, and your faith is also empty. And if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty, and your faith is also empty. Yes, and we are found to be the apostles, false witnesses of God. We are lying. We would be lying, because we sang that Christ resurrected, because we have testified of God that he, the Father, raised up the Son, Christ, whom we have testified of God, that he raised up Christ, whom he did not raise up, if in fact the dead do not rise. So if they don't rise, then Christ never resurrects, and therefore we lie. But we are testifying of God, he did resurrect, and that's why it says, but if the dead do not rise, then Christ is not risen. And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile, and you are still in your sense. You see, therefore, this is our hope. That's why it says, then all those who have fallen asleep in Christ, they perished. If in this life only we have opened Christ, we are of all man the most pitiable, because we don't just have opened Christ. We don't just say we believe in Christ. We believe that he's resurrected, and he's given us his mind, his spirit, the spirit of the Father, which is his spirit, which has begotten us for us to become his sons, and he's put us into his spiritual body. And so, just like he resurrected, we will resurrect. And that's what we learned from Romans 6 at the beginning of the first few verses of Romans 6 with the meaning of baptism and resurrection. That is a very encouraging principle. So, continue in 1 Thessalonians chapter 4 verse 13. At the end, it says, Lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. What is our hope? Our hope is in Christ resurrected. The resurrected Christ. There is a resurrection. Therefore, verse 14.

If we believe that Christ died and rose again, even so, God will bring within those who sleep in Jesus. So, when Christ comes, God will bring within, they will resurrect at the same time, those who are dead, who are asleep in Jesus.

You see, that's our hope. That's our hope.

And that's what we look for. And so, those people at that time were hoping that they would live and they would be living when Christ would come. And because they were hoping for that, they said, oh well, we don't have to work. I mean, we have done that fault as well in the early 1970s. I heard that some people said, well, Christ is coming soon, so we don't have to go to the dentist, or we don't need life insurance, or things like that.

You see, we have to do everything as if life keeps going on. But we have to be ready and watch because Christ can come at any time. No man knows the day or the hour of his coming.

Matthew 24 verse 36. That's that panellble that I was reading a little earlier. Matthew 24 verse 36. I said to keep that handy. That's why in Matthew 24 verse 36 says, but of that day an hour no man knows, not even the angels of heaven, but my Father only.

And then in verse 42, after he talks about that example, that parable, then he says, verse 42, watch therefore that you do not know what hour your Lord is coming. So we've got to watch. And then a little bit later, also still in Matthew 24, and now in verse 48, he says, but if that evil servant says in his heart, my master is the lady's coming. You see, there is the other danger. And I believe this is a danger today, particularly in the church. There are some people in the church that might be saying, well, this has happened before, and maybe we've got a lot of years. Brethren, I don't think we have a lot of years. We're very short. We're really, the days are short. And we better wake up and be prepared. Now let's continue reading in verse 15. For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means proceed those who are asleep. So that throws away the whole rapture theory, because it says, oh well, we were alive and remain until Christ's coming, will by no means proceed those who are asleep. So those who are asleep will resurrect first, and we will be changed or transformed afterwards. But there is an order. You see, there's order. Again, if we read in 1 Corinthians chapter 15, 1 Corinthians chapter 15 verse 52. I'll be part of it. 22 verse 23. 1 Corinthians 15 verse 22 verse 23. There is an order. It says, for as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive. But each one needs an order. Christ first, the first fruit. Afterward, those who are Christ's at his coming. At his coming.

And so when Christ comes, and then in 1 Thessalonians chapter 4 verse 16, he says, for the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, with the trump of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. So the dead in Christ will rise first. And that is at the trump. And that is at the lost trump. So if we go back to 1 Corinthians 15, and now in verse 50 through 52, 1 Corinthians 15, 50 through 52, it says, flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom, nor does corruption inherit corruption. But I tell you a mystery. And then in verse 52, he says, at the lost trumpet. At the lost trumpet. That is, therefore, the seventh trumpet. And when the seventh trumpet blows, what happens? Well, we read when the seventh trumpet blows, we read that in Revelation 11, Revelation 11, verse 15 through 18. And it says, the seventh angel sound. And it says, the kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ, and it shall reign forever and ever. That means when Christ starts to rule the world. That's what it is. The seventh trumpet comes, and we know the story. The seventh trumpet symbolizes Christ's coming. And then we have a tournament which Satan is put away. And then we have the Feast of Tabernacles, which represents Christ's ruling on earth for a thousand years. So let's continue then with verse 17 of 1 Thessalonians chapter 4. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together. You see, but after those that have resurrected first. So Christ's coming, the seventh trumpet, those resurrect first, and then we are alive. We'll join them. We'll be caught up together with them. We'll be changed to spirit beings in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. So we're meeting in the air.

And we know in Matthew 24, it says, when Christ comes, it will be like lightning coming from the east to the west. So we see that we're meeting in the air, and this will be very sudden and like lightning and coming from the east to the west. There's an interesting scripture that quite often we don't look at, that I want to look at it now, which is in Isaiah 41. Isaiah 41, verse 25. Isaiah 41, verse 25. I have raised up one from the north, the north being we've got surroundings, and he shall come. Who is that one? It's Christ. He will come from the north, from heaven. Right? That's what we said. And from the rising of the sun, in which it's from the east, he comes from the east, comes from heaven, but he will come from the east, like lightning from the east to the west. Right? From the rise of the sun, he shall come, he shall call on my name, and he shall come against the princes as thou mortar, and the potter treads clay. So he will destroy the nations. Now, granted, in the context, he is talking about Cyrus, and that we take this, and it's applicable to Christ, it's a prophecy of Christ. So Christ is going to come from God's throne, he's sitting at the right hand side with God. As he comes to earth, he'll be like lightning from the east to the west, and then he is going to tread the nations. He's going to rule, he's going to take over the rule, and he's going to tread the nations. So let's continue now in 1 Thessalonians chapter 4, verse 18. Therefore, comfort one another with these words. So encourage one another with these words.

These words are important, so be encouraged. Don't be discouraged with these things.

So now we move on to chapter 5, because he's talked about, in chapter 4, about sexual purity, he's talked about brotherly love, and specifically not being idle, but working, and then he's talked about those that are falling asleep. And now in chapter 5, verse 1 through verse 11, he now focuses a little bit more detail concerning Christ's coming. And he says, now concerning the times and seasons, briefly, you have no need that I should write to you, for you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. So you don't know exactly when Christ's going to come, but he's going to come suddenly.

You see, the thief in the night comes suddenly by surprise when people are not prepared. So, because people are not prepared, they're not watching, they're not alert, but it should not be so with us in church. We should be prepared. You see, it's talking about, yeah, the day of the Lord. The day of the Lord is the day when there's going to be the judgment of God. Just look at very briefly at Joel chapter 2, verse 3. Joel chapter 2, verse 3. And I'll show you wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood and fire and pillars of smoke.

Verse 31. The sun shall be turned into darkness and the moon into blood. This is what we call the heavenly signs. There'll be huge things happening in the heavens and on earth, and this is before the coming of the great and awesome day of the Lord.

You see, these heavenly signs come before the day of the Lord. If we look at Revelation chapter 6, Revelation chapter 6, and look at verse 16 and 17, because in Revelation 6, we are talking about the sixth seal, and in verse 12, we're talking about the sixth seal, which is obviously after the fifth seal, which is the great tribulation and continues, but in verse 12 through 17 of Revelation 6, it's talking about the heavenly signs, which is the sixth seal, and then at the end, it's talking about how these things will be earthquakes, and the moon becomes like blood, and the stars of heaven fall on the earth. So, these heavenly signs and things happening on the earth and in heaven. It says that the sky receded as a scroll in verse 14 of Revelation 6, and then it says in verse 16, and then the people say, to the mountains and rocks fall on us and hide us from the face of him who sits on the ground, and from the wrath of the Lamb. For the great day of his wrath has come, and who is able to stand?

So, the wrath of the Lamb, and that happens after the heavenly signs, and that wrath of the Lamb is the day of the Lord, because what we saw in Job chapter 2, verse 13, and 31, is that after the heavenly signs is the day of the Lord. So, again, looking at this picture, what we see is the day of the Lord. That's that last year, that last year before the coming of Christ, that last year of the three and a half years of the Great Tribulation, that last year is kind of marked or delineated with the heavenly signs. And so, we got the heavenly signs, and then we have the day of the Lord. So, this is a time right before Christ's coming, when there is God's wrath. It's the day of the Lord. So, going back to 1 Thessalonians chapter 5 verse 3, well, in verse 2 says, the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, so it's suddenly people are not expecting it. Suddenly, in verse 3, for when they say peace and safety, then sudden destruction comes upon them all, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman, and they shall not escape. So, this will come very suddenly when people are not expecting it. Sudden destruction, very sudden. And so, continuing then reading in verse 4 and 5, But you, brethren, are not in darkness, said that this day should overtake you as a thief. You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night, not of darkness. Therefore, let us not sleep as others do, but let us watch and be sober. Let us be watching and be sober. Now, we know that there's a scripture I refer to quite often, which is Luke 21 verse 36. So, let's look at it again. Luke 21 verse 36.

And it says, Watch therefore and pray always that you may be accounted worthy to escape. Why are you watching? And what are you watching? Well, if you read in context, in verse 34 says, But take heed to yourselves lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, kids of this life, and they come upon you unexpectedly like a thief in the night. So, take care. Watch. Watch what? Yourselves, ourselves. And so he says here in verse 36, therefore, watch. Watch ourselves and pray always that we may be accounted worthy. It's not that I or you may decide, well, we're going to go to the place of safety or whatever it is. No, it's that God counts you or I worthy to escape and to stand before the Son of Man.

So that is very important. So spiritually, we should not be asleep. And going back to 1 Thessalonians chapter 5, and let's now read again verse 6. Therefore, let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober. So let's be awake. Let's be ready. Spiritually, we should not be sleeping.

But, verse 7, 4, those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk are drunk at night.

But let us, who are of the day, be sober. Let us be awake. Let us be alert.

Putting on the breastplate of faith and love. Now, the breastplate is in front of the chest, covering obviously the heart and faith and love. So that is very important for us to understand that the breastplate protects our heart, and clearly it affects our love and our trust in God, because He is love. God is love. And so we actually have trust in Him because He loves us. And then continue. And as a helmet, the hope of salvation. So the helmet is over the head, so it protects our brain, protects our mind. And our mind, what helps us, what gives us strength, what gives us protection, is the hope of salvation. And so what we have to do is we have to be working in absolute trust with God, in love towards one another and towards God, and never forget the hope of salvation, which is what is the hope of the resurrection. Because of Christ, we have that hope and to be in the Kingdom. This ties nicely with Ephesians chapter 6, chapter 6, starting in verse 13. So in Ephesians chapter 6, verse 13, it talks about the whole armor of God. And then it says, take up the whole armor of God, that you may stand in the evil day. And that evil day is today, brethren. And therefore it says, stand therefore, having girded your ways to truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, the breastplate of righteousness. Now understand the breast righteousness is your allegiance to God's law. Righteousness is exemplified by God's commandments, which are a love. And also then he says, and having shod your feet with preparation of gospel peace, above all, taking the shield taking the shield of faith. The shield again covers our front, our chest, which is fears, doubts, all these things that Satan throws at us. Fears, doubts, worries, uncertainty. And look at it in verse 17. And take the helmet of salvation, the helmet of salvation. And in 1 Thessalonians chapter 5, verse 8, we saw as the helmet the hope of salvation.

So the helmet of salvation is the hope of salvation. So it all ties in nicely. For God does not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. God has not appointed us to be punished. He'll protect us. He wants to protect us. Even not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation, eternal life, through our Lord Jesus Christ. God wants us to be blessed. And so, what are we going to do? We're going to look at our end result, which is hope of salvation, the resurrection, but we have to watch another coming in the meantime. We're going to be watching ourselves another coming. You read, for instance, Deuteronomy 30, verse 19. He says, I call heaven and earth as a witness today against you that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing, therefore choose life. They're both you and the servants of England. God has given us free moral agency, and we can choose, and we can choose to be watching our behavior, our conduct. We can choose to pursue righteousness. We can choose to overcome and find to the end. Verse 10, through our Lord Jesus Christ who died for us, that whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him. So, whether he died for us, so that whether we are alive or dead, we will live together with him at his second coming, because he died for us. So, whether we because he died for us, so whether we are alive or dead, we will be together at his second coming with him. Verse 11, therefore comfort each other and edify one another just as you also are doing.

Comfort each other. Comfort with us. Very similar to chapter 4, verse 18 of 1st Thessalonians. Therefore, comfort one another with these words. Now in verse 11, therefore, comfort each other and edify, bold, encourage one another as brethren just as you also are doing. And then after having addressed these areas of concern, purity, as I mentioned, sexual immorality, and often addressing people not to be idle, but to be working and to mind their own business. And then after addressing that, having this hope that Christ is coming and will be with him, understanding before the meaning of the resurrection, and understanding that we have to watch because Christ will come when we least expect. So we've got to be watching. So having addressed these four areas of concern, purity, idleness, the Lord's coming, and it will be suddenly, Paul now moves to his conclusion from verse 12 through verse 28 of this letter by inserting a number of, let's call it, stir to action remarks. And those will be the subject of my next study. Thank you so much brethren, and have a good evening.