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1Thessalonians Chapter Four (2) Watchfulness for the Lord Living to Please God ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 1) For what reason did Paul say they instructed the Thessalonians on how to live, what did Paul instruct them to do in the Lord Jesus, and by whose authority did Paul give them instructions?
________________________________________________________________________________ Paul stimulates his converts' memory of what he and his companions had told them. He characterizes their previous ministry as a delivering of "instructions" (or "commands"). These were binding because they were given "by the authority of the Lord Jesus." (taken from The NIV Bible Commentary, Zondervan Publishers) 2) What did Paul say is God's will?
________________________________________________________________________________ Being sanctified or made holy is the process of the living the Christian life. The Holy Spirit works in us, conforming us into the image of Christ (Romans 8:29). ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Cross-reference: Romans 8:29; For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ God's ultimate goal for us is to make us like Christ (1John 3:2). As we become more and more like him, we discovered our true selves, the persons we were created to be. How can we be conformed to Christ's likeness? By reading and heeding the Word, by studying his life on earth through the Gospels, by being filled with his Spirit, and by doing his work in the world. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 3) What did Paul say they should avoid, how should each one of them learn to control their body, in what way did Paul tell them they shouldn't use their bodies, what did Paul say no one should do to his brother, what will the Lord do to men for all such sins, what did God call us to do, and who does he who rejects this instruction reject?
________________________________________________________________________________ Sexual standards were very low in the Roman
Empire, and in many societies today they are not any higher. The temptation to
engage in sexual intercourse outside the marriage relationship has always been
powerful. Giving in to that temptation can have disastrous results. Sexual sins
always hurt someone: individuals, families, businesses, churches. Besides the
physical consequences, there are also spiritual consequences. 4) Who was the church at Thessalonica taught to love each other by, why did Paul tell them to lead a quiet life and to mind their own business, and why did he tell them to work with their own hands?
________________________________________________________________________________ There is more to Christian living than simply loving other Christians. We must be responsible in all areas of life. Some of the Thessalonian Christians had adopted a life of idleness, depending on others for handouts. Some Greeks looked down on manual labor. So Paul told the Thessalonians to work hard and live a quiet life. You can't be effective in sharing your faith with others if they don't respect you. Whatever you do, do it faithfully and be a positive force in society. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The Coming of the Lord ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 5) What did Paul say he did not want them to be ignorant about, how did Paul not want them to grieve like, what did Paul say to the believes about Jesus, and who did Paul say Jesus will bring with him?
________________________________________________________________________________ The Thessalonians were wondering why many of their follow believers had fallen asleep (died) and what would happen to them when Christ returned. Paul wanted the Thessalonians to understand that death is not the end of the story. When Christ returns, all believers-dead and alive-will be reunited, never to suffer or die again. 6) What did Paul say they believed, who did they believe God will bring with Jesus, and who will we, who are left till the coming of the Lord, not precede?
________________________________________________________________________________ What does Paul mean when he says, "according
to the Lord's own word?" Either this was something that the Lord had revealed
directly to Paul, or it was a teaching of Jesus that had been passed along
orally by the apostles and other Christians. 7) From where will the Lord himself come down, what will the Lord come down from heaven with, who will rise first, after that, what will happen to those who are still alive and are left, who will we be with forever, and what did Paul tell them to do with these words?
________________________________________________________________________________ An archangel is a high or holy
angel appointed to a special task. Michael is the only archangel mentioned in
the New Testament (see Jude 9). ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Answers 1Thessalonians Chapter Four ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 1) in order to please God...more and more...Lord
Jesus ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Taken from The NIV Life Application Study Bible, Zondervan Publishers |