BACK TO THE BASICS OF CHRISTIAN LIVING

1 THESSALONIANS 5:12-22

NASB

12 But we request of you, brethren, that you [a]appreciate those who diligently labor among you, and have charge over you in the Lord and give you [b]instruction, 13 and that you esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Live in peace with one another. 14 We urge you, brethren, admonish the [a]unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with everyone. 15 See that no one repays another with evil for evil, but always seek after that which is good for one another and for all people. 16 Rejoice always; 17 pray without ceasing; 18 in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. 19 Do not quench the Spirit; 20 do not despise prophetic [a]utterances. 21 But examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good; 22 abstain from every [a]form of evil.

5:12 [a]Lit know  [b]Or admonition  5:14 [a]Or undisciplined  5:20 [a]Or gifts  5:22 [a]Or appearance 

NLT

12 Dear brothers and sisters, honor those who are your leaders in the Lord’s work. They work hard among you and give you spiritual guidance. 13 Show them great respect and wholehearted love because of their work. And live peacefully with each other.

14 Brothers and sisters, we urge you to warn those who are lazy. Encourage those who are timid. Take tender care of those who are weak. Be patient with everyone.

15 See that no one pays back evil for evil, but always try to do good to each other and to all people.

16 Always be joyful. 17 Never stop praying. 18 Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.

19 Do not stifle the Holy Spirit. 20 Do not scoff at prophecies, 21 but test everything that is said. Hold on to what is good. 22 Stay away from every kind of evil.

We all know Christian friends or family members who have wandered from God’s straight path to meander in the ways of the world. I’m not talking about apostates or heretics, but the frustrated, the disillusioned, the burned-out, the weary. They still confess Christ, but like a boat adrift without a sail or rudder, the circumstances of life have gradually borne them away from their earlier straight course in their walk with Christ. In their spiritual doldrums, they have not only neglected their own spiritual life, but they have been derelict in their duties to their friends, family, and church.

Are their actions a result of unruliness? Faintheartedness? Weakness? Do you confront them or console them? Encourage or rebuke them? And if unbelief isn’t their problem, what do you tell them to do? Over the years I’ve learned that the answer is usually simpler than we sometimes make it. Instead of complicated diagnoses and long, drawn-out spiritual therapy, often the unruly, the faint, and the weak simply need to go back to the basics. This is what Paul elsewhere calls the “simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ” (2 Cor. 11:3).

As Paul nears the closing remarks of his first letter to the Thessalonians, he begins wrapping up with a “back to the basics” kind of exhortation. Here we find a quick-fire, but surefire, prescription for getting and staying on target. If we take note of these things and constantly bring them to mind, we’ll not only protect ourselves from wandering, but we’ll also be able to steer others back onto the right course.

In 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11, Paul refers to a night-and-day contrast between the lives of the unbelievers and the lives of believers, the children of the night and the children of the day. The one group lives in spiritual and moral darkness, the other in the light of faith, hope, and love. Now, in 5:12-22, Paul fills in the particulars, requesting his readers to live in the present in light of the future by respecting their leaders (5:12-13), loving the brethren (5:14-15), and glorifying their Lord (5:16-22).

— 5:12-13 —

As Paul gets back to the basics, he begins by requesting, or asking, the Christians to do two things in their relationship to their spiritual leaders: to respect them (5:12) and to esteem them (5:13). It’s possible that Paul uses a gentle, polite term for his “request” because he knew that, in general, the Thessalonians weren’t having a problem in their relationship with leaders. How rare! It seems that in most churches, conflict between leaders and laypeople is the norm rather than the exception. But in Paul’s letter to the Thessalonians, he merely nudges them with a polite request, knowing that they only required continued encouragement in that direction.

Clearly, 5:12-13 refers to those who have been given positions of spiritual authority in the body. It was Paul’s practice to appoint elders (church leaders) in each church he planted (Acts 14:23; Titus 1:5), so it is possible that those in leadership had been personally appointed by Paul and Silas during their brief stay there. Paul uses three phrases to describe these spiritual leaders. They “diligently labor” among the Thessalonians, they “have charge over” them in the Lord, and they “give . . . instruction.” That is, these elders or church leaders were the ones who were primarily responsible for equipping the believers for ministry, shepherding the flock, and instructing them in the faith.

In our own church contexts, these spiritual leaders are usually the appointed elders and deacons, pastors and ministers, preachers and teachers. But in a broader application of this principle, we ought to consider all those who diligently labor for our spiritual growth, who have a sense of accountability for our lives before the Lord, instructing us in the truths of Scripture both by word and example. They may be our Sunday school teachers, small group leaders, youth workers, even nursery instructors. Whether old or young, men or women, God has brought into our lives mentors and counselors who deserve the kind of treatment Paul has in mind in 1 Thessalonians 5:12-13.

How are we to treat those people who labor, lead, and instruct us? Paul gives two imperatives. We’re to “appreciate” them (5:12) and “esteem them very highly in love because of their work” (5:13). The Greek word translated “appreciate” is from the root verb oida [6063], which means “to know.” However, in this use it means more than merely knowing their names or being acquainted with them. It means “to acknowledge.”[34] It may carry the sense of “take an interest in” or “recognize the authority of.”

The second imperative is the phrase “esteem them very highly.” The verb “esteem” means just that: to “regard” or “think well of.” But Paul modifies it with an adverb that means “quite beyond all measure” or “highest form of comparison imaginable.”[35] We might paraphrase the command as “Esteem them way beyond what you could imagine!” Of course, Paul doesn’t mean that we should place them on a pedestal or blind ourselves to their faults. But neither should we hold back our praise, as some do, in an effort to keep them humble. Elsewhere Paul writes, “The elders who rule well are to be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who work hard at preaching and teaching” (1 Tim. 5:17).

Paul then transitions from how the Thessalonians ought to treat their leaders to how they ought to love their brothers and sisters. He does so with one simple but profound statement: “Live in peace with one another” (1 Thes. 5:13). Interpersonal conflicts —whether between two or more leaders, between one or more leaders and the congregation, or between two or more members of the church —can obliterate a ministry. This is why Paul insists that believers should strive for peace: “If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men” (Rom. 12:18) and “[be] diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Eph. 4:3).

— 5:14-15 —

Stepping up the intensity, Paul urges his readers to apply five additional basics of close-quarter, community living. This time he specifically focuses on how we are to relate to one another —to our brothers and sisters in Christ. First, we are to “admonish the unruly” (5:14). The term “admonish” (noutheteō [3560]) is a strong word which means “to confront.” Now, before we take this as a bronze star on our chest deputizing us as the holiness police to call attention to every minor infraction, we need to define another term. Paul says we are to limit the confrontation to the “unruly” —ataktos [813]. The only other occurrences of this word form in the New Testament are in 2 Thessalonians 3:6, 7, 11, where it’s translated both “unruly” and “undisciplined”:

Keep away from every brother who leads an unruly life and not according to the tradition which you received from us. For . . . we did not act in an undisciplined manner among you. . . . For we hear that some among you are leading an undisciplined life, doing no work at all, but acting like busybodies. (2 Thes. 3:6-7, 11).

Second, believers are to “encourage the fainthearted” (1 Thes. 5:14). While some hard cases of intractable, undisciplined behavior need a firm grip, others need a more gentle touch. Instead of being confronted, the fainthearted need to be lovingly, patiently encouraged. These dear people are trembling under the weight of life’s problems. They are overwhelmed with anxiety, deeply discouraged, physically or emotionally debilitated. We sometimes use the terms “depressed” or “blue.” Such people need an affirming word, a warm embrace, a shoulder to lean on . . . or to cry on.

Third, we’re to “help the weak” (5:14). The “weak” are the emotionally exhausted, the mentally burned-out, and the spiritually famished. Charles Ryrie suggests that the symptoms of spiritual weakness include “instability, inability to face persecution, or yielding to the attacks of Satan.”[36] These weaker brothers and sisters need somebody to hold them up, like a brace supports a sprained ankle until it’s fully healed.

Fourth, Christians should strive to “be patient with everyone” (5:14). The Greek word “to be patient” is makrothymeō [3114]. We might illustrate this term with the picture of a long fuse, as opposed to somebody with a quick temper whose explosive anger could be set off in a moment. When it comes to living in close quarters with fellow children of the light, we need to be patient when others don’t seem to be growing at the same pace as we are. If we don’t learn to have this kind of patience with all, we’ll end up being angry with most people much of the time.

Fifth, we must refuse to retaliate when mistreated (5:15). Instead of embracing an “eye for an eye” approach to every offense, we should strive to abide by the command of Christ: “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” (Matt. 5:43-44). Not an easy principle to apply, is it? Perhaps we might be able to fulfill the first part of 1 Thessalonians 5:15 —holding back our vengeful acts of retaliation. But the positive side of the command is especially challenging —offering good things even to our enemies. Just imagine the revolution that would occur in our families, churches, and societies if retaliation were extinguished by forgiveness and wickedness by selflessness!

— 5:16-22 —

In this concluding section, Paul first instructs his readers on how to respect those in spiritual authority over them (5:12-13). Then he encourages them with practical ways to live peaceably with their brothers and sisters around them (5:14-15). Now Paul moves on to describe how the Thessalonians ought to glorify God as they live in the present, in light of the past, for the sake of the future (5:16-22). Paul turns the focus from the earthly to the heavenly realm through five pointed imperatives.

First, they are to “rejoice always” (5:16). I can’t think of anything more contagious —and more appealing to those outside the Christian faith —than genuine joy. This doesn’t mean you need to be a cheerleader, a clown, or a stand-up comedian. And it doesn’t mean you go through life like every day is a scene from The Sound of Music. Rejoicing, in the biblical sense, means praising God for the small things as well as the big things. It means facing even the toughest days with optimism, not because you’ve got everything under control, but because God does. It finds the beams of light in the midst of a dark and dreary world.

The second is closely connected with the first: Believers should “pray without ceasing” (5:17). Both our joyous praises and our heartfelt prayers are directed to the one who is the source of every good and perfect gift (Jas. 1:17). The only way to have a heart full of authentic joy is to have a heart that’s free of the overwhelming burdens of life —that is, a heart that prays. Incessant prayer doesn’t mean we wander through the day chanting like monks. Praying without ceasing means we don’t give up in prayer. We turn to prayer not as our last alternative when all else fails, but as our first line of defense. When worries and fears attack, we pray. When pain and suffering intrude, we pray. Whether we think we know just what to do or have no idea what to do, we pray.

EXCURSUS: ARE THERE APOSTLES AND PROPHETS TODAY?

1 THESSALONIANS 5:19-20

Sometimes I run across preachers or teachers today who claim to be “apostles” or “prophets.” Much of the time they’re just using those titles in their most general senses. Missionaries may use the term “apostle” as “one who is sent,” or preachers may use “prophet” as “one who proclaims a message.” However, occasionally the self-styled “apostle” or “prophet” claims to be the same kind of apostle or prophet we see in the New Testament, upon which the church must be built (Eph. 2:20).

Is this possible? Can there be real apostles and prophets today?

When we submit our understanding to the Word of God and the testimony of the early church, it becomes clear that the foundational offices of apostles and prophets were only for the first-century church period. According to Scripture, “God has appointed in the church, first apostles, second prophets” (1 Cor. 12:28), indicating first in sequence as the foundational offices of the church. Also, Paul notes that one of the marks of an authentic apostle is having “seen Jesus our Lord” (1 Cor. 9:1). In 1 Corinthians 15:7, when Paul lists the eyewitnesses of the resurrected Jesus, he indicates that Christ appeared to James and “then to all the apostles,” he himself being “last of all,” who, having seen Christ as the last apostle, was “untimely born” (1 Cor. 15:8). Another essential sign of “a true apostle” was the ability to perform authenticating “signs and wonders and miracles” (2 Cor. 12:12). This function of signs and wonders as confirming the original apostles’ message is confirmed in Hebrews 2:3-4, when the author writes, “After it [the gospel] was at the first spoken through the Lord, it was confirmed to us by those who heard, God also testifying with them, both by signs and wonders and by various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit according to His own will.”

But isn’t it possible that God continued this foundational apostolic ministry beyond the first century? Wouldn’t it make more sense if God continued to call apostles and prophets, confirm His message with signs and wonders, and broaden the foundation of the church in the future generations? When we turn to the earliest generation of Christians after the original apostles and prophets, we see that those original disciples of the apostles and prophets referred to those offices as foundation ministries of the church and that those offices had ceased.[37] This is especially important when we consider how the early church determined whether a Christian writing should be regarded as Scripture or not. The mid-second-century Muratorian Canon wisely rejected the inspiration of a book entitled Shepherd of Hermas based on the fact that it was written after the time of apostles and prophets: “It cannot be read publicly to the people in church either among the Prophets whose number is complete, or among the Apostles, for it is after their time.”

So, both the Bible and the records of the earliest church immediately after the apostles demonstrate that the New Testament apostles and prophets were a fixed number in the first generation of the church. Their teachings concerning the crucified and risen Lord, as well as their writings, were foundational for the church. When their lives on earth came to an end, so did their offices. Today their doctrines are preserved in Scripture and taught by their successors —the evangelists, pastors, and teachers throughout church history (Eph. 4:11). Nobody can legitimately claim to be an authoritative apostle or prophet in the church today. However, today we can still “despise prophetic utterances” when we disbelieve or disobey Holy Scripture, which contains the living oracles of God’s prophets of old.

Third, we need to develop a grateful spirit (1 Thes. 5:18). This will come almost naturally to those who walk in joy and bask in prayer. It’s nearly impossible to be joyful and prayerful if we’re not thankful. Paul writes, “In everything give thanks.” Notice that he doesn’t say “for everything,” but “in everything.” We’re not called to be thankful for the storms of life, but we can still be thankful in the midst of them, knowing that God will produce spiritual growth in us.

Fourth, Paul warns the Thessalonians against quenching the Spirit (5:19). What he means by this may be answered in the very next line: “Do not despise prophetic utterances” (5:20). In the church of the first century, both apostles (like Paul) and prophets (like Silas) were present teaching and preaching, exhorting and equipping (Eph. 2:20; 3:5; 4:11). The church in Thessalonica may have had prophets too; or they would be visited by traveling prophets in the future. These prophets had special spiritual authority; they were the mouthpieces of God’s Spirit in those fledgling communities that still had no New Testament canon to consult as the final authority in matters of faith and practice.

However, not all prophets and prophetic utterances claiming to be from the Spirit were authentic. Jesus had already clearly warned, “Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves” (Matt. 7:15). And much later the apostle John urged, “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world” (1 Jn. 4:1). Such an understandably cautious approach to prophecy might have turned some in Thessalonica a little skittish on the whole “prophetic utterances” thing, leading them to shun prophets and thus “quench the Spirit” (1 Thes. 5:19). The answer was not to mute the Spirit’s voice speaking through the prophets of the early church, but to approach everything with discernment. So, in 5:21-22, Paul says, “But examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good; abstain from every form of evil.”

In our day, nearly two millennia after the age of the apostles and prophets, we still have the voice of the Spirit speaking directly to us through the prophetic writings, the Holy Scriptures breathed out by God through His Spirit (2 Tim. 3:16). Today we quench the Spirit when we fail to hear and heed His word given in the Old and New Testaments. But we also need to be discerning, testing everything. We can’t always assume that our personal interpretations of the Bible are accurate; we need fellow believers and teachers to help us see our blind spots. Nor can we foolishly trust that everything our pastor or teacher tells us is true to God’s prophetic word. With humility and spiritual maturity come greater biblical discernment.

APPLICATION: 1 THESSALONIANS 5:12-22

The Basics of Christian Living

Let’s review Paul’s imperatives in checklist fashion, letting them bombard our minds and penetrate our hearts. These aren’t mere suggestions or optional activities to occupy our spare time if we get around to them. These are commands from the Spirit of God . . . by the apostle Paul . . . to the Thessalonians . . . and through them to all who claim to be followers of Christ.

Earlier we suggested that this section represents a “back to the basics” for Paul —basics of Christian living. Attending to these principles for living in humble submission to our leaders over us (5:12-13), in mutual love for those around us (5:14-15), and with an attitude of worshipful obedience to God far above us (5:16-22), we’ll not only keep ourselves on the straight path, but also be able to correct those who are wandering.

In the next few moments, return to each of these exhortations again and evaluate your own attention to them. Give yourself one of the following letter grades, writing them in the space to the left of each command:

After assigning grades for each of these, pay special attention to your lower-ranked areas. Identifying these weak areas is only the necessary first step toward full obedience. Now do something about them. Focus on just one command at a time. Pray for the strength to put it into practice this week by the power of the Holy Spirit. Perhaps you might consider sharing your struggle in this area with a spouse, close friend, mentor, or other accountability partners to help encourage you in your new commitment to obedience. As you practice these principles, you’ll better reflect to others the faith, hope, and love that come from having a personal relationship with Christ.