LIVING IN THE PRESENT FOR THE FUTURE (1 THESSALONIANS 4:1–5:28)
In the first part of Paul’s letter to the recently planted church of Thessalonica, he spent a lot of time looking to the past. This reminded his readers of God’s faithfulness even in the midst of affliction. It encouraged them to continue on the path of faith, love, and hope they had begun. It pointed to past examples of faithful and fruitful ministry that would urge them to pursue a Spirit-empowered life. Paul knew that looking to the past motivates us for living in the present.
Now we turn to the second part of Paul’s letter. This powerful and practical portion of the letter reveals Paul’s pastoral burden. Through these passionate words we sense Paul’s deep longing for the spiritual growth and health of the Thessalonian Christians. To encourage them to continue to persevere in their faith, love, and hope, Paul points them to the future. Not only does he answer important questions about the Second Coming and the believer’s salvation from the coming wrath, but he also sounds a wake-up call for dozing disciples who need to be ready for Christ’s return.
KEY TERMS IN 1 THESSALONIANS 4:1–5:28
hagiasmos (ἁγιασμός) [38] “sanctification,” “purification,” “holiness”
In Paul’s theology of the Christian life, sanctification —or being made progressively more holy —is the work of God Himself (5:23). As such, sanctification isn’t an optional add-on to salvation but is “the will of God” for believers (4:3). God’s work of sanctification has concrete, practical, and visible effects on one’s moral life (4:3, 4, 7).
harpazō (ἁρπάζω) [726] “seize,” “snatch,” “take by force”
Though this word only appears once in 1 Thessalonians (4:17), and only twice more in Paul’s writings (2 Cor. 12:2, 4), it has become a significant term for the doctrine of the end times. The Latin Vulgate translates the verb with the word rapiō, from which we derive our English word “rapture.” The “Rapture,” then, refers to the event described in 1 Thessalonians 4:17, when Christians of all ages will be either resurrected or transfigured into their immortal, glorified bodies and “caught up” or “raptured” from the earth to the sky to meet Christ in the air. This good news of the Resurrection and Rapture is meant to be an encouragement to believers (1 Thes. 4:18).