Ionian Church, Paul had expounded to them the rich doctrine of Christ’s return. With joy they received this truth, but their joy turned to bewilderment and sorrow when they witnessed the death of loved ones in Christ. Since Christ had not yet come, what would happen to their loved ones? To answer their pertinent and perplex ing question, Paul wrote that the imminent return of the Lord Jesus promised an imminent reunion with those who “ sleep” (a euphemistic term for “ die” ) in Jesus. The central truth of the passage is this: Christ is to meet His raptured Church in the air, and consequently, those who are alive will be reunited to those who were privi leged to meet their Saviour previously through death. What joy this truth must have brought to the ears and hearts of these sorrowing Thessalonians upon reading this for the first time and then over and over again! Some might inquire, “W ill there be a recognition of loved ones?” If the words “ together with them” do not imply recognition, then they imply nothing! To add to their delight was the truth of the Lord’s loving concern for the heavy hearted who missed their departed loved ones, for those who sleep in Jesus are to receive their resurrection bodies even prior to the contemporary generation which will experience the rapture. ( “ Prevent” in verse 15, being archaic, should be “precede.” ) The Scripture states that Christians are not to sorrow as others (unbelievers), who have no hope of the resur rection at Christ’s coming. Though one may sorrow for his own personal loss of a loved one, how wrong it is to sorrow on behalf of the loved one himself! There is no other theme, no other doctrine that can stop the flowing tears and quiet the anguished heart, as this theme of the resurrection at the imminent return of Christ. A balm for the sorrowful is found in the very repetition of these words, for Paul concludes: “ ’Wherefore comfort one an other with [literally, ‘in’ ] these words.” Who is the be reaved Christian who has not had this experience? The Awake amongst the Sleeping. Chapter five follows the comforting truth of chapter four with a summons to effective Christian living. Paul commences his argument by stating in verses one through three that the day of the Lord is to come in the same manner as a thief, that is, unexpectedly, in the quiet of night with the intent of causing a loss to whomever and to whatever he comes. (The word “ day” in the Bible need not always be limited to twenty-four hours but frequently has reference to a longer period of time. Genesis 2:4 is a good illustration of this principle. The “ day of the Lord” here in I Thes salonians 5:2 is a definite reference to that period of time known as “Jacob’s trouble.” ) Paul then discriminates two events and two peoples. The events which he distinguishes are the rapture of the Church concerning which they seem to have been “ ignor ant” (I Thess. 4:13), and the revelation to earth about which they knew “ perfectly” (I Thess. 5:2). (Their knowledge of the latter may well have been due to their exposure to the Old Testament prophecies.) Furthermore, the pronouns “ they” and “ them” (verses 3, 7) set over against “ ye,” “ you,” “we,” and “ us” (verses 4 -6 ,8,9) serve to distinguish the unbelievers in the world left after the rapture to suffer the “ day of the Lord,” and the believers in the church who have as their hope the im minent return of Christ. How important is the doctrine of Christ’s imminent return? If the first epistle to the Thessalonians be allowed to answer this question, the answer is, IT IS OF UTMOST IMPORTANCE! Here is a doctrine that instills patience and service; a belief that causes a passion for the lost; a teaching that produces purity; a dogma that comforts the sorrowing with hope; and a truth that is able to arouse the Church to action. e KH) THE KING'S BUSINESS
PROPHECY (Continued) won to Christ would be present with him when Christ would come again. His heart overflowed with joy when he considered his future crowning in token for his faith fulness to the Great Commission. The truth of Christ’s coming is a doctrine which is able to draw members of the Church close together, though they are far apart. It bestows hope, joy, and rejoicing inwardly when all outward conflict points to failure and despair. Everyone who names the name of Christ would do well to ponder studiously, with Paul, those judicial consequences which will be meted out when he appears “before our Lord Jesus in His presence.” The truth of the proverb, “ he that winneth souls is wise” (Prov. 11:30) will be fully verified in that day. Love and Holiness. The latter part of the third chapter finds the apostle praying that the Thessalonians may be characterized by a life of love which leads to holiness. The stimulus for this exemplary living is here expressed to be the second coming of Christ. The affirmed standing of the Christian is no less than perfection because of the imputed righteousness of Christ, but his state is not blameless as is his standing. Paul, recognizing that the Christian is “ prone to wander” from the God he loves, urges his readers to “increase and abound” (literally, “ to multiply and overflow” ) in love by reminding them of their future glorification in con firmed holiness. To establish their hearts unblameable (void of all valid charge) in holiness was the objective in view in the sight of God. They were also to fix their eyes upon this same event. A vital question presents itself here as to when the time of this final state of holiness is to be realized. Is it to be accomplished when the Lord comes for His elect Church (the rapture), or is it to find its fulfillment seven years later when He comes to establish His millennial reign (the revelation)? If the coming of Christ in 3:13 is a reference to the latter, one would be forced to conclude that seven years must needs take place before the entire Church could be sanctified. Since this is unlikely, the apostle must have in mind the rapture. The word translated “ coming” is the same word found in 2:19 (parousia), that is, “presence.” The entire phrase may be literally rendered “ before God, even our Father in the presence of our Lord Jesus with all of His saints.” According to I Thessalonians 4:17, the Church will meet the Lord in the air (prior to the tribulation) and then be taken to the mansions being prepared presently for her arrival (cf. John 14:1-3). John F. Walvoord, in his book, The Thessalonian Epistles, is correct when he states: “ This word coming here may not refer specifically to the coming of Christ with His saints to the earth, but rather the coming to heaven when they will be in the presence of the Father.” This point of time being established, it is clearly evi dent that the hope of the imminent return of Jesus Christ is the very motive for love and purity of life. When both the mind and heart grasp this truth, the life will surely extend itself in love and holiness not only to the lovely in Christ, but also to the unlovely who need Christ. John the apostle felt the burden of this same truth and wrote in later years: “We know that when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath his hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure” (I John 3:2b, 3). Comfoit in Sorrow. A more familiar passage dealing with Christ’s imminent return is 4:13-18. Though the length and importance of this portion merit a detailed exposition, a brief account of the apostle’s thought must suffice. During the early founding days of the Thessa- 16
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