Off the Shelf Sunday School--1 Thessalonians

Conclusion (5:23-28)

 May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful and he will do it. Brothers, pray for us. Greet all the brothers with a holy kiss. I charge you before the Lord to have this letter read to all the brothers. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.

 1.    God sanctifies or makes us holy through the work of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit gives us a new spirit when we are born again through faith in Jesus. He transforms our thinking and one day he will perfect our bodies at the resurrection. God is faithful to do this because he has promised it and he does not lie or change his mind. (Rom 12:1-2; 1 Cor 15:42-44; Ti 3:4-8)

2.    Christians are commanded to pray for their leaders. Leaders who error multiply false teachings and sins in their followers. Paul recognized that he needed the prayers of others to help him. (Rom 15:30)

3.    A holy kiss was a sign of affection and not sexual in nature. It was practiced routinely in Jewish synagogues and the early Christian church.

4.    Paul’s letters were meant to be distributed among the churches. There is no secret knowledge in Christianity. There is a shift from plural to singular case (“us” to “I”). Paul may have written the ending verses rather than dictating them. 

5.    Christians are totally dependent upon the grace of God to know and grow in the faith. Grace is needed throughout life. There is no such thing as a Christian who has totally matured in spiritual knowledge or the need to grow in holiness. Are only good things signs of God’s grace? (Rom 8:28) What about Joni Erickson Tada?