Monday, November 14, 2016
1 Thessalonians 4:13 But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope.
THE COMING OF THE LORD
We don't always read carefully, because we don't have to read every word carefully. When I read the newspaper or a novel for fun, I don't use a highlighter and a dictionary. It's not life or death information.
We should always read God's Word carefully, for only then can we learn the "who" and the "what" and the "why" of the context. Let's take this verse for example. If we read carefully we see the:
WHO -- that the Holy Spirit directed the Apostle Paul to write to those who believe in Thessalonica, because he calls them "brothers."
WHAT -- is also evident-- this concerns "those who are asleep," that is, those who have died believing in Jesus.
WHY -- is also clear. These words are written so that those believing brothers do not grieve as others (unbelievers) who have no hope.
The Holy Spirit isn't speaking about those who have died without faith in Jesus or their ultimate end. The purpose of these words is to comfort believers, to comfort those who have experienced the passing of a loved one who died believing in Jesus.
These are not the only words that speak of the coming of the Lord. The letter to the Thessalonians is a part of the whole, a part of God's Holy Word. It's important then that we understand these words along with all of the other statements concerning the Coming of the Lord recorded in God's Word.
We understand that these words concern the "coming of the Lord" -- the day when the Lord Jesus will return to judge the living and the dead (2 Timothy 4:1). We understand that Jesus will come once, visibly (Revelation 1:7), a second time to bring salvation to those who (by faith) wait for Him, for it is written (Hebrews 9:28, ESV): "... So Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him."
Come, Lord Jesus!
