WEEK 5: 1 Thessalonians, 2 Thessalonians, 1 Corinthians 1-3
LIVING TO PLEASE GOD | Axioms 1 and 2
The Christian life isn’t always going to be easy. In fact, it’s often very difficult. In the midst of life’s struggles, temptations, and persecutions, following Jesus can seem impossible. Paul wrote these letters to the Thessalonian church to teach them how to live lives pleasing to God in the midst of life’s struggles.
WEEK 6: 1 Corinthians 4-14
THE PURPOSE OF THE CHURCH | Axioms 6-8
The Corinthians thought church was all about them. Instead of being a place where people pursued God, the church was marked by selfishness, sexual immorality and a denial of the power of the cross. Paul combats their false ideas by restoring the true purpose of the church. The church wasn’t there to serve them. Instead, God had made them part of the church to serve others and glorify Jesus.
Weeks 5-6 | Questions for Discussion
1. According to 1 and 2 Thessalonians, how does our future hope in heaven enable us to live to please God on earth?
2. Read 1 Corinthians 12 again. How has God equipped you to be part of the team in your church?
3. How have you traditionally viewed church? Is it a place to get your needs met? Is it a place to serve God and others? Is it both?
COMMENTARY
1 Thessalonians
Paul writes two letters to the church in Thessalonica, a town he had passed through on his way to Corinth. His purpose is to encourage them to be faithful in spite of persecution. He also answers many of their general questions about faith and life.
The historical setting for Paul’s letters to the church in Thessalonica comes from Acts 17, which we’ll read in a few weeks. We’re reading in approximate chronological order, otherwise we’d have to jump back and forth to Acts for the next few books. (Thessalonians, Corinthians and Romans were written in the time frame of Acts 16-20.) To simplify our readings, we’ll just take the second part of Acts (16-28) all together in Week 13.
1 Thessalonians 1
Notice how Paul describes their lives once they responded to the gospel. Clearly, true conversion in this case came with radical life change. Remember, salvation is by faith alone. But here we see that saving faith leads to real transformation.
1 Thessalonians 2:13
The word of God not only saves us the moment we believe, it is “at work” in us – continually. Paul just described this in chapter 1; not works that save us, but works that demonstrate our salvation.
1 Thessalonians 2:19-20
Our crowning achievement will not be our jobs or even our families; it will be the people we have led to faith and maturity in Christ. Do you believe this?
1 Thessalonians 3
The Thessalonians had already received the basic gospel message, but here we see Paul genuinely concerned about the state of their “faith”. In 3:10 he mentions things “lacking in your faith”. We’re not perfect when we first come to faith! There’s plenty of growing to do.
It seems Paul was concerned that the Thessalonians would fall away from God in the face of true tribulation. God had promised Paul that he would suffer for God’s “name’s sake” (Acts 9:16) and he was up front with the Thessalonians about this and wanted to remind them that persecution was part of God’s plan for them. Jesus was also forthright (Matthew 13:21) when he told his followers the parable of the soils and said “for when tribulation or persecution arises”, not “if“. What a contrast to what some preachers on TV teach today! Don’t fall for it when someone promises that coming to faith in Christ means riches and good times in this life. It might. It might not.
1 Thessalonians 3:12
May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else, just as ours does for you. The prayers of Paul in his letters can be very instructive for us. Here we see the kind of prayers that Paul gives for the church in Thessalonica. He prays that he would be able to visit them. He also prays that they would grow in love for one another in the church and outside the church. And he prays that they would continue to grow in holiness until Christ returns.
1 Thessalonians 4:13
“Those who fall asleep” refers to people who die before Christ comes back. The early church expected Jesus to come back in their lifetime, and the Thessalonians must have been asking about how this was all going to pan out. Paul gives his answer.
1 Thessalonians 4:17
“After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.” This passage is where the idea of “the Rapture” comes from. While that word is not in the Bible, it comes from the idea of being “caught up” in the air. Some Christians believe that there will be a rapture of Christians prior to the Tribulation and ultimate return of Jesus. Other Christians believe that this does not refer to a separate event, but to the resurrection of Believers at the final return of Christ. The point Paul is making though, is that we should have no fear of death because it is not the real end of life.
1 Thessalonians 5:13
What a simple instruction. “always try to be kind to each other”. Can you imagine what the world would be like if we all could obey this simple statement?
1 Thessalonians 5:27
Can you imagine what it must have been like in the early church to have this letter read aloud? Remember, they didn’t have the New Testament put together in one place as we have it today! I can imagine them all saying, “Wow – so that’s how we’re supposed to live. Read it again! Read it again!”
2 Thessalonians
Notice how the book opens, referring to “God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ”. Pay attention now to these important little clues as to how the early church clearly understood the divinity of Christ. He was not just a prophet or a good teacher.
2 Thessalonians 1:8
God will punish those…. On the one hand, this is comforting for people who have suffered evil at the hands of evil people. On the other hand, it’s a stark reminder that Hell is real and it’s for people who don’t know God. That’s why it’s so important to help people pursue Him.
2 Thessalonians 2:1-12
Paul is talking about some scary things at the end times. It will be marked by deceit and lies. How will believers make it through at that time? By holding on to the truth (red circle!).
2 Thessalonians 3:10
It’s interesting how Paul talks now about being a hard worker. This is a biblical principle for society: “If a man will now work, he shall not eat”. Obviously, there are exceptions to the rule, but it’s talking about an attitude of laziness that should not be rewarded.
1 Corinthians
Corinth was a city known for it wealth and wickedness. The church there was not immune to its culture; it had many problems. Paul writes this letter to address this immaturity and to help establish a culture of godliness and spiritual health. The young church in Corinth was having some serious problems: factions, immorality, and misuse of spiritual gifts. It’s a good reminder to us that the church is not perfect and we always have to stay on our toes as we pursue God together.
1 Corinthians 1:7
Perhaps a little pep talk before Paul gets into rebuking the church. He’s basically saying, “you’ve got what you need to be healthy as a church”. Our dysfunction is not a matter of lacking the resources (God’s Spirit at work in us), it’s a matter of appropriating the resources!
1 Corinthians 1:7
In the world’s eyes, the cross if foolish and weak. But in God’s economy, it is the power of our salvation. From the world’s perspective, we’re crazy fools to follow the way of the cross.
1 Corinthians 1:18
For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.Paul here asserts that the truth of the Gospel will often seem foolish to those who have not accepted it. The Gospel goes against worldly wisdom. The Gospel is about realizing how spiritually bankrupt you are and putting your trust in Christ for your salvation. It’s not about how bright you are or about what you can do. It’s about realizing what God has done for you and trusting that.
1 Corinthians 2:1
I think we tend to underestimate the role of the Spirit in our lives today, especially at conversion. Making the decision to put our faith in Christ is not something we do on our own – God’s Spirit is at work in us, convicting us that the cross is the only way. Remember this as you share your faith; ultimately, God’s Spirit must awaken the person to the truth of the gospel.
1 Corinthians 3
Paul here defends his authority and rebukes the young Christians for getting so focused on their favorite leaders. It’s not about that. Everyone has a role to play in the kingdom of God, and we shouldn’t make it about any one person or his gift.
1 Corinthians 3:14-15
“If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward. 15 If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames.” This refers to the judgment that all Christians will face someday. It is not a judgment for our eternal salvation, that is already secure, it is a judgment of how we lived our life. For those that serve God faithfully there is some sort of reward in Heaven, for those who do not, they are still saved but do not receive any special reward. The nature of this reward is not specified in the Bible, but we can be assured that, whatever it is, it will be wonderful.[/toggle]
1 Corinthians 4:8
Paul is being sarcastic here, still calling out the pride of the Corinthians who were trying to pick sides.
1 Corinthians 4:16
Paul is pretty passionate here. I wonder if maybe Apollos, who was a gifted speaker, came across a bit arrogant. Maybe that spirit was passed on to the Corinthians. If so, Paul is calling them back to a different heart: “I urge you to imitate me”. So he sent Timothy, someone he had been mentoring and who imitated Paul already!
1 Corinthians 5
Here we see the topic of church discipline which even today is a complex and controversial issue, especially in a Christian culture like ours where the buffet style of selecting and observing just part of the Bible is widespread. However controversial the topic may be there is no question that it clearly teaches that there are times when we should confront fellow Christians. In verse 4 Paul reminds us that as Christians we assemble in the name of Jesus Christ and that church discipline is an act of obedience to him. Jesus not only gave us authority but step by step instructions in Matthew 18:15. In vv. 6-9 Paul lays out the consequences of not having church discipline. In vv 9-13 Paul reminds the Corinthians that while they should hold accountable hypocritical Christians they should not hold non-believers to equal standards. Remember that “church discipline” has one particular goal: restoration. We don’t call people out to be mean or vindictive. Read this chapter again and notice how everything flows toward the goal of restoring a person who has made some serious mistakes. Even Satan is made to serve this purpose(!), albeit unwillingly.
1 Corinthians 5:11
But now I am writing you that you must not associate with anyone who calls himself a brother but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or a slanderer, a drunkard or a swindler. With such a man do not even eat.
The Corinthians were tolerating all sorts of sin in their church. Paul’s command to the church is that they need to hold Christians who are doing these sorts of things accountable. People shouldn’t just be able to carry on in all kinds of evil sins (like dating their stepmother). Christians who act this way should be lovingly and sincerely confronted by other Christians.
1 Corinthians 6:2
Believers will have a special role in the end as co-heirs with Christ. See Matt. 19:28; Luke 22:28-30; Rev. 2:26, 3:21, 20:4.
1 Corinthians 6:7
What a powerful picture of Paul’s bottom line: reaching the lost. In-fighting is a bad example to those outside the church, giving them a bad taste in their mouths about Christians. Paul says, “Why not rather be wronged?” What price are you unwilling to pay for a soul?
1 Corinthians 7
There is a recurrent theme running through chapter 7. It is characterized by verses 17, 20, 24, 26, 40 and made allusion to in verse 8. That theme is “stay as you are” because the time is short. This cannot be a universal principle because (1) this is related to a period of persecution; (2) marriage is God’s will for mankind (cf. Gen. 1:28); and (3) this church faced internal problems with false teachers. (FBC)
1 Corinthians 8
Obviously, we don’t have an issue today with food sacrificed to idols. But there is a principle here that is very important for today (v 9). How can we apply it in the church now?
1 Corinthians 9:22
After discussing the specific questions that had surfaced in the church at Corinth, Paul gives two examples from life. The first is a positive one pointing to his own actions as an apostle. Although he had certain freedoms based on his position, he didn’t insist on them. Rather, they adapted to the practices of the people around them in order to win them over. In contrast, the ancient Israelites (in chapter 10) had consistently given into their weaknesses. Paul urges the Corinthians to follow his example, not the Israelites.
Look at Paul’s attitude toward his bottom line: helping people pursue God.
1 Corinthians 10:31-33
This sums up the last few thoughts of Paul, seeking the good of many so they may be saved. He goes to great lengths to make this possible, and so should we.
1 Corinthians 12
This is Paul’s version of “Spiritual Gifts 101?. The Corinthian church had lost sight of the purpose of the gifts that God gives to his children. They’re given for the good of the whole church, not for showing off or for self-gratification.
1 Corinthians 12:7
Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. Paul teaches that each one of us have been given certain “spiritual gifts.” These gifts have been given for us to use for the good of the church. Much like a body is only healthy when all its parts are functioning properly, so a church is only healthy when all its members are using their gifts in service.
1 Corinthians 13
This is the climax of Paul’s point about spiritual gifts, even though he continues the discussion into chapter 14. Here he makes the simple point: it doesn’t matter how useful or impressive your “gift” is in the church. If you don’t exercise it in love, you’ve missed the point.
Verses 4-8 provide some of the most practical wisdom in the Bible about how to truly love. Real love is far more than a feeling or emotion, it is a sacrificial way of life that puts the needs of someone else above your own. Take some time to examine if the way you love the people in your life is in line with God’s way of love.
1 Corinthians 14
“Speaking in tongues” is confusing and potentially divisive for many Christians today. Some Christians believe it was only something that happened in the early church. Other Christians recognize it as a gift for today and practice it in private and in some cases even in public settings. You should study the Bible and form your own opinion (read Acts 1-10 again for more on this). In either case, here Paul is addressing a church that got out of hand with the tongues thing in public. For the church in Corinth he’s encouraging the private exercise of tongues but discouraging the public exercise, unless it serves the right purpose.