"See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men. Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. Quench not the Spirit. Despise not the prophesyings. Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. Abstain from all appearance of evil. And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." (1 Thessalonians 5:15-23)
Throughout the Middle Ages one of the most important theological texts studied in every university was the
Sentences of Peter Lombard. While not exactly a commentary, the four books that made up this magnum opus consisted of opinions, judgments and comments by various scholars on passages of Scripture or ideas of church doctrine. At the end of Thessalonians, Paul gives us a different kind of sentence in the list of short, powerful exhortations with which he closes the epistle. Each of these sentences deserves as much close study and thought as Lombard gives to medieval doctrine, though perhaps not as much ink. Each sentence gives us a practical direction in which to strike out in our walk of faith, as we seek a closer union with God our Father through the Lord Jesus Christ.
Rejoice evermore (v.16):
Evermore means from now on into eternity. The darkness of sin and death are behind us as Christians. Only joy remains, if our faith is right, and we walk with our eyes on the cross of Christ. Rejoice in the first breath you draw when you get out bed. Rejoice in the sorrows you suffer for Jesus during the day. Rejoice in the faces of your family and friends. Rejoice in the coffee you drink, the trees and flowers you pass by on the street, rejoice in the architecture of your workplace, rejoice in the grace God is giving you moment by moment. Just rejoice for the joy of rejoicing.
Pray without ceasing (v.17): A whole book--
The Pilgrim's Tale--has been devoted to this one line. What does it mean to pray without ceasing? Some, like the pilgrim of the eponymous book, believe it means reciting the Jesus Prayer constantly: "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner". That is indeed a beautiful prayer that echoes Scripture (Luke 17:13, Luke 18:38), and a useful one as an introduction to deeper prayer and meditation. More likely, Paul just meant that we should stay in constant dialogue with God, and any prayer with any kind of words would suffice. Prayer is the most beautiful thing we give God, for we open up our hearts to him, and acknowledge Him as Abba, our heavenly Father, the One who drew us into his kingdom and sacred family, the fellowship of saints buried in Jesus Christ.
In everything give thanks (v. 18): It stands to reason that the more thankful we are, the less discontent we will feel. The more thankful we are, the more we will praise God, as we were designed to do, and the more we will grow as Christians. Flowers draw on the sunlight and air to produce their own food, and then radiate their glory in their colorful petals. Likewise Christians rely on Christ and His words to sustain themselves, and the result is the immaculate lives we lead as a testimony to the world.
Quench not the Spirit (v. 19): Our baptism grants to us that the Holy Spirit, the most sacred entity in the universe, dwells in our hearts. This is a great mystery and a great miracle that God performs. You do not have to perform signs, speak in tongues, or have any special power to possess the Holy Spirit. History shows that those gifts passed away before the time of Irenaeus. The Holy Spirit is the free gift of God when you believe that Jesus Christ is your Risen Savior, and it does much more than the gifts--though the gifts were certainly wonderful in their time and places. Let us not look to the Holy Spirit as a source for magic or spectacle, as Simon mistakenly did (Acts 8:13-24). We often focus on Simon's sin as one involving money--hence the word
simony. The story goes beyond verse 20, though. Simon still thought that the work of the Holy Spirit was like sorcery or illusionism--material manifestations. The work of the Holy Spirit may involve the material world, and in the past it has had tangible manifestations, but there is much more to the Spirit than that! Let us not make an idol of the Spirit, thereby depriving It of Its due reverence. The Holy Spirit interprets our prayres for us and seals us for resurrection to eternal felicity. Because God's Spirit lives in our hearts, we experience spiritual transformation, being formed more and more into the likeness of Christ. The more we pray and rejoice in God, the more the Spirit will work in shaping us. Let us not do the things that the Spirit hates, indulding in worldly pursuits or vain pleasures. These do not keep us on the path of righteousness, but lead us astray and grieve the Holy Spirit.
Despise not the prophesyings (v. 20): I have often heard people say that they want more spirituality, more spiritual instruction, or a closer relationship with God--that they do not want just another Bible study. While it is true that many Bible studies can ossify into academic, legalistic, or simply dry and unethusiastic readings that seem to lead nowhere, the fact is that without the Word you cannot become more spiritual. To think that you can be spiritual without listening to preaching, to religious conversation, or to the very words of Scripture is madness. When the Word is approached with love, humility, faith, joy and thanksgiving, and accompanied by unceasing prayer, then you will be overwhelmed at the effects. The Word is very powerful, and not to be despied but cherished and loved.
Prove all things; hold fast that which is good (v.21): This is probably often misunderstood to mean that we are to constantly test eachother's faith, or legalistically demand evidence for every opinion, thought, or action from our fellow Christians. That is not the case at all! Paul is speaking to very new Christians who had just recently "turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God" (1 Thessalonians 1:9). Paul wanted them to develop some critical thinking skills, guided by their faith and their possession of the Spirit. They suddenly had to learn how to live as Christians in the pagan world they had hitherto taken for granted as normal, but which was alien to righteous or holy living. In short, it was full of darkness. These Thessalonians did not have the advantage of growing up in churches or near believers. There were many things they did not know yet. There were many things Peter did not know yet--years into his apostolic ministry, even though he grew up with the word of God (Acts 10). How much more, then, did these new Christians have to learn! Thus, this sentence seems to me to be a methodology by which Christians can navigate the complex territory of a secular world, forming opinions on what is right or wrong by comparing them with what is known from Scripture. What God requires is that in our daily lives we ourselves test and prove what things in the world meet the Scriptural criteria for goodness, acting according to our consciences and the direction of the Holy Spirit (Romans 14). While obvious matters can be clearly seen and agreed upon by members of a community or a church, there are many things that may not be so clear. You cannot live your Christian life relying on what family values organizations or Christian political lobbies say.
You read the Scriptures,
think critically, and
search your heart. Stop replacing the Holy Spirit with the latest announcement on a Christian television program, and live as one who has been charged to think critically yourself! It is your faith, your walk with Jesus, and you cannot truly be one (Ephesians 4:4-7) with other believers, if you have not comprehended your own individual spirituality, responsibility and personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Christ did not call us to be mass-produced, nondescript, identically similar robots singing a pre-programmed hallelujah. That is what Satan wants. Mindlessness leads to carnal living, no matter how many authoritative and seemingly holy names we give it. The Lord calls us to be true individuals harmonized by the Holy Spirit and transformed into the likeness of Christ.
Abstain from all appearance of evil (v. 22): Our reputations as Christians is of paramount importance. We claim to have the only truth and righteousness in the world (John 14:6), Jesus. If our lives do not conform to Jesus' teaching and way of living, then we are liars and the truth is not in us (1 John 1, 1 John 2), and we are truly a laughing stock for the world to point at and ridicule. Moreover, our actions teach as much if not more than our words. The Proverbs say: "Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend" (Proverbs 27:17). The way we live and act influences those around us, whether we are aware of it or not. The more we curse, the more likely those around us will curse. The more we bless and give thanks and praise, the more likely others around us will give thanks and praise. The more we express our gratitude and love for our own spouses and children, rather than constantly mentioning or praising others' spouses or children, the more our neighbors will see the sanctity of marriage and the family. Instead of complaining about how secular, pagan, hedonistic, dark, or plain screwed up this world is, let us give thanks that God has given us the power to overcome
all of it. When people start seeing that we truly have hope, purity, and righteousness through Jesus Christ in our actions and speech, maybe they will want to know this Jesus better.
The Scripture is full of practical advice on becoming more Spiritual for those who are willing to love and cherish the words of Christ and the prophets who came before Him. All Scripture is inspired, and comes from God, and the Bible abounds in sentences just like these that can help you start your day or week on the right footing, marching with confidence in "your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ" (1 Thessalonians 1:3).
May the Lord Jesus Christ be with you.
