第74章

As Paul's epistle was opened and read, great joy and consolation was brought to the church by the words revealing the true state of the dead.Paul showed that those living when Christ should come would not go to meet their Lord in advance of those who had fallen asleep in Jesus.The voice of the Archangel and the trump of God would reach the sleeping ones, and the dead in Christ should rise first, before the touch of immortality should be given to the living."Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.Wherefore comfort one another with these words."The hope and joy that this assurance brought to the young church at Thessalonica can scarcely be appreciated by us.They believed and cherished the letter sent to them by their father in the gospel, and their hearts went out in love to him.He had told them these things before; but at that time their minds were striving to grasp doctrines that seemed new and strange, and it is not surprising that the force of some points had not been vividly impressed on their minds.But they were hungering for truth, and Paul's epistle gave them new hope and strength, and a firmer faith in, and a deeper affection for, the One who through His death had brought life and immortality to light.

Now they rejoiced in the knowledge that their believing friends would be raised from the grave to live forever in the kingdom of God.The darkness that had enshrouded the resting place of the dead was dispelled.A new splendor crowned the Christian faith, and they saw a new glory in the life, death, and resurrection of Christ.

"Even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with Him," Paul wrote.Many interpret this passage to mean that the sleeping ones will be brought with Christ from heaven; but Paul meant that as Christ was raised from the dead, so God will call the sleeping saints from their graves and take them with Him to heaven.Precious consolation! glorious hope! not only to the church of Thessalonica, but to all Christians wherever they may be.

While laboring at Thessalonica, Paul had so fully covered the subject of the signs of the times, showing what events would occur prior to the revelation of the Son of man in the clouds of heaven, that he did not think it necessary to write at length regarding this subject.He, however, pointedly referred to his former teachings."Of the times and the seasons," he said, "ye have no need that Iwrite unto you.For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.For when they shall say, Peace and safety;then sudden destruction cometh upon them."There are in the world today many who close their eyes to the evidences that Christ has given to warn men of His coming.They seek to quiet all apprehension, while at the same time the signs of the end are rapidly fulfilling, and the world is hastening to the time when the Son of man shall be revealed in the clouds of heaven.Paul teaches that it is sinful to be indifferent to the signs which are to precede the second coming of Christ.

Those guilty of this neglect he calls children of the night and of darkness.

He encourages the vigilant and watchful with these words: "But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober."Especially important to the church in our time are the teachings of the apostle upon this point.To those living so near the great consummation, the words of Paul should come with telling force: "Let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for a helmet, the hope of salvation.For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with Him."The watchful Christian is a working Christian, seeking zealously to do all in his power for the advancement of the gospel.As love for his Redeemer increases, so also does love for his fellow men.He has severe trials, as had his Master; but he does not allow affliction to sour his temper or destroy his peace of mind.He knows that trial, if well borne, will refine and purify him, and bring him into closer fellowship with Christ.Those who are partakers of Christ's sufferings will also be partakers of His consolation and at last sharers of His glory.

"We beseech you, brethren," Paul continued in his letter to the Thessalonians, "to know them which labor among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you; and to esteem them very highly in love for their work's sake.And be at peace among yourselves."The Thessalonian believers were greatly annoyed by men coming among them with fanatical ideas and doctrines.Some were "disorderly, working not at all, but...busy-bodies." The church had been properly organized, and officers had been appointed to act as ministers and deacons.But there were some, self-willed and impetuous, who refused to be subordinate to those who held positions of authority in the church.They claimed not only the right of private judgment, but that of publicly urging their views upon the church.In view of this, Paul called the attention of the Thessalonians to the respect and deference due to those who had been chosen to occupy positions of authority in the church.