Answers for a study in the book of 1 Thessalonians: Chapter 5

“Answers for a study in the book of 1 Thessalonians” is a weekly post in addition to the regular “apologetics” posts on the weekend where the original questions can be found at the bottom of the study, and then answers appear here mid-week. This gives you time to do your own research, and then check your answers. Keep in mind these will be basic answers with a little depth, but you can go much deeper for discussion if you’d like.

Review and Bible Study 

Always remember to pray before you study and ask the Holy Spirit to teach you and lead you into the truth found in God’s Word – pray for protection from the evil one who will try to discourage, distract and deceive us when we commit to growing closer to the LORD. 

Class Bible study:

Questions are taken directly from the chapters, and answers should be found and cited from the Scripture text in order to be Biblically accurate (unless asked to summarize in your own words). Study Bibles, commentaries and your own thoughts can be used for “Discussion” or “Going Deeper” questions. Cite your sources to share with your group.

1. Review of Class Topic:

With your table group, discuss today’s presentation by summarizing what you learned, commenting or asking any questions.

Answers will vary…

Read 1 Thessalonians 5:1-28 with your group then, to the best of your ability, answer the following questions:

2.  What does Paul say we can expect about “the day of the Lord?” Why is it important for us (Christians) to understand what is being said here (1-11)?

“Now as to the times and the epochs, brethren, you have no need of anything to be written to you. For you yourselves know full well that the day of the Lord will come just like a thief in the night. While they are saying, “Peace and safety!” then destruction will come upon them suddenly like labor pains upon a woman with child, and they will not escape. But you, brethren, are not in darkness, that the day would overtake you like a thief; or you are all sons of light and sons of day. We are not of night nor of darkness; so then let us not sleep as others do, but let us be alert and sober. For those who sleep do their sleeping at night, and those who get drunk get drunk at night. But since we are of the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet, the hope of salvation. For God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep, we will live together with Him. Therefore encourage one another and build up one another, just as you also are doing.”  

1 Thessalonians 5:1-11 (NASB)

Paul, concerning “the day of the Lord”…

• First, Paul speaks as if the Thessalonians should already know what he saying, and he is reminding them “as they know full well” what was to happened (this is probably because Paul had previously taught them what Jesus had said about these times and epochs), and this includes the following:
  • The day of the Lord would be sudden and unexpected, and Paul uses metaphors like “thief and labor pains” to emphasize this.
  • They, and we, are told to be prepared and alert because we are not in darkness but we are children of light, meaning that we should be discerning of the times and situations at hand.
  • They, and we, are to be sober, and put on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet, the hope of salvation (this is similar language to what Paul used in Ephesians 6 for the “armor of God” that we are to put on to fight spiritual warfare).
  • Also, believers are not destined to wrath, but to salvation because of what Jesus has done for us (through His death and Resurrection).
  • Whether we are asleep (dead) or awake (still alive) we will live with Him together in that day (see John 14).
  • Therefore, we are to keep on encouraging each other because of these truths!
• It is important for Christians today to understand what is being taught here, because we are still under the New Testament teachings, and the day of the Lord has not yet come.
• It is also important for Christians to understand that theologians and Bible scholars today vary in their views of Eschatology (end times study), whether it be on the “rapture” or tribulation time frame, or the dozen of beliefs on when these things have or will take place. This, however, is not a salvational issue, and since it is futuristic in nature we must be willing to listen and learn, pray and read Scripture, and never let it be a dividing point between us and other Christians, especially as we share the Gospel with non-believers.

The meaning of the “day of the Lord can be referenced as follows, from gotquestions.org

“The phrase “day of the Lord” usually identifies events that take place at the end of history (Isaiah 7:18-25) and is often closely associated with the phrase “that day.” One key to understanding these phrases is to note that they always identify a span of time during which God personally intervenes in history, directly or indirectly, to accomplish some specific aspect of His plan.
Most people associate the day of the Lord with a period of time or a special day that will occur when God’s will and purpose for His world and for mankind will be fulfilled. Some scholars believe that the day of the Lord will be a longer period of time than a single day—a period of time when Christ will reign throughout the world before He cleanses heaven and earth in preparation for the eternal state of all mankind. Other scholars believe the day of the Lord will be an instantaneous event when Christ returns to earth to redeem His faithful believers and send unbelievers to eternal damnation.
The phrase “the day of the Lord” is used often in the Old Testament (e.g. Isaiah 2:12; 13:6, 9; Ezekiel 13:5, 30:3; Joel 1:15, 2:1,11,31; 3:14; Amos 5:18,20; Obadiah 15; Zephaniah 1:7,14; Zechariah 14:1; Malachi 4:5) and several times in the New Testament (e.g. Acts 2:20; 1 Corinthians 5:5; 2 Corinthians 1:14; 1 Thessalonians 5:2; 2 Thessalonians 2:2; 2 Peter 3:10). It is also alluded to in other passages (Revelation 6:17; 16:14).
The Old Testament passages dealing with the day of the Lord often convey a sense of imminence, nearness, and expectation: “Wail, for the day of the Lord is near!” (Isaiah 13:6); “For the day is near, even the day of the Lord is near” (Ezekiel 30:3); “Let all who live in the land tremble, for the day of the Lord is coming. It is close at hand” (Joel 2:1); “Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision! For the day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision” (Joel 3:14); “Be silent before the Lord God! For the day of the Lord is near” (Zephaniah 1:7). This is because the Old Testament passages referring to the day of the Lord often speak of both a near and a far fulfillment, as does much of Old Testament prophecy. Some Old Testament passages that refer to the day of the Lord describe historical judgments that have already been fulfilled in some sense (Isaiah 13:6-22; Ezekiel 30:2-19; Joel 1:15, 3:14; Amos 5:18-20; Zephaniah 1:14-18), while others refers to divine judgments that will take place toward the end of the age (Joel 2:30-32; Zechariah 14:1; Malachi 4:1, 5).
The New Testament calls it a day of “wrath,” a day of “visitation,” and the “great day of God Almighty” (Revelation 16:14) and refers to a still future fulfillment when God’s wrath is poured out on unbelieving Israel (Isaiah 22; Jeremiah 30:1-17; Joel 1-2; Amos 5; Zephaniah 1) and on the unbelieving world (Ezekiel 38–39; Zechariah 14). The Scriptures indicate that “the day of the Lord” will come quickly, like a thief in the night (Zephaniah 1:14-15; 1 Thessalonians 5:2), and therefore Christians must be watchful and ready for the coming of Christ at any moment.
Besides being a time of judgment, it will also be a time of salvation as God will deliver the remnant of Israel, fulfilling His promise that “all of Israel will be saved” (Romans 11:26), forgiving their sins and restoring His chosen people to the land He promised to Abraham (Isaiah 10:27; Jeremiah 30:19-31, 40; Micah 4; Zechariah 13). The final outcome of the day of the Lord will be that “the arrogance of man will be brought low and the pride of men humbled; the Lord alone will be exalted in that day” (Isaiah 2:17). The ultimate or final fulfillment of the prophecies concerning the day of the Lord will come at the end of history when God, with wondrous power, will punish evil and fulfill all His promises.”

3.  On Christian conduct (12-22): What things did Paul tell the Thessalonians that they should be doing within their “Church Community” (make a list from this passage)?

^“But we request of you, brethren, that you appreciate those who diligently labor among you, and have charge over you in the Lord and give you instruction, and that you esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Live in peace with one another. We urge you, brethren, admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with everyone. See that no one repays another with evil for evil, but always seek after that which is good for one another and for all people. Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. Do not quench the Spirit; do not despise prophetic utterances. But examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good; abstain from every form of evil.”  

1 Thessalonians 5:12-22 (NASB)

Paul’s exhortation was for them, but can also be applied to Christians today (Note the statement “for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” in verse 18 as it applies to this list):

• Appreciate those who labor over you (such as pastors, teachers, missionaries and others that work for the cause of Christ), and hold them high in love
• Live in peace with one another
• Admonish (discipline) the unruly
• Encourage the fainthearted
• Help the weak
• Be patient with everyone
• See that no one repays another evil for evil
• Always seek after that which is good for one another and for all people
• Rejoice (in the Lord) always
• Pray without ceasing
• In everything give thanks
• Do not quench the Spirit
• Do not despise prophetic utterances, but examine everything carefully (against God Word)
• Hold fast to that which is good
• Abstain from every form of evil

4.  Discuss: What are some of the things you have learned from Paul’s 1st letter to the Thessalonians that we as a Christian community today should be doing (or getting better at)?

Answer will vary here, but may include most of the things on the list in question #2 above, as well as the idea of being prepared and alert to the signs of the times in reference to the “day of the Lord.” Even though no one knows the day or hour of its occurrence, the Bible helps show us how-to live-in anticipation of it, and to take heart and have hope in the fact that those who have gone before us will be there with us at that time.

5.  Memory verses: Recite – Acts 17:11 (having Biblical discernment and truth); 1 Peter 3:15 (the call to give an answer for our faith – Christian Apologetics); Acts 17:30-31 (through the work of Jesus, a call to repentance and eternal life vs. judgment); 1 Thessalonians 4:14 (the hope of the Resurrection); and add 1 Thessalonians 5:9-10 (God has destined Christians for salvation not wrath)

• “Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so.”

Acts 17:11 (NASB)

• “But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect,”

1 Peter 3:15 (NIV)

• “Therefore having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now declaring to men that all people everywhere should repent, because He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man whom He has appointed, having furnished proof to all men by raising Him from the dead.”

Acts 17:30-31 (NASB)

• “For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him.”

1 Thessalonians 4:14 (NIV)

• “For God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep, we will live together with Him.”

1 Thessalonians 5:9-10 (NASB)

Please continue to join us as we read and study the Bible as part of our Christian Apologetics’ class each week!

Note: Class presentation, videos, reflections and Bible study questions are posted on the weekend – Bible study answers (like these) are posted mid-week.

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You will not find this material in the public school curriculum even though it is based on solid evidence and grounded in research. It is ironic that following the evidence to where it leads stops at the door of our public schools as they will not let a “Divine footprint” in!  Join us as we examine evidence for Christianity and learn how to become a thoughtful defender and ambassador of your faith.

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Teri Dugan

TeriDugan@truthfaithandreason.com

1 Peter 3:15