(2) THE STORY OF THE EARLY CHURCH

Verses teaching "Christian Life & Worship"

Part 61- PAUL'S FIRST LETTER to the THESSALONIANS

Some of 1 Thessalonians is here;
some is in Part 7, "Travels and Acts";
and some is in Part 38, "Gospel of Jesus"
61.1 Sexual immorality 4:3-8
61.2 Love - its preeminence 4:9-10
61.3 Witnesses to Christ 4:11-12
61.4 Christian leaders 5:12-13a
61.5 Christian conduct 5:13b-22

back to HomePage

  61.1 SEXUAL IMMORALITY

1 Thessalonians 4:3-8 - God's plan is to make you holy, and that entails first of all a clean cut with sexual immorality. Every one of you should learn to control his body, keeping it pure and treating it with respect, and never regarding it as an instrument for self-gratification, as do pagans with no knowledge of God. You cannot break this rule without in some way cheating your fellow-men. And you must remember that God will punish all who do offend in this matter, and we have warned you how we have seen this work out in our experience of life. The calling of God is not to impurity but to the most thorough purity, and anyone who makes light of the matter is not making light of man's ruling but of God's command. It is not for nothing that the Spirit God gives us is called the Holy Spirit.

 to Contents List

61.2 LOVE - ITS PREEMINENCE

1 Thessalonians 4:9-10 - .... as regards brotherly love, you don't need any written instructions. God himself is teaching you to love each other, and you are already extending your love to all the Macedonians. Yet we urge you to have more and more of this love ....

  to Contents List

61.3 WITNESSES TO CHRIST

1 Thessalonians 4:11-12 - Be busy with your own affairs and do your work yourselves. The result will be a reputation for honesty in the world outside and an honourable independence.

   to Contents List

61.4 CHRISTIAN LEADERS

1 Thessalonians 5:12-13a - We ask you too, my brothers, to get to know those who work so hard among you. They are your spiritual leaders to keep you on the right path. Because of this high task of theirs, hold them in highest honour.

  to Contents List

61.5 CHRISTIAN CONDUCT

1 Thessalonians 5:13b-22 - Live together in peace, and our instruction to this end is to reprimand the unruly, encourage the timid, help the weak and be very patient with all men. Be sure that no one repays a bad turn by a bad turn; good should be your objective always, among yourselves and in the world at large. Be happy in your faith at all times. Never stop praying. Be thankful, whatever the circumstances may be.

If you follow this advice you will be working out the will of God expressed to you in Jesus Christ. Never damp the fire of the Spirit, and never despise what is spoken in the name of the Lord. By all means use your judgement, and hold on to whatever is really good, Steer clear of evil in any form.

  to Contents List

continuing verses on "Christian Life and Worship", on to Part 62, 1 Corinthians OR back to HomePage

J.B.Phillips, "The New Testament in Modern English", 1962 edition, published by HarperCollins, is presented here with the kind permission of Mrs Vera Phillips and the J.B.Phillips estate