Author Topic: Christ's Ways (Read 11003 times)

Olde Tymer · « **Reply #273 on:** October 21, 2019, 08:26:07 am »

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1Thess 5:14a . . We urge you, brethren, admonish the unruly

The Greek word for "unruly" is ataktos (at-ak'-toce) which means: irregular; viz: out of order; disorderly. Unruly people are like kindergartners; but that's to be expected from their age group: little kids are disruptive, they're boisterous, they go off-subject and say whatever they want right out of the blue. They provoke and antagonize each other, they don't listen, they talk out of turn, they're impulsive, they can't stay in their seats, and they meddle and can't mind their own business.

When I hear of four supposedly adult women on television like "The View" throwing hissy fits and walking off the set, and/or talking out of turn; and spontaneously interrupting each other in mid sentence-- sometimes all four speaking at once --I have to wonder. And so-called presidential debates where two supposedly mature adults, competing for the power to run the country, are hurling accusations and recriminations, assassinating each other's character, and calling each other names; I get disgusted. God forbid that Christ's followers act like that either in church or out in the world.
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Olde Tymer · « **Reply #274 on:** October 22, 2019, 06:28:09 am »

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1Thess 5:14b . . comfort the discouraged

A discouraged person is someone who's given up all expectation that a situation will improve or change; viz: despairing.

In order to obey that directive, it's necessary to become personal with the people with whom you attend church. Too many Christians are like little islands of humanity in church. They warm a pew on Sunday morning and then get up and leave without bothering to spend even one minute mingling. They don't attend Sunday school because in Sunday school you meet people-- you associate with them; you get to know them, and they get to know you.

As disagreeable as that might be for private types of Christians, Sunday school is the best place in church to go for sympathy, for encouragement, and for support. Unfortunately, not many Christians can deal with negativity; and tend to distance themselves from people down in the dumps.

NOTE: In Dr. Laura Schlessinger's book "Ten Stupid Things That Men Do To Mess Up Their Lives" she lists men's propensity to fix things. In other words: instead of simply lending a sympathetic ear to people's problems, some men tend to see people with problems as "broken" and in need of repair; and then of course they take the initiative to begin offering unsolicited remedies. No; the idea is to console the discouraged rather than "fix" them.
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Olde Tymer · « **Reply #275 on:** October 23, 2019, 07:52:01 am »

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1Thess 5:14c . . Support the weak

That could probably be stretched to mean any number of things; but I should think it includes care for your church's aged and/or infirm; viz; people on crutches, people getting around in wheel chairs, people who can no longer drive a car, people lacking enough health to even leave their residences and go shopping on their own, people stuck in assisted living: that sort of thing.
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Olde Tymer · « **Reply #276 on:** October 24, 2019, 07:42:39 am »

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1Thess 5:14d . . Be patient with everyone.

The koinè Greek word for patient is makrothumeo (mak-roth-oo-meh'-o) which has little to do with getting fed up with people. In James 5:7-8 it speaks of giving things space to happen in their own good time.

I would say that in this case, makrothumeo speaks of giving people a chance to either catch on or catch up. For example: we all perfectly understand what we're saying while those hearing may need to have us restate ourselves in different words in order to clarify a misunderstanding.
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Olde Tymer · « **Reply #277 on:** October 25, 2019, 10:06:26 am »

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1Thess 5:15 . . See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men.

Christian conduct isn't a temporary uniform kept in the closet just for Sunday mornings like the rather odd patrons who wear costumes at Star Trek conventions. No, Christian conduct is every-day wear: in the home, on the job, at school, at the beach, at the mall, at the park, at the beach, in restaurants, in amusement centers, at the zoo, at the circus, on the internet, et al; in other words: ever-followed; not just at church on Sunday morning; which makes ever-following that which is good somewhat stressful at first; until it becomes second nature, i.e. a habit.
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Olde Tymer · « **Reply #278 on:** October 26, 2019, 08:43:38 am »

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1Thess 5:16 . . Rejoice evermore.

I think we'd better include the passage below with the one above.

"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade-- kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God's power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.

. . . In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith-- of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire --may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. (1Pet 1:3-7)

In other words: regardless of the severity of our misery, we're supposed to take heart in the fact that it's temporary, that it serves a divine purpose; and that there's the reality of something much, much better in store for us down at the end of the tunnel. That's an order; and it's at all times rather than some times.

NOTE: For those of us whose safety from eternal suffering is in the bag, the coming salvation spoken of in 1Pet 1:3-7 is most likely the resurrection that Paul spoke of in Rom 8:23-25, 1Cor 15:12-57, and 1Thess 4:13-18.
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Olde Tymer · « **Reply #279 on:** October 27, 2019, 10:20:15 am »

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1Thess 5:17 . . pray continually

The koiné Greek word for "continually" is adialeiptos (ad-ee-al-ipe'-toce) which means: uninterruptedly; viz: without omission. Webster's defines omission as: 1) something neglected or left undone, and 2) apathy toward, or neglect of, duty.

Believers who pray seldom, or not at all, are like a young man in the military who never writes home until his parents complain about his silence. I wrote home so infrequently when I was in the US Army back in the 1960's that my dad finally threatened to contact my company commander about it. (I thought that rather out of character for my dad since he never really cared anything about what I was doing all the years when I lived at home.)

You know, I have to admit, that even if I had a red phone installed in my home with a direct connection to God's desk, it would gather cobwebs from lack of use. I sometimes suspect that's one of the reasons trouble comes our way. It's to provoke some of us to call home.

It's not that I don't like God; it's just that all my life I've been conditioned to feel peripheral, and important to no one. My natural siblings are just the opposite. They have always perceived themselves at the center of the universe-- essential to its existence --while I have always perceived myself as not even belonging in the universe; let alone being at its center and/or having anything to do with its existence.

One evening, while attending a single's group at church back in the 1970's, the leader of the group went around the room asking each of us to name something special about ourselves. I could not think of a single thing; while another in the room said everything about themselves was special. They weren't being vain; they were being honest. That fortunate person had a very good self image and a healthy appreciation for their own worth.

It's very difficult for Christians like myself to believe that Christ's Father has any real interest in us. We have always believed ourselves ostracized, unnecessary, marginal, unwanted, and unimportant-- but we're adjusted to it so it's no big deal.

But feelings of unimportance are a handicap: not just in life, but in the spiritual realm too. It is just about nigh unbearable for believers like myself to comply with 1Thess 5:17 since we simply cannot believe ourselves missed by anyone; especially Christ's Father who we believe in our hearts must certainly prefer the company of people far more interesting than ourselves. But that command applies to everybody whether we think God cares or not. All must comply; no exceptions.

"Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not lose heart." (Luke 18:1-2)
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Olde Tymer · « **Reply #280 on:** October 28, 2019, 07:30:22 am »

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1Thess 5:18 . . Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.

The Greek word for "give thanks" is eucharisteo (yoo-khar-is-teh'-o) which means to be grateful. This goes much deeper than just common courtesy. Appreciation is an attitude; which Webster's defines as: to value or admire highly.

They say every cloud has a silver lining. Whether that's so or not matters little as one should never let disagreeable circumstances make them bitter and resentful towards the Bible's God; for example:

"Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head, and he fell to the ground and worshiped. And he said: Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked I shall return there. The Lord gave and The Lord has taken away. Blessed be the name of The Lord. Through all this Job did not sin nor did he condemn God." (Job 1:20-22)

"Although the fig tree fails to blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labor of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no food; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: yet I will rejoice in The Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation." (Hab 3:17-18)

Regardless of what the unbelieving world may say, think, or feel about the Bible's God, the one thing He's done for me that I will always sincerely appreciate is donate His one and only son towards rescuing my soul from a terrible future.

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him." (John 3:16-17)
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Olde Tymer · « **Reply #281 on:** October 29, 2019, 07:51:40 am »

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1Thess 5:19 . . Quench not the Spirit.

People were quenching the Spirit long before there was any such thing as a Christian; even before the Flood.

"Then the Lord said: My Spirit will not contend with man forever" (Gen 6:2)

The Spirit's contention was accomplished by means of preachers, e.g. Abel (Luke 11:50-51), Enoch (Jude 1:14) and Noah (2Pet 2:5)

Had the antediluvians listened to the preaching that the Spirit made available to them, the Flood might have been averted.

Nowadays when Christians fail to listen to the preaching and/or teaching that the Spirit makes available to them, they end up drifting away from God instead of participating with Him in a joint effort.

"If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth" (1John 1:6)
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Olde Tymer · « **Reply #282 on:** October 30, 2019, 07:48:04 am »

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1Thess 5:20 . . Do not despise prophecies.

The koiné Greek word for "prophecies" is propheteia (prof-ay-ti'-ah) which basically refers to predicting the future; for example: Matt 25:31-46, 1Cor 15:51-52, 1Thess 4:13-17, 2Pet 3:10, Rev 16:18-20, Rev 20:11-15, and Rev 21:1.

Webster's defines "despise" as (1) to look down on with contempt, loathing, or aversion, (2) to regard as negligible, worthless, or distasteful, and (3) to regard as unworthy of one's notice or consideration.

Just the opposite of relegating prophecy to the status of a superfluous field of study below one's dignity and/or likely not to hold one's interest; is a morbid fascination with it to the extent of construing prophecy to mean all sorts of things except what it actually says in writing.

I'm pretty sure that the prophecies Paul means for us to avoid despising are bona fide scriptural prophecies rather than crazy stuff that's likely not to be inspired but rather, the product of some crackpot's fertile imagination.
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Olde Tymer · « **Reply #283 on:** November 01, 2019, 09:45:53 am »

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1Thess 5:21-22 . . Evaluate everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good; abstain from every form of evil.

The "evaluation" spoken of here should be understood in relation to verse 20 where it's said: "Do not despise prophecies". The NLT's placement of a comma after "prophecies" is helpful because it puts prophecy and evaluation in a proper perspective.

In a nutshell: don't be gullible and buy into a prophecy just because it's gripping or sensational and/or seems reasonable. For starters, make sure the prophecy is at least in the Bible; anything outside the Bible should always be eo ipso regarded as suspicious and unreliable.
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Olde Tymer · « **Reply #284 on:** November 02, 2019, 08:27:11 am »

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1Thess 5:26 . . Greet all the brethren with a holy kiss.

I honestly doubt that Paul actually meant that the hierarchy should physically kiss the congregation, rather, in a manner speaking, to say "hi" for Paul from him to them. In America, it's common for friends to end a letter, or a cell text, or an instagram with XOXOXO; which means hugs and kisses; which aren't literal, rather, simply well-meant.
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Olde Tymer · « **Reply #285 on:** November 03, 2019, 07:22:40 am »

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1Thess 5:27 . . I adjure you by The Lord to have this letter read to all the brethren.

I think it safe to say that Paul wasn't talking about picking out a verse here and there as a spring board to a sermon, no, he meant the whole epistle, not just excerpts.

The word "adjure" has a variety of meanings; they all pretty much relate to putting someone under a solemn obligation (e.g. Matt 26:63-64) viz: church officers who neglect reading Paul's epistle to their congregations are in serious dereliction of duty.

NOTE: Some years ago, before we were married, my Protestant wife invited her Catholic dad to church. Well; that day, of all days, the minister's sermon focused on the church's finances.

On the way home, my wife's father commented: Protestants are no different than Catholics. All they care about is money. He never went back, nor did my wife feel it wise to ask him to.

I've often wondered how my wife's dad would've felt about Protestants had the minister that day taught the Bible instead of laying a guilt trip on the congregation to give his church more money.
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Author Topic: Christ's Ways (Read 11003 times)

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