The Ultimate Objective

23 Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24 He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.

25 Brothers, pray for us.

26 Greet all the brothers with a holy kiss.

27 I put you under oath before the Lord to have this letter read to all the brothers.

28 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. – 1 Thessalonians 5:23-28 ESV

Like Peter and the other apostles, Paul had a strong expectation that the believers to whom he wrote would grow up in their salvation (1 Peter 2:2). Spiritual immaturity or stagnancy in their faith was unacceptable. He told the believers in Colossae that his preaching of Christ was intended to bring about salvation and sanctification.

Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ. – Colossians 1:28 ESV

In his letter to the church in Ephesus, he declared that his responsibility as an apostle was to “to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ” (Ephesians 4:12 NLT). Then he added that this work of building up the body of Christ had an even loftier objective:

This will continue until we all come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God’s Son that we will be mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ. – Ephesians 4:13 NLT

The work would never be done. Full spiritual maturity would never be achieved, at least not in this lifetime. And Paul expressed to the Galatians his intention to keep pouring into them until they bore the likeness of Christ.

Oh, my dear children! I feel as if I’m going through labor pains for you again, and they will continue until Christ is fully developed in your lives. – Galatians 4:19 NLT

You might say that Paul was obsessed; he could not bear the thought of any believer failing to experience the fullness of salvation offered by Jesus Christ. This included their sanctification, the divine process by which believers are transformed into the likeness of Christ through the power of God’s indwelling Spirit.

As he concludes his letter to the believers in Thessalonica, Paul expresses his desire for their continued holiness. It was his life’s passion and his constant prayer to God on their behalf.

Now may the God of peace himself make you completely holy… – 1 Thessalonians 5:23 NET

Paul knew that spiritual maturity was the work of God, not of men. That doesn’t mean we don't play a part, but the work of sanctification is impossible without divine assistance. Paul has already told the Thessalonians that their sanctification was God’s will for them (1 Thessalonians 4:3), but now he reminds them that it is also God’s work. Only God can transform sinners into saints. Only He can replace their hearts of stone with hearts of flesh (Ezekiel 36:26).  Only He can radically alter their old natures, transforming them into new creations (2 Corinthians 5:17).

That is why Paul was constantly asking God to do what only He could do to bring about the spiritual maturity of His children.

I pray for you constantly, asking God, the glorious Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, to give you spiritual wisdom and insight so that you might grow in your knowledge of God. I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the confident hope he has given to those he called—his holy people who are his rich and glorious inheritance. – Ephesians 1:16-18 NLT

Only God has the power to save and sanctify. He alone is capable of securing the spirits, souls, and bodies of His saints, so that they might remain “blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ comes again” (1 Thessalonians 5:23 NLT). By his use of the word “blameless,” Paul is not suggesting the possibility of achieving a state of sinless perfection in this life. He is simply reiterating a point he had made earlier in his letter. Their ability to one day stand before God “without fault” or “free from blame” would be the work of God.

May he…make your hearts strong, blameless, and holy as you stand before God our Father when our Lord Jesus comes again with all his holy people. – 1 Thessalonians 3:13 NLT

The ability to maintain a life marked by righteousness and holiness is a gift from God, just as salvation is. No one can save themselves, and no one can preserve their saved state through self-effort; it is the work of God. And Paul assures the Thessalonians that God can be trusted to bring this divine transformation process to completion.

God will make this happen, for he who calls you is faithful. – 1 Thessalonians 5:24 NLT

God could be counted on to do His part, but they had a role to play as well. Paul has made that point clear throughout his letter. They would need to maintain their commitment to “serve the living and true God” (1 Thessalonians 1:9 ESV). They must continue to “walk in a manner worthy of God” (1 Thessalonians 2:12 ESV). He expected to hear that they were “standing fast in the Lord” (1 Thessalonians 3:8 ESV). And they could not afford to let up on their commitment to “live in holiness and honor—not in lustful passion like the pagans” (1 Thessalonians 4:4 ESV).

Their sanctification was a joint effort, powered by God, but requiring their willing and eager participation. If God’s will was their ongoing sanctification, they would have to adopt it as their own. They needed to make Christlikeness their primary passion and lifelong objective, and there was to be no goal less than full maturity in Christ. This meant that their sanctification would not be complete until they died and went to be with the Lord, or they lived long enough to see Him return at the Rapture for His church. Either way, the commitment to spiritual maturity and their ongoing transformation into the likeness of Christ were to remain their highest priority.

The apostle Peter reminds us that, because of our faith in Christ, we have been given all that we need to live godly lives. We lack nothing.

By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence. And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires. – 1 Peter 1:3-4 NLT

And the apostle John provides us with further assurance of our completed transformation into the likeness of Christ.

…we are already God’s children, but he has not yet shown us what we will be like when Christ appears. But we do know that we will be like him, for we will see him as he really is. – 1 John 3:2 NLT

Paul closes his letter with a request. He asks the Thessalonians to pray for him and the rest of his ministry partners. He understood that his commission to share the Gospel required divine assistance. He coveted their prayers because he knew that he was engaged in a spiritual battle “against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 6:12 NLT). Paul was not fearful; he simply understood that his mission faced intense opposition and longed for the prayers of his brothers and sisters in Christ.

Finally, Paul asks them to convey his love to all the members of the congregation and to ensure they hear the message of his letter. Then he closes with a final blessing, asking that the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be upon them. For Paul, the unmerited favor of God was a truly remarkable gift that never ceased to amaze and delight him. It was the key to salvation, sanctification, and, ultimately, the glorification of all believers.

Father, Paul has made it clear that holiness is Your highest priority for us. Yet, we tend to make it all about our happiness. We seem far less interested in our ongoing spiritual transformation than our present comfort and the pursuit of contentment. Even when we decide to make holiness a worthwhile objective, we do so for our own glory. We attempt to live godly lives so that You will be pleased with us and others will think more highly of us. But that kind of approach to sanctification is missing the point altogether. Paul reminds us that we exist to bring You glory. When we live set-apart lives in the power of the Spirit, it becomes evident that You are the moving force behind our transformation, not us. We cooperate, but You bring about the change. You get the glory and we get to experience the joy of watching You turn helpless sinners into hope-filled saints. Thank You! Amen.

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Be Ready!

32 “From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts out its leaves, you know that summer is near. 33 So also, when you see all these things, you know that he is near, at the very gates. 34 Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place. 35 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.

36 “But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only. 37 For as were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. 38 For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, 39 and they were unaware until the flood came and swept them all away, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. 40 Then two men will be in the field; one will be taken and one left. 41 Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken and one left. 42 Therefore, stay awake, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. 43 But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into. 44 Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.

45 “Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom his master has set over his household, to give them their food at the proper time? 46 Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes. 47 Truly, I say to you, he will set him over all his possessions. 48 But if that wicked servant says to himself, ‘My master is delayed,’ 49 and begins to beat his fellow servants and eats and drinks with drunkards, 50 the master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know 51 and will cut him in pieces and put him with the hypocrites. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. – Matthew 24:32-51 ESV

Jesus is attempting to open the eyes of His disciples and help them develop a long-term perspective regarding His Kingdom. They were focused on the here-and-now, and having trouble understanding that the talk of His coming death in Jerusalem was anything but bad news or something to be avoided at all costs. This entire chapter contains Jesus’ surprising and difficult-to-comprehend words that reveal the bigger picture regarding God’s plan of redemption. Jesus’ death on the cross would be just the beginning of a much larger and comprehensive plan of God that would include His resurrection and His return to His Father’s side. But, even more importantly, it would require His eventual return to earth as the conquering King.

While Jesus knew that there would be a long delay before His return, He wanted His disciples to live with a sense of eager anticipation. If they expected it to happen, kept their eyes open, and looked for the signs of its approach, they would be able to endure the struggles that were coming their way.

Jesus used the visual lesson of a fig tree to help the disciples understand that there would be visible, recognizable signs associated with His coming. The budding of a fig tree is a natural indication that summer is near. It is an unmistakable and irrefutable sign. Jesus wanted His disciples to know that the signs of His return would be just as clear and undeniable. He even assured them that “this generation will not pass away until all these things take place” (Matthew 24:34 ESV).

But what does that mean? Was He saying that the events associated with the end times would take place during the lifetimes of His disciples? The answer would seem to be no. But while they were alive, they would begin to see the early signs of His return. The budding of a fig tree provides a premonition or portent of something to come. The buds do not mean summer has arrived but that it is coming. In the same way, the disciples would live long enough to see signs that would point to Jesus’ coming. They would not be alive when He returned, but they would be given clear indications that it would happen.

Each generation of believers has been given signs that His coming is imminent and inevitable. These signs act as assurances of God’s faithfulness and are meant to encourage Christ-followers to continue to wait eagerly and hopefully.

The earth will continue to endure all kinds of struggles, including earthquakes, famines, floods, disasters, and even wars. Jesus even states that the world would eventually “pass away” (Matthew 24:35 ESV). The apostle Paul broke the same news to the believers in Corinth.

Those who use the things of the world should not become attached to them. For this world as we know it will soon pass away. – 1 Corinthians 7:31 NLT).

The apostle John wrote, “This world is fading away, along with everything that people crave” (1 John 2:17 NLT). Earlier, in this very same discourse, Jesus warned His disciples of future signs that would foretell the end of the age and the nearness of His return.

“…you will hear of wars and threats of wars, but don’t panic. Yes, these things must take place, but the end won’t follow immediately. Nation will go to war against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in many parts of the world. But all this is only the first of the birth pains, with more to come.” – Matthew 24:6-8 NLT

While there will be clear signs along the way, the actual day and date of the Lord’s return will remain a mystery. Christ’s followers will be given assurances of its coming but will not know the exact time of His return. Jesus indicated that even He did not know the day or the hour. God the Father alone has access to that information.

The second coming of Jesus will be a surprise, catching most of the earth’s inhabitants completely off-guard and unprepared. Jesus used the days of Noah as an apt point of comparison. In a way, Noah’s building of the ark was a clear sign that something was coming. Peter indicates that Noah warned his neighbors of God’s coming judgment and the availability of salvation made possible by the ark.

[God] did not spare the ancient world, but preserved Noah, a herald of righteousness… – 2 Peter 2:5 ESV

The New Living Translation reads: “Noah warned the world of God’s righteous judgment.” But the people in Noah’s day ignored the signs and refused the message of Noah. Instead, they busied themselves, “eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark” (Matthew 24:38 ESV).

They continued with their lives, oblivious to the warning signs and ignorant of what was about to happen, until “the flood came and swept them all away” (Matthew 24:39 ESV). Jesus clarified to His disciples that the same thing would happen when He finally returned, catching the world unprepared and completely off-guard.

The next few verses have created much controversy over the ages. Some have attempted to use them as proof of the eventual rapture of the church. But it is important to keep these verses within their context. Jesus has been talking about His second coming, not the rapture, so the context is judgment, not salvation. When Christ returns the second time, He will come as a righteous judge to deal with sinful mankind once and for all. His coming will take place at the end of the Great Tribulation, a time in which many will come to faith in Christ and endure intense persecution at the hands of the Antichrist. But when Christ returns, He will defeat the Antichrist and his ungodly followers, casting Satan, the Antichrist, and the false prophet into the lake of fire or hell.

Then the devil, who had deceived them, was thrown into the fiery lake of burning sulfur, joining the beast and the false prophet. There they will be tormented day and night forever and ever. – Revelation 20:10 NLT

And all those who are living on the earth at that time will be judged as well, with their ultimate fate being consignment to hell.

Based on the context of the second coming, those whom Jesus describes as being “taken” are the unbelievers who remain. They will be judged and condemned, then sent to the destination God has prepared for them. Any who are “left” are meant to symbolize those who came to faith in Christ during the Great Tribulation.

Jesus appears to stress the need to remain prepared and fully expectant. This is why He said, “Stay awake, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming” (Matthew 24:42 ESV). He added, “You also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect” (Matthew 24:44 ESV).

Disciples of Christ are to live with a sense of eager expectation and conduct themselves as if His return could occur at any moment. Waiting is difficult. The delay can easily cause us to lose hope and take our eyes off the prize. Jesus gave His disciples a warning in the form of yet another parable.

A faithful and wise servant stays vigilant and diligent while his master is away, conducting himself as if the master could walk in the door at any minute. But the wicked servant used the delay as an excuse to sow his wild oats. His sin-prone, self-centered nature manifested itself.  And Jesus warns that the servant’s master, like the Messiah, will return when the servants least expect it. When he does, he will bring just judgment on the wicked servant.

Again, Jesus was trying to get His disciples to understand that there was much more to the Kingdom than they ever imagined. His first coming was just the beginning, and His eventual departure would not be the end. He would come again. He had promised to do so, and they needed to live their lives as if it could and would happen – at any moment. They were to stay diligent and vigilant. They were to remain faithful and wise. Unlike the wicked, followers of Christ are to stay alert and awake, fully prepared for His return.

“Let the evildoer still do evil, and the filthy still be filthy, and the righteous still do right, and the holy still be holy.

“Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me, to repay each one for what he has done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.” – Revelation 22:11-13 NLT

So, be ready.

English Standard Version (ESV)
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT)
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.