1 Thessalonians 5:6 - Homiletics

The day of the Lord is uncertain as regards its time. The early Christians were mistaken in regarding that time as at hand, and we perhaps may be equally mistaken in regarding it as distant. But there is an event which to each of us is, to all intents and purposes, the same as "the day of the Lord," which is both near and uncertain—the day of our death. Let us be watchful, so that that day may not overtake us in an unprepared state; and let us be sober, never indulging ourselves in any course of action in which we would not wish death to surprise us.

1 Thessalonians 5:8 - Spiritual armor.

We must not only be watchful, but be armed sentinels. To guard against surprise we must especially provide ourselves with two defensive weapons.

1. The breastplate of faith and love. By faith in Christ and love to man we shall effectually preserve our hearts against evil influences. Faith imparts courage, and love preserves us from selfishness, the great inlet to evil. The stronger and the more living our faith, and the purer and the more active our love, the more completely shall we be guarded against evil.

2. The helmet of the hope of salvation. By "the hope of salvation" we shall preserve our head from being filled with the idle dreams of worldly happiness, whether of power or fame. Hope will defend us from being seduced by the world's pleasures or allured by the world's honors.

1 Thessalonians 5:15 - Christian forgiveness.

1. Its peculiarity. Forgiveness of our enemies is pre-eminently a Christian virtue. It had no place in the morality of the heathen. The utmost they could attain to was, "Thou shall love all men except those who have wronged thee." It was very obscurely revealed in the Old Testament. The ancient saints did not distinguish between sinners and their sins; hence David's bitter curses against his and the Lord's enemies. Jesus Christ was the first to lay special stress on forgiveness.

2. Its properties. Forgiveness must be free, full, and universal; no feelings of enmity or ill will to any of our fellow-men ought to lodge in our hearts. We must imitate the example of our Savior, who on the cross prayed for the forgiveness of his murderers.

1 Thessalonians 5:16 - Religious joy.

1. Its sources. Religious joy springs from four sources: from the relation in which believers stand to God, and then it is the joy of love; from the interest which they have in Christ, and then it is the joy of faith; from the indwelling of the Holy Ghost, and then it is the joy of holiness; and from the hopes which they have of heaven, and then it is the joy of hope.

2. Its properties. Religious joy is ordinarily calm; it is serious; it may be often interrupted; it is purifying; it is generally greater at peculiar seasons; and it is often sensibly felt at the hour of death.

3. Means of obtaining it. We must live by faith in Christ, guard against seeking our chief happiness in any creature-good, and be diligent in the performance of our religious duties.

1 Thessalonians 5:17 - Unceasing prayer.

We ought not only to have stated hours of prayer, but to be continually raising up ejaculatory prayers, carrying on a constant intercourse between God and our souls; our prayers should be like the angels which Jacob saw continually ascending the mystic ladder to the throne of God. Unceasing prayer implies:

1. A devotional spirit : walking with God.

2. Ejaculatory prayer : our thoughts rising in prayer amid our daily occupations.

3. Perseverance in prayer : not leaving off until our prayers are answered.

4. Regularity in prayer : carefully keeping the appointed seasons for prayer.

5. Conjunction of thanksgiving with our prayers : realizing God's mercies and grace.

1 Thessalonians 5:19 - Quenching the Spirit.

1. How we may quench the Spirit. We quench the Spirit by the commission of grievous sins, by the indulgence of sensuality, covetousness, pride, and the irascible passions, and by formality and lukewarmness in our religion.

2. How we may cherish the Spirit. We cherish the Spirit by earnest desires for his influences, by a diligent use of the means of grace, by a spirit of trust and dependence, and by compliance with his secret impressions.

1 Thessalonians 5:21 , 1 Thessalonians 5:22 - Use of reason in religion.

1. The office of reason in religion. Reason is of use to examine the evidences of revelation, to ascertain the contents of revelation, and to judge that there is no contradiction to reason and morality in those doctrines which we suppose are deducible from Scripture.

2. The limitation of reason in religion. Distinction between what is above reason and what is contrary to reason. When once we prove that Scripture is the Word of God, and that such and such doctrines are contained in it, then it is the province of reason to submit to faith, because the truth of these doctrines rests on their being part of a Divine revelation; the doctrines of revelation are above, but they can never be proved to be contrary to, reason.