1 Thessalonians 5:16-28, The Path Toward Sanctity

Sanctification is a big word that is hard sometimes to define. It means, generally, the process of becoming holy, or set apart to God. But what does that mean? Paul has talked with his converts in Thessalonica about suffering persecution, of holding true to the faith, of sexual purity, of brotherly love, of expectation of Christ’s return, of response to leadership and of taking leadership. This is all part of the path toward sanctity or holiness. But here, at the end of his letter, he mentions some more steps in this direction.

¹⁶ Rejoice always. ¹⁷ Pray unceasingly. ¹⁸ Give thanks in everything, for this is God’s will in Christ for you. ¹⁹ Don’t quench the Spirit. ²⁰ Don’t despise prophecy. ²¹ Test everything. Hold on to the good. ²² Abstain from every form of evil. ²³ Now the God of peace Himself sanctify you wholly, your whole spirit, soul, and body, and keep you blameless at the coming of our Lord, Jesus Christ. ²⁴ The One who calls you is faithful and He will do it.

²⁵ Brothers and sisters, pray for us. ²⁶ Greet all the brothers and sisters with a holy kiss. ²⁷ I put you under oath to the Lord to read this letter to all the brothers and sisters. ²⁸ The grace of our Lord, Jesus Christ, be with you. Amen.

Joy is a mark of the Christian, even as love and faith and hope are. It is the consequence of knowing you are rescued from God’s wrath by the sacrifice of His Son in your place, and knowing that God is sovereignly guiding your life at every point. And He has given you a purpose, a mission, to love and bless all those around you. You may experience suffering, like the Thessalonians were, it might be hard work, as Paul was admonishing them to, but it does not quench joy, the joy Jesus has left us with, His joy (John 15:11).

Unceasing prayer is another mark of Christians. After all, we have been brought into reconciliation with our God, granted His favor, and invited into relationship. How could we not spend much time talking to Him? But Paul reminds us to, because, strangely, we need that reminder. And as we are praying, we give thanks, another mark of Christians. Because we know that everything that happens to us is God’s will for us, and we know it comes from His loving hand, we can be grateful in it. We are not necessarily grateful for it, but can be grateful in it. We can find thankful joy in the midst of sorrow, pain, and hardship. Paul doesn’t say it here, but he and we know that God works all things together for good to those who love Him (Romans 8:28).

Paul instructs, also, about the use of spiritual gifts in the congregation. We must not quench, throw water on, the fire of the Spirit at work in us and our fellow believers. And part of that is not despising prophecy. We don’t know why this might have happened in Thessalonica, but rather than despising the Spirit’s gifts at use in sinful people, we are called to evaluate them in light of true teaching and the intended result of all use of gifts, the edification of the Body of Christ. Hold to what is good, abstain from what is evil.

This is the path to sanctity. And we are not walking this in our own power. God is committed to sanctifying us wholly, body, soul, and spirit. He is going to make us blameless at Jesus’ coming, so that we stand without shame in the judgment. He is going to accomplish this in us. True saints will persevere.

And so, Paul ends his letter with three requests: (1) pray for him and his team. He believes God answers prayer. (2) greet everyone with a holy kiss, the cultural way in that day to lovingly greet. (3) read his letter to the whole congregation. This may seem strange to us. Why wouldn’t the person who gets the letter read it to those it is for, the whole congregation? Surely someone wouldn’t see it as empowering themselves by keeping it to themselves, would they. Of course they would.

Then he ends with a blessing: The grace of the Lord Jesus be with them. Where would we be without that grace?