Concerning the Times and the Seasons

For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, 1 Thessalonians 5:9

1 Thessalonians 5:1–11 – … to Serve the Living & True God
First Sunday of Advent – November 29, 2020 (am)
 

Steve Leston did a fine job last Sunday expressing the heart of God revealed in 1Th.4:13-18. Essentially, that passage was addressing the Thessalonians question: What happens to Christians who have died? This was a very young church. And although Paul had taught them well on these subjects while he was there (cf. 5:2), he had to leave sooner than he’d planned (cf. Act.17:3) and he was not going to get back there as quickly as he’d hoped (cf. 2:17-18).

So, he needed to remind them of some things. Regarding believing brothers [and sisters] who die, grieve their loss, he wrote, but not as others do who have no hope (4:13). Believers who die before Christ returns are actually better positioned than you are! Jesus Himself taught this (4:15; cf. Mat.24:29-31). And Paul will say so again to the Corinthians: 1Co.15:51 … We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. These believers will [be raised up] to meet Christ first, even before those who remain alive when He returns (4:15-17). 4:18 [So,] encourage one another with these words.

That’s a clear charge, one we don’t often follow! But now our text today finishes almost exactly the same way: 11 Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing. That’s what we’re supposed to do with teaching on the end times! They were doing it. But we tend to fight over it, and to divide. So, I want to do three things today. First let’s walk through his text to hear what it teaches. Then we’ll talk about a couple things we need to know to be better prepared to do what it says, even with people who disagree with us. And finally, we’ll walk through a list of beliefs we hold in common with those people, all toward obeying v.11 with one another. Let’s answer three questions toward that end.

When Will the Day of the Lord Happen? – 5:1-3

No one knows when this will happen. 2 For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night (cf. Mat.24:36). But we can be sure that many, most, will be unprepared. 3 While people are saying, “There is peace and security,” then sudden destruction will come upon them as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. Just when those who visualize world peace without God believe their schemes are working, peace will be taken from them.

God will not tolerate the arrogant plans of humanity when they think they can seize absolute control of His world. The [hearts] of humanity [are] deceitful… and desperately wicked (Jer.17:9). And their efforts to rule this world will ultimately be foiled by His direct intervention. The series of events leading up to that time will start slowly and mildly like contractions leading up to childbirth, but they’ll intensify and accelerate just as Jesus described in Mat.24:8ff..

Now, many believe there is a shift in focus from the end of c.4 to the beginning of c.5 here—a shift from speaking of the rapture (the [catching up] of the people of God [4:17]) to speaking of the Jesus’ second coming at the end of this age. Paul’s words here are quite similar to Jesus’ in Mat.24, but it’s hard to understand exactly how we should perceive these happening as two separate events. And it’s especially hard when Paul puts them side by side with no indication that he’s moving to a new subject, just as Jesus did in Mat.24.

That, however, is one of the key questions about end times events that’s exceedingly difficult to answer from Scripture: Does the second coming of Jesus happen in two stages or just one? Do the final seven years of world history prophesied by Daniel (9:24-27) fall in between the rapture of believers and the second coming of Christ, or do these two events happen all at once near the end of that seven years?

The short answer to this question comes from Jesus: No one knows the day or the hour (Mat.25:13; 24:36). Paul also answers it here, the Lord will come like a thief in the night (2). Bottom line: we just don’t know exactly when that will be, or whether it will be in one event or in two.

What Should We Do until That Day Comes? – 4-10

But if these events, whenever they happen, occur at such an unanticipated time, how can we possibly be prepared for them? When we’re in Christ, we may not know when the day is coming, but we surely know that the day is coming! 4 But you are not in darkness, brothers, for that day to surprise you like a thief. 5 For you are all children of light, children of the day. … The light of the coming kingdom has already dawned upon you in Christ! Though that day has not yet fully arrived, you are already living in its light through the salvation of Christ (cf. 9) and the ministry of the Holy Spirit (cf. 4:8). Paul gives three words of instruction that children of the light should hear and heed. They’re essential to living in the light they’ve received.

First, we should keep awake (6; Mat.24:42; Mar.13:35-37). This is different from the image of those who have fallen asleep (4:17). There, asleep referred to those who died but are awaiting the resurrection. This is a different metaphor. When Paul says keep awake here he’s not saying don’t die! He’s saying be alert. Be attentive to all the advantages that come from being in the light. He’s saying don’t get caught up in the activities of darkness. Be alert in prayer (Eph.6:18). Be clued in to the schemes of the devil (1Pe.5:8). 6 So then let us not sleep, be deadened to the things of God, disinterested in them, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober.

There is Paul’s second word of instruction, be sober (6). Be self-controlled in behavior and lifestyle. Don’t chase after the things this world says are satisfying. Hold on to what truly satisfies in Christ. 7 For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, are drunk at night. Physical darkness is the best cover for spiritual darkness. Works of darkness thrive when it’s dark. 8 But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation.

There’s the third word, put on (8) the whole armor of God (Eph.6:11). Live a lifestyle of faith and love that displays your hope of salvation (8), that looks forward to the day of the Lord (2). Live the life of a Christian. Walk in a manner worthy of God, who calls you into his own kingdom and glory (2:12).

This is what we should do until the day of the Lord comes.

How Can We Obey Paul’s Closing Charge? – 11

But when it comes to [encouraging] one another and [building] one another up (11), how are we supposed to do that? For the past 120 years or so, especially in our nation, these matters of the end times have seeded more division in the church than perhaps any other single doctrine or belief. Are we only supposed to encourage and build up those who agree with us on these matters? How serious a disagreement is it when we differ over the chronology of the end times?

I haven’t talked a whole lot about his area since I’ve been here at GCD, and that is primarily because it’s an area that benefits greatly from having some trust built up before you venture into it. But I want to say a couple of words to you today that I believe to the very depths of my heart. And I believe we’ll all not only feel better if we embrace them, but we’ll be better equipped to obey v.11!

The first thing I want to give you is what I believe is the key thing to know when it comes to understanding and discussing the end times. The absence of this single insight early on accounts for the bulk of the divisive disagreements on eschatology that we’ve seen in the American church. You hear it often, but probably without full appreciation of the depth of insight it brings to this discussion. I speaking of the simple phrase, now and not yet.

When it comes to understanding the unfolding plan of God for the ages, when it will be completed with a consummated kingdom and how, and where we are in that story line right now, when it comes to understanding how God’s promises to Israel fit with His promises to the church, and how these two groups become one in Christ both now and forever, now and not yet is a key concept to grasp, and an essential component in our being able and willing to obey 1Th.5:11 with all true believers in Christ.

Now and not yet helps us understand how Jesus can be Israel’s Messiah and the fulfillment of all they’ve been promised by God even while they continue to await the fulfillment of certain manifestations of His promised blessings as Paul describes in Rom.11.

Now and not yet helps us understand how Jesus can be reigning over all things in our day even while we await the full and final delivery of His kingdom.

And in case that is not quite clear, this means that now and not yet helps us begin to see how some think Christ’s reign has already been established over His church in this age and others think His reign is not yet established until the arrival of His promised Millennium (Rev.20:1-6). Answer: the reign of Christ is not either now or not yet. The reign of Christ is both now and not yet.

This is key. We’ll talk about it often when end times issues are on the table. And we’ll get more comfortable with its implications the more we talk. But for now we just need to know it, hear it, and store it away.

The second thing I want you to know is that life in the new heavens and new earth is ultimate fulfillment of God’s promises to both His OC and His NC people, and that once we arrive there surely the one new man made up of both Jewish and Gentile believers together (Eph.2:15) will have been realized, and we will all, together, be united under the reign of Christ (Eph.1:9-10). Between now and then there are surely biblical passages we need to discuss and theological wrinkles we need to iron out, but we can do so with full confidence that any believer whose hunger for an understanding of God’s Word has led them to the place of wrestling with how His plan will play out is surely someone we can love, respect, listen to, and also encourage and build up with reassurances and reminders we find here, [faithfully] calling them to keep awake (6), be sober (6), and [armor up] (8), live as children of the light, [as] children of the day (5).

Conclusion

And just in case this still seems hard, I want to finish today by reading a list of all the things true believers agree on even before we arrive at any end times differences. So, what do we all have in common?

Bible
Inspiration
Inerrancy
Infallibility
Triune God
Creator
Covenant Maker/Keeper
Fulfilled Prophecy
Miracles

Virgin Birth of Jesus
Sinless Savior
Fully God
Fully Man
Substitutionary Atonement
Resurrection of Jesus
Promised Return
The Holy Spirit
Our Future Resurrection

Eternal Life in Christ
Salvation by Grace
Justification by Faith
Sola Gratia
Sola Fide
Sola Scriptura
Solus Christus
Soli Deo Gloria
Historic Creeds

That which unites us is so great that anything which distinguishes us should not be allowed to divide us. And what could be more important, and especially needed in days like these, than to encourage one another on toward endurance based on the fact that (1) we know the day of the Lord is coming, (2) we don’t know when, but (3) we know what to do to be ready on that day! Keep awake (6), be sober (6), and [armor up] (8). In short, walk in a manner worthy of God, who calls you into his own kingdom and glory (2:12). So, encourage one another and build one another up (11) with these words (4:18).

Next Sunday: Hold Fast to What Is Good, 1 Thessalonians 5:12–28