A dispute that arises from time to time among Christians has to do with the relationship between the law and the gospel, or, to put it differently, between justification and sanctification. Sound Christians note the distinction between these doctrinal matters. The law is what God commands us to do, and the gospel is what God promises in order to save us. Justification is God’s declaring sinners forgiven and righteous through faith in Jesus. Sanctification is the process by which justified believers become holy in practical ways.

In our studies of 1 Thessalonians, we have had several occasions to note that while these doctrines are distinct, they must never be separated. Throughout this letter, Paul celebrates the faith of the Thessalonians, through which we are justified (1 Thess. 1:3, 8). This emphasis on faith does not deter Paul, however, from also urging good works. In believing, they had “turns…from idols to serve the living and true God” (v. 1:9). Having been justified through faith, the believers are reminded by Paul that “this is the will of God, your sanctification.

Seeing that the law and the gospel, faith and works, and justification and sanctification are always intended to go together, Christians should not be surprised to receive not only promises but also exhortations in the Bible. Thus, when Paul issues commands to believers, he has not descended into legalism. Rather, he is reminding us that faith in Jesus involves getting up from the place of our sin and following him, just as Jesus Himself so often commanded, “Come, follow me.”

In the concluding section of 1Thessalonians, Paul exhorts the believers in the church in their shared discipleship to Christ, charging them with three categories of attitude and action. The first of these categories deals with their relationships, involving respect for their leaders, mutual ministry among believers, and good deeds for even their enemies (vv. 5:12-15). Second, the Thessalonians are exhorted with respect to their piety, which should be filled with joy and thanksgiving (vv. 16-18). Third, they are charged to be receptive to God’s revealed Word (vv. 19-22). In all these matters, Christians are to respond to Christ’s grace not only by trusting Him but also by following His example of ministry, godliness, and zeal.

The first set of Paul’s exhortations pertains to the believers’ duty to minister to one another. This is an important point of emphasis, especially since in the previous verses Paul has given prominence to the authority of church leaders. It is vital that the church have a balanced relationship between its official ministers and the rank-and-file members, or, as it is sometimes put, between the clergy and the laity. Errors in this matter have often crippled the church and brought needless strife.

The first error is called clericalism. This is the view that all ministry is performed by the ordained ministers, who are paid to do it, while the members are merely to follow in a docile manner. Historically, this approach is represented by the priests of the Roman Catholic Church, although it is found among Protestants as well. Many ministers promote this view by wanting to be in charge of everything and sometimes by holding their church in actual tyranny.

A second error, anticlericalism, runs to the other extreme. Here, the church strips ministers of their authority or even does away with them, ignoring the fact that Christ has appointed pastors and teachers to lead and serve His flock. The true model for ministry is neither clericalism nor anticlericalism, but is the dual approach to ministry explained in Ephesians 4:11-12. He pointed out that Christ appointed pastors and teachers for the church. Their role is “to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ.” Ministry therefore starts with the teaching of God’s Word by faithful and gifted pastors. This does not replace but inspires other ministries in the church and provides the biblical understanding and motivation that the people need.

If Ephesians 4:12 calls for all Christians to engage in ministry, 1 Thessalonians 5:14 works out some of the details: “And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all.” These charges are not given to the leaders, but to the rank-and-file Christians, who are commanded to care for one another. Paul cites three groups that need attention from fellow Christians: the idle, the fainthearted, and the weak.

First, Paul identifies church members who are “idle.” The Greek word used, ataktos, has a broader meaning along the lines of “unruly” or “apathetic.” This is a word used in the military for a soldier who has stepped out of rank. In this sense, Paul is describing a wide variety of unruly Christians who are not living up to their responsibility as church members.

A second kind of person who needs attention is the “fainthearted. In contrast to the slacker, Paul here addresses the needs of those who are easily discouraged. While some Christians boldly embrace the dangers and challenges of following Jesus in this world, others are easily made to tremble, especially in a situation like that at Thessalonica, in which the church faced serious and painful persecution. Some Christians merit this description nearly all the time, but virtually all of us will fall into this condition at least some of the time. The proper ministry response from Christian friends is encouragement: “encourage the fainthearted.” This ministry may include reminders of biblical promises, support in prayer, and examples of others who struggled but continued in salvation.

Third, Paul urges Christians to “help the weak.” This term probably applies to those who find it difficult to abandon sin and resist worldly pressures. Paul’s letters reveal how uncompromising the apostle was in demanding that Christians never abandon believers who are weak, yet still trying to do better. The word for help literally means “to lay hold of,” with the idea of not letting them go. This should be our response to Christians who fall prey to substance abuse or are entangled in ungodly relationships, and who thus require close accountability and constant support.

Verses 5:12-15 forms a unit focusing on the Christian attitude in a variety of relationships. Christians are to treat church leaders with respect and “esteem them very highly in love” (v. 13). Among their fellow believers, Christians are to minister to the needs around them with a balanced response of truth and love. Finally, Paul offers a word of exhortation concerning even the believers’ enemies, which includes those violent persons who were persecuting fledgling church. In this case Paul charges them: “See that no one repays anyone evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to everyone” (v. 15).

Paul’s point in this matter is that Christians must not retaliate for wrongs as to seek to harm others. People outside the church – and sometimes within it – may deal out evil, but it should never be returned to them (see Matt. 5:44-45). This precept does not preclude Christians from seeking lawful redress from the civil authorities who are appointed by God to this very end (see Rom. 13:3-4). Nor does it mean that we should not act in defense of others. Yet when it comes to merely personal injuries against ourselves, Christians are privileged to honor Jesus by “turning the cheek” and giving our cloak as well to the one who asks for our tunic (Matt. 5:39-40).

In one of his greatest summaries of the Christian life, Paul wrote to the Galatians, “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me” (Gal. 2:20). If Christ lives in and through those who trust Him, then we should expect to see their lives bear and increasing resemblance to the ministry of Christ. This resemblance is exactly what Paul has in mind as he sets forth the Christian calling to relationships of love and grace. In considering Paul’s charge to the early converts, we see a reflection of the very actions by which Christ brought salvation to our souls.

1 Thessalonians 5:13-15 Study Questions:

What role does the whole community play in bringing believers to a point of fluency in their behavior (vv. 14-15)?

Describe a time when your Christian community affected an aspect of your behavior, causing you to live more as a child of light.