Paul concludes his letter with a prayer for the holiness of his readers. Earlier, the apostle wrote that “this is the will of God, your sanctification” (v. 4:3). Sanctification refers to the process by which God’s people are made like Him in His holy nature. Paul declares that God is Himself the source of our sanctification: “Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you” (v. 5:23). Peace is an attribute of God that Paul frequently notes in his benedictions. In speaking of our sanctification, we can see why he would refer to the peace of God, especially if we understand peace in its fullest sense of ultimate blessing and integrity.

Not only is God the One who sanctifies, but Paul further emphasizes how total and entire this sanctification is intended to be: “Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely” (v. 23). Paul expresses this principle of entire sanctification in three ways. First, we are to be sanctified completely, combining the Greek word for whole with the word for to the end (Greek holotelas). We might regard this as the designed extent of our sanctification: it is to be finished and complete.

Continuing in making this point, Paul adds a second prayer item: “And may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ” (v. 23). This statement is considered important to the question whether man is composed of two parts (body and soul – called dichotomy) or of three parts (body, soul, and spirit – called trichotomy). Trichotomists claim this passage as proof of their doctrine. Yet Paul didn’t intend to define the parts of the human nature, any more than Jesus did when He said to love God “with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength” (Mark 12:30). In general, the Bible uses the terms soul and spirit interchangeably and presents man’s nature in two parts: soul/spirit and body.

Third, Paul writes that our sanctification is such that we are “kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ” (v. 23). The meaning of blameless is “faultless” (Heb. 8:7) or “without blemish” (Phil. 2:15). Here we see the end product of our sanctification, our blamelessness, which takes place when Christ returns. Since Paul includes our bodies, along with our inner selves, he is referring to the resurrection of the dead. According to the Bible, when Christ returns, “the dead in Christ will rise” (1 Thess. 4:16). In 1 Corinthians 15, Paul notes that “we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet.” He adds that “the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed” (1 Cor. 15:51-52). Here we see the completion of our sanctification, when in the resurrection our glorified souls will be reunited with our then-glorified bodies. It is after this that the final judgment takes place, in which all of Christ’s people will stand “blameless” and justified.

Paul’s doctrine of sanctification is a radical one, so we can understand why many Christians find it hard to believe that God intends complete holiness for us. It is probably in anticipating this kind of response that Paul continues to say that we are sanctified not only completely, but also sovereignly by God: “He who calls you faithful; he will surely do it (v. 24). The apostle reminds us that our salvation begins with the call of God: “He who calls you.” Paul adds that God is not only a sovereign caller to salvation but also a sovereign actor in sanctification: “He who calls you…will surely do it” (v. 24). In this way, Paul identifies God Himself as the chief mover in the salvation of Christians.

God’s sovereignty certainly doesn’t rule out individual effort in our sanctification, which is why Paul proceeds to note the importance of our ministry to one another in pursuit of holiness. We are sanctified completely and sovereignly, Paul writes, and we are also sanctified mutually. We see the mutuality of our sanctification in three exhortations, starting with a summons to prayer: “Brothers, pray for us” (v. 25). Paul’s logic is obvious: if God is the One who sanctifies His people, then just as Paul has prayed for the Thessalonians, he would have them pray for him and for one another.

In addition to praying for one another, Paul urges the believers to loving fellowship in the church. He writes: “Greet all the brothers with a holy kiss” (v. 26). It was the practice of early Christians to greet one another with a kiss – most likely on the cheek or the forehead – that expressed their loving brotherhood in Jesus Christ. Over time the practice took on a liturgical form, where it continues in the liturgy of the Eastern church, although most Western churches no longer practice holy kissing. This exhortation points out the importance of what takes place not only during but also before and after the worship service. Whether it is a quiet, listening ear, a word of encouragement from experience or from the Bible, a welcoming smile to a visitor, or a helping hand to one in need, we are participating in God’s sanctifying work that will ultimately be perfected in glory.

Third, Paul exhorts the Thessalonians that the ministry of God’s Word must be honored in the life of the church: “I put you under oath before the Lord to have this letter read to all the brothers” (v. 27). The forcefulness with which the apostle speaks tells us about both the nature of his ministry and the priority he places on God’s Word. It was the practice in Jewish synagogues for the Scriptures to be read, and here Paul gives that same place to the reading of his own letter. Likewise, Peter described Paul’s writings as “Scriptures” (2 Pet. 3:16). More than simply validating his ministry, Paul’s command signals how vital the reading of Scripture is to the sanctification of believers. “Sanctify them in the truth” (John 17:17).

Paul concludes this remarkable first letter the Thessalonians with a benediction focused on the grace of God in Christ. Following the apostolic example, many churches today conclude their worship services with a pastoral benediction taken from the Scriptures, the purpose of which is to offer a declaratory prayer for the blessings that God has promised to provide to those who trust in Jesus.

Paul began 1 Thessalonians with an appeal to “grace…and peace” (v. 1:1), so it is fitting that he concludes first with a reference to the God of peace and finally with a benediction on the grace of God in Christ: “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you” (v. 5:28). This statement is no mere wish from Paul, but a declaration of what is certainly the case for those who have believed in Jesus. The final word that they need to hear from their pastor is the truth that the grace of Christ is with them. We need the same assurance of God’s grace today – an assurance that comes through faith in Jesus Christ.

God’s grace is His own favor – freely given to those who have deserved His wrath – because of the saving work of Jesus Christ for His people. At various points in this letter, Paul has pressed his readers to be serious about their growth in salvation, especially about their sanctification into increased holiness. Here at the end, he reminds them once again that this expectation is grounded in the grace that God provides through His Son.

If Paul’s final words are any indication – and they must be – then God’s purpose in our struggle for holiness is not just so that we might give up sinful things for Him and offer good works in their stead, though this is part of what it means to love God. By concluding with grace, Paul suggests that God leaves us to struggle with holiness so that we might come to learn the reality and extent of His grace for us. He called us in grace to a patient, long-suffering, power-exhibiting process of sanctification. In this way, he gives each of us a personal experience of His grace.

Finally, Paul reminds us that God’s grace is in “our Lord Jesus Christ” (v. 28). God wants us to understand His grace by appropriating the gift of His Son, Jesus Christ, to be our Savior and Lord. The process of becoming holy causes us to look frequently to the cross, where Jesus died for our sins. By facing our sins in practical ways, we realize how great was the love of Christ that willingly bore our penalty on the cross. We are to rely wholeheartedly on Christ’s intercession for us in heaven (Rom. 8:34) and His power at work in our lives through the Holy Spirit whom He sends (Eph. 1:19-20). As a result, our holiness is to take on the lovely graciousness of the holiness of Christ.

1 Thessalonians 5:23-28 Study Questions:

What might Paul be trying to communicate by using family terminology three times in verses 23-29?

In what ways would the reminder of God’s faithfulness in verses 23-28 be an encouragement to the Thessalonians?

As his letter closes, Paul returns in 1 Thessalonians 5:8 to the theme of faith, hope and love that he began with in 1:3. How do these draw together the other main themes in the letter such as suffering, grief, joy, family and holiness?

What are the main things you take with you from this letter?