Paul continued
his list of short directives as he closed his first letter to the
Thessalonian church. Along with “rejoicing evermore, praying
without ceasing, giving thanks in every thing, not quenching the
spirit or despising prophecyings, proving all things and abstaining
from all appearance of evil” in chapter five and verse
twenty-three Paul added how they were to be “sanctified”
and “preserved blameless” where we read:
And the
very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I
pray God your whole spirit
and soul
and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus
Christ.
The
verse begins, “And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly;”
Paul continued his exhortations with the words, “And the
very God” which refers to “the Godhead and trinity comprised
of God the Father, Christ the Son and the Holy Spirit Himself” “of
peace” or “tranquility, harmony and concord” “sanctify”
which means “separate, consecrate and dedicate to God” “you
wholly” or “in perfection or completion in all respects”.
Paul's desire for the Thessalonians was for God to “separate and
consecrate” them in every aspect of their lives.
The
verse goes on to say, “and I
pray God your whole spirit and soul and
body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus
Christ.” Paul
went on to add, “and I pray God your”
which is all
one Greek word “hymōn”
and means “you, yours and yourselves” “whole”
which refers
to “complete in all it parts, in no part wanting or unsound, the
entire and whole”“spirit”
which refers to “the vital and rational spirit by which the body is
animated, feels, thinks and decides” “and
soul” or
“breath of life” “and body”
which refers to “the living body” “be
preserved” which
means “guarded, kept and reserved” “blameless”
or “with no cause for censure” “unto
the coming”
which refers to “till the presence, arrival and advent or future
visible return from heaven, to raise the dead, hold the last judgment
and set up formally and gloriously the kingdom of God” “of
our Lord”
which means “he to whom a person or thing belongs, about which he
has power of deciding; master and the title given to God the Messiah”
“Jesus”
whose name means “Jehovah is Salvation” and refers to “the Son
of God, Savior of mankind and God incarnate” “Christ”
which means
“anointed, Messiah and the Son of God”. Paul desired for the
Thessalonian church members to be “guarded and kept blameless”
until Jesus returns.
When
we think through these words of Paul, we understand the value of
being “separated and consecrated” as well as “preserved
blameless” in our “bodies, souls and spirits”. At any moment
the Lord Jesus could return, and it is to our great benefit to be
found “sanctified”
and “blameless”
when He comes. We know this consecration and preservation is only
possible when “the God of peace”
is given full charge of our lives, and He becomes the “Lord”
and “master” of all we say and do. May the Lord Jesus remind us
of the value of being “sanctified”
and“blameless” as
He continues His work in us, and may He return to find us “without
cause of censure” when He does.
Next
time Paul tells the Thessalonians, “Faithful
is he
that calls you”,
so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until
tomorrow…there is more…
Look
for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From
Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be
Married”, and the new devotional “One Year in the Sermon on the
Mount” in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com
; http://www.barnesandnobles.com
; download to e-books, and find it locally at
www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.
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