The Grace of Our Lord Jesus Christ 1 Thessalonians 5:28

Paul completed his final instructions to the Thessalonians by charging them to “read” “this epistle” to “all the brethren”, and in chapter five and verse twenty-eight of his letter, Paul finishes his letter with a desire for “the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ” to “be with” all the them. We read:

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.

The verse begins, “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ...” Paul began with the words, “The grace” which means “that which affords joy, pleasure, delight, sweetness, charm, loveliness, good will, loving-kindness, unmerited favor” “of our Lord” or “he to whom a person or thing belongs, about which he has power of deciding; master and title given to God the Messiah” “Jesus” whose name means “Jehovah is Salvation” and who is “the Son of God, the Savior of mankind and God incarnate” “Christ” or “the anointed one, the Messiah and Son of God”. Paul's desire was for the “unmerited favor” of the Lord to be upon the Thessalonian church members.

The verse goes on to say, “...be with you. Amen.” Paul added, “be with you” which refers to the Thessalonians “Amen” which means “firm, verily, at the end, so be it and so it is”. So with his final words, Paul the apostle desired for the “grace” of the Lord to not only “be with” the Thessalonian church members, but also affirmed his desire with the phrase “so be it” or “let it be so”.

When we think about Paul's words, we find that he began and ended this wonderful letter with the desire for the “grace” or “unmerited favor” of the Lord to be upon the Thessalonians. This “grace” is only available through the Lord Jesus Christ, and it is offered not only to them, but also so all who will “rely upon, trust in and cling to” Him. May we too receive Paul's charge and desire for the “grace of the Lord Jesus Christ” to be upon us.

Next time we will begin Paul's second letter to the Thessalonians, 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.