Wednesday, February 13, 2008

Greetings to you

23Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24 He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.

25 Brothers, pray for us.

26 Greet all the brothers with a holy kiss.

27I put you under oath before the Lord to have this letter read to all the brothers.

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

These are the last verses from 1 Thessalonians 5. They are Paul's final words in his letter to his church that he so loved.

First he offers a prayer for them. That the God of peace himself will sanctify them completely, and that God might keep them blameless. God, who is faithful, will do this.

Wesley from e-sword, explains this suchly:
And may the God of peace sanctify you - By the peace he works in you, which is a great means of sanctification. Wholly - The word signifies wholly and perfectly; every part and all that concerns you; all that is of or about you. And may the whole of you, the spirit and the soul and the body - Just before he said you; now he denominates them from their spiritual state. The spirit - Gal_6:8; wishing that it may be preserved whole and entire: then from their natural state, the soul and the body; ...... wishing it may be preserved blameless till the coming of Christ.
Matthew Henry
from e-sword, on God's faithfulness to us:
The kindness and love of God had appeared to them in calling them to the knowledge of his truth, and the faithfulness of God was their security that they should persevere to the end; and therefore, the apostle assures them, God would do what he desired; he would effect what he had promised; he would accomplish all the good pleasure of his goodness towards them.
Paul then asks the Thessalonican church to pray for him, to share his letter with other believers, and to greet each other in a holy manner. He then closes this letter with a benediction of "
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you."

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