Snoopy's Thoughts on 1 Thessalonians

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1 Thessalonians 4:1-12
Paul discusses living a life pleasing to God. He recognizes that the Thessalonians do this already. But he requests they do so more and more.

Specifically he asks them to avoid sexual immorality and to exhibit brotherly love. Aspire to lead a quiet life, says Paul. Attend to your own business and work with your own hands. In this way, the people will live a decent life and not be in need.
 
Snoopy's Snappy Review: 1 Thessalonians 4:1-12

Snoopy considers that he leads a quiet and decent life. He has no business to attend to nor work to do with his own paws.

However. Snoopy's job might be simply to be a pet. He is not asked to be a guard dog, to chase rats or herd sheep. Many of Snoopy's brethren do these things.

Snoopy is not in need. But where would he be without Charlie Brown?

Lots to ponder for this beagle today. :unsure:

Yours, Snoopy :dog:
 
So we see that Paul is telling these people to live a life that pleases God ----

This is a tall order to fill -----then and Now in this present time -----

We are flawed humans and it takes much hard work and a lot of practice on our part to even begin to live a life that pleases God ----

First ==we see it is God's will for them to be sanctified =====that is made Holy ---be set apart ----this requires receiving Jesus as your Lord and Saviour ----so your human Spirit is Change to a Holy Spirit -

Then we see they are to ---- that you should avoid sexual immorality

Then we see they are to ---- learn to control your own body in a way that is holy and honorable, not in passionate lust like the pagans, who do not know God

We see ==that God will punish those who commit this sin -----

So this is Important here because we now see that God is Agape but He also is a God who will not Tolerate sin and will punish those who commit sin -----

So while God loves us with all our baggage --He is a God of Justice which many refuse to acknowledge ---
Anyone who rejects God's instruction isn't rejecting a human being but is rejecting God Himself ----who is the only one who can give you the indwelling of the Holy Spirit ------

Paul tells them to focus on living a Quiet life ----mind their own business and work with their hands so that their lives will be an example to outsiders ------:angel:
 
Thanks @unsafe. There's a bit of the old Protestant work ethic (as it has come to be known) here isn't there? The people need to do the work of their hands and then they will not be in need.

Who finds living a quiet life appealing? In the present day this could be considered a countercultural idea.
 
They are indeed-y, but you must read farther, you cherry-picker. Then the Thessalonians behave badly over the more observant Bereans.
Cherry picking? 1 Thessalonians describes Paul's relationship with his converts and the Jewish opposition, WHULE HE IS WITH THEM IN THESSALONICA. So the fact that some of these hostile Jews later travel to Berea to continue to make troiuble for Paul is irrelevant to 1 Thessalonians.
I'd love a book written for non-academics that compares what 'Luke' says in Acts about Paul's travels, and how Paul describes them.
Are you trying to aay there are inconsistencies between Paul and Luke's reports about the Thesssalonians?
 
Two things are striking about Paul's phenomenal success in converting Thessalonians:
(1) He is able to convert "some" Jewish men, but "many women."
Women in some ways were victims of synagogue patriarchy. Women were nonpersons in the sense that they didn't even counter towards the minimal uumber of people (10 men) needed to form a quorum (Hebrew: minyan) for a synagogue. By contrast, Paul celebrates the leadership roles of women (see e. g. Romans 16). For, Paul, eligibility for spiritual leadersrship is based on spiritual gifts rather than gender. I wonder if Paul's mass conversions at Thessalonica led to several broken marriages.

(2) Paul is also able to convert "many god-fearers," Gentiles who are unwllling to bet circucised and probably feel like 2nd-coass adherents of Judaism.
""
 
1 Thessalonians 4: 13-18
Today's passage gives us more of Paul's theology. The Lord will return for believers, bringing with him those who have fallen asleep (died) as Christians. Those who are alive at that time will not go ahead of the dead.

The Lord himself will come down from heaven with the voice of the archangel and the trumpet of God. The dead will rise first. Those who are alive will be caught up together in the clouds to meet with the Lord in the air.

We will always be with the Lord says Paul. Therefore encourage each other with these words.
 
Snoopy's Snappy Review: Thessalonians 4: 13-18

Folks try to tell Snoopy a lot of Christian theology is metaphorical. But it sure sounds like Paul believed in a literal heaven in the sky. Complete with clouds. :p
 
This is my view

So we see here in verse 13 ---

AMP B

Those Who Died in Christ​

13 Now we do not want you to be uninformed, believers, about those who are asleep [in death], so that you will not grieve [for them] as the others do who have no hope [beyond this present life]

i say -----so when believers dies our body stays in the grave and is asleep --our spirit and soul leave the body and go to be with the Lord -----So Paul is making sure that he is informing his believers that they don't have to grieve like the unbelievers who have no hope ---

14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again [as in fact He did], even so God [in this same way—by raising them from the dead] will bring with Him those [believers] who have fallen asleep in Jesus.

So this speaks of Jesus who defeated death and rose again with His body that is now Glorified ----just like His body was changed during the transfiguration that was witnessed ---so these Believer Bodies that are asleep in the Grave can now be resurrected ------

15 For we say this to you by the Lord’s [own] word, that we who are still alive and remain until the coming of the Lord, will in no way precede [into His presence] those [believers] who have fallen asleep [in death].
So we see here that the living will not proceed the dead in Christ -------
16 For the Lord Himself will come down from heaven with a shout of command, with the voice of the]archangel and with the [blast of the] trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.

So we here the Lord comes Down from Heaven -----with a shout and the trumpet will blast and the bodies sleeping rise first ------
17 Then we who are alive and remain [on the earth] will simultaneously be caught up (raptured) together with them [the resurrected ones] in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord!

So we see the believers bodies asleep in the grave rise up ----then any believer living will then be caught up to meet Jesus in the air and will remain with God ----

This event has not happened yet so it is in the present future still -----


18 Therefore comfort and encourage one another with these words [concerning our reunion with believers who have died].

So Paul is telling the Believers to encourage one another with this knowledge ------


What does the Bible say about Rapture? - Scriptures on the End Times

The Rapture - the raising of the Church into heaven (1 Thessalonians 4:17)—is the next event on the prophetic calendar. The Rapture is when Christ comes back and takes every Christian that is still on this earth and resurrects all of those who have died and takes them to heaven with Him.

I say -----So we see here it tells us that the next event on the Prophetic calendar is the Rapture of the Church ----and that is what I believe--------after the Rapture of the Church then comes the 7 year tribulation and then comes the 2nd coming after the 7 year Tribulation -----

Now some folks think that the Rapture happens at the 2nd Coming and some say the rapture happens in the middle of the 7 year Tribulation -----but if you research properly the Scriptures you see that it happens before God's wrath is poured out on this earth ---

The Saints have to be in Heaven for Jesus to come with All His Saints ---that only makes sense ----as pointed out in 1 Thessalonians 3:13 ---
 
this is interesting to note


There are Seven Raptures that I can find in the Bible. They describe God’s intervention into human history to show that He interrupts life at times for His purposes.



1. Enoch (Gen 5:21-24; Heb 11:5)

2. Elijah (2 Kings 2:11)

3. Jesus’ Ascension (Acts 1:9-11)

4. Church Age Saints (1Thes 4:13-18)

5. The Two Witnesses in the Middle of the Tribulation (Rev. 11:3-12)

6. Tribulational Believers (Rev 14:14-16)

7. The Damned to Armageddon (Rev 14:17-20)
 
Snoopy's Snappy Review: Thessalonians 4: 13-18

Folks try to tell Snoopy a lot of Christian theology is metaphorical. But it sure sounds like Paul believed in a literal heaven in the sky. Complete with clouds. :p
Paul's prophecy fulfills the vision in Daniel 7:13-14 by identifying Christ as "the one like a son of man"; (in contrast with the symbolic various types of ""Beasts" in the context):

13 "In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, [1] coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days Iand was led into his presence. 14 He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all nations and peoples of every language worshiped him."

In Daniel 7 everything, including "the clouds of heaven," is symbolic.
 
The question to me is did the early historical Christians believe in the "rapture"?
The original word in Hebrew/Greek is Harpazo....meaning to seize or carry off by force.
The "rapture" theory was started in 1833 by John Nelson Darby's analyzed translations..
now accepted by many Christians such as @unsafe and also rejected by many Christians.
Prior to Darby's translation it was not taught.
So believe whatever way you choose I guess.
 
The question to me is did the early historical Christians believe in the "rapture"?
The original word in Hebrew/Greek is Harpazo....meaning to seize or carry off by force.
The "rapture" theory was started in 1833 by John Nelson Darby's analyzed translations..
now accepted by many Christians such as @unsafe and also rejected by many Christians.
Prior to Darby's translation it was not taught.
:ROFLMAO:
Darby didn't write God's word Waterfall ----God inspired every word------so caught up in Scripture was written way before Darby was born -----He didn't create the Rapture theory ----it has been in the Scripture since God's inspired the writers to write what He told them to write

Nice try though ------
 
Greek. The Koine Greek of 1 Thessalonians 4:17 uses the verb form ἁρπαγησόμεθα (harpagēsometha), which means "we shall be caught up" or "we shall be taken away
 
This is the Latin word for caught up ---

AI
The Latin word for "caught up" is rapiemur,

Explanation
  • Rapiemur: Means "we will be caught up" or "we will be taken away"

  • Rapturo: Means "to catch up" or "take away"

  • Harpazo: A Greek word that means "to snatch" or "take away"
The Latin word rapere and the Greek word ἁρπάζω seem to come from the same Proto-Indo-European root (h1rep), which is also the root of the English word "reap

This word caught up has always existed in Scripture ---
 
:ROFLMAO:
Darby didn't write God's word Waterfall ----God inspired every word------so caught up in Scripture was written way before Darby was born -----He didn't create the Rapture theory ----it has been in the Scripture since God's inspired the writers to write what He told them to write

Nice try though ------
The doctrine of the rapture, to me anyway, seems to have been created by man.
" Thy kingdom come on_________, as it is in heaven"
Fill in the blank.
 
The doctrine of the rapture, to me anyway, seems to have been created by man.
" Thy kingdom come on_________, as it is in heaven"
Fill in the blank.
Well I am not surprised of your take on it ---

here is one for ya -------
Philip was also caught up and taken away -----

Acts 8

38 And he ordered that the chariot be stopped; and both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and [Philip] baptized him.

39 And when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord ]suddenly] caught away Philip; and the eunuch saw him no more, and he went on his way rejoicing.

40 But Philip was found at Azotus, and passing on he preached the good news (Gospel) to all the towns until he reached Caesarea.

so -------Philip was taken away --- raptured----- and placed somewhere else ------

and think on this ---when people die ----their spirit and soul leave the Body and are caught up (raptured )---to be judged by God ------

The Rapture of the Church is Imminent ---it can happen any time ----and true Christians are to be ready for it -----

AI
The rapture, however, will not be preceded by any signs. It will take place “in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed” (1 Cor. 15:52).
 
The question to me is did the early historical Christians believe in the "rapture"?
The original word in Hebrew/Greek is Harpazo....meaning to seize or carry off by force.
The "rapture" theory was started in 1833 by John Nelson Darby's analyzed translations..
now accepted by many Christians such as @unsafe and also rejected by many Christians.
Prior to Darby's translation it was not taught.
So believe whatever way you choose I guess.
Early Christians held a wide array of eschatological beliefs, but the concept of the "rapture" as popularized today was not a commonly held view among them.

John Nelson Darby, played a big role in formulating and popularizing what is now known as "Dispensationalism" in the 19th century, which included the concept of a pre-tribulation rapture. Prior to Darby's influence, the rapture was not a mainstream doctrine ✨
 
and think on this ---when people die ----their spirit and soul leave the Body and are caught up (raptured )---to be judged by God -
And yet some Christians believe we all "sleep" until the resurrection when Jesus returns, after which we will reighn with Him on Earth.
Anyway.....believe what you want.
 
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