1 Thessalonians 5 16-18 (2023)

FAQs

1 Thessalonians 5 16-18? ›

Let's take a deeper look into verses 16-18: “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” Ever wondered what God's will is!? It's this! That we rejoice, that we pray, and that we give thanks—and that we do all of these things all the time.

Verses 16-18 contain the following admonitions: rejoice always, pray without ceasing, and give thanks in all things. These imperatives convey a human response toward God, recognition that God is the source of our joy and thanksgiving.

According to this verse, Christians should be joyful at all times. Practicing unconditional forgiveness allows us to obey the command to "rejoice always." A bitter, unforgiving spirit blocks joy as surely as a logjam blocks the flow of a river.

In this verse Paul exhorts his readers to give thanks in all circumstances. He adds that it is God's will to do so. Regardless how difficult our circumstances may be, we can find reasons to thank God.

Discussion Questions

How can we rejoice always, even when things aren't going well or according to plan? What does it mean to pray without ceasing? How can you improve your prayer life in the coming year? How can we give thanks in everything?

To “pray without ceasing” means to have our minds always on the things of God, to be in constant communication with him, so that every moment may be as fruitful as possible.

On a positive note Christians should keep on doing good to everyone and rejoice. They should keep on praying and offer thanks in every situation (1 Thessalonians 5:14–18). Also, Paul instructs believers not to ignore or reject what the Spirit wants them to do, nor take a dim view of prophesying.

The need for wakefulness (5:1–11)

Paul reminds the Thessalonians that "the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night" (verse 2), that is, quite unexpectedly, so they should be sober and put on "the breastplate of faith and love" and "the helmet of hope of salvation".

The lesson to His followers was very clear: “Always pray and never give up.” Prayer is not a means of coercing God to do what we want. It is a process of recognizing His power and plan for our lives. In prayer we yield our lives and circumstances to the Lord and trust Him to act in His time and in His way.

Paul is saying, keep to your daily prayers, continue day and night; morning and evening. Always rejoice by coming before God constantly morning and evening. Unceasingly pray by coming before God morning and evening. And, of course, we can also pray and rejoice as we are able throughout each day.

What does 1 Thessalonians teach us? ›

The most prominent theme in 1 Thessalonians is the second coming of Jesus. It is mentioned in every chapter of the book (1 Thess. 1:10; 2:19–20; 3:13; 4:13–18; 5:1–11, 23–24). At Jesus' future coming, the dead in Christ will rise and will be caught up along with the living to meet the Lord in the air (1 Thess.

In this verse Paul encourages the Thessalonian believers to pray continually. Naturally, this does not mean to be in a state of prayer during every waking moment. Rather, we ought to be in a constantly "prayerful" state, and frequently speaking to God in actual, dedicated prayer.

1 Thessalonians 4

Paul called upon the converted Thessalonians to live in holiness. He counseled the Saints to “increase more and more” in righteousness. The righteous dead will rise up at the Second Coming and be reunited with the righteous who are living on the earth.

Paul is speaking here of a life marked by thanksgiving. Not everything that happens to us is good, but God uses everything that happens to work for our good. Sometimes we don't know whether something is good or bad, but we can be thankful God is working for our good in everything.

Only God can make them respond to the warning, comfort and support we give. Therefore we should pray that God will be gracious to work in their hearts so that they will respond well. In fact unceasing prayer for them is the best help you can give. It is the means that God uses to change the hearts and lives of people.

We “pray without ceasing” by remaining in careful and conscious alignment with our own Christ Presence, so that our source for all things is always the spiritual Source of love and enlightenment that is always available to us.

Reading 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 and the surrounding verses is always encouraging. Here, Paul gives his final instructions to the Church at Thessaloniki, calling them to love, act justly, and do the will of God. Not only that, but he tells them how they can accomplish all this.

The whole letter to these Thessalonians has been about placing their eyes of the coming of Jesus Christ. They were to live their lives in the light of eternity. Be ready for his coming. He is coming like a thief in the night and knowing that he is coming means that we must live our lives differently now.

1 Thessalonians 5:6 In-Context

5 You're sons of Light, daughters of Day. We live under wide open skies and know where we stand. 6 So let's not sleepwalk through life like those others. Let's keep our eyes open and be smart.

The most prominent theme in 1 Thessalonians is the second coming of Jesus. It is mentioned in every chapter of the book (1 Thess. 1:10; 2:19–20; 3:13; 4:13–18; 5:1–11, 23–24). At Jesus' future coming, the dead in Christ will rise and will be caught up along with the living to meet the Lord in the air (1 Thess.