Today in God's Word—February 2023
East Tallassee Church of Christ
February 6, 1 Thessalonians 4
Have you heard that the Bible is outdated and irrelevant? Some critics say it has no message for our enlightened times since it was written so long ago to primitive people in ancient cultures. Some may not want to hear it, but that doesn’t mean the Bible has no message for us. Our preoccupations, struggles and fears are much the same as those of people who lived long before us. Could the Bible be as relevant for us today as it was for readers 2,000 years ago? Let’s see.
Paul addressed three topics in three brief paragraphs—sex, love and death. Are those relevant topics? Are people still talking and thinking about those subjects? I did a quick Google search on those three words and got 46.6 million hits, even with Safe Search on! But you don’t need a search engine to know that these are timeless, universal concerns. These three concepts have probably been the themes of more books, poems, songs, films, plays and other works of art than any other trio of ideas.
Concerning sexuality, God wills that we control our body and abstain from promiscuous immorality. God invented sex to be a blessing, but it becomes a curse when removed from the intended context of monogamous marriage. God’s people are supposed to be led by his will, not the passions of their lust. If we reject God’s will about purity, we’re like toddlers who don’t want to hear a restraining “no” from parents. This selfish choice brings a bitter harvest of brokenness and loss. The message may be unwelcome, but it is still relevant and right.
The dominant command of Jesus and the New Testament writers is, “Love one another.” Paul described how life looks when people obey this command. We are to live quietly and mind our own business. We are supposed to work to support ourselves and set a proper example for others. There’s more about what it means to love one another in the Bible, but this brief description helps us know if we’re obeying the command.
People laughed at Jesus when he said a little girl who had died was only asleep. The disciples misunderstood when Jesus said Lazarus was asleep. But to the one who has power over death itself (and to those of us who belong to him), physical death is not final. It is just sleep. Paul used the same image about the dead in Christ, and promised that the dead will be raised when Jesus returns. This concept diminishes the fear of death’s awful finality. This message encourages us to face the death of loved ones and think about our own demise with confidence instead of hopelessness, with faith instead of fear.
For all our technological advancement and discovery, we still need the moral guidance, practical wisdom and hope that the Bible offers. It is old, but not outdated. The Bible will bless you if you’ll listen to its counsel.
From The Abiding Companion: A Friendly Guide for Your Journey Through the New Testament, Copyright © 2010 by Michael B. McElroy. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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