1 Thessalonians 5
April 6, 2022
“May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it.” (v23-24)
Paul concludes a letter full of commands to be sanctified (i.e. 1 Thess 4:3) with a benediction for God to sanctify us. God loves us just like we are, but He loves us too much to leave us where we are. God wants us to be transformed into His image. But so that we don’t slip into trying to make that happen through white knuckles and gritted teeth, Paul reminds us that it is ultimately God who will do this transforming work (v24).
Father, Son and Holy Spirit, I praise You for every aspect of Your salvation: Your justification through the cross, Your glorification when Christ comes again, and Your sanctification, which You are doing in me even now. Forgive me for settling for a truncated gospel, that forgets that You came, not only to save me, but to sanctify me, so that every part of me reflects You. In those moments when I fall short of living that out, remind me of the promise that YOU are the One who will do this work in me - so that I keep turning to and trusting YOU to do what You promise You “will do” (v24)!
— Pastor Joshua Brooks
Use the following steps to guide your daily time with the Lord…
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Start with prayer. Ask God to open your heart to help you understand and receive His Word.
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Read and observe the passage carefully. As needed, read a second Bible version to help with understanding.
➡️ What does it say?
What does this passage teach me about God? What does it say about my sinful nature and my need for God’s grace? How does this passage point to Jesus?
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➡️ What am I going to do about it?
Does this passage include a promise to claim, an action/attitude to avoid/embrace, or a principle to apply? How can this truth apply to my life? What could my next step be? How can I share this with others? Is there a verse or section of Scripture I need to memorize?
