TODAY IN THE WORD
Although 1 and 2 Thessalonians are two of the shorter Pauline letters, we've still covered a lot of ground in our study this month. Let's briefly review some of the main issues that we've examined. We began with Paul's sincere praise for the evidence of God's transforming work in the Thessalonians, together with his deep longing to see them again. We saw how the Thessalonians were models of faith in the midst of the persecution that they were experiencing, which was confirmed by the good report that Timothy brought back to Paul. Then we were challenged by exhortations to live a godly life in light of the Lord's return. This was followed by an extensive discussion of the Rapture and the instruction about those who had already died before the return of Christ. First Thessalonians then concluded with more instruction about living in the light of Christ and accountability before the church for members who were unruly or disruptive.

In 2 Thessalonians, many of these topics were revisited, apparently because there had been some confusion following Paul's visit and first letter. Here we found more detailed discussion of God's judgment for those who reject the gospel at His return and an unparalleled discussion of the man of lawlessness. The letter wraps up with another exhortation against idleness, or disruptive behavior.

Given the nature of these topics—persecution, God's judgment, the Lord's return, opponents of the gospel, wicked individuals within the church—it's no wonder that both letters conclude with prayers for peace (recall 1 Thess. 5:23-24).

As was his habit, Paul added a postscript in his own handwriting, which apparently was quite distinctive. Because he used a scribe to write down the bulk of the letter, he often added something in his own handwriting, perhaps to underscore the authority of what he had written. It's also possible this practice was to ensure the letter's authenticity—2 Thessalonians 2:2 suggests the possibility of spurious letters supposedly from Paul.

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TODAY ALONG THE WAY
True peace is only possible because the Lord is with us. The world defines peace as the absence of conflict, but the peace that is from God isn't dependent upon outward circumstances. Just the opposite—God's peace occurs in the midst of our circumstances. Reflect today on Philippians 4:6-7: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

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