Nepaug Bible Church - http://www.nepaugchurch.org - Pastor's Sermon Notes - http://www.nepaugchurch.org/Sermons/zz20020616.htm

1 THESSALONIANS: STRENGTHENING CHRISTIANS
Part VIII: Settled THINKING In View Of The Pretribulation Rapture
(1 Thessalonians 5:16-28)

Introduction: (To show the need . . . )

There is a lot of error we face in these latter days of Church History that can cause Christians to be concerned for their spiritual welfare:

(1) This past week, two men in white shirts came to my door with badges announcing they were elders of a certain Church group. I knew from years of experience they did not believe Jesus Christ is the Eternal Creator God, and that men can become gods by way of a self-help salvation in complete violation of Scripture. As I had just mowed my lawn, was very tired and thirsty, I gently responded to their introduction by saying, "Oh no, I am satisfied with already knowing the truth!" and they went on their way in short order!

After they left, I wondered about the effect they might have on my neighbors, and was impressed again with the wide range of cultic error that floods our world today!

(2) However, the Evangelical community has lots of error in it! In the book, The Coming Evangelical Crisis, edited by John Armstrong contributing author, Michael S. Horton wrote of a 1987 University of Virginia sociologist's study of evangelical college and seminary students. He found a typical response to the question, "What do you think of the account of Jonah's whale?" since it is an account largely thought to be mythical by Liberal Theology, the typical response by Evangelical students was, "It is not important to me that it happened historically." (Ibid., p. 257)

Thus, we have a squishy theology environment where terms like "Evangelical Lesbian" or "Evangelical Homosexual" can be used with no thought of the tension with Scripture! (Ibid., Armstrong, p. 18)

(3) Yet, the needs hits closer to home than even that. After our worship service last Sunday, I talked with several men in Fellowship Hall about what to do if what I, Pastor Shell teaches differs from what another credible Bible teacher like Dr. Charles Stanley of the First Baptist Church of Atlanta, Georgia would say. How are believers in Nepaug Church to know what is the truth in such cases?

When there is not only a lot of error in the WORLD, but in EVANGELICAL circles and even DIFFERENCES of belief between credible Bible teachers, HOW do we discern the truth?

(We turn to the sermon "Need" section . . . )

Need: "It's no question the world is full of error in these latter days. Yet, besides all the WORLD'S error, credible Christian authorities differ on Bible interpretations! How, then am I to know the truth?"
  1. After writing on the Pretribulation Rapture in his letter to the Thessalonians, Paul QUICKLY turned his attention to REGULAR CHURCH issues in 1 Thess. 5:12-28; Bib. Kno. Com., N. T., p. 707.
  2. A KEY need Paul addressed was GOD'S WILL for believers on how to THINK and DISCERN TRUTH in the latter days, 5:16-24:
    1. Paul wrote on the believer's personal attitudes in 1 Thess. 5:16-18, and then about evaluating new prophecies they heard by truly gifted prophets in the Early Church, 1 Thess. 5:19-24; Ibid., p. 708-709.
    2. Thus, 1 Thessalonians 5:16-24 is thus applicable for believers to know how to think to be effective in discerning truth from doctrinal error before the rapture, Ibid., p. 709.
  3. Hence, we view 1 Thessalonians 5:16-24 on acquiring SETTLED THINKING so as to DISCERN truth from error in the latter days:
    1. First, we adjust our thoughts toward God and this world to have settled attitudes regarding living in general:
      1. Every believer in Christ should have his joy based NOT on what can be fallible in this life, but on the reliable God of infallible Scripture so he can ALWAYS afford to REJOICE, 1 Thess. 5:16:
        1. Regardless that our emotions can rest on unreliable people or things in this life (1 John 2:17a), and that this yields emotional highs AND lows, Paul conversely called us always to rejoice.
        2. Hence, Paul implied we must place our trust in the infallible God of His infallible written Word so we can always afford to rejoice in contrast to what occurs in this passing life, Ibid., 708.
      2. In the same way, every believer should pray to the omnipotent, trustworthy God as the route for stabilized living, 1 Thess. 5:17.
      3. Hence, God wills the believer so trust His truthfulness, goodness and omnipotence as revealed in His infallible Word that he can thank God in ALL circumstances of life, whether they be "high" or "low" circumstances as this world defines them, 5:18, Ibid.
    2. Second, ARMED with these mental adjustments relative to life, we can respond constructively to questionable words from teachers and their ministries in the CHURCH as follows (1 Thess. 5:19-24):
      1. Because we trust in the Almighty, inerrant, omnipotent God of the infallible Scripture Who rules in our lives, we can afford to be secure to be open to the Spirit's ministry of NEW insights given to us by way of human teachers in the Church, 1 Thess. 5:19:
        1. Paul's call not to quench the Spirit like one might quench a flame (Ibid.) probably relates to a tendency for some of his readers to "underrate the value of prophetic utterances" of believers truly gifted with prophecy in the Early Church, Ibid.
        2. Thus, armed with confidence in God, they did not fearfully have to distrust every teaching just because it was new, but trust God to guide them into truth not before seen by men, 5:20.
      2. THOUGH telling them to be OPEN to NEW truth, Paul countered the tendency NAIVELY to ACCEPT ALL NEW insight through BIBLICALLY testing all teachings, 5:21-22:
        1. All teachings were to be tested by former, written, known and trusted Scriptures, 1 Thess. 5:21a; Rom. 12:6 (Ibid., 488) [2 Tim. 3:13-17 expands on this charge in the same context].
        2. If any new teaching was thus approved, it was to be firmly held as true; if any new teaching was thus found to have even an appearance of evil (eidous, UBS Grk. N.T., p. 712; Arndt & Ging., Grk.-Engl. Lex., p. 220), it was to be shunned, 5:21b-22.
      3. Now, to offer ASSURANCE in their MAKING a JUDGMENT in this TEST was the GOD of PEACE Who would set them apart from evil in their SPIRIT, SOUL and BODY, 5:23.
      4. Believers could trust the God Who CALLED them to salvation to KEEP them SEPARATE from ERROR this way, 5:24!
  4. Armed with such confidence in God's protective guidance, Paul gave closing requests for their edification, 1 Thessalonians 5:25-28.
Application: For settled thinking and discernment in these days, (1) believe in Christ as personal Savior from sin to be justified by God and given His indwelling Holy Spirit of discernment, John 3:16; Romans 8:9 and John 16:13-14. (2) Then, FULLY TRUST that God and what Scriptures He has allowed you to KNOW are TRUE as the BASIS for evaluating ALL that teachers teach you, cf. 2 Timothy 3:13-17! (3) GOD will GUIDE you in it all!

Lesson: When a believer puts FULL CONFIDENCE in the GOD and His TRUTH that are REVEALED in the SCRIPTURES he KNOWS are true, WHEN he TESTS what is TAUGHT by human teachers from what Scriptures He KNOWS, he can be SURE GOD will KEEP him free from error and its effects regardless WHAT ANYONE teaches in the church! >

Conclusion: (To illustrate the sermon lesson . . . )

 After the Evening Service last Sunday, I was talking with a couple in our church as they told me about a heartwarming discovery they have made in their travels away from our Church.

This couple has traveled in various states from Maine to Oregon, and the man has even gone to Europe on business. In their travels, they have been to various churches that teach the Gospel and God's Word. Yet, in their exposure to these many churches, they have noticed when error is taught (and it is present in churches all too often), they instantly, habitually and together look at each other with that "Oh-oh" look, for they know from the Scriptures what is true and false in keeping with God's promise in this 1 Thessalonians 5 passage.

ONE thing I found so REWARDING about this couple's testimony last Sunday was the fact that when they FIRST heard me present the Gospel of Christ from this pulpit, since I was the FIRST Pastor whom they had heard teach salvation was by faith alone in Christ alone, they QUESTIONED it and invited me to their home to discuss it! Even THEN, they were STILL UNSETTLED on what I said to them about salvation!

Later, a highly recommended missionary who filled this pulpit while I was on vacation, a missionary whom I have YET to meet, shared with them the SAME GOSPEL! The man talked with this missionary until 2:00 a.m. after the service, and all this missionary did was reportedly "say everything Don Shell said"! Then, they traveled about to find many other churches ministering this SAME GOSPEL of Christ, the Gospel they ALSO were able to see is CLEARLY taught in their BIBLES! By TESTING, they found the Gospel I taught was TRUE, and so they BELIEVED it and now continue to be ASSURED of the TRUTH as they continue to hear and evaluate BOTH what I as well as what OTHERS say!