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The epistle continues:
"And the God of peace Himself sanctify you wholly; and may your spirit and soul
and body be preserved entire, without blame at the Coming of our Lord Jesus Christ"
(23, 24 R.V.).
We have the God of peace in Rom. 15: 33, Phil. 4: 9 and in this context. Peace with
God and the peace of God is wonderful, but the Giver must ever be greater than His gift!
Here He is the Sanctifier, setting apart believers to His will, and guarding them, the
Second Coming of the Lord being in view all the time, for, as we have seen this hope
dominates the epistle. It is doubtful whether verse 23 can be interpreted as teaching a
tripartite nature for man. Mark 12: 30 could be used to teach a fourfold nature for man,
but would be straining the context so to do. The Apostle is not aiming to set forth a
tripartite nature. His object is clear; he is desiring that each believer should be preserved
alive and blameless to the Lord's Coming back to the earth.
"Faithful is He that calleth you, who also will do (or perform) it" (24).
Paul is assured of the mighty power of God who can accomplish all this. The epistle
closes with a request for prayer by the Apostle for himself. He puts his own needs last,
just as he does in Ephesians (Eph. 6: 19). It is so good to realize that this great servant of
Christ was not so strong and independent that he could disregard the intercessory
ministry of others on his behalf. Prayer along the lines of the Lord's will, makes a
difference as Phil. 1: 19 and Philemon 22, clearly show. Here is service for the Saviour
that is often disregarded perhaps because there is nothing to show for it externally. Those
who assess Christian work by what they call `results' may not be greatly drawn to such a
hidden ministry. But a ministry it is and one of vast importance in whatever age we deal
with. God's people are not like mechanical toys, wound up, as it were, by Him and
forced in all they do day by day. The private prayer life of each one of us reflects
accurately our spiritual condition and practical response to God's Truth.
Paul concludes by charging the Thessalonians that this epistle be read to all the
believers in the assembly.
"I charge you by the Lord that this epistle be read unto all the holy brethren. The
grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you" (27, 28).
The word `charge' is horkizo `to cause someone to swear or take an oath'. The R.V.
following the critical Greek texts has the strengthened form of enorkizo translating it
`adjure'. There was evidently an important reason why Paul uses this solemn word to
urge that this letter be read to everyone belonging to the Thessalonian church, though it is
difficult for us to decide today exactly what it was. Possibly the reason was for those
who were unruly, so that they should hear his warnings.
And so we come to the end of the epistle of "faith, hope and love", wherein is
recorded a faith that was constantly growing, a hope that burned all the brighter because
of the possibility of the Lord's early return, and a love which showed itself by responding