1 Thessalonians 4:9 -5:2
It was probably during the early part of his mission at Corinth that Paul wrote the epistle from which this passage is taken. The church at Thessalonica had been in existence almost a year. Erroneous views, especially about Christ’s second coming, had spread among its members. Many of them had given up their daily employments, claiming that it was unnecessary to work and that the richer members should support them while they idly awaited the Lord’s return. To correct these errors and to exhort the people to a life of order, self control and industry, Paul wrote this epistle.
The best way to prepare for Christ’s coming is to live a life of love. “Ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another,” Paul wrote. This seems to us a very commonplace lesson, for during nineteen hundred years the world has been hearing it. But at the time these words were written it was a new teaching. Christ brought love into the world. Of course there was love before – love of parent for child, love of brother for sister, love of friend for friend. But Jesus taught a new lesson – that we should love all men – our neighbour as our self – and that his followers should love one another as brethren. After the day of Pentecost there was a wonderful development of this new affection. The disciples had all things common. The rich aided the poor, the strong supported the weak, the joyful comforted the sorrowing, the victorious helped the defeated and fallen to rise again. Since that time Christinan love has been doing a marvelous work in this world. All hospitals, asylums, homes for the poor, for orphans, for the blind, and all manner of institutions for helping of the unfortunate, have sprung from this teaching of Christ. As it were, the heart of Jesus broke on Calvary, and its love poured out, streaming all over the earth, wherever the gospel was carried. We must be sure that we get this lesson well into our lives, and in our close, personal relations love one another as brethren.
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