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Imitators of the Churches of God: Gospel Mindset; I Thessalonians 5:16-19
“For you, brethren, became imitators of the churches of God in Christ Jesus…” I Thessalonians 2:14
The church in Thessalonica was an encouraging group. Paul praised them for their faith (I Thessalonians 1:6-10), but also encouraged them to “excel still more” (I Thessalonians 4:1). After comforting the Christians in Thessalonica by reminding them of Christ’s return, Paul gives them various advice before closing out the letter. In I Thessalonians 5:16-19, we find a list of exhortations that will be vital to helping the Thessalonians, or any Christian for that matter, as they strive to grow in faith. These exhortations all have to do with the mindset needed by any Christian who loves the gospel enough to shape their lives by it.
“Rejoice always;” (I Thessalonians 5:16). There is a lot in life that does not make us feel like rejoicing. It is okay to be sad sometimes (Matthew 5:4). And yet, the Scriptures tell us to always rejoice (I Thessalonians 5:16; Philippians 4:4). In Luke 10:20, Jesus says “rejoice that your names are recorded in heaven.” While we may go through experiences that bring us sorrow, nothing should be able to remove from our heart the joy that we find in our salvation (I Peter 1:3-9). The apostles in Acts 5 demonstrate this mindset. After receiving a beating for speaking about Jesus, “they went on their way from the presence of the Council rejoicing that they had been considered worthy to suffer shame for His name” (Acts 5:41).
“Pray without ceasing;” (I Thessalonians 5:17). Going to God in prayer should be a natural action throughout our day. The average American sends and receives over 30 text messages a day. Do we go to God in prayer as often as we text people? The Scriptures are filled with excellent role models in regards to prayer. Daniel’s custom was to take time to kneel three times a day in prayer, even when prayer was outlawed, (Daniel 6:10). Nehemiah saw fit to offer a quick prayer before responding to the king in Nehemiah 2:4. Hannah went to God not only out of her distress (I Samuel 1:10), but also in gratitude (I Samuel 2).
“In everything give thanks;” (I Thessalonians 5:18). Prayer and thanksgiving are almost inseparable. The “everything” part of this verse can give us some trouble, though. There is a difference between being thankful for everything, and being thankful in everything, as Paul actually writes here. There are bad things that happen in life for which we may not be thankful. However, you can still be thankful for the blessings of Christ, your relationship with God, and your hope of salvation even in the midst of unfortunate circumstances. Again, this is all part of the mindset of a Christian that is different from the mindset of those of the world. We always have a silver lining that should keep us thankful.
“Do not quench the Spirit;” (I Thessalonians 5:19). Obviously, you do not have the ability to quench the Holy Spirit Himself, but you can quench the Holy Spirit as He dwells in you. First Corinthians 6:19 and Romans 8:9 tell us the Spirit dwells in us. Colossians 3:16 and John 15:7 indicate that the Holy Spirit dwells in us through God’s Word. The idea of quenching the Spirit is similar to the idea of quenching a fire. How do you quench a fire? By pouring water on it, ruining the environment necessary for the fire to survive, or failing to feed the fire. Similarly, you quench the Spirit within you by exposing yourself to things that “ruin the environment” by defiling your heart. You quench the Spirit by failing to read and meditate on God’s word. Ultimately, you quench the Spirit by failing to rejoice, failing to pray, and failing to give thanks.
“Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks… Do not quench the Spirit;” (I Thessalonians 5:16-19). These are the actions and attitudes that need to shape our heart and define our personality. This is the mindset we are to have, shaped by Christ’s gospel.
