Deeper Reflection
PAUL GIVES THANKS TO GOD FOR THE THESSALONIANS’ phenomenal growth: Their “faith” was “growing abundantly,” and their “love” was “increasing” (v.3). What contributed to their growth? We can glean from verses 3 to 12 four building blocks for spiritual growth.Perseverance: “your steadfastness and faith” (v.4). Perseverance is very basic and essential in discipleship. Consider what Jesus says: “But the one who endures to the end will be saved” (Matt 24:13). Biblically, the context of perseverance is almost always suffering: “the afflictions that you are enduring” (v.4; Rom 5:3; Heb 10:32). To “endure to the end” is to be faithful to God to the end.The “end” that we are to “endure to” is ultimately the Parousia¹⁸ – Christ’s Second Coming (vv.6-10). “Blessed is he who keeps waiting and attains to the 1,335 days” – a long time until “the end of the age” (Dan 12:12, 13, NASB), which refers to Christ’s Second Coming. Both the Parousia on Christ’s part and perseverance on our part go hand in hand together. What keeps us persevering until the Parousia is the promises of God. Paul points the Thessalonians to God’s promises of His eschatological “righteous judgment” (vv.5-9) and their glorification with Christ (v.10). God’s fulfilment of His promises do call for patient waiting on Him. To persevere with God’s promises is to be faithful in God’s faithfulness.Paul ends his encouragement to the Thessalonians for their perseverance (v.4) until the Parousia (vv.5-10) with prayer (vv.11-12). This connection shows that Paul’s prayer is eschatological in orientation. He prays for the present in the light of the future.

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¹⁸ The word parousia, which means “coming”, is a technical term for Christ’s Second Coming.